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Original poster

Car seats, taxis, how?

52 replies

carseattrouble · 01/10/2019 03:20

Just bought dc a new car seat. Weighs about 14kg. Rearfacing till 4 years old.

Those of you who have a group 1+ car seat how do you do things like taxis etc?

I'm baffled, it's so heavy Shock

Surely if you take it in a taxi you can't lug it around wherever you're going? How do you do it?

OP posts:
Brassbedpost · 01/10/2019 03:33

Watching with interest! Wondered this myself

Expressedways · 01/10/2019 03:38

If you’re the UK they can travel without a car seat in a taxi but personally I only do this in London black cabs where DD can stay strapped into the pushchair and speeds are quite low. You can get trolleys but they’re only really for dragging it through an airport, definitely not for all day use. I’ve also seen harness type things but they don’t look particularly safe. I wish Uber car seat would roll out everywhere but so far I’ve only come across it in NY. If anyone has a solution for the gap between the infant carrier and booster cushion ages then I would really love to hear it although it’s too late for us; we ended up buying a car!

Pumpkinbell · 01/10/2019 03:41

My understanding and we do it now is in a taxi you don’t have to use a car seat but must be in a rear seat. Children over 3 can use the seatbelt see link below The internet also states on gov website:

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat

Hope this helps OP

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SquigglePigs · 01/10/2019 03:47

As mentioned above you legally don't need a car seat in a taxi. It's not ideal but the couple of times we've taken DD in a taxi we've just held her on our knees. If we used taxis regularly we may have looked into a cheap more portable seat.

Rainatnight · 01/10/2019 03:51

We have a travel car seat called, I think, the Urban Kanga. Light and folds down (a little). Saw it recommended on here. Use it a lot in taxis and on hols.

Original poster
carseattrouble · 01/10/2019 04:11

Thanks all
@Pumpkinbell so if they're rear facing in say a black cab for example that's okay?

OP posts:
Fluffsmum · 01/10/2019 04:31

We never use taxis! That's the long and short of it. Whilst it's legal, it isn't safe not to use a carseat.

If we had to use a taxi then I'd lug the carseat around on the pram and carry DC in a sling.

DreamingofSunshine · 01/10/2019 07:30

We bought a much lighter ff one, it was a joie one and cost about £50. Weighs 4kg so easy to manage at airports (and I fill up the bag with extra stuff). DS is 98th percentile and is at the minimum weight and height for the trunki boostapak so in London we use that, and it doubles as a backpack for him.

Not ideal but I'd rather he was ff than no carseat at all.

NeedAnExpert · 01/10/2019 07:32

so if they're rear facing in say a black cab for example that's okay?

Read it again. Rear seat in the taxi, not rear facing seat.

Apolloanddaphne · 01/10/2019 07:40

If you are going to use taxis a lot you probably need a lighter, easy to fix in, front facing seat. Your heavier rear facing seat can then remain in your car.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 01/10/2019 07:43

We've only just started using taxis now dc are over 5.

CatToddlerUprising · 01/10/2019 07:44

We used one of these in taxis- then can be used if going out to eat or at home when we got rid of the high chair. Strapped up the harness and then seat belt over it. Kept DD really secure. Saved lugging around a proper car seat

Car seats, taxis, how?
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 01/10/2019 07:47

cat is that even approved to use in the car? It honestly looks like it would be worse than useless in a crash.

CatToddlerUprising · 01/10/2019 07:51

No more approved than no car seat (but I never said it was approved, just what I used as a solution). She was more secure in that with the seat belt over her than just a seat belt.

caffeinebuzz · 01/10/2019 07:57

We found a local taxi company who have car seats they fit to the car before collection and always make sure to prebook.

RainOrSun · 01/10/2019 08:29

Friend I know with this issue used a travel carseat, but there are very few that I'm aware of like this, and I've never looked into its safety ratings.

Once they hit 15kg, taxis were trunki booster packs, even though they were in 5 point harnesses in our cars.

chemicalelephant · 01/10/2019 09:12

All these people compromising their kids safety in taxis!
It might be legal to use just the seat belt but the law won't help you in a crash.
Those portable, lightweight car seats might be convenient but they probably only pass the bare minimum of safety tests.
Even car seats that taxis provide may have been dropped or in a crash and you'd never know.

The law exists for true emergencies - if its a choice between no car seat or not getting your child to a hospital, then it's worth the risk. Otherwise, it really isn't.

usarae · 01/10/2019 09:17

We basically just didn't use taxis because there's no safe or easy way to do it unfortunately. DS is 6 now so can use a booster but wouldn't take a younger child in a taxi unless it was absolutely necessary and a short journey. If we didn't have the car for some reason we walked or used public transport. We have a mi-fold for holidays but like I said, that's only because he's 6 now. Sorry to not be more helpful but although it's legal to travel in a taxi without a car seat, it's not worth the risk.

Original poster
carseattrouble · 01/10/2019 21:49

@NeedAnExpert

My understanding and we do it now is in a taxi you don’t have to use a car seat but must be in a rear seat.

So you're trying to say you don't have to use a car seat but they must be in a rear car seat? Hmm

I think you need to read properly.

OP posts:
jomaIone · 01/10/2019 22:08

@carseattrouble previous poster is right. There is no law about using car seats in taxis. Not ideal but not many options. Do you use a taxi often and for long journeys?
www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat

NorthBich · 01/10/2019 22:31

The odd occasion we get a taxi I have left DS in the pram seat and buckled that into the taxi. Not a perfect solution but they can't unbuckle, the seatbelt doesn't dig into their throat and it's a lot easier to take the child and the seat in and out & clip them back onto the pram again, rather than carry around a huge heavy car seat.

Original poster
carseattrouble · 01/10/2019 22:34

@jomaIone
Not really. Occasionally I might hop in a black cab to the doctors (5 mins away) if I'm running late. But that's about it.

I use a carrier and never a pram so was just wondering how people did it but seems they don't

OP posts:
ChildminderMum · 01/10/2019 22:39

Once mine grew out of the infant seat (around 18 months) we used a trunki booster pak in taxis.

NeedAnExpert · 01/10/2019 22:52

So you're trying to say you don't have to use a car seat but they must be in a rear car seat? hmm

Yes. They must not be in the front of the taxi, basically. They do not have to be in an infant/child car seat.

I think you need to read properly.

I did. Wink

raspberryk · 01/10/2019 23:05

One of the reasons I've almost never used a taxi, on an airport run the company had car seats.

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