To refuse to "Just put her in a taxi and send her home" DSD, aged 11

[SilenceOfTheSAHMs]

Is DP being unreasonable to not allow his DD, aged 11 to travel home from weekend contact in a taxi? DP's XP wanted him to, but he refused and safer transport was arranged. We currently have no car.

It just didn't feel "right" to put her in a taxi alone. Are we being unreasonable?

I know my mum would not have allowed me to be in a taxi on my own at 11, I did my first big journey on my own at 14, from London to Yorkshire in National Express and have been independent since, and not tied to my mums apron strings.

It varies from parent to parent, I would not be happy with until dd was a about 14/15 years. Mabey because dd has ASD and dev delays my judgement might be different. Each to their own and all that!

I'm puzzled as to why a 15 year old is safer in a taxi than an 11 year old. Actually, thinking about it, if you think taxi drivers are potentially dangerous, then surely a older teenager or an adult would be more at risk, because there are presumably more sexual predators who abuse women than there paedophiles?

It depends on the taxis in your area, their reputation, your experience with them and whether you know any of them personally. I can think of a few taxi drivers that are very trustworthy, most are fine but I've come across some that are dangerous creeps and I wouldn't trust them with any vulnerable person especially long distance.

"I've come across some that are dangerous creeps and I wouldn't trust them with any vulnerable person especially long distance."

I hope you reported them to the company and to the police.

Proper taxi firm, yes I would

There is a massive difference between allowing an 11 year old to travel independently on a bus, for example, and putting them in a locked car with a stranger. The reason I wouldn't put a child alone in a taxi is that unlike on a train or a bus, they are isolated. They can be driven miles away, and are very vulnerable IF the driver turns out to be a wrong un.
A taxi being "licensed" doesn't really mean anything. And nor does a CRB check.And it's also one of the most transient jobs.
As someone who has rarely owned a car, and lived in many cities, I have taken hundreds of taxis, and I have often used the same firms over and over. I have had to make complaints to taxi firms about certain of their drivers many times, and had to report things to the police. I have had too many dodgy experiences with taxi drivers, that I have talked myself out of (because I am an adult and have had some training in getting out of dangerous situations) to be so trusting.

As above.

Exaactly Ifnotnow, I don't understand how people do not see this. Yes a 14/15 year old is different to an 11 year old, they are older and presumably more safety aware, and have more developed skills.

So what would a 14/15 yewr old be able to do in a locked car that an 11 year old wouldn't?

And my point about there probably being more sexual predators interested in women than in children?

If it's a licensed taxi then I don't see the issue. Surely it's safer than train or bus?

They might be more able to deal with the situation than a younger child. How naive Hakluyt, have you not read the experiences of some on here with taxi drivers, more recently Ifnotnow experiences. I personally never travelled alone in a taxi until I was at uni, yes I would travel alone by bus, train, plane before then. Its like ifnotnow says, the child is in a locked car with a stranger, and can be driven anywhere. That unerves me!. I personally would not like to put my child in that situation. My children are only 7 and 2, so travel with me in the taxi, but when they are older I don't know. In our local paper within the past year, there have been a few incidence of sexual assault involving taxi drivers from local reputable licenced firms.

I don't think so owl from the reasons highlighted above.

Everyone seems to have a tale about a taxi driver who was a bit creepy towards them as am adult, but whilst still abhorrent and distressing there is a world of difference between someone behaving inappropriately towards an adult woman and being an actual risk to a child

And I still want to know what happened when people reported these creepy taxi drivers to their company and to the police. Because they did report them, didn't they?

Pre-booked licensed taxi I don't see a problem.

If the child has a phone then the parent could stay in constant contact until they arrived at their destination.
I think a taxi is a safer option than a child walking home from school for example.

Also I think most instances of Taxi drivers committing assaults are done to those who hop in a taxi, usually late at night. There is no record of a pick up so much more dangerous.

Explored if they can do that to an adult, they can sure do that to a vulnerable child. No I personally have not had a bad experience, but if i did I would of course report it to the police and the cab company.

You cannot tar all taxi drivers with the same brush.

I was in my very early teens when I was sexually assaulted by a taxi driver so I didn't report it because of fears of not being believed/ being judged. If it happened to me now I would obviously contact the police and report him, a child generally doesn't have that kind of confidence to take action. I would never send an 11 year old alone in a taxi with a male driver.

That is an awful thing to happen Private.

Can I ask do you avoid getting in taxis alone now?

I didn't report him because I was just turned 16, scared and thought I had led him on by getting into a car with him wearing a short skirt. Sorry about that hak

I had an unaccompanied taxi to and from school, 8 miles each eay from the age of 11.

You have an 11 year put in a taxi at one end, you have the drivers details. A parent is waiting at the other end.

Fine.

Even at the age of 28 I still wouldn't know what to do if somebody was trying to sexually assult me.

Do I scream, would screaming put me in more danger.
Do I just let the person carry on and then report after. Would the police take me serious as I didn't scream or hit out
Do I try and hit the person, or would put me in more danger.

Nonsense Aeroflot. Over the years I've come across lots of creeps who would try it on with a drunken woman, I dont think for a minute all/any of them would do the same to an 11yo girl - most would be part of the lynch mob if they'd heard it happened. An entirely different offense and risk.

I will get in taxis on my own now, but I am hyper aware of any inappropriate behaviour and nip it in the bud E.g. If he starts asking if I have a boyfriend I will say a monosyllabic yes and then call a friend to tell them I'm in a taxi on my way home. In the past I have also very obviously taken pictures of the taxi registration card and sent it to a friend. I know it's paranoid but bad experiences do that to you.

Or local taxi firm refuses to transport unaccompanied children. So my 15 year old son couldn't get a taxi. I think it is mad.