We are getting ready to go on vacation to Chicago with our two little ones, a 3 yr old and an 8 month old. Depending on where we go, we may have to take a taxi. I dont have much experience with taxis, and have never taken one since I had my kids. Do you strap your kids carseat in?? Would we need to put them both in carseats?? What would we do with the carseats once we get where we are going? I know I see people on the citybus with babies in bjorns or on their laps, is that what people normally do.when they take a cab? Im not sure how comfortable I would be with a stranger driving and my baby in my lap, not very safe. Big city mamas, help me out here.
Also, my older daughters carseat is one of those huge convertable ones, theres no way we could lug it around all day at the aquarium or out to dinner. My baby is still in a smaller one that will strap in with a seat belt, but then we are still left with the problem of what to do with it once we get where we are going. TIA
No carseats required on public transport in NYC, that includes cabs. We've never used one in a cab, or anywhere except a car. Umbrella stroller, or a bjorn/ baby carrier is the way to go. Never given it a second thought.
Have fun.
F. B.
It's up to you, but the law does not require a carseat in a taxi (nor in a bus).
Yes I travel a lot in taxis (to and from airport) with my son who is almost 2.5 yrs old. We always use a carseat. It's still a car and the chances of an accident are same as when the baby is your car. The only problem I had was transporting the carseat in the airport (we also use it in flight, next time I am planning to check in).I have heard of taxis with carseats so you don;t have to get your own , maybe you can ask for one when you book a taxi?
In your case, if you just within Chicago area , the best thing to do is take the train. You don't need to use a carseat in the train or buses(I have not used buses in Chicago, but the train system is good).
No carseat in taxi's.....and I'm in NY. Just seatbelt the child....and even that they don't do.
On my single, solitary trip to Chicago, I only had one child at the time, and I took her infant car seat. I took a cab from the airport to the place I was going to stay while there and had her strapped in in the cab. To and from the airport was the only time I used a cab. For everything else we either walked or took the trains. I was staying with a friend, so I had someone to guide me around, but the trains were easier and cheaper than a cab, plus, I didn't feel like I NEEDED the car seat.
I have never been in a taxi with one of my kids still in a carseat (my son was older/bigger).
A taxi is just a car so yes, you should use a car seat for both. You are right about lugging the seats though.
Can you rent a car rather than use a taxi? or get around using other options?
I don't use a car seat on any public transportation (taxi, train, city bus, subway, airplane, shuttle bus). I've either had my son on my lap or seated - and belted, if possible - next to me.
It is a weird thing, since I am so hyper-vigilant about it with my car, even turning down rides from just down the street (like, 10 houses down) in the rain or snow to walk back home.
I never used a carseat in taxis. I don't know if they will work in cars, but they make special straps for airline seats for kids to keep them a little more secure. They are $70-$80 a piece though, but I'm assuming if they work in airplanes they will work in taxis. Truthfully though, the last time I was in a NY taxi, I don't even remember seeing seatbelts. Check out kidsflysafe.com.
Here in town, taxis are exempt from the car seat law, so it is up to you.
I did not use a car seat in the taxis around the UK (mostly getting to/from our hotel or car rental). In one, we strapped her in with a regular seatbelt and in another I held her on my lap and the driver said she could not be facing backwards for some reason. I admit I wasn't entirely thrilled, but it worked out. If we traveled more by taxi, I'd get a strap like for airlines or something. We don't use a car seat on buses or trains.
Hi,
In all of our travels, we have never used carseats in taxis, or even on the big Disney buses. It is a little awkward, yet I did get used to it. It was just not feasible for us to drag carseats anywhere. Unless you have a snap and go or a stroller that will fit the car seat, it will be hard to even bring the little seat. It is always easy to bring a stroller, like a light macalren, and pop it in and out of a cab.
Depending on where you're staying & if you're flying in, etc., Chicago has a pretty awesome train & bus system. You could plan ahead and see if you could reasonably utilize a good stroller plus bus/train to get most places. I think there's a bus that goes right down Michigan Ave past the Art Institute, Grant Park, straight down to Shedd aquarium. Just past is the Field Musuem. And you can take the Blue line from downtown all the way direct to O'Hare.
On the taxi situation, we had our baby in Chicago for a year, lived downtown, and just belted in the infant seat into Taxis anytime we NEEDED to take a cab. We had a Graco travel system, so the seat worked relatively well with the stroller. I think if I had had a 3 year old, I would have seat belted him in the back seat, but no convertible car seat. For a few rides on the trip, I would have taken the risk.
We took our son to Mexico when he was 2 1/2. We took a cab once, no car seat. I was nervous but for him it might as well have been a carnival ride. He actually leaned over, tapped the driver on the shoulder, and said "hey, man, be careful, I don't have my car seat and I'm bouncing!" He grinned ear to ear the whole ride. We still laugh about that.
