To expect a non smelly taxi?

[TheEveningSun]

I’ve been battling this thought for a while, trying to choose a taxi company that isn’t too smelly. Uber is a hit or miss - would you rate it down based on the smell? I always open the window and go with it leaving no tip or rating if smelly, tonight I had a smelly Uber to town and got a local taxi back. It was more expensive and the man’s BO was so bad it made me write this post. The windows were taped so I couldn’t open them. The smell was so bad I thought I was going to puke (I wasn’t drunk). To complain about the taxi I need to call the operator, I probably will in the morning. I’m probably unreasonable for not telling the man in the kindest manner he needed to sort the smell out but I hate the confrontation and now he knows where I live.
I don’t take taxis often but when I do I’m like / hope it’s not a smelly one (or with cigarette smoke). It’s so rare to have a non stinky one. Is that the standard now - a smelly taxi? Is a clean taxi a luxury nowadays? Is that classed as uber executive? It’s still quite expensive! Where I live for 10/15 min journey it’s £15/20 so I don’t see it as cheap!

Maybe you need to learn to drive/drive yourself or get someone to pick you up seeing as this issue is causing you so much anxiety . Avoid taxis all together .

Surely the windows being tapped isn't safe/legal? Can you complain to the taxi firm?? Also was it a genuine taxi??

I do drive everywhere but on an occasional rare night out I have few drinks so i take a taxi ( or with my partner so I wouldn’t ask someone to drive me. It’s not an anxiety, I pay for the service and yes I can survive the smell, it takes me from A to B but it’s a very poor service for a lot of money. Are you saying it’s a standard nowadays so taxis should be avoided? Is a bad smell acceptable in other places that provide service? Just genuinely asking.

Yes it was a genuine local council taxi company. I have their number so will call the company on the morning

I don't drive for medical reasons and probably take an average of 6 or 7 taxis/Ubers a week.

I genuinely don't think I've ever noticed a bad smell in any of them.

Perhaps you're just unlucky?

I have to frequently use uber at the moment and they aren't smelly.

Never been in a taxi that smelly! Sounds horrible. I would report it to the company tomorrow.

Maybe you just have an overactive sense of smell? I use taxis/uber quite often and don't think I've ever had a problem with smells!

Also using uber a lot recently due to mobility issues and have never been in a smelly car. Most of them have been absolutely immaculate

Maybe it’s just in my city or I’m very unlucky. It’s a touristy city so a lot of taxis in high demand so maybe the quality has gone down. I don’t remember it being this bad before I had my kids (6 years ago). Now I use them 1-2 per month and it’s usually the smell of the interior that hasn’t been cleaned in a while or a man that hasn’t washed