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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put two 11 year olds in an uber?

151 replies

ohlookgreyvelour · 01/01/2022 19:55

Just had a message from one of my dcs friends mum inviting them both out for friends birthday next week, however we will all be back at work and are unable to take them directly to the place ourselves.

So I was I thinking that I could book them an uber to pick them up from home and drop them to the place, which is a 5-10 min drive depending on traffic.
Both dc are very sensible and are usually at home alone in the evening from 4.30pm until 6.30pm when do gets home from work, I don't usually get in until later.

The mum is unable to collect as she will be coming from work herself. So do you think that would be ok?
I don't want them to walk as it will be dark at that time and they would have to walk through quite a rough estate.

OP posts:
Tal45 · 01/01/2022 21:19

You'd need a driver with DBS, then no problem.

CombatBarbie · 01/01/2022 21:22

@BoredZelda

There are only a handful of taxi firms in UK that offer real time tracking of their cars like uber

Pretty much every major taxi firm in Edinburgh does this. I’d be really surprised if others don’t.

Yes you would...... Trust me.
Offmyfence · 01/01/2022 21:22

I'm not actually saying anyone is a fap troll looking for wank fodder. It's just that such people do and have posted here with alarming regularity, and fewer posters will share such stories unthinkingly anymore.

???

user290814356289 · 01/01/2022 21:22

I would be fine with this and my son has additional needs. He's 10, has a key to the house, own bank card and a phone with a tracker. He's not left alone yet but I would be fine with him getting in a taxi with a friend.

I would use a taxi with a driver who has the proper checks.

JustLyra · 01/01/2022 21:26

I would use a proper taxi company, preferably one that has a school contract and that you’ve checked with that they’ll take them unaccompanied.

Blossom64265 · 01/01/2022 21:27

I would use an actual licensed car or taxi service, not Uber. If you use someone who is actually licensed, I think sending two 11yo a together will be equivalent to one young adult traveling solo. I wouldn’t travel solo as an adult via Uber, hence my suggestion for a licensed service.

ClareBlue · 01/01/2022 21:28

They are going to the party not getting home
None of us know apart from the OP and the only point I was making was it would be a confusing and disappointing situation for them to be refused and some children might think of doing the 15 minute journey by foot in this situation. But you've deliberately missed the point and made a snide remark. Good on you.

LizzieVereker · 01/01/2022 21:28

According to their website, Uber won’t accept unaccompanied children:

Ground rules

When it comes to requesting rides, our guidelines state that the Uber age limit is 18, meaning children are not allowed to have Uber accounts. If you’re using your Uber account or the Uber family profile for your children to request a ride, they must still be accompanied by an adult to be allowed to ride. As such, drivers may also ask for ID verification to check a rider’s age if they think it is necessary.

Joelitta · 01/01/2022 21:29

No way.

Private hire (proper cabs) drivers are all thoroughly vetted. They have to be because all the best, legitimate private hire cab companies have council and hospital contracts to carry vulnerable children and patients around.
I wouldn't put children in an Uber cab.
I have used Uber twice myself and never again - seriously unpleasant sexual harrassment. I use one private hire taxi company and have got to know and trust all the drivers. I would trust them with anyone.

Original poster
ohlookgreyvelour · 01/01/2022 21:30

Ok thank you I won't use uber, I honestly wasn't aware they wasn't allowed to take under 18s unaccompanied so will look into a taxi firm.

They have smart watches with real time tracking on it and will always call either myself or dp if they're not sure of something, so I know that if the taxi were to cancel they would come straight back in the house and call me.

OP posts:
Joelitta · 01/01/2022 21:34

@BoredZelda

There are only a handful of taxi firms in UK that offer real time tracking of their cars like uber

Pretty much every major taxi firm in Edinburgh does this. I’d be really surprised if others don’t.

I was an Operator for Private Hire firms for a decade. ALL of them now have software to track cars in real time. You have several screens in front of you and one shows where every car is in real time with the car number on it.
LibbyL92 · 01/01/2022 21:34

Absolutely. You can even track the journey

Rno3gfr · 01/01/2022 21:34

Here we go, now suddenly it’s the end of the world for an 11 year old to ride alone in a taxi. Ridiculous. No wonder kids are growing up with anxiety and leaving for uni with 0 life skills.

SeasonFinale · 01/01/2022 21:35

@Waxonwaxoff0

I would find a local taxi company that has female drivers. This is what I do when I have to get a taxi on my own.
Yes because youngsters going off with Ghislaine Maxwell worked well didn't it?!

If you are allowing an 11 year old to go unaccompanied then the sex of the driver makes no difference.

Nenemum · 01/01/2022 21:39

@Waxonwaxoff0

I would find a local taxi company that has female drivers. This is what I do when I have to get a taxi on my own.
@Waxonwaxoff0 why recommend female only cabbie? Women are also capable of abuse, abduction, etc if that’s what prompted you. Statistics are blown out the window when chaos theory walks in the door.
sydenhamhiller · 01/01/2022 21:42

My older 2 children need to take the train to their secondary schools. The trains can be unreliable.

On occasion when they have been stranded, they have piled into a cab outside one of the stations.

They have been under strict instructions not to ever get into cab by themselves. When there are 4 of them (and would have been 14 and 16), I was/ am fine.

Twillow · 01/01/2022 21:42

Two together in a booked taxi - absolutely fine.

EmJay19 · 01/01/2022 21:44

Don’t see a problem but agree that taxi firm is probably a better idea. If you’re worried can you get them to have their phone on on speaker in the back?

Clymene · 01/01/2022 21:55

Two of them in a booked local cab firm I would.

I don't know that about Uber. I know lots of under 18s who get Ubers around London

mm40 · 01/01/2022 21:58

Just checked Uber site and they would need to be accompanied by an adult - however if that wasn’t Uber rules I would quite happily let two children take a traceable/trackable vehicle. I would also quite happily let them use a prebooked licensed cab. I would prefer these methods of transport to a bus.

GoatsAndBarley · 01/01/2022 21:59

I had to get a taxi for my child when she was 11 a couple of times. I went in to the taxi company first and had a chat about it. They took all my details in case there was any issues and I paid up front. They also sent me a message to let me know when child had been collected, the reg number and name of the driver and when child had subsequently been dropped off. They also waited for child to get into the house before driving away. I think I was quite lucky to get a taxi firm that went above and beyond.

Doodar · 01/01/2022 22:03

Uber won’t take them if they’re under 18. I found this out when my 16 yr old had a horrible experience with a driver. I complained and someone phoned me to say she shouldn’t have been on her own in the first place.

Ericaequites · 01/01/2022 22:04

In big cities in the States, there are Uber like services that specialize in unaccompanied transport for minors. The drivers are women with background checks. Are there similar services in the UK? Barring that, a local taxi firm would be best. When booking, explain the situation completely.

surreymum89 · 01/01/2022 22:14

You still need a private hire licence to work for Uber as you would with a local cab service and that includes a DBS.

Original poster
ohlookgreyvelour · 01/01/2022 22:15

@GoatsAndBarley I've travelled with uber a fair few times, maybe I've just been lucky but there have been times when I've travelled drunk and alone yet have always got home safe.
I used to use them every night to get home from work and on more than one occasion I've had the driver ask if I would like them to wait until I'm inside.
Of course there are some terrible people out there but we cannot wrap our children up forever, as I said they start secondary in September so will be coming and going to school by themselves on either public transport or walking they have to start to learn these things, not only for indepence but they need basic life skills.

I don't understand all the snarky comments of "I wouldn't leave my child" I didn't ask if I should leave them at home alone, that decision took a long time to come to and was based on how well my children behave and how sensible they are.
I didn't just wake up one day and choose not to parent, they know what to do in an emergency and before they are even allowed to go anywhere on their own next week, they will be taken through step by step on what they should and should not be doing and what to do if something goes wrong.

OP posts:
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