I am from canada too and in canada I would never even dream of driving down the street without my children buckled in properly. The next time we are in hong kong the children will be 1 year and 3 years old. I have no idea what to do. If we are in a taxi, I can't very well install the 2 car seats as it takes a long time to get them in properly and tethered tight enough, And then if we get to the shopping center, how am I supposed to carry around 2 forward facing car seats and hang on to a 1 and 3 year old, never mind bags. It is just not possible. I would love to hear from the people who do use car seats in taxi's, what do you do with them once you arrive at your destination? I can see that with small infants you could put the car seat in the stroller. My children out grew their infant seats at 5 and 6 months. They hit the hight restriction on them before the weight, and my children are not very large for their age.
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taxi rides
- Thread starter carmenlotusfeet
- Start date
i still hven't come up with a easy solution as my infant car seat doesn't fit into the taxis here.. =( so, now i simply take the MTR or walk to my destination. Or I get someone to pick us up with their car and i install the carseat in... hope this helps and please let me know if you figure out a easy way of travelling by taxi with a baby...
From govmt website:
"From January 1, 2001, all passengers in the front and rear seats in taxis are required by law to wear seat belts installed in taxis. Passengers who fail to comply will be liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for 3 months."
Doesn't mention anything specifically about children. But found the following, which is "recommendations", not law: http://www.td.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_174/seatbelt_leaflet.pdf
The two combined could be interpreted as being that carseats or a carrycot are compulsory for babies in order to use the mandatory seatbelts.
"From January 1, 2001, all passengers in the front and rear seats in taxis are required by law to wear seat belts installed in taxis. Passengers who fail to comply will be liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for 3 months."
Doesn't mention anything specifically about children. But found the following, which is "recommendations", not law: http://www.td.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_174/seatbelt_leaflet.pdf
The two combined could be interpreted as being that carseats or a carrycot are compulsory for babies in order to use the mandatory seatbelts.
Just read the next page on the PDA file which says parents are "strongly advised" not to put children in front seats without suitable restraint - not very tough language.
Anyone know if there is any organisation campaigning for tougher safety laws in HK? Just think, a change in the law could make it compulsory for all cars and taxis to provide suitable seatbelts for fastening carseats. It might be possible to book a taxi which can provide a carseat (I assume for an extra fee) like in Western countries. Who wants to start a campaign?
Anyone know if there is any organisation campaigning for tougher safety laws in HK? Just think, a change in the law could make it compulsory for all cars and taxis to provide suitable seatbelts for fastening carseats. It might be possible to book a taxi which can provide a carseat (I assume for an extra fee) like in Western countries. Who wants to start a campaign?
Not me.
I rode in taxis, minibuses, 2-decker-buses, and single-story buses, and on the MTR with my children when they were babies without car seats. I think that a law requiring parents to strap infants into car seats when traveling would be a big burden for parents and transportation providers without doing much good. I have lived in HK for 14 years and have never heard of a case where an infant was killed in a taxi or public transit accident because of a lack of car seats.
I rode in taxis, minibuses, 2-decker-buses, and single-story buses, and on the MTR with my children when they were babies without car seats. I think that a law requiring parents to strap infants into car seats when traveling would be a big burden for parents and transportation providers without doing much good. I have lived in HK for 14 years and have never heard of a case where an infant was killed in a taxi or public transit accident because of a lack of car seats.
I would also specfically order a taxi that came with a car seat.
HK is sadly lacking in legislation that protects babies and children when travelling in cars etc.
I can't understand the mentality that thinks it's ok to travel in a car where a child is not strapped into a car seat- it is unbelievably dangerous and yet you see it so often in HK.
I don't understand why common sense doesn't kick in- so there may not be any legslation forcing us to starp our children into a car/public transportation safetly but surely common sense and a desire to protect our children would mean we would do it anyway.
I don't care how inconvenient it is for public transport providers, a child's safety has to come first.
I haven't been on a minibus in HK since I got pregnant and have no intention of taking my baby on one- the drivers drive too fast, they rarely indicate or show any regard for other drivers/pedestrians, and I don't have much faith in the protection offerred by a minubus if it hits something or someone. They crumple if they hit anything.
HK is sadly lacking in legislation that protects babies and children when travelling in cars etc.
I can't understand the mentality that thinks it's ok to travel in a car where a child is not strapped into a car seat- it is unbelievably dangerous and yet you see it so often in HK.
I don't understand why common sense doesn't kick in- so there may not be any legslation forcing us to starp our children into a car/public transportation safetly but surely common sense and a desire to protect our children would mean we would do it anyway.
I don't care how inconvenient it is for public transport providers, a child's safety has to come first.
I haven't been on a minibus in HK since I got pregnant and have no intention of taking my baby on one- the drivers drive too fast, they rarely indicate or show any regard for other drivers/pedestrians, and I don't have much faith in the protection offerred by a minubus if it hits something or someone. They crumple if they hit anything.
Unfortunatly HK is not Canada or Australia, and the practicalities of life here and roads are very different.
While it would be fantastic if you could book a taxi with a carseat, I for one would hate it if it was law and you had to wait hours for your taxi to pick you up, (as happens often in Australia) just for a 15 min ride.
It would get to the point where you just wouldn't go anywhere.
Of course we should use capsules and carseats for our babies and restraints for our older children when we can, but I suspect those of you that are so judgemental of others either have cars, drivers, nannies, helpers, all of the above or have never had to travel with more than one child at a time!
On the topic of taxi drivers driving fast and dangerously, if you don't like the way he drives ask him to slow down and if he doesn't get out, and change taxis.
While it would be fantastic if you could book a taxi with a carseat, I for one would hate it if it was law and you had to wait hours for your taxi to pick you up, (as happens often in Australia) just for a 15 min ride.
It would get to the point where you just wouldn't go anywhere.
Of course we should use capsules and carseats for our babies and restraints for our older children when we can, but I suspect those of you that are so judgemental of others either have cars, drivers, nannies, helpers, all of the above or have never had to travel with more than one child at a time!
On the topic of taxi drivers driving fast and dangerously, if you don't like the way he drives ask him to slow down and if he doesn't get out, and change taxis.
I agree with Matty. I think it would be foolish to apply the standards of the USA or Australia to HK publkic transportation, where cars go much slower and for much shorter distances in HK.
I traveled w/ my two children on minibuses, buses, MTR and taxis and it would have been a big burden for me to haul around a car seat in addition to the ~ 60 lbs combined kid-weight.
I traveled w/ my two children on minibuses, buses, MTR and taxis and it would have been a big burden for me to haul around a car seat in addition to the ~ 60 lbs combined kid-weight.
About this archive
This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.