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Original poster

Toddler and taxi in France?

17 replies

sparklygirl · 31/03/2007 22:02

Hi we are travelling to France and need to get to the hotel from the airport which I believe is about 30 minutes away. How have people gone on with a LO without a car seat? Any advise would be helpful.

OP posts:
TKMaxx · 31/03/2007 23:26

how little? could you take one of those basic seat-only boosters with you, not too heavy or bulky to pack but would make the journey safer.

Original poster
sparklygirl · 01/04/2007 14:39

She is 15 months............

OP posts:
helenhismadwife · 01/04/2007 16:31

which airport are you flying into sparklygirl, just wondering if you could ring the airport information and ask if the taxi firms have car seats I know the car hire firms do.

helenhismadwife · 01/04/2007 16:33

we are quite near Poitiers airport.....

Pitchounette · 01/04/2007 16:41

Message withdrawn

2boysmacca · 01/04/2007 16:49

By law? Sorry but surely it's a matter of safety not law requirements. Please please please do not go in a car without using a car seat.

NotQuiteCockney · 01/04/2007 17:05

I don't think the risk of going without a car seat for one journey is that bad. That being said, there are some things you can do to make things safer:

  • We used a Baby B'Air vest for these sorts of things. It's a sort of vest that goes on the child and attaches to your seatbelt. It means that in an emergency stop, the child won't go flying through the front windscreen (yes, I know, you'll be holding the kid, but in an emergency stop, you will lose your grip, trust me)
  • Some models of car have built-in car seats - VW Sharan? We get our local nice taxi firm to transport us with these. They're fine for 15-month-olds.
  • A minibus, or better still, a bus or train, is safer than a car - nobody wears seatbelts in these. Is there a bus/train option that could cover all or most of your journey?
2boysmacca · 01/04/2007 17:30

I think we've had this discussion before. Accidents happen, even on holiday. Even on the shortest journeys. We were on holiday, we had an accident, we were hit by a lorry. What were the chances of that!

Original poster
sparklygirl · 01/04/2007 19:37

Well I have called car hire companies to see if they would just hire us the car seat, but no. I've not know what to do. We have decided to take LO car seat, yes it is massive but we are flying with BA and it says on website infant can have luggage allowance, foldable pushchair and a car seat. So we are taking the car seat. If it get broken by baggage handlers then so be it, rather that than anything happening to our baby girl.

OP posts:
2boysmacca · 01/04/2007 19:43

I am so so pleased that is your decision. I still have nightmares about our crash and what would have happened if ds (he was 20 months) wasn't in his seat. The car didn't survive, but we all did.

Happy hols x x

Pitchounette · 01/04/2007 20:44

Message withdrawn

Original poster
sparklygirl · 01/04/2007 21:16

No I know what you mean't. We said the same things but still came to is it worth risking it.... It will be a bit strange fitting a car seat in a taxi not really something I've had to do before.

OP posts:
2boysmacca · 01/04/2007 21:21

Sorry if I came across aggressive. I didn't mean to, I just feel very passionately about car safety.

NotQuiteCockney · 01/04/2007 21:27

I think the reason why it is ok in a taxi but not in your car is:

a) it is hard to fit the car seat, and you might well not get it right, or it might not fit in the taxi.

b) a taxi ride is, pretty much by definition, a one-off. So an accident in a taxi is much less likely just because it is likely to be just one journey, rather than an hour a day or whatever drivers spend in their cars.

Obviously an accident is still possible in a taxi, obviously going in a taxi without a car seat is still a risk, but we take risks every day - we each have to make our own decisions about what risks we're willing to take.

Original poster
sparklygirl · 09/04/2007 23:41

Well, we arrived at the airport but the car seat didn't. So that was pointless really. BA did't have one we could borrow and they were really rude about it. They sent the car seat to the hotel but its been damaged, probably been thrown about. The polystyrene is cracked. I take it I wouldn't be able to use this now as it may have weakened its strength? I have put a claim in with BA.

OP posts:
chocolateface · 09/04/2007 23:55

This is exactly why I don't leave this country with my C's

chocolateface · 09/04/2007 23:56

A cracked seat is probably better than no seat at all.

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