Not picking people up for xmas?

[StephenQueenBooks]

I have been asked to pick up my brother, sil and their two kids (3 and 2) on Xmas day as they can't drive/get public transport. I don't drink so fine with this as my mum wants a tipple (I live with her just out of uni).

When I spoke to my brother about it last night I said we should all fit in even with the carseats and he said he didn't have any.

I told him I'm not having two toddlers in my car not in carseats because it's not safe and I don't want the fine. I said you either get car seats or you'll have to come a different day when you can get the bus. My mum is backing me up however him and my sil are annoyed saying it's their children and they don't mind them sitting on their knees.

Aibu to say no carseats, no lift? I've only just started driving last month and lifts are the bane of my life!

Why oh why does these threads have to be so difficult and silly!
Ask them to buy some on Facebook or Ebay for cheap or borrow someone's which I've seen people do. If they are really strapped for cash ask your mother if she could purchase them on fb etc, that way you've got them for any other day
Trips and it's a little expense so your all together on the day.

Op your not wrong, and police will be on the look out as there isn't much going on on Christmas Day, and they can spend most the time driving around. You could Have your car pounded and receive heavy fine.

I had them incase we were offered lifts from people such as they're asking OP for.

This won't be the first time they've asked for lifts and if it is something that happens then they need a car seat for those journeys.

I had them incase we were offered lifts from people such as they're asking OP for.

But unless your username is steeped in irony, you presumably weren't an unemployed drug addict with social service involvement at the time. And there is a deep and profound difference between "asking for lifts" and "being offered lifts".

The best thing you can do is try and be in these kids life as a good role model.

Your brother and sil sound dreadful. Complete narcisits.

Keep going down the path you are going and don't let them drag you down.

Am glad your mum supports you in this. It's not easy when it's family being manipulative :-(

Mr prediction is that OPs mum will be guilted into collecting them. ANd they'll get their way anyway.

OP, where do you live? I have a car seat you can have.

I just hope if that's the case there isn't a car crash. I can't imagine putting little lives at risk like that.

When I took my test last year I was told by my instructor that you could take children on short journeys in a jar without a car seat

From the RAC webpage
When can kids legally travel without a car seat?
UK law dictates that a child must use a child car seat until they’re 12-years-old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. Children over the age of 12 or more than 135cm tall must wear a seat belt.

There are some exceptions when a child does not need to legally use a car seat, such as:

A child can travel in a taxi or minicab, without a car seat, but wearing a seat belt, if the driver doesn’t provide the correct child car seat. They must travel in the rear and wear an adult seat belt if they’re over the age of three. Children under three should travel without a seat belt.
Children can also travel in a coach or minibus without a child car seat, but must travel in the rear seats of a minibus if a child car seat or an adult seat belt isn’t fitted. If child car seats are not fitted or deemed unsuitable, children aged three or older travelling in a minibus must use a seat belt.
A child aged three or older may also use an adult seat belt if making an unexpected but necessary journey over a short distance.
The same rules apply for children with disabilities or medical conditions, but they may use a disabled person’s seat belt or child restraint designed for their needs. A doctor may issue an exemption certificate if necessary.

UK law dictates that a child must use a child car seat until they’re 12-years-old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first.

12?!

coughfart
This law came in when my lad was 11 and 1/2!!

The law is simple until they're 12 or over 135cm tall, then they need a car seat, end of.

12?!

Thats about 4’4” - For a twelve year old to be shorter than 135cm, would be diagnosed restricted growth territory.

That can't have been popular with olden children who had to go back to car seats

Totally agree with you, it's your licence n if you get pulled its you who get ticketed not once but twice or however many kids are unseated properly. Sounds a lot like my SIL we had the same issue but she now doesnt get a lift and had to ask someone else (who still insists on a car seat anyway, which she has since bought but ia too proud to admit defeat). We have a sevven seater and only one child who is in a high backed booster seat. But we always carry spare car seats just in case. They are only old ones either our son or nephew has grown out of but Id rather carry a car seat in the car then pick up someone with children and take the risk. Not that its down to you, we make that choice because we also drive nephews n nieces a lot as well as doing a car share at school on occassions. This is your brothers/SIL responsibility, surely they could ask friends to borrow them or depending how old the children are some of the booster type ones can be obtained quite cheaply from places like Argos n B&M.
I vaguely remember a mother from playgroup saying she had bought a cheap one from argos two days before Christmas uses it christmas day then returnes it afterwards for a refund. Cheeky I know but ultimately its their reaponability as parents if they want lifts to provide a car seat. Theres always a taxi who are excempt but I dont even like transporting my child in a taxi in the wrong seat whether its legal or not. Not since I heard about a little girl near ua been picked up from special school by taxi and a van went into the side of them, she was too small for the seat belt n was thrown around the car like a rag doll. Taxi driver only suffered minor inguries but never got over it, blames himself even though he couldnt have avoided the accident and not having a car seat was legal for him and still is. Stick to your guns they would only blame you if you had an accident and their kids where hurt or god forbid worse.

Ask on facebook for a friend who is staying gome for xmas to loan two car seats otherwise a whole family dont get a xmas meal. Someone will do it.

Just thought I'd update you, I got a phone call at 11:30 asking if I was going to get them, I was a bit surprised as last we heard they were going his MIL.

I asked if they had car seats and they said yeah they'd borrowed them, so I went (should have asked my mum first).

Turns out they had borrowed one. One! Wanted me to make two trips. Annoying but fine. Only when they actually had one kid strapped in and my brother got in the front I said "I'm just texting mum to let her know we're on the way".

My brother asked "why, we're going mum's". I was fuming, I told him to get out, took the toddler out of the car seat and stood him on the floor, took out the carseat and dropped it on the kerb before driving off. The air was blue in my car and they had the gall to call mum and kick off at her that I had left them in the lurch!

Apparently her mum had had a few so they wanted me to make two trips to go take them there! It's like 15 minutes past their house.

They wanted you to drive them, in two trips, to SIL's mum's?! Cheeky fuckers!

titzilla i know! I was pissed off enough having to do two trips to my mums! I'm still seething about it!

Jeez. I mean that’s cf on another level!

Hope you had a nice Xmas op. What did your mum say?! Surely she can see that twattery

Mum was a little tipsy (vodka goes great in a snowball). She gave my brother and earful but said I shouldn't have dropped the carseat on the kerb because apparently I scratched it.

That's comedy gold! Wow.

Sorry they are such users OP. Hope you had a good Christmas otherwise.