Posted by
michelley
15 yrs ago
Usually, when we go out in our car, I have my daughter in her car seat. When we ride a taxi though, I will buckle myself in and then hold her on my lap.
Last week, on the way to the airport in a taxi, our driver got pulled over by the police for improperly wearing his seat belt. When the officer was leaving, he looked at me and my daughter and 'suggested' i put my seat belt over her to keep her safe. This absolutely angered me, but i was in no position to argue as we needed to catch a flight. So i complied with his request and when he was gone i of course quickly remove the belt from her.
I know there are no laws in HK regarding children, car seats and such involving riding a vehicle, but shouldn't the police know that it's not safe to put an adult seat belt over child???? Just sharing and venting at the same time.
They should know. However given what I see daily I can only conclude that few HKers know anything about car safety.
The problem with strapping the seat belt over both of you is mainly that your daughter could be crushed between you and the belt in case of a crash. If she was sitting on her own with the adult belt she would still be safer than unrestrained.
Your daughter isn't safe if you just hold her. She could fly forward in a crash. In my opinion it is probably better to put her next to you and restrain her with the center lap belt.
i've seen cars with car seats installed but the mom is holding the child sitting next to the car seat! what's the point eh?
I saw on the classifieds one time that someone was selling this "seatbelt" for toddlers that basically the toddler wears and it hooks into a normal seatbelt.
Sounded like a great invention for those who don't drive and have carseats.
And yes, that policeman gave the stupidest advice - what an idiot!!! No commonsense at all.
How long does it take to hook it up when you get into the taxi? And how bulky is it to carry around?
Thanks.
I had one for my daughter when she was younger. I'm sorry to say but it isn't practical in HK :-( You walk a lot here and it is too heavy to carry. It takes time to put a fidgety toddler into a joeysafe as well. I've tried handling a stroller, my shopping, a backpack, my toddler AND a joeysafe after a shopping trip at Causeway Bay and we were trying to get into a taxi. It was very stressful. I'd personally go for the middle strap then hold him/her back with one arm.
Not sure if I should write this but since it wasn't me, I'll go ahead ...
A friend of mine took his son, who was about 18 months at the time, to the UK and the cabin crew gave him one of those belts that you attach to the passenger's seat belt on a flight.
Realising that it would be quite good for HK taxis (better than nothing), he forgot to return it at the end of the flight.
Don't know if they are a good idea or not (surely if they are for planes, they are good for taxis) but just sharing a friend's experience.
Those belts are definitely better than nothing. The big issue with toddlers loose in the car is they can fly around in a crash. The airline belt will take care of that. However it does not protect from spinal injuries and so forth. In the plane, you're primarily concerned with turbulence. Car impacts tend to be much more severe than turbulence.
Hmm, probably won't help in a car because you still have the issue where our toddlers will be squashed between ourselves and the front seats.
Actually, parent would be by the seatbelt so that probably would not be a problem.
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i just started to wonder what happens in countries where carseats are mandatory when people take taxis?
does the taxi have a carseat stowed away? i've never ridden in a taxi in canada when my babe.
In Sweden many taxis, perhaps even most, have a booster in the trunk. If you need a carseat, you can call the taxi company and ask for a taxi with such. You might have a slightly longer wait though.
Some car models from Volvo have a booster built into the back seat.
The other option is to take a car seat with you. We did this here in HK. It's a pain in the bum of course.
It's amazing that people in HK are so lax when it comes to child car safety. The Freedom Ride by Joey Safe is really the only alternative to a child car seat and as far as I am concerned an absolute essential for HK taxis who at the best of times drive like lunatics and scare the hell out of me. Baby Central is the only shop that sells them in Asia - they sell them for $600 with free delivery. They deliver on the same day too. It's basically a 5-point harness designed for children weighing 20-50lb. Your child sits on the seat (not your lap) and the seat belt is fixed to the back of the harness. The harness is small enough to carry in our handbag too. It conforms to US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. www.babycentral.com.hk
GemmaW, I'd rather have the stress of putting the Joey Safe on my baby, with a little tantrum etc and an unhelpful taxi driver not helping you load your stuff in the boot, than my baby flying through the windscreen! I have a Joey Safe and don't find it bulky or heavy, and my baby wears it quite happily. In fact, I think it gives her a boost of confidence because she has her independence, in her own seat and sitting like mummy/daddy in the back of the car. We've used it quite a lot now and she knows the drill. She comes to expect it. It's MUCH easier than carrying a car seat around town and frankly, it is SO dangerous to have your baby loose in the car (she'll go flying through the front) or in a baby carrier - in a collision, you'll kill your baby outright by the force of your head hitting the top of his/hers. The Joey Safe can also be used on a plane, btw. I've done a lot of research and really this is the ONLY alternative to a car seat.
Baby carriers, beyond the dangers stated by anonymous2008 above, aren't built to withstand crash forces. They'd probably just tear open at the seams.
Also, Michelly, I went to Sydney recently and the laws were a real pain. Very few taxis in Manly had car seats and the others simply would not take me. I called for a taxi but they told me only 3 (yes 3!) had car seats and the operator would put the call out but there was no guarantee that I'd get one. My options were to either walk home (my baby was screaming her head off cos we'd already been waiting 40 minutes and it was passed her supper time) or hitch a ride. Eventually a taxi driver who happened to be an immigrant and in the job just 2 days took us!! But I was so close to breaking down in tears and finding the closest police station to demand hysterically that they take me home!! It honestly was one of the worst experiences I've had taking out the baby and one I won't repeat in a hurry.
Agreed with cara. The lack of balanced risk assessment by HK parents is astounding.
anonymous2008: The laws may be a pain but it is worth remembering that they are thrre to protect the kids. Also, it WILL get better. It used to be that way in Stockholm but the taxi companies got wise and not most, if not all, cars have boosters and a large number have car seats.
the freedom ride looks like a good option! thanks. i'll look into it.
I am new in HKG, kids ( 3 and 7 )back in New Jersey, US were in toddler and booster seats. The toddler in HKG now sits in the center seat in taxis but I see many taxis that don't have center seat belt. It makes me really worried and frustrated, what are ones options ? Does the joeysafe connect to a seat belt ?
Actually most taxis do have a center seatbelt but it is often tucked in beneath the cushions. If you grope around in there you'll find the belt and buckle.
Also, a 3 year old can, in a pinch, sit with the three point belt.
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The Joey Safe is secured with any standard seatbelt - either a lap seatbelt or a shoulder/lap combination belt. It also comes with a safety clip so you can lock off those seatbelts that don't lock properly so that when the car stops suddenly, the seatbelt won't give.
Question to anyone who knows?
We are going to New York and then Puerto Rico. I asked my brother who lives in NY whether by law we need a car seat if we take a taxi. He said no, but I'm worried that he doesn't really know the answer.
Does anyone know?
If yes, would the Joey Safe be a legal alternative? My daughter is about 20 months old, so when we take a taxi in HK, we put the centre seatbelt on her.
Great, thanks so much! :-)
by the way, the Joey safe is from the USA and conforms to US Transportation Federal Safety Regulations.
It certainly sounds a lot better to have a Joey safe than having to lug a car seat around on holiday! Does anyone know if it can also be used in Australia and New Zealand?
Many rental companies have car seats available for a fee.
I'm not sure it's recognised in australia & NZ so might need further investigating. You could take the instruction book with you and that has all hte accreditations on it so if the cops stopped you they might accept it. But I really couldn't say for sure.
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