WWYD Riding in cabs

[linden25]

This is a clicky poll Wednesday with no poll since I'm mobile. We are flying to New Orleans this weekend for a wedding with LO. You aren't required to use a car seat in cabs but we were thinking we would bring our seat (no base) and seatbelt it in instead of having her ride in our laps. Are we being crazy first time parents or would you do the same thing?

[karebear2]

Not crazy at all to me. I would probably do the same if not also take the base with me.

[chicorojo]

I would use a seat. Also, have you heard of Uber ? We used it in Dallas and it is much cheaper than a traditional cab!

[nolanova85]

As a former New Orleans resident who is super familiar with cabs there...strap the seat in. We've traveled with LO a few times and have always strapped the seat. Better safe than sorry!

[jesster88]

Another vote for stap the seat in. You aren't being crazy!

[alltheteainchina]

No to an unrestrained infant (or anyone) in a car.

[happyfeet9]

New Yorker here so we live in cabs and YES we always use our car seat. And I second the Uber suggestion.

[linden25]

Ok. Good to hear I'm not crazy. She is flying on my lap in the plane but we will strap her in to the cab.
You aren't required to use car seats in cabs in Washington DC either but we just never take cabs. Last I heard uber in New Orleans isn't as big as it is in other cities and the wait for one could be long. Here we even have uber family with car seats.

[linden25]

I called the cab companies. I also called the super shuttle company. Both said its not required.

[linden25]

Also Google taxis exempt from car seat laws.

[linden25]

I agree. We were planning to bring one and use it. I was just asking to see what others do.
Taxi drivers most places I've been are not the most cautious drivers.

[jesster88]

I am going to WK here. I think she pretty clearly says in the op that she intends to use a carseat and was seeking affirmation that we would still use a carseat even when it isn't required.

[linden25]

When I called the cabs and shuttle company I asked about car seats they were pretty matter of fact that they just ride on laps. Made it sound like no one brings their own seat. I just wanted to see that other people do or would bring their own.

[chicorojo]

I'll be a wk here too. I feel like she was just asking if she was a crazy ftm to want to restrain her baby even though the cab companies told her that a car seat wasn't required.

[erien22846]

What about buses and trains? Just throwing it out there that babies are not always restrained in moving vehicles. And if a parent chooses to not restrain their child in a cab, that is sadly no business of mine if it is legal. I'll pray for them though;-)

This has nothing to do with the original question.

[linden25]

I'm sorry that happened to your family.
Talking to the cab and shuttle companies they made it seem like the common sense answer was to ride on a lap. The shuttles can't even accommodate car seats because they said they don't all have seat belts.
Like I said from the beginning, we were planning to bring the seat and belt it in. I don't think it was a stupid question and I don't see the harm in asking it.
I would bet that while in the cab line on Friday, I see at least one family with a LO get into a cab with no car seat. Who knows, this thread could help someone who hadn't thought about the logistics of traveling with an infant.

[gdaniels77]

Jun 11, 2015 4:55:58 GMT -5 Miss Killjoy said:

@lullaby, I was completely surprised by the idea that a car seat wasn't necessary in cabs, so I looked into it in my province and they aren't required here either. It's crazy to me that they aren't a requirement. I get where you're coming from.

linden25, I wonder if part of it is that cab companies know that the installing car seat thing takes time (a whole two minutes if you're using the belt!) and just don't want to deal with it? Also, a lot of people are stupid. Never forget that. I mean, a lot of people are already ignorant about child restraints and install them wrong, buckle them wrong, turn them front facing before they should, etc. So I can definitely see lots of people not using car seats in cabs. Unfortunately.

You are not being a crazy FTM in any way.

I think you're spot on about why they're not required. At the end of the day, taxi companies care about how much money they're making, first and foremost. I've taken a cab in the US maybe three times in my life, but the last time I did was actually in New Orleans. I remember specifically realizing that you're charged per mile, not per minute. That's probably the case for all cabs and I'm just dumb, but not being familiar with them I only figured it out then (because the driver took us the extra long and sketchy route instead of the straight shot).

Therefore you're wasting precious dollars they could be making by taking a whole two minutes to strap in a car seat. But you know what linden25? It's not their child, it's yours, and you have the common sense to know not to leave your infant unrestrained in a moving car even if it isn't required. That doesn't make you a crazy FTM at all, just a good parent for putting your child's safety first.

[jesster88]

That is such a good point about carseats becoming lost revenue for cabs...makes sense that they would discourage carseats in that case.

mgk207 I always wondered about school buses too. They need to be in a booster forever, but they are free range on the school bus.

@lullaby I am so sorry about that tragic accident. Of course seatbelts would be a sensitive issue to you.