The battle of the cab companies is upon us and that leaves our city roads with no shortage of travel options. But with so many taxis out there do you know how to safely share the road with them?
Whether you are hailing, leaving or driving near a cab, we have provided some safety tips to help you avoid injury when you are travelling on the taxi-filled streets.
Hailing a Cab
When you are hailing a cab it is important to stand in a safe place in order to do so. Stand on the curb of the sidewalk or position yourself as safely as you can, given the area you are in.
Try to give the cab driver as much time as possible by flagging ones that are a safe distance away. This allows the cab driver the amount of time they need to safely make their way across traffic and stop in front of you.
Most cabs will pull over to the side of the road if there is space but sometimes there just isn’t room. If your cab stops on the street, make sure to look around your surroundings to ensure it is safe to step out onto the street. You should be cautious of other vehicles around you and bicycles that may be coming down the street.
Leaving the Cab
You have arrived at your destination, paid your fare and are about to step out of the car. But have you taken the precautions needed to make sure you exit safely?
To start, try to exit on the passenger side of the car nearest the sidewalk. This route provides the least amount of traffic to worry about. If the passenger side exit is obstructed by another vehicle, fire hydrant or whatever it may be, that is when you choose to exit from the driver’s side door.
Make sure you look out the back window to check that there isn’t any oncoming traffic or bicycles that you would be cut off with your door. Once you’ve decided the coast is clear, make your way from the road over to the sidewalk as quickly as possible.
Driving Near a Cab
Since the introduction of Uber into the taxi market, cab drivers are more focused on getting fares than ever before. That’s great for customer service but that leaves their eyes on the sidewalks rather than the road.
When you are driving near or behind a taxi make sure you are attentively paying attention, like you should be doing anyways. Taxis can make sudden stops or signal across multiple lanes of traffic to pick up a fare, so you need to be aware where they are around you. If a taxi doesn’t see you and tries to signal into your lane, honking the horn to let the driver you’re there may prevent an accident.
When a taxi is stopped watch for a door opening into traffic as you do not know which side of the taxi the person will be exiting.
Whether you encounter a taxi on a daily basis or just on occasion, these safety tips are crucial in following to ensure a safe ride to wherever you may be going.
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