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QHX 
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Joined: 23 September 2008
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 Topic: Baby + Taxi = ???
Posted: 15 September 2009 at 1:56pm |
We are going to Sydney in November and I am guessing there will be a few taxis involved, which got me wondering how does one catch a cab, with a baby, in another country?
Do I take my car seat with me where ever we go? (I have visions of pushing my DD in the stroller while we shop and my poor DH lagging behind because I have made him carry the carseat.)
Is there some blatantly obvious and magical way of getting around on vacation with a baby that I just don't know about because I live in a small town?
All insight and advice much appreciated.
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elk
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Joined: 10 September 2009
Location: auckland
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 4:22pm |
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not sure if it's any help, but I did see a car seat which converted into a push chair (it did look kinda funny - an extendable handle from the back). Not sure where you get them from mind as I saw it in transit in a mall car park. Would be great if you could hire them...
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skp
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Joined: 24 August 2008
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 4:39pm |
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sorry i wonder the same thing but maybe you need to order cabs and request a car seat? or can you get a rental car?
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kiwisj
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Joined: 02 June 2008
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 4:59pm |
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I was wondering where are you staying in Sydney? We were there for a holiday at the beginning of last year (without C) and we only caught a taxi once - on our way back to the airport. The rest of the time we used the trains and ferries which are FAB. So firstly maybe you could find out what the public transport is like near your accommodation?
If you NEED to get cabs to get around (coz you're not close to transport) I'd look into a rental car for cost comparison. And see if you can borrow or hire a Sit n Stroll which you can attach your car seat to = pushchair IYKWIM.
We take cabs a lot here in Singapore and for that reason we have a capsule/stroller combination that is light and easy to transport but that's not really an option for a short holiday unless you could borrow something from friends or hire either before you go or in Oz.
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lilfatty
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Joined: 22 August 2007
Location: Waitakere
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 5:32pm |
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If the vehicle comes with seatbelts as standard you need to use a carseat, so you would have to go with a capsule and snap n go (or something similar like the carseat that converts into a stroller type thing, it looks like a carry on luggage bag)
Buses or trains you dont need a carseat and could just pop the baby in a wrap, baby carrier, on your knee or keep it in the pram.
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Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months)
I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  LFs weight blog
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MummyFreckle
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Location: Auckland
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 5:33pm |
We went to Sydney in May this year, we took our Mountain Buggy but no car seat. We used the train to get into the city from the airport, and we buzzed around on the trains a lot. We caught a cab back to the airport and just requested one with a carseat - we had to be quite stroppy to get one though as the law in NSW (apparently) states that when they are over 1 they dont need to be in a carseat in a taxi (like I was ever going to let that happen!!!), so we made the hotel order us a cab and got staunch about needing a carseat. Oh and we hired a portacot and a highchair and had them delivered to where we were staying - best thing we did!!!!
Hope this helps - PM me if you need details of where we stayed etc.
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QHX
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Joined: 23 September 2008
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 5:54pm |
SimSam that is genius. I forget that almost every big city outside NZ has decent public transport. I am happy to get mummy stroppy if I need to.
I was planning on bringing the stroller but was hoping to avoid lugging the car seat. Great to know we can get away with not having to, though I find it shocking that a child over 1 does not need to be properly restrained. I am keeping my girl in a car seat until she is at least 21 
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Maya
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Joined: 16 September 2003
Location: Sydney
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Posted: 15 September 2009 at 7:35pm |
 SimSam wrote:
the law in NSW (apparently) states that when they are over 1 they dont need to be in a carseat in a taxi |
Tis the same here pretty much - you can take a baby in a taxi without a carseat if one is not available. This from the LTSA...
"A child doesn't have to be in an approved child restraint if they're travelling in a:
* vintage vehicle (first registered before 1955) that isn't fitted with safety belts
* goods service vehicle (eg a truck, van or utility) with an unladen weight over 2,000 kg that isn't fitted with safety belts
* passenger service vehicle (eg taxi, shuttle, bus) that isn't fitted with safety belts.
However, where a safety belt is available in any of these vehicles, the child must be restrained, and where an approved child restraint is available, it must be used (where appropriate for the child's age and weight).
Taxi companies will probably provide child restraints if you give them reasonable notice."
So basically, if there is no carseat, you don't have to use one, but if one is installed you do.
Pretty shocking huh?!
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WRXnKids
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Joined: 11 February 2007
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Posted: 16 September 2009 at 8:44am |
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you can buy a these boards that have the harnesses on them. They are just the back of a seat which is flat and has a foam cover it so the child sits in the car and this sits behind them with the seat belt looped through the back of it. We took it to OZ with us when josh was 9mths and its small enough to fit in a backpack so you dont have to lug a carseat everywhere. In the end we never used it as we were in buses and the taxi we did take 2 and from the airport was a huge van (there was a few of us) so just had josh on my knee as noone could remember which bag the board was packed into
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lilfatty
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Location: Waitakere
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Posted: 16 September 2009 at 12:03pm |
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What an awesome idea wrx .. do you know who makes it or where I could get one
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Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months)
I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year LFs weight blog
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QHX
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Posted: 16 September 2009 at 12:31pm |
WRX that sound exactly what I am after!
I would hate to have to rely on strangers to provide what I see as a necessity.
Where can you get one of these genius contraptions?
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WRXnKids
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Posted: 16 September 2009 at 6:34pm |
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Will ask my friend as i borrowed it before i went
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WRXnKids
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Posted: 16 September 2009 at 7:15pm |
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She got hers from repco but hasnt seen them there since. Reckons mitre 10 stock them now
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Orca1
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Posted: 18 September 2009 at 8:26pm |
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I live in Sydney and have had no issues getting cabs with carseats. When ordering a cab I have been told the same thing about kids over 1 being ok in cabs without carseats but I have always said thanks but I would like one and its fine. Hailing a cab on the street is a different story but most cabs that are station wagons will have a carseat in them its just a matter of getting lucky and seeing one.
If you want to get a cab from the airport to where you are staying you just need to go to the taxi rank at the airport and there will be someone there that will make sure you get a car with a carseat.
In case you need it the number for a cab company over here is 133 100.
I hope you have a great trip.
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Baby + Taxi = ???
