Nursery University and carseats (Cabs and carseats)

Wiggles

New member
I was watching a documentary on parents in New York City getting their kids into the 'best' preschools last night, called Nursery University. Most of the families featured were quite wealthy, but used public transit and cabs for the most part.

Each family had a 2-3 year old child.

I didn't see a SINGLE CARSEAT the entire documentary. I saw a very petite 2 and a half year old girl strapped into an adult seat belt in a cab, as an example. I seem to recall a little boy being held in his mother's lap, as well.

Is this common practice? Do people think that taxi cabs are magic and will protect their children like a magic bubble, just because they don't OWN the car? What is with that?

(Incidentally, my roommate just about beat me for my epic freakout when I saw the children in the car with no child seats)
 
ADS

ShumNum

Senior Community Member
Yes, didn't you know? Because you don't LEGALLY have to use a car seat in a cab, you don't run any risk of getting in an accident at all. :thumbsdown: NOT
To answer your question...yes, once the child is out of the infant bucket stage, I never, ever see car seats in cabs.

Siigh, priorities, priorities. Little do these people know that if they get an an accident, their little Nursery University Scholar might be expelled...in more ways than one. :(
 

Evolily

New member
It's completely legal to do in a cab in NYC (along with most other areas of the country).

Cabs actually (surprisingly enough) have good safety records. And most people are not aware of what portable options there are for their children to be safety restrained. The Orbit System, Combi Coccoro, HW infant seat travel systems, RSTV, and GO are all great options, but not enough people know about them.

I would love if there were programs specifically targeted to public transit/cab reliant parents on how to safely restrain kids after the infant stage.
 

Wiggles

New member
Cabs may have a low rate of accidents, but still... It's not like they're anything special. I've never been to NYC, but I live in Toronto. Approximately half the cabs are just pretty-painted Chevy Impalas. Last time I checked, Impalas weren't magic...

I just can't even IMAGINE putting a small child into a car without a carseat, even for a minute (a moving car, obviously).
 

triscuitsmom

New member
They are not required at all (in cabs only) here in Ontario.

That being said, I have NEVER ridden with an unrestrained child in one and I travel a lot in them because I don't have a licence.

I have (in fact just the other night most recently) taken a kid in a carseat to get groceries and then put the seat in the cart to do groceries (not an infant seat either, the other night for instance it was a True Fit for my 3.5 year old). I have taken two kids in two seats with my husband and I to run errands at the mall and put those in carts from TRU while we mall shopped and then carried them (with the kids in mei tais on our fronts and back backs with stuff on our back) across the street to Zellers to finish up. I took the baby, all of our luggage, and a TF on a flight from BC home to ON and then after carrying it all myself outside installed it in a cab and then uninstalled, put him in the wrap, and went onto the subway to get to my grandparents house. I have about a million times taken a cab to someone's house or to playgroup (easier then because the carseat can just stay inside with us and I'm not trying to move it with us).

My point is that it's not convenient. It really really really isn't. In fact sometimes it downright sucks. I really truly do not understand why that is a good enough excuse for putting my child at risk of dying. It *really* bothers me when I see kids unrestrained in cabs even if it is legal.

The worst for me was when my neighbour came to borrow a mei tai from me one night, which I lent her no problem. The next day when she returned it she thanked me and told me she used it for her 2 week old while they took a cab ride. Her twin 18 month olds were just in the seatbelts, but the cab driver said she had to restrain the infant in some way so she used the mei tai. All I could think was her baby being an airbag for her :(
 

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