Late night taxi rides (Chicago, Evanston: home, taxi driver, living in)

[CoolSocks]

This past summer while living in Chicago, my friend took me to Excalibur. It was my first time at a club and I didn't realize that we probably should have brought more than one friend with us. It was almost 3 am and my friend wanted to stay and told me to take a cab ride home. I'm not going to go into details, but I ended up almost being raped by the taxi driver and left the cab to find my way back to Excalibur, which also wasn't the best idea as I had to walk several blocks alone at 3 am.

I didn't know much about cabs at the time, so I thought I'd be fine taking a cab ride alone, but now I'm wondering if this is maybe a common danger for late night/early morning taxi rides when a girl is by herself?

[Jandur]

I don't know of anyone that this has happened too. Taxi's generally have their cab numbers in the back so it's easy to track those drivers.

Also I'm assuming you were in the front of the cab? Next time just sit in the back. The driver can't really attack you from the front.

[Feeling Brackish]

That's crazy, and I'm really sorry it happened to you. I know plenty of women who take cabs late at night by themselves, and I've never heard of this happening, so I would say it's definitely not common.

[Dis99]

Yeah I have never heard of this happening either, but nothing surprises me in this world anymore. Glad you are OK.

[aragx6]

That is an awful story and I am so sorry to hear about it, but, as others here have said, from all I know that's a relative anomaly.

[eureka1]

You did report it to the taxi company and to the police, didn't you? Do it now, even if it's been a while. Suffering in silence doesn't help other women.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by CoolSocks

This past summer while living in Chicago, my friend took me to Excalibur. It was my first time at a club and I didn't realize that we probably should have brought more than one friend with us. It was almost 3 am and my friend wanted to stay and told me to take a cab ride home. I'm not going to go into details, but I ended up almost being raped by the taxi driver and left the cab to find my way back to Excalibur, which also wasn't the best idea as I had to walk several blocks alone at 3 am.

I didn't know much about cabs at the time, so I thought I'd be fine taking a cab ride alone, but now I'm wondering if this is maybe a common danger for late night/early morning taxi rides when a girl is by herself?

You're normally fine. The chances of that happening again are very slim. I've never known anyone who's experienced that, but I have occasionally read press reports of similar things when they've been reported. I have known women who have been leered at by drivers, but the line between leering and touching is pretty bold.

I strongly recommend that if that ever happens to you (or anyone reading this) again, you note the number of the cab and call 911 IMMEDIATELY as soon as you've found a safe place. The police do take that sort of thing very seriously. If the driver doesn't touch you, but makes you very uncomfortable, I would recommend noting the number of the cab and following through on a complaint with the Taxi Commission.

[Chicago60614]

Wow, I've known dozens of women who have taken cabs home EXTREEEEMELY drunk - and nothing even remotely strange has ever happened.

[CoolSocks]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I didn't report it because of mixed feelings at the time (embarrassment was one of them) and now since it's been a while and no rape actually took place, I don't think it'd be worth reporting, plus I don't remember his cab number. If this ever did happen again (which hopefully it never will), I'll report it.

I was sitting in the back, but then he told me to sit in the front and I was just very naive (and a little drunk) at the time and I wasn't thinking clearly. He also didn't turn his meter on, which should have been a warning sign, since I asked him to take me to Evanston and that's a lot of miles. (Whew that would've been an expensive cab ride, another reason I'm glad that I went back to my friend.)

[aragx6]

^Damn that's scary. Sometimes I really freakin' hate people.