Taxi/buggy/near collision WWYD

[SJR38]

Hi
Took a taxi to the airport yesterday - had baby in the back strapped into his buggy with the brake on. Coming close to the airport we came off the motorway at speed and up to a roundabout where the lights were red. The taxi driver did not decelerate and started to shout 'the brakes'. His brakes had failed, and we nearly rear ended cars parked at the red light, instead we sped through a small gap to the left of the cars and onto the roundabout through the red light. Thankfully no cars were coming so we narrowly avoided being in a serious accident.

I was screaming and grabbing onto the baby buggy - was convinced we were all going to be involved in major accident. Terrible.

Driver then said the brakes were working again - so despite me asking him to stop - he drove slowly to the airport - and charged me the full fare. I was too shocked to even protest. He assured me was going to the garage to get the brakes checked. I phoned the taxi company to complain - but am still so angry that my baby and I were put in a potentially fatal situation by someone with a vehicle which was not roadworthy.

Should this be reported to the police/local council? WWYD?

After this I don't ever intend to travel without the baby in a car seat - do many others put their buggy in back of a taxi like this and is it considered a safe way to travel?

Where was this?

Near Luton airport.

That sounds very scary.

I don't think you can conclude the vehicle isn't roadworthy though, sounds like the driver was as shocked as you and handled the failure as well as he could. The taxi would have needed to have passed the MOT to get road taxed. Depending exactly where you were it might well have been safer to carry on slowly than stop on a motorway roundabout and wait for the RAC or whatever. He probably charged you as doesn't have the authority to do anything else but the taxi company might well refund you if you ask.

Was it a black cab, that you were able to keep the baby in a buggy?

THat doesn't sound good. I would definitely complain to the taxi company. I don't know what you mean about taking a buggy in a taxi, wouldn't you put a buggy in a boot? I have never used a buggy but I have needed to take babies and small children in taxis sometimes without seats, as I don't have a car. I don't kid myself it's a safe way to travel but sometimes you need to get somewhere only a car can get you unexpectedly.

If there is an incident though I would have thought the taxi company would investigate.

That sounds terrifying. I would report it just to make sure he gets the brakes checked out

I have travelled in black cabs a couple of times with my double buggy strapped using the wheelchair restraint. I must admit I did not feel particularly safe but didn't really have much chouce as needed to go to hospital and couldn't drive or lift onto bus due to csection. I suppose it's no different than travelling by bus I guess.

That sounds terrifying but you should not have had your child in the buggy. Why wouldn't you strap them in properly? Legal or not in a taxi doesn't make it right. Why take an unnecessary risk with your child?

lisaro, sometimes needs must. It isn't always that easy to carry carseats around with you. How often would you strap your baby into a seat on the bus, for example? THis is no different.

Doctrine - his brakes failed! That makes the car unroadworthy, surely? An MOT certificate states that a vehicle is roadworthy at the time the MOT is passed. It doesn't guarantee that a car is good to go for the whole year.

OP - yes, I would report this to the council and to the police.

Thanks all for the replies. Reported him to the taxi firm and to the local council (who apparently issue the taxi license) It wasn't a black cab but a taxi bus with sliding doors.
I'd consider a vehicle with such a major fault to be unroadworthy, whether it has an mot or not.

Re the buggy issue. I feel terrible that I didn't have him strapped in a car seat. I was travelling alone with baby, buggy, suitcase and I've travelled with him like this in taxis a few times before.

What do others do when travelling with babies in taxis? Do you bring a car seat everywhere with you? Would it have been safer to hold him on my knee with the buggy in the boot?

Thanks

What I meant was that if the brakes had just that minute failed, the vehicle was roadworthy at the time OP began the journey, from the pint of view of blame, liability etc.

My car has an MOT. If its brakes fail suddenly tomorrow, I would not have known it was unroadworthy as I would have followed the law (plus in the case of a taxi, maybe more regular checks) and hence would not have a "driving an unroadworthy car" charge or similar.