It’s not less than a nightmare to lose your belonging in a public transport or in a black cab. Not to talk about precious items like wallets or phones. Even if you lose your beloved toy or a small piece of jewelry, it hurts. People usually pack well when they are about to travel or searching Taxi service near me.

However, losing belongings is still pretty much common. If you’ve forgotten your most precious documents or a whole suitcase in a black cab, it can be a real frustration, especially if you are new to the place.

If you've lost your belongings in a black cab (Hackney carriage) in the UK, carefully follow these steps to try and recover them.

Contact The Taxi Licensing Authority

Contacting the taxi has many chances to help you recover your lost belongings. Traveling in black cab comes with many benefits like comfort and absolute safety. With real-time tracking and GPS things have become far more friendly and helpful. Luckily, each black cab is licensed by the local council or transport authority.

Also, you should carefully search the area to see if you have dropped your belongings on the way out of the bag etc.

Contact the Driver

When you are booking the ride, always go for reputable companies. Therefore, it’s advised to book a ride by making sure the drivers and cab are licensed.  The details about the driver, vehicle and contact number helps you a lot in finding the belongings. So, when you notice you have left something behind, contact the driver right away. Be as specific as possible when describing your lost item.

Inform The Taxi Company

Never delay the matter and inform the taxi company as soon as you can. For instance if you can’t contact the driver due to some reason the best you can do is to contact the company representative. Make sure to keep calm and accurately inform about the situation and give detail about location, pick-up and drop-off whereabouts.

As a rule of thumb, the lost belongings and property in black cab is handed over to the company. So the chances of getting your stuff back are higher if you contact the company.

Act Quickly and Stay Patient

Sometimes hurrying and rushing isn’t bad. It's better to act quickly when you have just lost your valuable belongings in the black cab. However, it’s crucial not to lose your temper and stay patient. The sooner you act, the better your chances of recovery. Drivers are required to check their vehicles after each shift and report lost property.

Keep Evidence and Details At Hand

Keeping the receipts and booking details with you always helps. If you have receipts, app booking details, or any other proof of your trip, keep them handy to help authorities or the cab company to trace your journey. If you paid with a card, you might be able to trace the cab via your transaction record.

How To Prevent Future Losses

Check Before Leaving

Whenever you take public transport, always make a habit of properly checking before you get off the vehicle. Make a habit of checking the seat, floor, and pockets in the cab before exiting. You can also set a reminder on your phone or use a mental checklist such as a “Phone, wallet, keys, bag etc.”

Keep Items in One Place

If you are travelling in taxi service in London, always stay vigilant and mindful to keep all items in one place. Place all personal belongings in a single bag or designated spot during the ride. Avoid spreading items around the cab (e.g., on the seat or floor).

Use Visible Storage

Clear bags or visible storage is great to see your items in a glance. Therefore, keeping smaller items such as a phone, wallet, and watch in brightly colored cases helps instantly to make them easier to spot. And in case you lost the belonging it's easier to find if you have brightly colored items.

Stay Alert

If you stay alert during travel, it will help you in many ways. Avoid distractions such as phone calls or multitasking when leaving the cab. Try not to work while in the cab, such as on a laptop (unless it's important) so that you remain fully focused.

Record the Cab Details

You can also record the cab details. Take note of the cab's registration number or driver's ID, usually displayed inside the vehicle. If paying by card, keep the receipt, as it often includes contact information.

Conclusion

Before moving towards the guideline and helpful advice, the first thing you should be doing is to keep calm and try not to panic. It will help you to take immediate action rather than delaying matters while just panicking. No matter if you are looking for a taxi service to the airport or in a public transport like bus or train, rechecking your stuff after you reach your destination is a simple tip that helps the most.