RF or FF in taxi or rental car

[lmintzer]

Joshua is 22 mos. and is a little guy (probably 23-24 lb. or so). He uses a RF Roundabout, anchored with LATCH and tethered in my car. He's reasonably content sitting this way and has never been FF except on an airplane.

In two weeks, we are taking a trip. We will probably take a cab to the airport. When we've done this before, it was a real pain to put the seat in rear-facing. For one, there was no LATCH. Okay. I could do the belt route and get the seat in tight, but there was really no easy way to tether the seat in most cabs. And I really couldn't take the time to be crawling around on the floor of a dirty cab to find a rigid spot to wrap the d-ring around. I've tried and have never succeeded in a cab.

So, do you think he is safer: FF (possibly untethered) or RF and untethered? I hate how much play there is in an untethered rear-facing seat. It kind of freaks me out.

Given his weight, age, and the situation, what would you recommend?

Also, in American basic rental cars, I often have a devil of a time finding a spot to anchor the rear-facing tether. I've had to give up and not use it before. At his age/size, if I CAN'T find somewhere to tether the seat, should I put him FF? I know the rental car will be new enough to have a rear tether anchor, so tethering while FF shouldn't be a problem.

[hipmaman]

For me, the scenarios--in order of best to least safe would be:

- rf and tethered would be the best scenario, but then it might not be easy to do so in a cab.
- rf and untethered. It's okay if you have movement at the top of the carseat if untethered, as long as there is less than 1" of lateral movement at the seatbelt path. Rf can be untethered and still safer than ff
- ff and tethered. If you go ff, I would seriously recommend tethering the seat. Head excursion is serious stuff.
- I don't feel comfortable with ff and no tether.

[Joolsplus2]

I agree... WAY better to be rf and untethered than FF and untethered. If you glance in, see a top tether, and feel that's the way to go, then do it. But practice installing your seat with the seatbelt once or twice both ways, and remember you can run the seatbelt OVER the cover when RF, that saves a lot of time...you know? it's got those slots in the cover at the belt path holes? Really speeds things up!

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I always rear face in rental cars and I never bother with the tether.

I would never forward face without a tether.

that is why I also rear face in airplanes. No tether.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[lmintzer]

Thanks. I will rf him then, since that's what he's used to anyway. I just got kind of worried last time, because the thing felt so loose at the top without a place to tether.

What about my 4 year-old, though? He has to ff, because he exceeds the rf weight limit. I WOULD tether his seat if I could, but I bet there will be no place to tether a ff seat in a cab. In the rental car, I'll be fine.

I guess I just get the seat in as tightly as possible ff, and then just know it's a short ride to the airport. : (

[bensmom]

A FF seat clearly would be better than no seat.

I would check for a tether anchor though. Most cabs that I've been in lately have had tether anchors for FF seats in the back. I'm sure it varies by city, but it's worth checking.

Have a great trip!