Baby Car Seats in Colombia

Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 08:41:

It depends on the cab really but in Colombia they don't think about that stuff. I remember them making fun of me because I used the seatbelts in the car whether I was sitting in the passenger seat or even in the back. They thought it was ridiculous.

I think you should try to get a newer cab to see if you can use the seatbelts. It will be safer.

Diana

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bufalo says on May 19, 2008, 08:47:

candians are even more car-safety conscious.

You'll be laughed at if you put a baby seat in a cab down here. They probably won't even have the straps to hook it in.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 08:52:

Yeah, I was thinking that. The driver might freak out when he starts seeing you strap that thing down, but if you can, more power to you. It's better than traveling with the kids on your lap while you sit in the passenger seat without your seatbelt on. That is such a common site down there, it's sick really.

Diana

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ColombianoGringo says on May 19, 2008, 08:55:

I faced this dilemma when my kids were really small. A lot of taxis have the seatbelts in the back removed or at least tucked away under the seat. You can forget about the "LATCH" hooks normally used in US cars. It is true that you will get weird looks and draw unwanted attention by using a car seat.

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MitchAlvarez says on May 19, 2008, 08:59:

Seat Belts? Baby car seats? uhhh whats the for?
Arent you going to Colombia? thats part of the whole thrill and adventure man. jajaj

btw red means go and traffic lights are just artisitic fixtures that most colombians ignore.

have fun!!

"Ingrid callate la jeta!! Stay in France"

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Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 09:07:

Oh and also, don't pay attention to the white lines that separate the lanes. You're supposed to ignore them and just try to fit your car in a three lane street with five cars on it. You'll be fine.

Oh! and there is no speed limit either 80kph? nah! That's for sissies!

Diana

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ColombianoGringo says on May 19, 2008, 09:10:

What I've always liked is how three lanes of cars can somehow manage to use the same left turn lane.

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 19, 2008, 09:20:

Rubenchito. This is one of the few things I find really annoying in Colombia. You're not supposed to take your baby out at dusk because "el serreno" might make it sick, or some other equally goofy old-wives tale, but small children are allowed to just crawl around the car with no safety protection. I'd hate to know the things they see in the infant ICU as a result.

Your best bet if it's really important to you is to hire a white cab (hotel cab, I'm assuming Manizales has them) by the day and INSIST that they give you one with rear seatbelts for the baby seat.

When you're taking regular short-hop cabs just hold the baby in your arms and hope for the best.

The most ironic thing is that the cops in Bogota give out tickets for not wearing your seatbelt in the FRONT seats but most cars don't even have back ones.

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MitchAlvarez says on May 19, 2008, 09:21:

rent a car, drink some beers, and get a gun.

youll be ok.

"Ingrid callate la jeta!! Stay in France"

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dwr says on May 19, 2008, 09:38:

You always need to have the baby in a baby seat. What are you thinking???? I have a friend who lost a young one who was loose in a car. Small fender bender and the child died.
Bring your seat. Rent your own car as it is true that a most taxis don't have seatbelts in the back. Nothing dumber than people I see with their children loose in a car.

If you can't afford it, then those are the risk associated with poverty in this crazy world of ours I guess.

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Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 09:43:

I agree, you always need to but in Colombia that's unheard of.

Diana

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dwr says on May 19, 2008, 09:44:

Not so. My kids are always in seats.

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Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 09:46:

I didn't say YOUR kids. I said that in Colombia for most people, that's unheard of. My family doesn't even know what a car seat is down there.

Diana

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dwr says on May 19, 2008, 09:54:

You said in Colombia that's unheard of. For most people it is unheard of. Most people let their kids stick their heads out the windows or sunroof. Some even put the kid in their laps as they drive. You should get your family car seats if they have kids. The problem is that a small fender bender usually leaves an adult without a bruise. An infant can really be hurt or die from a small accident much less a worse one.

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GregYohn says on May 19, 2008, 10:26:

Hola!

We have a Graco car seat from the US with a matching Graco stroller. The car seat does protect the baby, since it has 4 point seat belts for the baby and the carrying handle helps protect the child in a crash. Do not expect to bring the plastic base to be used in the cab and then attach it to the car seat. My car seat doubles as a cradle, since it rocks back and forth. The stroller doubles as a baby bed, since it can be lowered flat! Strollers are idea, since you will get tired carrying the baby, it shades him from the sun and rain, and you have a nice place to carry your diaper bag beneath it.

I discovered that either the car seat or the stroller is used when leaving the house, but not both! Maybe your baby can handle an upright position, so you can take both?

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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Brians says on May 19, 2008, 11:31:

Fiirst of all you HAVE TO have a car seat. Secondly the only way I could see you strapping that car seat in and out for taxi rides is if you were renting the cab for 1/2 day or something. I would bite the bullet and rent a car or at the least negoiate a taxi guy to be on call for you. I would not want to deal with putting in a car seat and taking it out a bunch of times.

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lpdiver says on May 19, 2008, 14:27:

IT was a conundrum for us. We elected not to bring a child seat. IT is a difficult decision.

t

"cook some rice!"

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bufalo says on May 19, 2008, 19:49:

Sick???? is it really a sick thing?

I mean colombians can also call the pudgy, excuse me - fat ass, north americans who can't stop eating and bitching about how they can't loose weight as being "sick" as well, right? Where else do you have teenagers in electronic carts riding in the stores. That's sick for crying out loud.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 19, 2008, 20:38:

Why, Bufalo, usually the obese kids have seatbelts on their carts?

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bufalo says on May 19, 2008, 21:33:

could be........... I remember my wife's first comment on the states when we got there, "There's so many fat people". She said it as a teenager was riding around in one of those carts.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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jinksmiester says on May 20, 2008, 23:16:

Our last trip to colombia we brought a car seat as they seem to be a fairly rare and rarley used item in colombia.Finding a cab with seat belts (if they had any at all) to accomodate a car seat was also rare...seems lots of colombians don,t place a high value on life...i can understand that a car seat might be exspensive for a lot of people but i was,nt refering to that...more the way a lot of them drive.Pedestrians have no rights and most colombians seeing a kid playing or crossing the street or a little old lady crossing the street will lay on the horn and step on the gas at the same time...the thought that comes to my mind is ignorant...i would,nt worry about bieng embarrased about a car seat ..taking care of your your special little one is what counts..thats my thoughts anyhow.

A man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams

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adrimm says on May 20, 2008, 23:30:

What city were you in? I think that driving practices aren't great (agree the pedestrian is not as respected in some places), but I did notice different habits in different cities/towns.

Also I suppose my relatives might be the odd ones out, but of the two family babies I met this past trip did have carseats (albeit in the respective family vehicle), not for use in a taxi.

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Robert Jorge says on May 21, 2008, 20:27:

My wife never heard of a car seat until she got to the US. She also never saw those harness things attached to kids like a leash until she got to the US. She still is amazed at those.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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SiV says on May 21, 2008, 20:42:

Here in Cali the other day, a family of 4- father, mother, child and an 8-month baby- were killed because all of them were travelling on a moped along the busiest street and were hit by a bus.

Everyday, you can see loads of families with babies and toddlers speeding around in the city on motorbikes dodging in and out of speeding buses and taxis: that's the mentality here, so don't expect carseats.

Stultórum númere infinitum est.

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Robert Jorge says on May 21, 2008, 20:57:

Yep, it wasn't a rare sight to see 4 people (mom, dad, and 2 kids) on one motorcycle. Seeing a mom, dad, and baby on a moto was as common as seeing a stop sign.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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Desideria (Moderator) says on May 21, 2008, 22:12:

We had a car seat for our babies in Colombia and that was a loooooong time ago. Are you guys telling me that they actually STOPPED selling them at the stores?

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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Robert Jorge says on May 22, 2008, 08:38:

I am sure you can buy or use a car seat in Colombia. In my limited experience there, I never saw one.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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Robert Jorge says on May 22, 2008, 08:39:

Using how hard it was to find a suitcase for sale in Villavo as a barometer, I will guess you can't buy a car seat there. 350,000 people.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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kat1 (Moderator) says on May 22, 2008, 08:45:

first, there is a law in Colombia at the moment that if you don't wear a seatbelt you will have a fine,
no kids are allowed to sit in the front seats and yet you see this guys on motorbikes carrying wife, 3 kids including baby and none of them is wearing a helmet

another thing many taxis have seatbelt fitted on the passenger seats because is the law now but many don't have seatbelts on the back.

engage brain before opening mouth

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jonas says on May 22, 2008, 10:50:

What I have, I do not want to lose, but Where I am I do not want to stay, but those I love, I do not want to leave, but those I know I no longer want to see, but Where I die, I do not want to go;I want to stay where I have never been

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Mononoke28 says on May 29, 2008, 08:55:

I've never, ever seen a car seat being sold at a store in Colombia. And that's the God's honest truth.

Diana

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Desideria (Moderator) says on May 29, 2008, 09:16:

I KNOW we bought a car seat for babies in Colombia. It was albeit so long ago that I can't remember where. Just that we were there, had a car, had babies, had a car seat. It's possible that we bought at a garage sale of from som gringo family going back home.

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 29, 2008, 09:35:

They sell car seats in Pepe Ganga on the north side of Bogota. But they're about twice the price of the same thing in the US.

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rubenchito says on Jun 27, 2008, 09:42:

I thought I'd come back here and thank everyone who gave helpful feedback (others just gave smart-ass cynical responses that didn't help very much).

At any rate, we took the leap of faith and went to Colombia without a baby car seat. It definitely was an adjustment for us but we realized how impractical it would have been to try and haul a big car seat around when most cabs don't even have the necessary hooks. For the most part, we felt safe and had a wonderful trip.

Ruben

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Mononoke28 says on Jun 27, 2008, 12:53:

See... as much as you want to be on the safe side, that's something that it's really hard to get around.

I'm glad you had a great trip and came back alive. XD

Diana

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