how do you ride in taxi with toddler

[SMcCartney]

The solution is:

Get a car seat, get a spare, take it with you in ALL vehicles. Period. Always convenient? No. Always safer? Yes.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The reason I raised the issue is that I will actually be going to a country where they don't use car seats. I posed the question as a more general question since it is in "General Parenting"-- my post in Travel only got three responses. Anyway, we could take our carseat but I'm not sure they will take the time to let us install it... so I wanted to know the safest way to travel with no carseat (e.g., putting toddler in carrier and buckling up together-- maybe that is less safe I don't know). Anyway, thanks to the critical PP's for making feel like a piece of crap for even considering this. I'll just figure something out.

[Anonymous]

OP - please ignore the obnoxious poster. Traveling without a car seat is not ideal, but use your best judgment and your child will be fine. None of us had carseats when we were younger (my mom used to nurse me while she was driving and my 3 yr old brother was sitting in the front seat) and we all lived to tell about it.

We all endanger the lives of our children everyday by just stepping otuside your house, or even living inside your house. do the best you can, take buses, the subway, or walk whenever possible and just hold the child on your lap with both of you buckled in when you need to cab and you will all be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, anyone who thinks there is a difference between a taxi and a regular car is a moron, they are both CARS. Anyone who thinks it is ok to put a toddler in a taxi w/out a carseat is a bigger moron, especially with a strange person driving.

Call me "rude" but if you put your child in a car with no carseat (taxi or not) you are a very stupid person.

What about in another country where carseats aren't available? Sometime it is not an option. The question is if you don't have a carseat, how to you make it as safe as possible for your toddler? Anyone?

We aren't in another country though, are we. We aren't in outer space either. We are in a country where the importance of car seats is known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The reason I raised the issue is that I will actually be going to a country where they don't use car seats. I posed the question as a more general question since it is in "General Parenting"-- my post in Travel only got three responses. Anyway, we could take our carseat but I'm not sure they will take the time to let us install it... so I wanted to know the safest way to travel with no carseat (e.g., putting toddler in carrier and buckling up together-- maybe that is less safe I don't know). Anyway, thanks to the critical PP's for making feel like a piece of crap for even considering this. I'll just figure something out.

"They" wont let you install it? You aren't able to say "wait, I need to install this, it will only take a moment"?

No one is trying to make you feel like a piece of crap. You asked and you received replies. Many people take care seats very seriously and would not jeopardize their children by not using one, in the US or abroad.

As for our views being obnoxious, I will not apologize for caring about the safety of my children and for thinking parents who do not take car-seats seriously are nuts. And accident is an accident so be prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The reason I raised the issue is that I will actually be going to a country where they don't use car seats. I posed the question as a more general question since it is in "General Parenting"-- my post in Travel only got three responses. Anyway, we could take our carseat but I'm not sure they will take the time to let us install it... so I wanted to know the safest way to travel with no carseat (e.g., putting toddler in carrier and buckling up together-- maybe that is less safe I don't know). Anyway, thanks to the critical PP's for making feel like a piece of crap for even considering this. I'll just figure something out.

"They" wont let you install it? You aren't able to say "wait, I need to install this, it will only take a moment"?

No one is trying to make you feel like a piece of crap. You asked and you received replies. Many people take care seats very seriously and would not jeopardize their children by not using one, in the US or abroad.

As for our views being obnoxious, I will not apologize for caring about the safety of my children and for thinking parents who do not take car-seats seriously are nuts. And accident is an accident so be prepared.

OP, obviously some ppl see world in a very black and white sense. I don't see these ppl out and about though. If I can to use car seat everywhere I go, why don't I see every parents of a toddler lugging around car seats with them? If it raining and my baby is crying. I will take the odds of my baby crying wet and freezing(100%) and chances of dieing (very liberal 50%) ......and take the taxi WITHOUT car seat.

Parents who are suggesting that parents walk and crying baby in the cold and rain instead of taxi has NEVER HAD A BABY!!!!( or never had a baby that they loved).

Life is not black and white. I took my daughter to Jamaica and took her on a taxi from airport to hotel WITHOUT CAR SEAT... I plan on visiting other countries ....and make my cab rides minimal but plan on driving WITHOUT CAR SEAT..

[Anonymous]

Car seats are not required in DC. The speed limit is 25 miles/hour, which helps contain the risk. I occasionally take cabs around the city with my 3-year old without a car seat.

Of course there is some risk. But not enough to justify the hysteria of pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

"They" wont let you install it? You aren't able to say "wait, I need to install this, it will only take a moment"?

I said I'm not sure they will let me install it. I can take the carseat but if no taxi is going to wait for me to install it then I am on to plan b. Sorry I have caused a fight with this posting. Last thing I meant to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The reason I raised the issue is that I will actually be going to a country where they don't use car seats. I posed the question as a more general question since it is in "General Parenting"-- my post in Travel only got three responses. Anyway, we could take our carseat but I'm not sure they will take the time to let us install it... so I wanted to know the safest way to travel with no carseat (e.g., putting toddler in carrier and buckling up together-- maybe that is less safe I don't know). Anyway, thanks to the critical PP's for making feel like a piece of crap for even considering this. I'll just figure something out.

OP, I took a carseat with me when my DC was an infant to a country in the middle east, where car seat use is extremely rare. The cab drivers were very happy to let me take the time to install it (because Americans are known for being "rich" by their standards and therefore tip very well). I did run into situations where there were no seat belts in some of the cars. I put my DC in the car seat and hoped for the best.

We went last year to the same country, and DC was now a toddler, needing a larger car seat. I did not take one with me. I hired a driver and car instead, minimized car trips, and again just hoped for the best. You do what you can.

[Anonymous]

Thanks 12:59. That was very helpful. And a good point-- I guess I can always just put him in the carseat and strap it in the best I can (I was just imagining trying to install it complete with rolled up towel etc., which usually takes me about an hour!)....
OK. I'm glad I posted the question!

[Anonymous]

OP, If you bring up carseats and safety, you will get very strong opinions.

Being more laid back and old enough to remember life without seatbelts, riding in the back of pick up trucks, etc. I wouldn't pack a car seat if I was only going to use it for a handful of short trips. If you're going to be in a country where they drive like lunatics you might go for the bus instead of the cab. If you decided a cab is your best transportation option and the toddler fits in the seatbelt, he gets his own. If not, and you decide to hold him on your lap, don't buckle him on your lap because if you are in a fender bender, the weight of your body could crush him against the belt.

I'm sure everything will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents who are suggesting that parents walk and crying baby in the cold and rain instead of taxi has NEVER HAD A BABY!!!!( or never had a baby that they loved).

Wow - you need to calm down and quiet your screaming, all caps, 4 exclamation point judgment on other parents. You're mad because of the judgmental tone of some posters on this thread but re-read your own comments - "or never had a baby that they loved." Scary. Two years ago coming back from in-laws in New England, Jet Blue cancelled all of their flights into DC. When we finally got on a shuttle flight 6.5 hours later, we arrived at National to ice and snow sans car seat. We had our Maclaren umbrella stroller only (no cushy footmuff, etc) but took the metro from airport to home in NW. It was really cold and the stroller wheels were bad on the icy sidewalks but we made it.

We made a judgment call - ride in a taxi with no carseat on icy roads or have toddler brave the chil and ride metro. It does not mean we didn't or don't love him. We just made do with what we had under the circumstances.

Be nice and rational when commenting on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Car seats are not required in DC. The speed limit is 25 miles/hour, which helps contain the risk. I occasionally take cabs around the city with my 3-year old without a car seat.

Of course there is some risk. But not enough to justify the hysteria of pp.

Where do you see carseats are not required in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Car seats are not required in DC. The speed limit is 25 miles/hour, which helps contain the risk. I occasionally take cabs around the city with my 3-year old without a car seat.

Of course there is some risk. But not enough to justify the hysteria of pp.

From the DC Gov. Website

4) Child Safety Seats
Passengers under the age of three must be properly secured in an approved child safety seat located in the rear seat of the vehicle. It's worth noting that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that safety seats be used for kids up to age eight, though states set their own rules.

5) Unattended Children
Although the district doesn't have any specific laws pertaining to leaving children unattended in a vehicle, anyone who knowingly or intentionally engages in conduct that places the health of a child in serious risk can be charged with an offense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Car seats are not required in DC. The speed limit is 25 miles/hour, which helps contain the risk. I occasionally take cabs around the city with my 3-year old without a car seat.

Of course there is some risk. But not enough to justify the hysteria of pp.

http://mpdc.dc.gov/mpdc/cwp/view,a,1237,q,547368,mpdcNav_GID,1549,mpdcNav,%7C31835%7C.asp

DC's Child Restraint Law

DC law requires that any child up to 16 years of age must be in a properly installed child safety seat or restrained in a seat belt. Children under 8 years of age must be properly seated in an installed infant, convertible (toddler) or booster child seat, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Booster seats must be used with both lap and shoulder belts.