Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To worry about getting a taxi to the airport?

34 replies

Sqish · 10/03/2018 20:15

Inspired by another thread about posting holidays etc on Facebook, I have now started worrying about getting a taxi to the airport for out holiday next week and therefore potentially advertising to everyone at the cab firm that we are up for being burgled....Confused Is there a clever way round this?

OP posts:
Avasarala · 10/03/2018 20:17

Mention to the driver that you're "so glad your sister could come and stay in the house for 2 weeks to look after the pets"?

TenThousandSpoons · 10/03/2018 20:19

This thought crossed my mind, while I was IN the taxi to the airport and all the chat of where we were off to etc. I decided if cab firms got involved with burglaries the police would put two and two together, and it wouldn’t be worth the drivers risking their jobs over. Most burglaries are opportunistic crimes. You could mention a sister who was staying in the house while you’re away to look after the big fierce dog you own, if the driver looks dodgy Wink

DOTLEYtheONEeyedDINO · 10/03/2018 20:19

YES! We usually give them a house number a few along from ours,(obviously they have our mobile numbers). We make sure we're outside very early and just get into taxi when they arrive. We also have neighbours popping into our house to move post, and have lights coming on/off on timers.

TenThousandSpoons · 10/03/2018 20:19

Haha x post about the sister looking after the pets!

writergirl747474 · 10/03/2018 20:22

Always wave goodbye to your flatmate who is supposedly waving from an upstairs window the driver can't see as he is watching the road. Or call her (the imaginary lodger) saying "sorry I had to rush, don't forget to feed the cat when you have the house to yourself".

DrEustaciaBenson · 10/03/2018 20:23

Have someone at the house to wave you off, so it looks as if someone will be there while you're away? Casually mention to the driver that it's your sister who's come to house sit and look after the dog?

But lots of people will know you're away - neighbours, milkman, paperboy, your work, your friends, dcs friends....

chickywoo · 10/03/2018 20:24

You could talk in the taxi on the way about how you hope your parents (who you’ve left house sitting Wink) can manage to workout how to use the telly and will remember when bin day is etc.
But honestly I wouldn’t worry about it - if you are going to get burgled it will happen when you least expect it like when you’ve just popped out shopping in the middle of the day! (Speaking from experience of being burgled!) and the taxi firms take lots of people everyday to the airport I don’t think they are an organised crime racket they are probably just trying to make an honest living by taking you to the airport!

Angie169 · 10/03/2018 20:26

If you have a pub near by go from there , the cabbie wont know where you live and you get to have a drink and may be meal to get your holiday of to a cracking start, its the way I always start my hols

BarbaraofSevillle · 10/03/2018 20:29

I'm sure that it's not really a thing for taxi drivers to rob their clients Hmm.

TenThousandSpoons · 10/03/2018 20:29

All these helpful pet sitting sisters Grin

Original poster
Sqish · 10/03/2018 20:31

All good suggestions, thanks and a good point about there being loads of people who will know we are away. Some of this is a bit restricted by our 3am departure time. Maybe we can get picked up from a pub lock in, definitely a good way to start the holidays Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Sqish · 10/03/2018 20:33

Don't mean to be taxi driver slandering, just occrred to me that the call handler or someone could inadvertently slip the info, or I suppose the travel agent could sell the info?!.. omg getting totally paranoid now

OP posts:
TheFifthKey · 10/03/2018 20:37

Most burglars are opportunist idiots at best, not organised crime gangs. I remember someone I know was burgled (in a small town) and the police said they had a good idea who did it, because there were two guys they regularly nicked for burglary and one of them was in prison. So there aren’t squads of men with masks and bags marked SWAG lurking around every corner.

Lifeaback · 10/03/2018 20:37

I always shout into the house and wave at the window as we're driving away. I feel like a total lunatic doing it but it puts my mind at ease a bit! It's not paranoid at all- there has been a huge spate of burglaries in Leeds because one particular firm have been asking students about their plans for the night when picking them up and giving burglars a tip off. There is nothing paranoid about taking measures to make sure your home is safe when you aren't there IMO

Post edited by MNHQ

Tensecondrule · 10/03/2018 20:37

We go away all the time. Never leave any lights going on and off, or anyone staying in the house. The one and only time we got burgled was when we were at home in bed!

Violetrose123 · 10/03/2018 20:38

When booking, leave an instruction for them not to ring the doorbell so as not to wake everyone in the house

MrsSquidney · 10/03/2018 20:38

My DH is a taxi driver, I’m pretty sure he’s too busy thinking about what other jobs he’s got/if he is going to hit traffic/when he’s going to have breakfast than to wonder if he could burgle you whilst you’re away Hmm

Biscuitsneeded · 10/03/2018 20:42

Gosh, it would never enter my head to think like this. Don't get me wrong, I've been burgled a few times - once when i was asleep upstairs - but life is too short to worry like this. Worry about poverty. Or the fact we're fucking up the planet. Or we live in a country that voted for Brexit. Or Syria! But don't let a fear of being burgled ruin your holiday.

DextroDependant · 10/03/2018 20:43

I am suddenly feeling lucky I have an actual pet sitting sister Grin

Original poster
Sqish · 10/03/2018 20:43

Mrs Squid could he please drive us to the airport then?! Grin

Sorry as I said don't mean to offend

OP posts:
GreenSeededGrape · 10/03/2018 20:43

I always book it for a few houses down. We flew to Aus at Christmas with a collection at 6.30 am and I narrowly caught the driver before he knocked on my NDN door.

Might have to come up with a different plan 🤔

letsdolunch321 · 10/03/2018 20:44

I agree with previous poster, my hubby is a cabbie who is thinking about where he is going next rather than looking at burgling a house.

MrsSquidney · 10/03/2018 20:47

Squish of course, book it for your actual address and you have my word your tv will still be present when you get back Wink

Sparklingbrook · 10/03/2018 20:49

I would only worry in case the taxi didn't turn up, as happened to a friend of mine.

I would imagine you are more at risk from passers by seeing you getting into a taxi with your suitcases than the taxi driver being a burglar.

TooMinty · 10/03/2018 20:50

I think you are doing everyone in your local taxi firm a massive disservice.