If I am booking a taxi at night time and it's just me, I'd specifically use a company which I know have a female driver that I can request. I mentioned this to BF offhand and he didn't laugh exactly but I got the feeling he thought I was being a bit paranoid, he said it was unnecessary "these days" and found it hard to believe that most women would do the same.
I didn't have to justify myself at all but I felt I wanted to, but found it almost impossible to explain why I would just feel uncomfortable being alone in a car with a man I didn't know. But then I started to wonder if it's just me, or whether other women feel this way as well? I do take taxis with male drivers, when in a group, and I don't feel uncomfortable then. But then I realised it extends to people in general - I think if a female acquaintance offered me a lift I wouldn't think twice, whereas if it was a man, I would only get into a car with someone I already trusted, or trusted by proxy (e.g. friend/relative of someone whose judgement I trusted) - but why?? Am I being paranoid, or sexist, or just looking out for risks a decent man probably wouldn't even consider? Just wondered if others felt like this and whether they had noticed it before.