Taxis - front or back?

[Samung]

Light hearted question. If you're getting a taxi alone do you sit in the front or the back? I tend to sit in the back... makes me feel like a celebrity. 😁

I always thought it was just the norm to sit in the back unless there were too many to fit in the back.

Yes its too familiar isn't it?

I just opened the door to ask if he took card and he said yes moved his bag and I sat down I didn't want it becoming a thing.

Front for safety.

Not much use being in the back for safety.

Re safety: in a crash, the safest seat to be in is either the middle one at the back, or directly behind the driver. For anything other than a side impact, directly behind the driver is probably best.

Back seat is always safer than the front, as most impacts involve the front of the car. There's a reason why children can't seat in the front seat in many countries, even if they're in an appropriate child restraint.

And sitting right behind the driver presumably gives you some protection if, on instinct, the driver were to swerve in such a way that they themselves were most likely to be protected from impact. So something's coming towards you head on, driver is going to swerve right and offer the passenger side of the car as the main impact zone.

I suppose, if the driver wants to kidnap you, you're better off in the front because there are probably no child locks there to trap you inside. But overall, given that most taxi drivers aren't trying to kidnap you but do drive like absolute lunatics, I always choose right behind the driver as my seat. Unless I'm with DD, in which case I put her behind the driver and sit next to her (rear seat, passenger side).

Interested to know what makes you say this? The front passenger seat is the single most likely seat to be killed in, if involved in a serious crash. Being in the back is almost always safer.

steering wheel access (and speedometer on motorways)

If I travelling in a moving vehicle with a stranger i want a way to control its direction.

The front - I use the same taxi firm regularly and enjoy my chats with the driver.

The back. Also why do they lock the doors? I feel so stressed when I hear the lock click. I do not think it is acceptable for a man to lock the door to a female passenger.

Auto locking when moving

Or
To stop people jumping out the door when its not safe

I know it's auto locking but they should turn it off.

I know when it is safe to leave a taxi.

In the back, except when my leg was In plaster and I needed the extra space.

Can autolock be turned off? Must check manual

The car owner never met you before
And I know some people who dont bother to look🤷‍♀️

Yes auto locking can be turned off. I suppose they could lock the door manually anyway but to automatically lock a car door with a woman in the car is wrong.

Back - I only sit in the front of there are too many of us for the back. It feels awkward and I always feel obliged to ask the driver if I am ok to sit in the front.

Back. Had too many creepy drivers in the past!

In the back, without a doubt and...
I always carry a grey, peaked cap to loan to the driver in case he hasn't got one of his own.
Here it is...

I sit in the back after a taxi driver begged me for sex when I was a teenager. Another taxi driver followed me down the street (me walking, him driving) asking for sex because he "fancied me". Since then I feel a bit safer not sitting next to taxi drivers.

Definitely in the back. This sitting in the front thing is so classically British. In my home country, if you sat in the front, they’d think you were intending to rob them. There are door locks. I’m not sure they’d even unlock them for you. 😂 Completely freaks me out that people would get in the front. Dh gets in the front even when we have taken a taxi together because he feels like it’s rude to not sit in the front and chat. 🤣

Front, otherwise I'll puke

Always back - normally the driver has a whole load of stuff on the front seat with him. I also grew up generally taking black cabs and so would default to the back.

Thanks for your replies everyone!
Something occured to me. A lot of people would sit behind the driver in a cab, because it's the safest place to be in an accident. But I think most of us would expect to sit in the front passenger seat if our partner or a friend is driving. Apparently the most risky seat to be in.

Talking about cab drivers driving badly - I don't take cab rides often, but the drivers usually seem fine to me. When you're on a motorway they are usually driving a bit below the speed limit too.

Eh? People rarely sit in the front in Britain. Our black cabs are even closed off at the front so you have to sit in the back!!

I'm in Australia so it's always in the front. More egalitarian.
Chatting is expected. At some point you can ask them about their university degree(s). And languages.

In the UK it was always the back and they would wait until they saw you go safely into your house.

I think the op is talking about licensed cars Cabs are usually in cities we don't have cabs here all cars or people carriers.

I know two people who've been assaulted in the front of a cab. Back, no question.