Good manners should extend through every walk of life – even if that walk happens to be a drive. More and more folks seem to be forgetting how to conduct themselves in a taxi, and that’s no good. After all, cab drivers or uber drivers are just trying to get by like everyone else, so we should always show them the respect they deserve. Here are our 5 rules to cab etiquette to always remember:

1. Never ask your driver to break the law

If you needed your oven fixed, you wouldn’t ask the repairman to go out and steal all the parts from the local hardware shop. Most people don’t appreciate being asked to break the law as part of their everyday job, and cab drivers are no exception. Don’t try to persuade them to take more people than their vehicle can safely carry, and never pester them to drive beyond the speed limit. Remember – it’s better to arrive a few minutes late than cause an accident.

2. Be polite

Basic courtesy is a right that everyone shares, so don’t be rude to your driver. Don’t swear, yell or otherwise be a nuisance over the course of your journey, and keep in mind how you’d like people to behave in your place of work. If you wouldn’t want someone breathing down your neck and shouting obscenities to you in the office, don’t treat your cabbie that way. And if your driver strikes up a conversation, either go along with it or tell them nicely you don’t feel like talking. Don’t just ignore them, because that’s mean.

3. Avoid PDA

No matter how hot your date is, nobody wants to see you mashing faces (or any other body parts, for that matter), and that very much includes your driver. In the name of good taste, please keep your hands to yourself in the backseat, and try to contain your unbridled passion until you get home.

4. Don’t eat or drink

Crumbs, stains and smells do not make for a happy cabbie. The taxi is basically a driver’s office, so try not to trash it while you’re there. Any cleaning bills will probably come out of his or her pocket, which is why most don’t allow food in their vehicles. Strong-smelling snacks will particularly bother both the driver and the next passengers, so please finish your vindaloo and garlic naan before you get in. The same goes for drinks. Coffee and wine stains are a real pain to remove.

5. Take your rubbish with you

This one can usually be handled simply by following the previous rule, but it’s still worth mentioning. As we said, it’s bad form to mess up someone’s place of work, so always make sure you haven’t left behind any junk in the taxi. That includes chewing gum wrappers, receipts, water bottles, and anything else you might accidentally leave behind. It’s good to be considerate.

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