Do people actually do this?

colliebabe · January 2012

This is kind of random, but recently I saw two different TV shows that both showed people getting into cabs with carseats. One was an old episode of Sex and the City, and the other was Law & Order SVU. Both take place in NYC.

I am not planning to take a cab with DD or anything (especially with the way cabs drive around here!) I was just curious. Do people (New Yorkers?) actually do this or is this just poor writing by the TV show? Is there a safe way to take a baby in a cab that I don't know about?

ETA: I don't think I was clear in my original post. There is a safe way to take a baby in a cab? I guess I just thought cabs were out of the question if you have a child.

karinothing · January 2012

I live in DC but if I take a cab I will have a car seat with me. I mean if I need it to ride in my car I should need it in a cab.

KrisM86 · January 2012

I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

jonnygurl76 · January 2012

i would be using a car seat for taxi cab/rental car/airplane if we traveled.

cantalopes24 · January 2012

Legally most places don't require it.

colliebabe · January 2012

Wait, people take babies in cabs without carseats?! Just holding them? How is this safe?

I assumed babies had to be in carseats if they are in a moving vehicle so I was asking if cabs are actually equipped for carseats - how do you buckle the car seat into the cab without the base?

colliebabe · January 2012

KrisM86:
I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

I don't think I was clear in my OP - this was my question. There is a safe way take a baby in a cab? I just thought cabs were out of the question completely if you have a child.

cantalopes24 · January 2012

colleenb262:
Wait, people take babies in cabs without carseats?! Just holding them? How is this safe?

I assumed babies had to be in carseats if they are in a moving vehicle so I was asking if cabs are actually equipped for carseats - how do you buckle the car seat into the cab without the base?

Our Graco allows for the seat to be buckled in with no base. I've never noticed seatbelts in a cab and I doubt they have a latch system so I have no idea how. We just rent a car and they provide a car seat. We walk everywhere in NY when we go, but I have never taken the kids.

colliebabe · January 2012

cantalopes24:
colleenb262:

Wait, people take babies in cabs without carseats?! Just holding them? How is this safe?

I assumed babies had to be in carseats if they are in a moving vehicle so I was asking if cabs are actually equipped for carseats - how do you buckle the car seat into the cab without the base?

Our Graco allows for the seat to be buckled in with no base. I've never noticed seatbelts in a cab and I doubt they have a latch system so I have no idea how. We just rent a car and they provide a car seat. We walk everywhere in NY when we go, but I have never taken the kids.

Yes this is what I was thinking - how are they safely buckling in their baby in cab?

I live in the city but I walk everywhere or drive and park if I have to, but I guess more people in Boston have cars than in other cities so I have never seen anyone getting into a cab with a baby.

Again I was just curious. Both times when I saw it on TV it seemed unsafe to me to be getting into a cab with a baby. But I guess people must do it, huh?

alison2379 · January 2012

Absolutely. You can't leave a New York hospital with a baby without a carseat.

christiney06 · January 2012

cantalopes24:
Legally most places don't require it.

this baffles me but it's true, you don't need a car seat. OP did you mean to type withOUT a car seat? for some reason cabs/other public transport is exempt and you can just carry the baby on your lap. my Chicco seat is usable w/ just a seatbelt though and if I took cabs often enough I would most certainly bring it...it's still a car!!

KrisM86 · January 2012

colleenb262:
KrisM86:
I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

I don't think I was clear in my OP - this was my question. There is a safe way take a baby in a cab? I just thought cabs were out of the question completely if you have a child.

Pretty much every infant car seat can be buckled into a car without the base. You just use the seat belt. Each car seat should have instructions on how to safely do this. The car seat bases came about for convenience more than safety.

alison2379 · January 2012

KrisM86:
colleenb262:
KrisM86:
I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

I don't think I was clear in my OP - this was my question. There is a safe way take a baby in a cab? I just thought cabs were out of the question completely if you have a child.

Pretty much every infant car seat can be buckled into a car without the base. You just use the seat belt. Each car seat should have instructions on how to safely do this. The car seat bases came about for convenience more than safety.

We don't take our base with us when we travel by air. We just use the seatbelt.

LadyMadrid08 · January 2012

I live in Madrid and usually take public transportation but when I do take a taxi I try to have my carseat. Sometimes I don't have it and just hold her close (same on the bus sometimes) or have her in a wrap. It is nice to say you will always have your carseat but that is not always the case.

LadyMadrid08 · January 2012

To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

colliebabe · January 2012

KrisM86:
colleenb262:

KrisM86:
I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

I don't think I was clear in my OP - this was my question. There is a safe way take a baby in a cab? I just thought cabs were out of the question completely if you have a child.

Pretty much every infant car seat can be buckled into a car without the base. You just use the seat belt. Each car seat should have instructions on how to safely do this. The car seat bases came about for convenience more than safety.

Ok I see now. I thought you needed a base and since cabs don't have bases, then people were just holding their carseat on their lap. Now I get that people are buckling the seat into the cab w/o the base. I didn't even know you could buckle it in w/o a base since I always use my car or walk...you learn something new everyday.

Now I am shocked that you can take a baby in a cab just holding them!

colliebabe · January 2012

LadyMadrid08:
To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

Ooo this is cool - I wish our buses had this. I have seen strollers and babies in carriers on the subway but I haven't seen any babies on the bus yet.

LadyMadrid08 · January 2012

colleenb262:
LadyMadrid08:
To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

Ooo this is cool - I wish our buses had this. I have seen strollers and babies in carriers on the subway but I haven't seen any babies on the bus yet.

What city are you in? Madrid has a really excellent public transportation system.

ProcrastinatingBride · January 2012

KrisM86:
colleenb262:
KrisM86:
I don't have any experience with this, but I assume if you need to take a cab with your baby, you'd have them in a car seat and buckle it in the car. How else would you safely ride in a cab with a baby (which is something I'm sure many DC/NY parents have to do?)

I don't think I was clear in my OP - this was my question. There is a safe way take a baby in a cab? I just thought cabs were out of the question completely if you have a child.

Pretty much every infant car seat can be buckled into a car without the base. You just use the seat belt. Each car seat should have instructions on how to safely do this. The car seat bases came about for convenience more than safety.

Yup, this.

colliebabe · January 2012

colleenb262:

LadyMadrid08:
To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

Ooo this is cool - I wish our buses had this. I have seen strollers and babies in carriers on the subway but I haven't seen any babies on the bus yet.

I am in Boston - home of America's oldest subway system. Stick out tongue We just got some subway trains that have flat surfaces so people don't have to carry their strollers up 4 or 5 steps.

LCass · January 2012

KrisM86:
Pretty much every infant car seat can be buckled into a car without the base. You just use the seat belt. Each car seat should have instructions on how to safely do this. The car seat bases came about for convenience more than safety.

This. When DH has the car for work and we're getting a ride somewhere with MIL or a friend I just use the seatbelt to strap the carseat in. To me, it's easier than switching the base around. This is why I wouldn't bother with a second base if we had two cars; the car she'd ride in more often would get the base and in the other we'd just use the seatbelts. Before Lily came, we learned how to use the carseat both ways. It's worth knowing how to use the belts, in my opinion, just in case you run into a situation where it's necessary.

preggersin2011 · January 2012

Only until recently did the infant carseat detach from the base. You can still buy carseats with nondetachable bases for city living, and some allow you to use a seat belt w/o a base. I would rather use the seat belt w/o a base than hold my child.

canterbearytails · January 2012

LadyMadrid08:
To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

It's the same here in Osaka. I'm ashamed to say that that's how L came home from the hospital, in my arms in a taxi. It would have been that or walk the 3 miles carrying her, since she would have been too little for a carrier or stroller. I'm pretty sure putting your car seat in a taxi would be unheard of, here, though I absolutely agree with it! We ride on buses and trains all the time with L in her stroller and people are required to give up their seat to pregnant women, people carrying babies, and the elderly..

LadyMadrid08 · January 2012

canterbearytails:
LadyMadrid08:
To add a bit taxis here all have seatbelts and I strap her in when I have the carseat. Also, it is not required for babies to be strapped in on all moving vehicles -- buses being the main example I can think of. Usually babies are in strollers, but people alao travel with babies in arms and there are even special seats on buses herr for people with babies in their arms. Some buses are starting to have a carseat in the front but most don't.

It's the same here in Osaka. I'm ashamed to say that that's how L came home from the hospital, in my arms in a taxi. It would have been that or walk the 3 miles carrying her, since she would have been too little for a carrier or stroller. I'm pretty sure putting your car seat in a taxi would be unheard of, here, though I absolutely agree with it! We ride on buses and trains all the time with L in her stroller and people are required to give up their seat to pregnant women, people carrying babies, and the elderly..

I didn't realize you were in Osaka. Cool! I wouldn't feel to bad about it. Yes, it is not as safe as having a carseat, but it is prbably just as safe as getting on the train/bus with LO in a stroller which we know people do all the time. I loved using those pregnant seats near the end of my pregnancy on buses too! I actually had to ask idiot kids to vacate them on more than one occasion, but I don't feel bad because rising the bus standing while pregnant ( or holding lo) is pretty dangerous. Excise typos...on my phone durin feeding.

[Deleted User] · February 2012

I guess I'm naive, but I've never seen a cab without seat belts. Why is that legal?

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