To be annoyed that taxi ranks don't let families in first.

[LittleTurtle]

More like a rant really, sorry if it was covered before.

When we came back from holiday with the Eurostar, we went to the taxi rank. I had DC3 on the sling on my front (4 months), a backpack on my back and the babybag on the side, while holding the hands of DC1 and 2 (aged 2 and 4). DH had 2 large suitcases, a backpack and bag. I told DH we will go to the front immediately because priority is given to families and seriously with all our baggage you could tell we were not taking the piss.

When we got there, there were the paralympic guides helping people get into the taxis, when she turned to us and asked : 'Oh sorry, who came first'. There were these Carrie Bradshaw-like fashionistas to go in front of us. I told the guide that we just came in, but usually families with babies usually go first. She told me she never heard of that, and that unless we were disabled or something..........
Then one of the fashionistas took a look at all our baggage and said it's fine we can go, at which her friend said : 'Oh no, are you sure?'. Eventually we were let in, but I could not help but say to my husband, one of the fashionistas look great on the outside, but just cold on the inside. What kind of inconsiderate society have we become?

In France, there are signs all over main taxi ranks, that you let the pregnant, disabled, families with babies and tots, etc. go in before. We even naturally get called to the front by the usher as we arrive.
I realised that people in london are less keen, one day we did that, and some guy rushed to the taxi to go in front of us, and the taxi driver turned him away and told him : 'don't you see those people need more help?'.

Even before I was pregnant and had kids, I always left the lift, seats etc. to the mums and elders, so all this behaviour surprises me.

OP you not being unreasonable, you are absolutely ENTITLED to jump any queue you like.

Well you clearly aren't English, but where are you from that this happens? We've been to various parts of Europe and in all cases you queue for ages then everyone else barges in front of you. Nobody takes any notice of whether you have children or not.

Does explain one thing. At DLP last year a French family tried to sit in the Disabled priority seats then argued with the staff that they had children so should be entitled to sit there. The cast member just indicated that everybody in the audience had children, and if they didn't have an access card they could move.

OP, you are either a fantasist or a twunt.

Hahahahaha! You are joking??? Right??

Pissing myself at the person at Madame Tussauds who just said calmly 'oh, I don't want to queue'

For what it's worth, YABU. No way would I have given up my place in the scenario ou describe.

YABU. Precious little snowflake.

Hmm, I live in France and while I don't take a lot of taxis, I certainly haven't heard of this "families get to jump the queue" rule. I haven't seen such signs anywhere where I live, except ones about letting pregnant women have seats on the metro (but only if there are no disabled war veterans around - they get first dibs).

If I was alone at the front of a taxi queue and was asked politely and apologetically by a family struggling with young children if they could overtake, I would probably say yes.

But I certainly would feel a lot less inclined to do so if they didn't even bother asking me and just went ahead and claimed it as some sort of unwritten "right" that they have. I'm not surprised you got the reaction you did.

Nope, never heard of priority for families in taxi queues. YABU.

The only time I have ever been allowed to skip a queue just purely for having kids was once at 3 am in a passport control queue at prestwick airport when DS was 6 months old and asleep. It didn't happen any of the other times I queued with the kids when they we're toddlers and it actually would have made a difference and tbh I didn't expect it.

YABU. You'd think you would have realised this given the volume of posters saying so, but from your posts I suspect not.

We should never have repealed the London Passenger Transport Act 1938.

It would have been wonderful for the OP to have been fined.

Haha I'd love to see the OP try this shit in Australia!

Since it's pretty obvious YABU, I just want to address another point.

Wow OP, your vitriol towards the women in your first post is incredibly harsh. They were probably embarrassed and shocked at you and your husband's rudeness. They let you go first and you still felt the need to comment to your husband about what a cold person she was??

Either you're a very nasty person or very jealous. I suspect the latter due to the extensive detail you went into.

Haha so true Midnite!!! Us Aussie's are very good at giving up seats but by God, we take our queues seriously! (Unless you're my mum...For some reason everyone always offers to let her go first in the supermarket?)

I think OP is real, my theory is that this just a rule she made up, barges to the front, intimidates, manipulates and confuses into getting her own way as it only takes a few minutes at a taxi rank. She was so angry because this time she got caught.

That's why she won't accept she's BU.

Saddest part is even though she got what she wanted, she was still so angry about it!

This shit is catnip for Munsnet.

From www.parislogue.com/planning-a-trip/guide-to-taking-taxis-in-paris.html
"Another reason taxis may seem to be ignoring you, however, has nothing to do with the law and everything to do with what drivers perceive as an inconvenience. If you?re in a large group or you?ve got lots of luggage (and you didn?t specifically call a taxi or have one called from your hotel), a driver may just think that?s too much trouble and keep right on going."

", the best way to get a taxi in Paris is to call one. You can call an individual company, or use the all-purpose number: 01 45 30 30 30.
The major taxi companies in Paris are:

Alpha Taxi ? 01 45 85 85 85
Artaxi ? 01 42 41 50 50
Taxi G7 ? 01 47 39 47 39 (English: 01 41 27 66 99)
Taxi Bleus ? 01 49 36 10 10 (English)

"

Perhaps put the numbers in your phone and try and call for a cab?

arthurfowlersallotment
This shit is catnip for Munsnet

Oh dear, my mate would throw a fit if she saw this thread!

She's never wanted kids.

Her words 'I'm not bothered by other peoples kids as long as they don't impact on my life. If people want kids its up to them but like fuck am I going to change my life for a kid'

OP I'm sure you would have needed a hard hat if you had that attitude around her!

Oh and btw, YABU

Knobbers l think your mate and my ex sis-in -law/best mate were possibly seperated at birth. She has actually campaigned for years about the unfairness of childless people (and she is by choice) paying for all the child related benefits through the tax system and thinks they should pay less. Oh and please dont start her off on P&C spaces .

Please please , if there is a god let him put the OP in the queue behind her and try this stunt.

My Dad's a London Cabbie and has been for 22years... there is no family first rule.

Anyone so entitled that they try to push in front would certainly not get my empathy.

YABU. I traveled on my own with a baby and my other young child, a pushchair, a large suitcase and a baby bag, on a train!! I didn't once expect special treatment, but going to where I was, I had this lovely guy get my suitcase off the train and help me get DS2 in his pushchair off also. I was VERY grateful. Also coming back, I had someone else kindly offering me help getting off the train again. I didn't then go on to the taxi rank and expect to go first, I waited my turn and again, was very grateful that the taxi driver got out and helped me get our luggage into the taxi so I could get the children in and settled.

And bollocks to children needing to go first as tired/hungry/thirsty. I had packed fruit and sandwiches, two 1 litre bottles filled with juice, and both my children napped on the very long journey there and back. It isn't that hard to look after your childrens needs. Your child, your problem. Yes, if it is really late, and I am without my children, I would let you go first if anyone behind me didn't mind, but that is just a nice gesture. You shouldn't expect it. Doing so is VERY rude and precious. The world does not revolve around you and your children. You chose to have your children and take them away. The person in front of you didn't choose to have an invisible illness etc if that applies to them, and they sure as hell should not need to explain to the entitled why they don't want to let them go first.

Get a grip, and get over yourself.

sudaname - tbh I'm a little bit like that even though I have 1 DC.

Oh and when I told her I was pregnant with DD she almost started crying.

She was worried our lives were going to change so much and that I would become one of those obsessed mothers!

She did say congratulations though and that she was pleased for me.....lying cow!

Hmm, I am going to check out a couple of Pari taxi ranks on my way home for these signs about giving priority to families with young children. They have escaped me until now. Will report back later.

YABU. You chose to go on holiday with 3 children. You had your DH helping. You are not disabled. You are not entitled to queue jump just because you have a lot of luggage. If I?m waiting for a taxi after a long and tiring journey, on my own with heavy luggage, do I get to push in line too? After all, I?m struggling a bit so why not! I?ll help those who are struggling, give up my seat for someone more deserving (e.g. the disabled or elderly), and let people with only a couple of items go in front of me in the supermarket if I have lots of shopping, so I?m not lacking in empathy. But if you can?t handle the luggage/kids/holiday thing then don?t do it.

That businessman in a suit might have a serious heart condition, the lady that you think looks fit and healthy might have excruciating back pain and be just able to stand
Absolutely Toughasoldboots. I hurt my back when I was in my 20s. I was otherwise fit, young and healthy but standing still for long really made my back sore to the point I really wanted to sit down or walk around. Queues were potentially problematic so I organised things to avoid them as much as possible rather than expect preferential treatment.

One of those 'fashionista's' may have just come from a hospital appointment, or funeral, or been at work all day. Maybe they had a really good day. Just because you have children you should no way queue jump. Utterly utterly ridiculous!

This is my favourite MN thread ever.