Some quick safety guidelines on taking taxis in Libya

Thebigtuna wrote:

T

8. If you DO end up getting caught in a nasty situation, do not put up any form of resistance. First, mention in a very calm, emotionless voice that you have the car's license number memorized. Then do what you're asked without saying anything. If you're asked to hand over your money, phone, and watch, do it. Your valuables can be replaced; your life can't.
The exception is if you happen to be a karate black belt or ex-navy seal. In which case disregard all that and feel free to fight your way out.

Hi Bigtuna, thanks for the useful tips.

I have been in charge of expat security in Honduras for some time now, and the situation here is pretty rough.

I do not concur with one of your last points (hope you don't mind), telling the assailants about knowing their license plate, that is quite dangerous. My recommendation is to keep the event as brief as possible, do not make eye contact, do not argue or oppose in any way and do not express any possibility of identifying the robbers.

Anyone desperate enough to assault and rob other people, especially in a muslim country can take desperate measures not to be identified. In Honduras that means killing you. I know libya is not Honduras, but you never know what's on the mind of the robbers.

If you have been wise, listened to bigtuna and taken note of the license plates, then go to Police, make a statement and they'll most certainly catch the robbers, probably recover stolen goods and take their sorry asses off the streets, and that is good! (Am i being too optimistic?)

Don't be a hero, the goal is staying alive to tell it. The other points are good. In some Latin american countries people conspicuously take note of the license plates of taxis and even transmit the information to the destination, so the taxi driver knows he's well identified. I understand in Libya people might be offended by this.

Thanks

Jotxo

Hi thebigtune; you have written a good topic and Jotxo has commented very well and I am 100% agree with Jotxo for the portion he has contributed. I will always keep the entire advice in my mind.
Thanks,

Good taxi story.....
Last year when I arrived in Tripoli, my expected driver didn't show.  I don't speak Arabic at all.  One of the airport officials got me a taxi driver.  This guy was fantastic.  He spent half the day driving me around and making sure that I had everything that I needed.  He even sat in the Libyana office to help me get a phone.  At the end of it all, I had to force him to take my money.  He seemed quite embarrased that he should be paid for helping me.  I know not all drivers are the same but as I was a female, alone, and not able to speak Arabic, it made a very big impression on me.  It was quite different from Egypt where people ask you for a tip just for looking in your direction!

We've had a good experience too ... once our car got stuck in the sand off the road somewhere beyond Tajura in the middle of a terrible sandstorm. A taxi stopped seeing us there and the two men tried to move the car and help us without us even asking. They eventually went to the road and stopped a 4X4 vehicle and helped haul us out of the sand. They didn't seem to mind the sand blowing in their faces and we didn't even get a chance to thank them properly ... they were off with a beep of their car horn. I couldn't imagine this happening anywhere else ... people going out of their way to help you without expecting anything in return....