Advice for getting taxis with a toddler pls

[fartedthensnapped]

Hi, I'm selling my car and going forward I will
occasionally need to get a taxi to places I can't walk to with the pushchair.

Do I take my toddlers car seat to fit in the taxi ? It's one with the iso fix base unit and then a separate bulky seat that clips into the base. It's not like I could carry it at the other end. It's so chunky. It's not a baby one it's the next size up.

My toodler is not old technically enough for a booster seat, but is very tall and solid so could I get a backless one for a taxi ? I've seen backpack booster seats? I'm
Not sure what to do I thought backless boosters weren't legal but saw them in Halfords last weekend.

You don’t need a car seat in a taxi by law but I’m sure most taxi drivers wouldn’t mind you using one anyway

As far as I’m aware backless boosters are legal but concidered less safer than ones with backs (don’t quote me on that, it’s been a while since I’ve read up on them lol)

Personally I only bother using a car seat in a taxi if it’s a long drive

Just book a taxi with a car seat?

Never seen a taxi with a car seat how would they know what size to use, I doubt they have a stack of them in the office. I'm sure they'd be fine without a seat if it's just a quick journey. Could you get the bus part of the way instead so it's less time in a taxi? I know that's more hassle though.

I believe as pp said it’s not illegal, not to have a car seat in a taxi, some taxi company’s do supply car seats, I know my local one does as dd & dgd have used them occasionally, maybe worth ringing some local ones to enquire, booster seats afraid I don’t know what the regulations are.

Many black cabs have built in booster seats between the back seats - you pull down the arm rest. Don’t know whether the newer ones have them though: it’s been a while since I had call to use them.

And of course you can just wheel a buggy into a black cab and shove the brake on.

A buggy will not protect a child in a car crash. The straps aren’t designed that way so will either likely snap or not secure the child.

I would get a light and easy to fit seat that you don’t need a separate base for and use that for journeys where you are going to friends/family or have somewhere to store the seat.

For days out, I would see if the taxi driver can keep the seat for you and book a return trip. This obviously relies on you organising a time, etc so may not always be possible. Some taxi firms will keeps seats at the office for the next driver to take when collecting.

For trips where this is not possible and you are unable to carry the seat round with you, you may have to use a booster.

Bear in mind though that no matter how tall/chunky your child is, their hips do not develop to hold an adult seatbelt until around 4/4.5 years old, so in a crash they are at risk of ‘aquaplaning’ under the seatbelt (this is in a booster or high back booster).

It’s not illegal to have any age child in a taxi without a car seat but unfortunately what’s legal and what’s safe are not the same thing.

Cherry our local taxi firm which does airport drop offs offers to bring a car seat if you need it.

Never seen a taxi with a car seat confused how would they know what size to use, I doubt they have a stack of them in the office

Our local taxi firm does. You just tell them when you book how old your children are.