People feel more insecure taking taxis

Damar Harsanto and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Following reports of robberies by taxi drivers, frequent taxi travelers are now extra cautious about taking a taxi.

Dwiyani, 30, a resident of Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex in Tangerang said that she now sent a text message to her husband to inform him of the taxi she was taking, the driver's name and the license plate and taxi number on the door of the taxi.

"My husband will immediately contact the taxi company to check whether the name of the taxi driver and the taxi number match, then, he will contact me to check that nothing has happened to me," she said on Sunday.

Similarly, Monica, a senior executive with a foreign bank on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta said she always used the phone service provided by the taxi company to order a taxi.

"A few minutes before the taxi arrives, I always re-confirm my order, while asking details of the taxi that is going to pick me up, including its license plate and company number," said the resident of Sunter, North Jakarta.

"At least, the operator of the taxi company will have the record of my order if I encounter problems with the service," she said.

People's fears of being robbed in a taxi were heightened last week after a taxi passenger, Ellaide Rumiaty Tampubolon, 37, a resident of Jl. Bangka in Mampang, South Jakarta, reported to police that a group of four robbers had robbed and assaulted her in a Blue Bird taxi.

Ellaide said the robbers got away with Rp 5,074,000 in cash, US$100, a watch, necklace, and a Nokia 6690 cellular phone.

Although the taxi operator Blue Bird Group claimed that neither its driver nor taxi was involved in the robbery, the news has caused fresh worries among taxi passengers in the city, mostly women.

Maria Margareta, 32, an accountant with a securities company on Jl. Jend. Sudirman in South Jakarta, said that she was now selective in picking a taxi to bring her home.

Sometimes, she said, she has to stop taxis from four or five different companies just to get a cab from a company she trusts.

"I don't want to take the risk of taking a cab belonging to a company that has a reputation for being used in robberies of taxi passengers. I don't care if those taxi drivers that I stop get mad," said the resident of Rawabunga, East Jakarta, who uses a taxi every day to take her home from work.

Tips for safe travel by taxi

1. Choose a taxi from a credible taxi operator. Use the phone to order the taxi and ask for the taxi number and name of the driver. Look for taxi operators that also provide a hotline service for complaints.
2. If you know drivers you trust and they have cell phones, contact them for their services.
3. If you have no choice but to take a taxi on the street, take one from a taxi operator you trust.
4. Check the condition of the cab -- the company, interior, driver's uniform, and number of the taxi on the dashboard and doors. Avoid using a taxi with dark windows. Ask the driver to lock the door when you get in.
5. Match the photo on the driver's ID card on the dashboard with the face of the driver.
6. If the driver is driving recklessly or is impolite, it is better to get out and take another taxi, but make sure you get out in a safe area.
7. Ensure that the driver really knows the route to take.
8. Be cautious if the taxi stops for no reason.
9. If unknown people approach the door, quickly get out of the cab from the other door, and start screaming for help.
10. Call 112 or SMS 1717 for police assistance if required.