AIBU to use a non-optimal car seat?

[MRex]

We have a 14 month old and usually are fine with the train and the bus, but sometimes it would be useful to be able to do a short hop in a taxi, e.g. we can't go to one family member's house because it's a few miles and the roads from the station don't have pavements; also when we go on holiday it would be useful to have the option to do a couple of 10-20 mile trips in taxis for exploring.

Our car seat, like pretty much all of them for this size, is much too heavy and bulky to carry along with the pushchair and luggage. We don't want to hire a car on these rare occasions because neither of us has driven for ages, so until we're ready to buy one and do catch-up lessons it doesn't feel safe to suddenly drive on a really long trip with all the motorway driving in particular.

I've found a total of only one Group 1 car seat that can reasonably be carried with our other stuff, but the problem is that it's forward facing (Urban Kanga). If we buy it and just use it for these little hops, I feel nervous that we're just as likely to crash in a taxi and DS won't be fully safe in it. On the other hand waiting until we buy a car or until he reaches 4 years old is going to be very limiting.

How unsafe is it to use? What do others do at this stage who don't drive?

I think you'll be absolutely fine! Rear facing is only a very recent thing.
This will shock you op - we never use car seats in taxis! Although some (forrin) uber drivers carry boosters which is nice for older kids.

It's legal not to have a car seat in a taxi. Forward facing will be fine too

I think that what you're proposing is safer than hiring a car and trying to re-learn to drive/ get back into the swing of driving while you have a small child in the back distracting you.

Generic seats are only tested to British standards which is 30mph.

So mothercare, cossatto, nania, any own brand.

Joie are the cheapest that meet the European standards.

The majority of car seats are incorrectly fitted so the safest thing is a properly fitted car seat with properly used straps (no bulky jackets, pulled tight enough etc). Only then does FF/RF, model of seat etc come into helping.

So it would be much safer in a FF seat than not being in a seat at all (which would be legal in a taxi).

It's safer than nothing, although they are meant to be rear facing until 15 months. I would do it.

Thanks all, I'm worried about safety rather than legality. Maybe I need to just worry less.

@Thehop - Joie is our other car seat, we're quite risk averse.

@NoWittyNamesAvailable - I thought it was safer until age 4? If it's at least slightly safer after 15 months that might be some comfort, where do you get that age from?

@VimFuego101 - that was sort of where we were going with our thoughts. DH thinks maybe we should just bite the bullet and get a car, but then we don't want to spend much on a car on the next year or two so it'll be wasteful getting one that we just replace later.

I would do it. We had rear facing in 4 cars (inc grandparents) but then her legs were too long to get in and out of nanna’s tiny car so we swapped to forward facing in that one. You should go the safest practical/affordable thing.

I thought it was safer until age 4?

It is safer, but legally they have to rear face until 15 months.

I wouldn't, but I'm also very risk averse. It just wouldn't be worth it for me! The country where I live rear faces in general until 4, I don't know any kids who turned earlier, so I may be being overly paranoid about it but that's my two cents. It just wouldn't be worth the grief if something did happen.

Do taxi companies not have the option of providing car seats if you prebook? I've always managed to prebook taxis plus car seats in the UK at least.

@Damntheman - I don't know about car seat booking but that's a good idea, I can call and ask.

It is safer, but legally they have to rear face until 15 months

The 15 month age applies only to iSize seats. There are still weight related seats where you can forward face from 9kgs