Taxi driver rides with dummy in front passenger seat to enforce social distancing

DÜZCE

A taxi driver in the northwestern province of Düzce sits alongside a mannequin in his vehicle so that no one could sit in the front passenger seat of his cab in order to enforce social distancing with customers due to the pandemic.

When taxi driver Hakan Atılgan tours the city’s streets, he sits alongside a dummy with a face mask on in the front passenger seat, thus preventing customers from sitting next to him.

Atılgan said he received positive feedback from his customers, but that those who wanted to get in the taxi as a group did not like the new seating arrangement.

“The front seat is really risky. People sometimes sneeze. We certainly inhale the virus that comes out of their mouths. So, I thought of such a preventative measure,” Atılgan said.

“Everyone cares about their own lives. That’s why I want citizens to be sensitive about this. I want them to protect themselves and us as much as we can,” he noted.

Tenzile Koç, a permanent customer of Atılgan, expressed her satisfaction with the measure. Even though she said she likes to travel in the front passenger seat all the time, she believes some habits must change due to the virus.