Not to want 3 year old ds driving four miles without a car seat?

[bummymummy77]

I know it's rather a niggly little aibu but dh and I are on the verge of falling out over it and he says I'm being ridiculous.

We're flying to the UK and are leaving the car at a long term parking four miles from the airport. Then coming back on the shuttle van on one of the busiest roads in Boston.

I don't want to take ds who's 3 on the van without a car seat. I think even for a short distance it's too much of a risk. It's also going to be -30 so really can't see why ds and I need to be dicking around outside any more than we need to be.

Dh says I'm being ridiculous and it's going to take over an hour longer to drop us off at the airport first.

Why can't you just take the car seat with you?

YANBU. I wouldn't be happy with that either (I'm assuming it's like a minivan rather than a big bus like one used for public transport, otherwise my answer would be different)

Is there no way you could take DS' car seat on the shuttle van and then on the plane? As far as I'm aware, airlines normally allow small children to sit in their carseat on the aeroplane, e.g. Easyjet's rules are here

Also, what are you going to do once you're in the UK in terms of transport? If you're getting a hire car or using a taxi, you'll want the seat for that.

We have a seat there and was hoping to travel without it as it's a bit of a beast.

I don't want to check it as the last seat I checked BA broke.

Maybe we'll just take it and then put it on the plane. Makes meals a massive pain in the ass and it's a huge squish for me and dh but I guess he's safer.

The FAA have been making noises about kids under 40 pounds being obliged to travel in car seats on planes as lap belts aren't safe enough until then. Not sure if they'll ever implement it.

It's rush hour in Boston and one of those small van things. It just doesn't seem worth the risk but dh thinks I'm being over protective.

What about one of the inflatable or backpack boosters. Not sure if this would be suitable for an 3 year old we use an inflatable for our 8 yo abroad.

Would the shuttle company store the seat for you while you are away?

No they won't I checked.

I don't think the inflatable seats would be much good, he's only just three and tiny, not even charting bless him! I'll take a look though, thank you.

I would go with your husband's plan, personally. I used to use public transport when my dd was little, and I didn't panic over safety with the buses not having even seatbelts, it was just the form of travel. So in your example I would try to relax and make life easier for myself by taking the shuttle bus.

I swear travelling with kids requires a degree in logistics!

For one very short trip, you should be fine. At a very small three, my grandmother drove me around in the front seat with a regular seat belt. School buses don't have seat belts. It's more dangerous walking through the lot at Logan. FYI, they now have rocking chairs at the windows near the gates. Watching the workers load planes can be fun for little ones. Have a great trip.

Would you take DS on a bus on that road? If so then I think YABabitU ... most airport shuttles I have used have been minibus types as opposed to cars so I just see them as buses and it's a lot less stressful.

If you don't want to take the car seat, what other options are there? You either take the seat or accept that your son might have to travel 4 miles without a car seat or wait around in the cold for your DH to get the car and come back.

I wouldn't Mel. I try not to do anything without a car seat.

Eric- we're always in way too much of a rush to sit in them! Although this time we're flying virgin and terminal e doesn't have a play zone (kill me now, after a full 12 hours in the car just to get to the airport that was a lifesaver before a night flight) so that may be what we end up doing.

Am I missing something? Why can't you take your car seat with you? 3 is definitely too young/small for no seat, and not recommended for even a high back booster really. Not worth the risk imo

Most kids travel with a seat on the plane. When we have taken ours on we've been the only ones.

I mean most kids travel without a seat on the plane.

Do people bring a car seat on a public bus? I've certainly never seen anyone do this.

I would risk assess. Is it going to be heavy traffic? If a round trip of 8 miles is going to take an hour as your DH thinks, that is slow moving traffic. So a high, or even moderate, speed crash is unlikely. A low speed crash will be more of a bump and I would think that the lack of car seat is unlikely to result in serious injury.

But if you are not comfortable with that, what is the better option: an extra drive for DH while you wait in the (hopefully warm) terminal, or pay a bit more for parking and park on site?

Personally I would go with either the transfer without the car seat since a high impact collision seems unlikely in a 30min / 4mile journey. Or I would pay for on-site parking.

Trunki backpack - room for toys an coverts to booster seat.

Yes, Heebie has the answer - you'll be able to take it on the plane and stow it normally in the overhead cabin or under the seat. (Provided you can buy them over here - I haven't checked)

FWIW I wouldn't take a child without a car seat on the roads around Boston either, not when the risk of an accident is so high with the terrible driving and bad weather

Four miles in a bus?

I'd do it. Wouldn't think twice about it.

I have never seen small kids in car seats on public transport. I used to live in London and have definitely never seen it there.

It is a shuttle bus. Relax about it. I certainly couldn't be bothered carting car seats on and off public transport. Far too much faff.

Personally I think you're over estimating the risk of the shuttle ride. If you're prepared to do a twelve hour car journey to get to the airport I think your 30 mins on a shuttle bus without a car seat is probably not the biggest risk you'd take that day. But everyone's different on what they find acceptable, what quirks they pander to to feel more in control, what things they find particularly worrisome even if they'd be happy with the level of risk in another situation etc.

If you want to use the car seat on the plane it has to be FAA approved for air travel so check if your model is beforehand. I got a CARES child restraint for using on planes. It's FAA approved and is safer than a lap belt and less faff than a car seat. It just goes around the back of the seat so it might even work on a bus.

Personally, I would take DD on a bus without a car seat and have done many times. People living in cities don't lug them around to use on buses and trains.

I haven't seen many if any buses with seat belts, certainly not the back ring attached to the frame. having a poorly secured car seat on a bus seems like more of a hazard than the child sitting next to you.

we are using the trunki backpack booster for these sort of things - not great, but better than nothing. it has the added benefit of a strap keeping the seatbelt low sonit doesn't strangle them. not tecommended as regular car seat though!

Could you drop DS off at the airport with DH then take the car to the long stay car park on your own?