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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it’s fine to use car seats in a taxi?

36 replies

Colourmix · 15/01/2023 22:53

My DD is 4 and I don’t drive (recently started lessons). I don’t get taxis very often, but whenever I do I put DD in her carseat which seems totally normal to me as I wouldn’t want to put her at risk if we ended up in a crash.

People are really weird about it though, like a surprising amount of people and it’s always the exact same conversation, like they’re reading a script! A few of my neighbours, at least 4 different taxi drivers, a few parents at playgroups, my in laws, random strangers that see me waiting for a taxi home. They all tell me that I don’t need a carseat for taxis, I politely reply that it’s just to keep her safe, they respond with ‘just sit them on your knee, it’s just as safe as a car seat!’ I smile politely and say something like ‘Oh can you? I didn’t know that, thank you. I’ll still take it to be on the safe side though’ then they proceed to act really offended and tell me about how they never use car seats for their kids and they’ve never had a problem, being really pushy about it. I never know what to say so I just give a polite little laugh or smile and pretend to be busy with DD or on my phone.

I didn’t think much of it the first few times but it’s happened so often that I’m second guessing myself. Is it really that unusual to use one in taxis?

OP posts:
MilkyYay · 16/01/2023 19:47

We don't use one in central london because the traffic is unbelievably slow. One of us sits rear facing in the middle seat with child strapped in with them.

The local taxis we use near home eg to get to airport etc all have carseats you ca use. They generally won't be ERF though.

MilkyYay · 16/01/2023 19:49

Just read your DD is 4. How tall? By that age in a cab for a short journey I'd probably just have used a booster seat rather than a full hbb.

Moken · 16/01/2023 19:58

I bought an amazing handbag-sized car seat in the US (I think, it was years ago). The child sits on the base, and the seatbelt interacts with the belt on the car seat, hooks either side of the child across their thighs and keeps them pretty secure. I throw it in my bag when we go on holiday. It's about the size of a book but a brilliant little thing.

I'd even tell you what it was called if I could remember without going up to the storage cupboard and checking Grin

sqirrelfriends · 16/01/2023 20:02

YANBU, definitely safer to use a car seat. I agree with others that think it seems insulting to others as it seems like you’re judging by not confirming to their poor choices.

sqirrelfriends · 16/01/2023 20:07

Moken · 16/01/2023 19:58

I bought an amazing handbag-sized car seat in the US (I think, it was years ago). The child sits on the base, and the seatbelt interacts with the belt on the car seat, hooks either side of the child across their thighs and keeps them pretty secure. I throw it in my bag when we go on holiday. It's about the size of a book but a brilliant little thing.

I'd even tell you what it was called if I could remember without going up to the storage cupboard and checking Grin

Could be the smart kid belt or the bubble bum?

both adjust the straps to site safely.

jannier · 16/01/2023 20:15

I thought most decent taxis had one in the boot.
I always say when in an accident the combined speed of vehicles is the speed the child leaves the seat/my arms so at 20 miles an hour in both cars that's 40 miles an hour the child hits the windscreen or anyone in the front. I wouldn't take them to the top of a house and throw them from a window why would I risk them going through the windscreen and hitting the road in front?
If your happy to take it carry on.

Moken · 16/01/2023 20:18

sqirrelfriends · 16/01/2023 20:07

Could be the smart kid belt or the bubble bum?

both adjust the straps to site safely.

Thanks but no... I just check with DH - it's the MiFold. This one. I probably bought it in the UK looking at this mifold.co.uk/products/mifold-comfort

Chuck this in your bag instead, OP!

ChildminderMum · 16/01/2023 21:21

MilkyYay · 16/01/2023 19:47

We don't use one in central london because the traffic is unbelievably slow. One of us sits rear facing in the middle seat with child strapped in with them.

The local taxis we use near home eg to get to airport etc all have carseats you ca use. They generally won't be ERF though.

Just checking you don't mean you put the same seatbelt around you and the child?
That would be really dangerous in the event of even a minor crash as your body weight would crush your child against the belt.

Sucessinthenewyear · 16/01/2023 21:24

Colourmix · 15/01/2023 23:09

The part I find weird is how defensive people get even when I’m polite and agreeable about it. It’s like they take it as a direct insult to their parenting if I continue to use a car seat after they’ve told me that they never use one.

People are often like this when you make different parenting decision to them because they interpret it as a judgement on their own parenting/decision making.

watchfulwishes · 16/01/2023 21:43

Colourmix · 15/01/2023 23:09

The part I find weird is how defensive people get even when I’m polite and agreeable about it. It’s like they take it as a direct insult to their parenting if I continue to use a car seat after they’ve told me that they never use one.

People get defensive because they fear you are right. They have minimised the risk in their minds but you being more cautious makes them uncomfortable about their choice. If they thought you were an idiot, they would not respond that way.

People are the same about drinking, eating crap, not exercising, their kids watching screen time - the things where we often make the easy choice.

Moken · 16/01/2023 21:49

watchfulwishes · 16/01/2023 21:43

People get defensive because they fear you are right. They have minimised the risk in their minds but you being more cautious makes them uncomfortable about their choice. If they thought you were an idiot, they would not respond that way.

People are the same about drinking, eating crap, not exercising, their kids watching screen time - the things where we often make the easy choice.

Agree. This kind of thing happens on a lot of MN threads Grin

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