Going out on your own with toddler and carseat

[ChloeAries]

Hey!

So I've just got a toddler carseat for my 15 month old which as we all know are big and bulky. I don't drive so use taxis if I'm not using the bus and pram. My question is, how on earth do I get a taxi with my toddler and the car seat? If I was going shopping how do I then get a trolley when I've got my daughter and the car seat? (I would also put my daughter in the seat of the trolley so I don't have to take the pram as well). I know I can put the car seat in the trolley but I would still need to get the trolley first. I know you can legally get a taxi without a car seat but I would rather not. Any advice, tips or tricks would be great. Thankyou!

Have you thought of asking the security to look after it as you shop.

I'm not really sure how you manage this. Is sticking to buses not an option?

Some taxi companies have drivers with seats. It might be worth calling your local ones up and seeing if they have this service

Have you considered delivery?

I use Sainsbury’s but they all do it, you can get a delivery pass (I think mine was £30 for a year), but there are always slots for £1/2/3 pounds if you pick carefully

Would definitely make food shopping easier

Also could be worth checking if the supermarket you want to go to has a trolley locker, if it does you stick the car seat in a trolley then lock it in there

Often the ones with cafes have them

I think I pay £4 a month for the midweek pass with Sainsbury's and get free 1h slots on Tuesday Wednesday or Thursday. It's a rolling monthly contract so can be cancelled if you find it doesn't work for you.

Shop online!

Or, presume you'll get a taxi back again? Can you ask the driver to keep the seat til your return journey?

Some taxis have car seats available to ask for in your booking

Also I think by law you can travel by taxi with child under 3 on you lap, and they can travel without a car seat just a seatbelt once over 3 in a taxi

I don't drive and I've always just used public transport with a child under 5, and a buggy if necessary. The whole car seat issue makes taxis a pain. We've used them on days out but DH is with me as well so not on my own. Once they're over 4 you can use a Trunki booster seat which is quite portable. I think we did once hire a taxi with car seat and it was fine but I've heard of them not turning up with one, or it looks really old and beaten up.

We get all food delivered, and almost all our non food shopping too.

It is a pain OP, i get online food shops and then rely on busses for other trips. I did use taxis without car seats on occasion though, not something I wanted to do but sometimes there isn’t much choice.

I don't drive either and have a 2 and a 4 year old. I just use the bus for small
Shops as can put a bit under the buggy but I shop Online for big shops. I'm not sure as I don't really use taxis but I don't think by law they need to use car seats? (I may be wrong) and they are not in car seats on the bus either. Although understand if that's what you'd rather do as it is safer! We took our first to Greece for our honey moon when he was a few months old and the driver looked at me as if I were mad when I asked about a car seat 😂 I held on to him for dear life 😂😂

You don't need a car seat in a taxi!

The OP knows. She clearly wrote I know you can legally get a taxi without a car seat but I would rather not

I didn't think about that actually but since posting I realised I wouldn't even be able to get my daughter and the car seat to the taxi so it just wouldn't work lol. My tired Mum brain didn't think it all through but just hoped there was a way. I can just stick to buses and just use the car seat when I'm with my partner or someone else x

I had a Trunki booster seat backpack but you don't need to use a car seat in a taxi. Unless your trip home from the supermarket included fast roads I wouldn't worry about it, a short journey on residential roads is highly likely to be fine obv if you have to go on a 70 mph road I would.

It's worth knowing that Iceland do free delivery for shopping over £25 (I think) which is great if you just need a top up, most other supermarkets are more expensive.

Thankyou everyone for your advice. I do get my food shop delivered I was just thinking about when I wanted to go out in general to get a few bits or meet a friend etc. After thinking it through it just wouldn't work if I was on my own so I'll stick to buses unless I'm with someone who can help me. Car seats are a great invention just so inconvenient when you want to go out alone haha. Us Mums get it done some way though hey. Thanks all xx