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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taxi driver brief argument

98 replies

Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 18:39

I may get slated a bit because this involves taxis and car-seats but here it goes anyway.

Me and extended family were going to a restaurant. We booked the taxi and as it's a quiet road and would only be in the car about 5 mins, I made the call that it would be OK for my 1 year old to sit on my lap. We did have a car-seat but as we were taking the buggy already we just thought it was too much faff (hence why I'll probably get slated).

However, when the taxi driver arrived he flat-out refused to let DD in the car without a seat. Now, if this has been his company's private policy and he had explained that to me, I wouldn't have minded. That's fair enough. What annoyed me was his refusal to believe that it was even legal for me to do this. Even when I told him I'd done it before, he was brushing me off with 'oh no that can't have happened before, no'. His whole attitude towards me seemed to imply he thought I was lying about it being legal. It was just so dismissive and he seemed to be trying to hide a laugh at the same time.
DP went to get the car seat obviously, while I tried to show the taxi driver the government legislation on my phone... I know, high-horse, I should of let it go, but I just wanted to understand whether he truly believed it was illegal or whether it was just his taxis policy, but all I got was that air of 'silly woman, you must have misunderstood'.

In the end, we still got where we wanted to go with the car-seat, but AIBU about his attitude towards me ?

OP posts:
Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 20:51

Thanks for the info everyone.

OP posts:
DailyMailReadersAreThick · 03/12/2017 20:52

Good for him. I would also have refused.

Bit scary that a random taxi driver cares more about your baby's safety than you Confused

Lilliepixie · 03/12/2017 20:54

Baby on lap is v dangerous
You can literally crush them

Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 20:59

I will need to contact the cab office that have allowed me to do that in the past then. It would be helpful that they know the correct info to correct passengers who are unaware of the own-seat thing. And no, these weren't cabs with a partition that allowed this but they were an official firm, nothing shady.

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 03/12/2017 21:02

Op in future you're probably best getting a black hack and having the baby strapped in it's pram, breaks on and also hold onto the pram for going round corners.

Ermm · 03/12/2017 21:02

Sure. Do that.

But again you seem to be trying to shift responsibility here. You are the parent - your responsibility to ensure your child is safely secured in any form of transport. It is not the cabs fault you have previously put your child at risk -it is your fault.

My sister has travelled in different countries and always took a huge amount of time to contact ahead of time to make sure suitable taxis available etc. So in answer to your question of how you will manage it will be a pain in the arse no doubt. Still your responsibility I fear.

Rosieposy4 · 03/12/2017 21:07

Yeah, never mind contacting the cabs that have allowed it in the past, contact the office of the one who took you today and apologise.
Then do your own research and look after your dcs safety.

Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:07

Of course it's my responsibility for my daughter, but surely if any passenger is travelling illegally (including adults) it should be corrected? Both sides should know the correct info imo.

OP posts:
Butterfr33 · 03/12/2017 21:11

Surely it's common sense. The law was passed on the assumption that most people ordering a taxi won't have a car seat available. But if you do have one available fucking use it! How fucking lazy and irresponsible! Good on the taxi driver.

Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:13

It's not about suitable taxis really. It's walking to a train station with pushchair, suitcase, and car-seat in preparation for a short taxi journey at the other end of my train journey. I'm just thinking about the future now and wondering how I'm going to manage it.

Does anyone know if all car seats will fit taxis

OP posts:
Ermm · 03/12/2017 21:14

Get a taxi to the train station at the start?

Ttbb · 03/12/2017 21:15

You should make a complaint. It is legal and he had no right to belittle you or accuse you of lying. Terrible customer service.

kaytee87 · 03/12/2017 21:16

All car seats fit different cars so no guarantee yours will fit a taxi. Just get a black hack with the pram.

Liara · 03/12/2017 21:17

There are some little inflatable seats that are easy to transport but meet regulations for short journeys like that.

Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:18

I don't have the money for that erm.

OP posts:
Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:20

I can't get a black cab if it's outside London can I though. Sorry just thinking now, kinda irrelevant.

Worried a seat I buy won't fit the taxi now. My grandparents have one at theirs for DD so I could take that but it's huge...

OP posts:
Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:21

Is there a relatively cheap and sort of standard size one that is easy to transport while walking and get on and off trains etc?

OP posts:
Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:24

I live too far from the destination to get a taxi the whole journey so will be carrying the car seat at some point while walking/train/bus, so any recommendations are appreciated.

OP posts:
shakeyourcaboose · 03/12/2017 21:26

Op we are arse end rural Scotland and still have black cabs- they're not just a London thing....

TrinitySquirrel · 03/12/2017 21:29

Just because it's legal doesn't mean you should do it.

Imagine being that driver who says yes then out of nowhere some other idiot slams right in to you, and god forbid something frigginf awful happens to your child.

Imagine him having to live with that?

You're a selfish pratt frankly OP and even risking it for a short journey that you consider 'safe' is even more selfish.

His whole livelihood would be destroyed on top of all of that too.

'It'll never happen to me. Fck off. Fck off. F*ck off. That's what everyone thinks.

Original poster
Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:31

Black cabs are extortionate though. There's no way I could afford them. I'm not lying but I'm not going to air out the details of my finances. Usually when I have got a taxi from a train station before it has been paid for by family on the other end. Blush

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 03/12/2017 21:32

What? I live in a small town / village in Scotland and I can get a black hack. I phone them all the time.

kaytee87 · 03/12/2017 21:33

In my area they are only about 20-40p more expensive for the same journey. Maybe different in different places though.

TrinitySquirrel · 03/12/2017 21:35

There are private hire firms that have black cabs on private rates. See if there is one local. Otherwise request a taxi with a baby seat and if the taxi journey is so short maybe you should do without the whole thing and just walk the extra 15 minutes each end Hmm

Hadenoughoftumble · 03/12/2017 21:37

I have to take taxis to the hospital regularly with my dc’s for dd’s appointments and taking a car seat is not an option as otherwise when I get to the hospital I would have to try and push the double pushchair and somehow hold two large car seats with only my mum to help me. This would be impossible. It is not illegal to travel in a taxi without a car seat.

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