Stay Safe On the Move

Staying Safe on the Move: Personal Safety on Buses, Trains, Taxis and Ride-Hailing Services

For most of us, public transport is simply part of everyday life. We get on a bus, catch a train, order an Uber or jump into a taxi without giving it much thought.

And that is how it should be.

Personal safety is not about being frightened every time you leave the house. It is about developing simple habits that help you recognise when something does not feel right, make better decisions and act early if a situation begins to change.

At Artemis Self Defence, we teach that physical self-defence should never be the first option. Awareness, avoidance, communication and creating distance are usually far more valuable.

Before You Travel

Good personal safety often begins before the journey starts.

If you are travelling somewhere unfamiliar, particularly at night, take a few minutes to plan your route. Know where you are going, how you are getting home and roughly how long the journey should take.

Make sure your phone has enough battery for the journey. If you regularly travel late at night, carrying a small power bank can be useful.

Consider sharing your plans with someone you trust, particularly if you are travelling alone. A simple message saying where you are going and when you expect to arrive can provide an additional layer of safety.

Staying Safe on Buses

When waiting for a bus, try to remain somewhere well lit and where other people are present.

Once on board, think about where you sit. If the bus is relatively empty, sitting closer to the driver can provide reassurance and make it easier to ask for assistance.

Be aware of who gets on and off around you.

Headphones can be one of the biggest barriers to situational awareness. You do not necessarily need to stop using them, but consider keeping the volume low enough that you can still hear what is happening around you.

If somebody makes you uncomfortable, you are under no obligation to remain sitting next to them. Move seats, move towards the driver or get off somewhere safe and populated.

Being polite is never more important than being safe.

Travelling by Train

Railway stations and trains present slightly different challenges, particularly late at night.

When waiting for a train, stay in well-lit areas and avoid isolated sections of the platform where possible. Many stations have CCTV, help points and staffed areas that you can use if you become concerned.

On a quiet train, consider choosing a carriage containing other passengers rather than an empty one.

Pay attention to the people around you, particularly when approaching your destination.

If someone's behaviour concerns you, do not wait for it to become threatening before moving. Change carriage, sit near other passengers, speak to railway staff or contact the British Transport Police where appropriate.

A useful principle is:

You do not need proof that someone is dangerous before you are allowed to move away from them.

Uber and Other Ride-Hailing Services

Ride-hailing apps provide useful safety features, but we still need to use them.

Before getting into the vehicle, check that the registration number, vehicle and driver match the information shown in your app.

Do not simply approach a vehicle and ask, "Are you my Uber?"

Someone can easily answer yes.

Instead, check the details yourself or ask the driver who they are collecting.

If something does not match, do not get into the vehicle.

Once inside, you can share your journey through the app with someone you trust. You can also follow the route on your own phone.

If the driver begins taking a route that appears significantly different from the expected journey, ask why. There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, such as traffic or road closures, but remaining aware of your location is sensible.

Taxis and Minicabs

Where possible, use licensed taxis or properly booked private-hire vehicles.

Be cautious about accepting an unsolicited lift from someone claiming to be a taxi or minicab driver, particularly outside pubs, clubs, stations and events.

If you have booked a vehicle, check that it is the vehicle you were expecting before getting inside.

If travelling alone, you may also choose to sit in the rear of the vehicle rather than immediately beside the driver.

Again, keep track of your journey and know roughly where you should be going.

Your Phone Is a Safety Tool, But Also a Distraction

Our phones are incredibly useful for personal safety.

They give us maps, emergency communication, journey sharing and access to friends and family.

But they can also completely remove our attention from the environment.

Walking through a station while staring at a screen, wearing noise-cancelling headphones and concentrating on social media dramatically reduces our ability to notice what is happening around us.

Every so often, look up.

Notice who is around you.

Notice where the exits are.

Notice where staff are located.

Notice if someone appears to be following you.

Situational awareness does not mean constantly looking for danger. It simply means remaining connected to your surroundings.

What If Someone Is Following You?

If you suspect someone is following you, avoid immediately leading them to your home, car or another isolated location.

Change direction or move towards somewhere populated and well lit.

Go into a shop, café, hotel, staffed station or other public location if possible.

Contact someone you trust and tell them where you are.

If you believe you are in immediate danger, call 999.

The important point is to act early rather than waiting until the person has closed the distance.

Alcohol Changes the Equation

Many transport safety problems occur during journeys home after nights out.

Alcohol can affect judgement, coordination, reaction time and situational awareness.

Before going out, think about how you are getting home.

Stay with friends where possible, look out for one another and avoid allowing someone who is extremely intoxicated to travel home alone.

A good night out should include a plan for getting everyone home safely.

Trust That Feeling

People sometimes describe having a feeling that something about a person or situation is not quite right.

You might not immediately be able to explain why.

Perhaps someone is standing unusually close.

Perhaps they keep appearing wherever you move.

Perhaps they are asking increasingly personal questions.

Perhaps they are ignoring subtle attempts to end a conversation.

You do not have to diagnose their intentions.

Create distance.

Move towards other people.

Change carriage.

Speak to staff.

Leave the situation.

One of the most important principles we teach at Artemis is that you are allowed to act before a situation becomes an emergency.

Self-Defence Starts Before the Fight

When people hear the words self-defence, they often imagine punches, kicks, grabs and physical techniques.

Those skills have their place.

But some of the most effective self-defence decisions may look completely ordinary.

Changing seats.

Putting your phone away.

Checking a registration number.

Walking towards a staffed area.

Calling a friend.

Getting off a bus.

Refusing to get into a vehicle.

Walking into a shop because you think someone is following you.

None of these actions looks dramatic.

That is exactly the point.

The goal of personal safety is not to win a fight. The goal is to recognise problems early enough that, whenever possible, you never have to fight at all.