Biting my tongue!

Gah! There's a thread on my birth board about it being fine (ie legal) to travel with your baby in a taxi without using a car seat.

I have a bee in my bonnet about car safety, so pointed out that while it was legal, it was certainly not safe. This didn't improve my popularity!

Now they are saying that to make sure the baby won't be 'unrestrained' they will wear them in a sling instead, as they 'imagine' this will be fine.

I am reluctant to wade into the debate again, but HONESTLY!

Obviously in an emergency a baby may need to travel unrestrained in a taxi, but to plan this as being a crafty loophole that saves you a few quid on a seat has totally flabbergasted me. Asda sell them for 25 quid!

Sorry for the OT rant! Had to get that off my chest!

hun you are the same as me - although i would prob of just stomped on in again with my replies!!

at some people though - money v your child's life,.... i know which i would choose!

I would use a taxi without a car seat for emergencies, but we're lucky - 2 of our local taxi's will provide a car seat if you book in advance..!

I agree. I'd rather walk through thunder and lightning with a metal pole on my head than risk my lo in a taxi without a seat. Have they never been in one to see how they drive?? I won't go in one without putting the belt on myself...anyway poohpooh popularity-go for what you know is right hun x

There's no point, I think they'd just get more defensive and I'd look like a troublemaker.

I really HATE it when ignorant muppets present the inner workings of their tiny minds as 'fact'. As if because they IMAGINE it's safe, then it actually will be so!

Why bother with crash tests or safety research when you can just make an uninformed guess?

There really is no telling some people.

Awwww its awful when you can't say quite what you want that reminds of something I saw when I was waiting outside hospital (ironically) for my oh to pick me up-a couple with a young baby of about 4/5 months got into the *back* of a white van their friend was driving! O-m-g...

See i don't have a car but i have a car seat. If i am travelling in car it goes in, However what on earth would i do if i go by taxi with a massive car seat carry it round with me? and all my bags and with Izzy to look after? any suggestions?

Don't mind being judged no need for tongue biting just wondering wwyd?

I might consider it in an emergency e.g to get to a hospital if for some reason we couldn't use our car, but definitely not normally.
Interestingly the nursery N is going to has a form to sign to say that they cannot guarantee your child would travel in a carseat in an emergency.

See i don't have a car but i have a car seat. If i am travelling in car it goes in, However what on earth would i do if i go by taxi with a massive car seat carry it round with me? and all my bags and with Izzy to look after? any suggestions?

Don't mind being judged no need for tongue biting just wondering wwyd?

I guess I'd assume it was an emergency, or you'd have an alternative means of (safer!) transport like walking or train or bus.

What do you do?

I have a big carseat rucksack (£6 kiddicare) that we used to transport our carseat on holiday - it's bulky but not too heavy, and I managed the car seat on my back, a towing suitcase with one hand, and a toddler in a buggy with the other hand. Plus my hand luggage slung over my body.

An emergency is totally different, an unplanned circumstance may even lead you to it, but as a usual means of getting about?! Not safe enough!

I didn't drive until fairly recently, so I know what it's like lugging babies and stuff on public transport, and nothing short of an emergency trio to the hospital would have led me to pop her in a taxi without a seat. Similarly now, my mum helps lots with childcare but doesn't drive - she would never consider a taxi.

If i can walk,bus, train i will but if not i get a taxi. Its a last resort. I wouldn't be able to carry my car seat around on my back its too heavy

I don't expect people to say that's its fine.

Why bother with crash tests or safety research when you can just make an uninformed guess?

There really is no telling some people.

You could say that about anything though? There are risks in everyday life i mean i use the bus a LOT there are no seatlbelts it would be safer to never get on a bus wouldn't it? But its my choice.