4 tips for staying safe on a night out
Published on 29 October 14
Did you know you can still get a taxi if you have no money, take refuge in more than 20 Student Safety Zones, and pick up a free attack alarm?
In light of recent incidents it's important that you know how to stay safe at all times, and that you know what to do if you ever feel threatened.
At The University of Manchester, we make our campus as safe as possible, with four security teams patrolling 24/7 on foot and in cars and via CCTV all along Oxford Road. We respond quickly, and work closely with the Students' Union, the police, and other universities to keep Manchester a great place to live and study.
- Friends who play together, stay together
If you're on a night out, it's always best to stay in a group. Not only is it cheaper to jump into a taxi if you're splitting it four ways, but there is safety in numbers.
If you decide to walk, stick to main roads and avoid poorly lit areas and shortcuts. Pick up tips on staying alert from our staying safe in Manchester guide. You can also collect a free attack alarm from the Students’ Union, which if needed, will quickly help draw attention to yourself. - Plan ahead and be alcohol aware
Everyone knows that University is the place where lifelong friendships are built. But it also means that you keep an eye on each other and notice when someone in your group has had a little too much to drink.
Stick together, take extra precautions and be aware that drinking can affect your judgement.
If someone knows where you're going or is expecting you to return at a certain time, the alarm can be raised quicker if they are able to contact you.
- No money and need to get home?
The Students' Union Safe Taxi Scheme means that if you run out of cash and need to get home, you can give StreetCars Taxis your student card in lieu of payment, and pay the following day when you collect your card from the Students' Union Helpdesk.
To book, call StreetCars on 0161 228 7878 and quote 'Manchester SU Safe Taxi Scheme' with your full name and Student ID number.
8Taxis in the scheme not only give students a 10% discount and offer fixed fares, but drivers are uniformed and their cars are liveried (all private hire vehicles in the city centre are either silver or white and have yellow stickers with the name of the company printed in black). StreetCars taxis are also GPS tracked, so via the app, you can see exactly how far away your driver is.
When getting a taxi, make sure you wait in a safe place and check the driver's ID before you get in. Do not flag down private taxis unless you have pre-booked them. Black hackney carriages can be flagged down in the street. - Know your safety zones
Safe zones are shops, restaurants, and other venues along the Oxford Road Corridor that have agreed to provide a safe environment for students to go to wait if they feel at risk. This could mean asking them to call you a taxi home, wait for a problem to pass, or get help from staff or from the police.
You can find a full list of businesses participating here, and all businesses display a Student Safety Zone sticker in their window.
Always dial 999 in an emergency, or 101 to report a non-emergency crime.
Keep updated with the Manchester Student Safety page, or follow our crime reduction twitter account @UOMCRA.