Taxi Travel in New York City with a Toddler

I believe most state laws require that anyone under about 4 feet tall must be in some sort of car seat. Even in a taxi. I would think the same would be true for air travel. Good luck.

we travel with a compact car seat. We got it from right start. It is small enough to put in your backpack. It is portable. We have four kids Three in caseats so we got the portable ones so we could pack them in our suit cases.I wouldnt travel without one. Or drive.

Try kidcarny.com
It's a car service in NYC with carseats installed in their vehicles.
I would not want to hold my toddler in the back seat of a NYC cab
In an accident. The backseat panels are usually lined in metal
And imagine if the car just stops short( which happens alot).

many in NY put kids on their laps and then put the seatbelt around them both. not the safest thing, but it is definitely done on a regular basis. you'll probably need to hire cars if you want to use a car seat. personally, i would opt for the subway unless it's late at night. our son adores the subway! how are you getting from the airport to the city? there is a flat fee that applies to both taxis and car services. you'll definitely want to have a car seat for that ride, and it's worth calling a car company instead of a taxi given that there's a flat fee. you also have to pay tolls, etc., just so you know. you can take the subway from LaGuardia or JFK, though it takes forever from JFK and the trip takes you through some rougher areas.

I lived in Manhattan for 14 years, no you do not need a car seat. The drivers will do what you tell them so, be insistent - and tell them to drive with caution. My friend lives in Manhattan and she used/uses taxies all the time with her baby with her.

If at ANY time you feel you are not safe in a taxi, ask them to pull over and let you out. Get their medallion and driver’s numbers and report them. NY is very serious about how tourists are treated.

I know, most people have a misconception about NY, they think it’s filled with rude, nasty people. I did not find this to be the case. Many will happily give directions or answer questions. Others are either late for something or busy in their own thoughts. Oh and get a map, know where you are going and the best route. Taxi cab drivers are notorious for taking the long way.

Have an excellent time!

D.

I don't know if it's legal or not, but I guess most drivers would let you do it. They're more concerned for their tip than your welfare; they are some of the worst drivers I've ever seen. I lived in NYC for 10 years and wouldn't ride in a cab without buckling myself in, let alone my child. Bring a carseat.

Why would you want to put your child at risk without a car seat? What makes it okay in NY that is different from here? The convenience of it? If you get in a car accident will it be worth it? Something to think about!

We've been there twice with a toddler - travelling in taxis - and held our son/daughter on our lap with no problems.

I don't know anything about the laws in NYC but I think this is the harness one mom was telling you about.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

This site also has good earplugs for babies/kids to use on landing.

It is true. It's dangerous, but true. If you can take more subways than taxi's just for the safety factor and the kids love the trains. This probably isn't helpful, but there you have it.

I don't have a clue if it's true or not, but I do know it's dangerous, and in New York City, no less! Whether it's legal or not, don't put your baby in a car without a carseat and being properly fastened in. I wouldn't drive without putting on my own seatbelt, so I sure wouldn't drive without securing my kids.

Totally true, if somewhat nerve-wracking.

No one even looks twice at you. By law you have to have a carseat and fasten your seatbelt, but almost no one does that in cabs either. And if you try to flag down a cab holding a carseat, you might have trouble getting cabs to stop for you. But some of the more "law-abiding" drivers may also refuse to stop for you at all (totally illegal), because they make their wages by quick fares and it takes a little while to install a carseat, fold a stroller. During a particularly nasty wet snow storm, we tried to flag down a cab and they would slow down, see the stroller and speed off. We had to move away from line of sight and let my husband flag the cab down and open the door, then run over. Car services (plain car cabs that you call ahead of time) may require carseats.

You also don't need a carseat for the subway and buses. There is no way to fasten it. But you do need a light-weight stroller that folds compactly and easily. There are a lot of stairs in subway stations. There are gates in the turnstiles and you can ask to have the ticket agent unlock it for you. In off peak hours you'll be fine just rolling on the train once you get to the platform. For buses, you have to fold the stroller and carry it on.

For the most part people will be very nice to any one with a baby--you can expect that if there are people around, you'll get offers of help (holding the baby while you fold the stroller or distracting him while you eat in a restaurant). You shouldn't worry about abductions, etc, but accept the help if you need it.

Hi P.,

You've already gotten a lot of responses, but I just wanted to echo a bit and add a suggestion.

I wouln't rely on the rules regarding child restraints as your guideline. I am sure your primary reason for using a carseat at home is for safety, not because you are afraid of being pulled over. That being the case, don't give that up just because the rules may be different.

As a suggestion though, I have seen such a thing as a "vest" style car harness. It's basically a harness vest the kid wears and then the regular seatbel threads through it. That way, you can have the vest alredy on and just buckle in the cab. When you get where you're going, the vest probably could fit in a large purse.

Hope this helps.

T.

We were just in NYC about 2 wks ago. I have a 2.5 yr and 11 mo and we held both of them during taxi rides. We didn't bring car seats since we were using public transportation. It's legal to hold kids in your lap in taxis.

Yes, it's true that it's not against the law in NYC taxis- I lived in Manhattan for 8 years. However, I wouldn't call it safe. I did have my son in my laps for short trips once in a while, but generally I avoided cabs when I didn't have the car seat. I would suggest doing as much subway or walking if you don't bring a carseat. It's often faster than catching a cab. You can also take the subway from JFK and it can be faster than taking a cab. If you are going into LaGuardia or Newark and plan on taking a cab, I would bring a car seat. When I lived in NYC I used a sit'n'stroll brand stroller all the time. It is so easy to go from the airplane to a cab, you can even use it at restaurants as a sort of booster seat. If you travel a lot, it makes sense. In NYC, I used it all the time. Someone mentioned cabs not picking you up if you had a car seat- I never experienced that in the years I lived there and I used the sit'n'stroll all the time. Good luck and have a wonderful time. New York is the best!

Hi there,

We held our daughter (then 15 months) in my lap and held on tight! It made me nervous so we tried to avoid it. But I believe it is legal, and bringing a car seat just for taxi rides is just not practical at all.

Have fun in the Big Apple!

H.

Hi P.,
NYC taxi drivers more than likely would not pick you up if they saw you holding a car seat! Sad to say but true. No one uses a car seat or even seat belts in the NYC cabs. Also the subways and other transits you will find it almost impossible to even install one. Just hold on tight and I agree with one of the other posts. Report the driver if you have any trouble at all. Have a Blast and don't worry yourself.
L.