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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

kaytee87 · 03/12/2017 21:39

Some taxi company's have cars with car seats fitted too

SaturdaySauv · 03/12/2017 21:44

I recently took my toddler in a taxi without a car seat (10 minute journey at a quiet time of day). I'd never done it before and have always been careful about using the right car seat and fitting/securing it properly. I felt quite bad about it for a while and really hope to not have to do it again.

I think it's probably one of those things that if you get into the habit of doing it every now and then it moves from the 'this is dangerous/I shouldn't really do it' category to 'acceptable' when considering risk.

Original poster

Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:53

That's the thing in trying to figure out Trinity. If I walk it will I be able to push the pram and the suitcase and the car-seat. It takes half an hour to walk at the other end, but as the roads aren't busy it's a very short drive.

OP posts:

Original poster

Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:53

Anyway, I'm just figuring out practicalities now. Thanks for the advice.

OP posts:

Original poster

Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 21:57

I misunderstood you trinity you mean don't take the car-seat at all. Could work out. Thanks

OP posts:

Ermm · 03/12/2017 21:59

My sister literally used to spend hours finding cab companies with already installed seats (this was when she was travelling from overseas to back home, stop offs on the way etc). I think trying to find pre-installed seats is the way to go probably. Pain in the arse but there you go.

I've got a puppy and making sure he is properly secured for car travel is also total pain in the arse - most of the car harnesses you can buy are useless in a crash. But again its the kind of thing that people don't think will happen until it does.

Best of luck!

hereitis · 03/12/2017 22:03

Travel system off gumtree?

Original poster

Seaglassmarie · 03/12/2017 22:07

That's a good idea. I used to have one but got rid of it due to space as I live in a bedsit and just have a basic umbrella fold now.

OP posts:

MumsTheWordYouKnow · 04/12/2017 20:08

I thought it was only legal in black cabs where they can be in a pushchair while travelling. Doesn’t seem like a great idea. Why not drive to the restaurant?

littledinaco · 04/12/2017 20:24

You can buy car seat bags that have straps on so you can carry them like a shoulder bag or back-pack. Still a pain to carry but better than your DD being unsafe.

HaudYerWheeshtBawbag · 04/12/2017 20:39

I don’t know why you’d think it would be acceptable to travel with a young child in a car without a car seat!

Buses I get but cars, just take the seat.

AJPTaylor · 04/12/2017 20:46

Mmm.
So if someone rear ended him whilst baby on your lap unrestrained?
Legality is neither here nor there.
Yabu.

Msmc · 04/12/2017 20:56

Putting your baby in a black cab in their pram is also not safe at all.

Somersetter · 04/12/2017 20:59

I'm pretty sure it's legal to have a child under 3 sitting on your knee in a taxi. Not advisable, but legal.

Here's the Which? advice: www.which.co.uk/news/2016/07/child-car-seat-taxi-law-confuses-parents-448855/

kaytee87 · 04/12/2017 21:53

@Msmc it's far safer than having them on your lap in the back of a car. It's really not much different than having them on a bus.

Msmc · 04/12/2017 22:02

@kaytee87, it’s not safe at all. What are you basing this on? How do you know? Where is the research? Are you a road safety professional because I am. If you had the baby in the carrycot they would fly out like a missile. If they were in a pushchair they would fly around the car with the pushchair. Look up the force you would exert on your seatbelt in an impact and think about the weight of a baby and how they would be thrown around in an impact.

Cakeorchocolate · 05/12/2017 07:07

I'm surprsied it's something you've done multiple times previously! It is not safe at all.
I'm also pleased the driver wasn't intimidated into agreeing by you showing him the law on your phone!

As for the managing pushchair, car seat, etc. That's the logistical challenge all parents have to figure out if travelling. We recently managed to take all of that and more abroad & on the plane (so we could travel safely with our dd in a car abroad). It can be done if you think about it and plan.

There are some seats that are considered pretty universal - a joie stages being one of the easiest to fit and most affordable. Can be found on offer too. There are 2 cheaper joie seats but they are more prone to fitting issues.
Please don't use one of those inflatable things someone mentioned earlier either. They're no different to being without a car seat in a crash!

Amanduh · 05/12/2017 07:42

It's completely legal and people do it all the time. Yanbu OP. They should clarify a company position if they dont wish to do it, not try to pretend that youre lying about the law! In fact, as a taxi company, they really should know the law about taxis!

CherryGardens11 · 05/12/2017 09:27

Amanduh

Yeah that was my main problem. Lack of clarification on the taxi firms position.

I also do think taxi drivers should know what is is legal and what is not. Same for us parents too. I've been in so many taxis where family members haven't been wearing seatbelts and the driver hasn't asked them to strap in or anything.

I have used black cabs with LO in the buggy before.

I just don't get how some of these things are legal or seemingly allowed by some taxi drivers if they are so dangerous?

Tsundoku · 05/12/2017 09:43

I just don't get how some of these things are legal or seemingly allowed by some taxi drivers if they are so dangerous?

Because you're the parent and it's assumed you have some capacity for criticial thinking, balancing the risk of travelling without a carseat against the necessity of your journey?

If there's a full and thoroughly-enforced blanket ban on children travelling in a taxi without appropriate protection, then that potentially leaves kids stranded, or prevents families attending vital appointments, etc.

But that doesn't mean it's advisable to take a taxi with no carseat for non-essential trips, or that all taxi drivers are obliged to facilitate you.

Annorlunda5 · 05/12/2017 10:02

Looks like you've outed yourself! Doubt you will be back now. However, I just wanted to agree with you that the laws surrounding taxis and car seats aren't very well known by the majority of parents OR by taxi companies.

I've been in a taxi with a friend who had her 2 year old on her lap - she rang the company beforehand to say she didn't have a seat and they told her it was fine to have her baby on her knee.

I do think taxi drivers as well as parent should know the law. I believe that while the child is the parents' responsibility, it is the driver's responsibility to make sure every passenger in their car is travelling correctly.

It's a bit bizarre and seems to depend on which taxi firm you're using!

Annorlunda5 · 05/12/2017 10:11

So if a parent tries to put their child on their knee, the driver should point out to them that they cannot drive that way and must be in their own seat next to you. From what I've seen friends do however, it seems a lot of drivers prefer the children to sit on the parent's knee as they mess around less and cause less of a distraction than sitting on their own.

Sitting on knee in taxis shouldn't be permitted by any driver but it seems to be pretty common amongst those I know.

Anyway, I'd suggest buses and trains from now on, OP.

Annorlunda5 · 05/12/2017 10:24

@Tsundoko

I think the main issue here isn't whether they are allowed to travel unrestrained at all, it's whether they are allowed on a lap, which is apparently illegal but seems to be accepted in a lot of taxis.

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