Going ‘south of the river’ late at night, or into a ‘dodgy’ area can be a frightening experience for any taxi driver. But spare a thought for those who work in some of the more high-risk parts of the world – and their often terrified passengers! So where are the scariest places in the world to be a taxi driver these days?
Apart from the obvious (war zones in the Middle East and parts of Africa), the concept of ‘risk’ has different meanings to different people. In many cases it can mean a somewhat relaxed attitude to safety. For example, in Lima, the capital of Peru, anyone with a car (no matter what condition it’s in, or even if it’s a rental) can put a sign on the side of the door and operate as a ‘taxi’, even if they have absolutely no idea where they’re going!
A recent survey by Hotels.com put Bangkok at the top of the list of scary cab rides of the world (although the drivers have also been ranked as the fourth most friendly in the world). Obviously, the biggest worries for tourists are being robbed, physical violence – or worse. But according to Alfred LaGasse, CEO of the Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association in the USA, getting ripped off is also right up there as unlicensed cabs charge basically whatever they want to unsuspecting tourists.
A lack of taxi driver insurance
But he also cites a lack of taxi driver insurance as being of serious concern: “With an illegal vehicle you have no protection whatsoever. Even if the driver carries personal insurance, that won’t cover paying passengers.” So that means passengers could potentially find themselves completely unprotected if they are involved in an accident in an unlicensed cab – and that applies to any taxi ride anywhere in the world.
Never share a cab in Manila
Many cities in South America have a bad reputation for violence including Mexico City, Caracas in Venezuela and Lima. Taxi drivers who wander into the wrong part of town could find themselves in considerable personal danger, and after dark the risk increases dramatically. The trouble for passengers is that for much of the time it is almost impossible to distinguish between licensed taxi drivers and unlicensed drivers. In Manila sharing a cab is very dangerous, as there’s a possibility that your fellow passenger is actually in cahoots with the driver, and you’re about to get robbed!
The main feature in Seoul
Technology can, apparently cause problems too – in the South Korean capital of Seoul, licensed taxis have had GPS fitted, which you would think is a good thing. However, the drivers have a tendency to use them to watch films as they’re trying to negotiate Seoul’s notoriously busy roads. While over in Johannesburg, South Africa, taxis are often white transit vans with the drivers doing their best to cram up to 20 people into them at once!
So the next time you have a customer complaining about British licensed taxi drivers, point out just how safe, reliable and professional the UK’s taxi drivers really are!