Female only taxis

[mummybear701]

I was talking to my niece today on the phone, she is in a different area with her own daughter who is 12 now. She was telling me there is a taxi firm that is women only, in both drivers and passengers they will carry. She said she feels safer with a woman driver at night and I completely understand, although some men are trying to get them closed down on sexism grounds. I understand its not the first company operating this way but hasn't reached my area, or even a firm that will send a female driver on request. Well I know men don't like it, but many women DO feel safer with women in a cab all on their own, and to an extent it protects men from accusations as well. Do women think its a good idea?

[Aeroflotgirl]

I think it's a fantastic idea. This is not new, I remember a taxi firm in my home town 20 years ago was a lady taxi company. Leave the men with the dodgy male taxi drivers. I get taxis often as I don't drive, I have never had a dodgy male one, but I always travel in the day, seems somehow it's different in the evening.

[WriteforFun1]

what's the deal with Eamonn Holmes? (can't stand the man)

I was actually just googling for female driver cab firms and that's how this thread came up. I was away last weekend and though I haven't thought about it much, I was relieved when a cab arrived (at the away end sadly) and there was a woman driver.

There don't seem to be many in London and I imagine I will have to pay a premium but that's okay. If anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear them.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Also wouldn't prevent a cabbie driving woman home then assaulting her outside the cab and claiming consent

This is from The Western Australia Code of Conduct for Taxi Drivers. Whilst this is a private regulation and breaching it would not be an offence in the same way as a teacher having a concensual relationship with a pupil would be it would go towards challenging his credibility.

^Taxi Drivers must be people of good
character
Taxi Drivers in Western Australia must hold a Western Australian driver licence with an extension T endorsement. Regulation 12 (7) of the Road Traffic (Authorisation to Drive ) Regulations 2008 requires the
holders of a T extension to be of good character.
You may not be of good character if you:
• Proposition a passenger;
• Inappropriately touch a passenger;
• Offer or accept sex for fares;
• Have any form of sexual dealing with a passenger
(irrespective of whether that passenger is a
consenting adult or initiates that dealing)
• Commit any form of criminal activity; or
• Aid and abet criminal activity.
If the Department of Transport has evidence of any of the above, even in instances where the Western
Australia Police elects not to investigate or press charges, it will immediately suspend and/or cancel your T extension^

[VestalVirgin]

Once they're there, pressure will be on to use them or you're putting yourself at risk etc ....

Taxis? No. Taxis for women (and, presumably, by women, I never used one, too expensive) exist where I live, and others here mentioned they know that from Germany, and there's no victim blaming going on around that.

People might blame women for not taking a taxi, but I don't think they will ever start blaming them for accepting a male driver. As I pointed out beforehand, it is not in the interest of men to be considered dangerous as individuals. Because then, women might not hire them for anything, and since it is often housewives who call a plumber, etc., this would be very detrimental to men in those jobs.

Victim-blamers like to pretend that the danger is "dark alleyways" or just the city at night. If they have to talk about individual males, who are rapists, they get less comfortable.

Also, many women prefer female gynecologists. I only go to female gynecologists.

When there was a case recently where a male gynecologist took photos of his patients, there was no victim blaming at all.

[startrek90]

Oh and at the risk of getting my head bitten off....

janet why are you so shocked at people requesting a female driver? This is not a new thing at all. Are you equally as shocked when women request a female Dr? Or when men would prefer a male nurse?

The fact is sometimes,especially when you are vulnerable, you do feel more comfortable with a person of your own sex. It's not wrong to feel like that. I prefer (especially when I closed the pub and got a taxi home at 4am in the dark alone) aa female driver. If there wasn't one available there were male drivers out and about and I used them. I felt safer with a woman driver. That didn't mean I expected the male cabbies to rape me its just a personal choice.

[startrek90]

I don't see how having a female taxi company or asking for a female driver is equivalent to Saudi Arabia but ok.....

Its a business. It exists to make money. This scheme is responding to a gap in the PRIVATE market. It is not public transport. If you don't like it then use another firm. Simples. If a taxi form sets up and wants to be men only and is successful then clearly that business spotted a gap in the market.

Most taxi firms don't mind people requesting a female driver, just like they don't mind people requesting a vehicle that can take a wheelchair etc (more common than you think). It's part of customer service.

I don't think the female taxi driver firm is a feminist issue, I think what is the issue is maybe why women feel more comfortable with it. It obviously is a popular thing otherwise the business wouldn't have got of the ground....

[PalmerViolet]

MN motors.

Yes! You can breastfeed here!

[AHellOfABird]

Mumsnet Motors - not afraid to ask for directions...

[Asprilla11]

Mumsnet Motors- The Taxi Service You Can Trust!

[PalmerViolet]

Ah, thanks, yes frying, so no posts about it, just a sadly large knowledge of how society likes to blame victims of rape for the crime perpetrated against them.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I'm very opposed to the idea of women only carriages in trains. I would be very unhappy at the idea of public segregation even if it were voluntary.

So far as taxis, I personally would not opt to use a woman only service but I don't see why the option should not exist of at least asking for a woman driver.

[fryingtoday]

Once they're there, pressure will be on to use them or you're putting yourself at risk etc ....

[PalmerViolet]

frying, could you show me the post that says you can only use women's taxis?

[PalmerViolet]

Welcome to MN Janet, what a terribly refreshing viewpoint.

[fryingtoday]

I don't want to live in a country where as a woman I have to use women only services. Would move to Saudi if wanted that. Thin edge of the wedge.

[JanetRevision123]

I find this story shocking! Women who feel uncomfortable or anxious when a man enters a taxi, need to acknowledge their deep down paranoia and seek support. Many people in this chat have stated that some women are afraid of men in taxis due to the fear of sexual assault. Well as a women I am going to say something very controversial, I believe that the women who agree with this new policy are indeed sexist. I will support my view with the definition of the word: Discrimination based on gender. How can you possible defend yourself. You propose segregation of men and women as you assume all men have the mentality to sexual assault, therefore discriminating men purely based of their gender. Both men and women need to be educated about sexism. Many people will assume that I am a man complaining about male rights, yet I am a women believe it or not, now if you assumed my gender based off my views, this would show a great deal of prejudice, which is necessary for a sexist thought process.

[50shadesofTom]

I think it's fine but I'd expect to pay more only because a small company with a limited demographic will have to cover overheads somehow.

And if that small company couldn't meet my needs (as in they'd take longer to provide a taxi) then I'd use my usual taxi company.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Shetaxi - About
www.shetaxi.in/about

There is the she taxi service in Kerala and there may be a similar service in New York (wasn't clear if it had got off the ground)

So far as SharingMichelle s comment I can't think of any airport I've ever landed at where it would make the slightest difference to me what sex the driver was.

[AHellOfABird]

Having worked through the above in text, I think the key difference is that the driver of the taxi has a high degree of control. He is one to one with his passenger, if he chooses to drive elsewhere, he can. He has the power to stop the car and pull the passenger out or assault her in the cab. No one else can get in.

If a man has bad intentions in picking the profession, he will soon have plenty of tailor made opportunity to exercise those intentions.

In a train, not only is it far less common to be a lone woman in a carriage with a lone man, the man does not control the train stopping and starting or who gets on and off. The train will go to its destination and the doors will open at stations. The hypothetical man with bad intentions doesn't control all aspects of the situation. It is a public space so restricting it feels far more akin to saying "women only walk down this street"

[SharingMichelle]

I used to live in a town with women only airport taxis. All the drivers were women, and only women / women and children could use them. I loved them. Get off the plane at any time of day or night and collapse into a cab and switch off entirely until you get home.

[AHellOfABird]

Plus the current situation IS a 121 where a woman is largely in a cab alone with a male driver. The current train situation is mixed.

[Grimarse]

Okay, I don't want to derail (lol), so thanks for the clarification.

[AHellOfABird]

This would be a private choice, probably only available or guaranteed in a few areas and, crucially, 121 so no risk of intruders.

[AHellOfABird]

...raise the question of why it wasn't used or, as highlighted above by me, could be a target for groups of men if no guard (and trains are largely single guard or guard free so very likely)

[AHellOfABird]

A train carriage, would be as part of a public service and, if mandated, would always