Car seats in taxis in Costa Maya Mexico

[Mom2B&Z]

I'm wondering if anyone has recent, first hand experience with using car seats and boosters in Costa Maya. I know in some ports all vehicles have 3 point seatbelts, others you have to search a little harder. It is not an option to travel without them. We will be going from port to Tropicante.

TIA

[kitty9]

I have not seen the three point belts in the taxis in Costa Maya. Not to say they don't exist, but in four trips there, I haven't seen a taxi that could accommodate a car seat.

[Parent22]

We are just back from Costa Maya and did find yellow taxis with 3-point seat belts. It required extra effort, however. First, we did not immediately understand how to catch a yellow cab leaving from the port complex. Everyone was directed to buy tickets at this booth right after leaving the shopping area (but before departing the front gate where they have a check point for cars with those big arms that come down like in a parking garage). They told us that yellow cabs (which were dropping off people returning from the beach here) were not allowed to pick up passengers but had to go empty back to the beach (a lie). They told us the cabs would be at the beach for our return however. So, they herded us into a LONG line to wait for giant buses to drive us to the beach area. Riding on a huge bus like that would have been fine, carseat-wise, but it wasn't just buses that were picking people up. They also had what I can only describe as these open-air wagons (covered on top, but no sides) with white plastic chairs fastened on top that held 40 people or so and looked like the kind of thing for an all-you-can-drink rum tour. No way were our kids riding in one of those. Plus, it was taking forever for the buses to come and it was hot. So I walked past the front gate of the complex, and it turns out about one block away, by the Hard Rock Cafe, there is a yellow taxi stand. Our family got out of line and walked down there, where there were 3 cabs just sitting there waiting. The first few cabs did not have appropriate seat belts, but one of the drivers (who said he understood because he had kids of his own) flagged down another cab which he recognized as the kind that did have seat belts. Long story short, we were able to use our booster seats for our boys. We also got to use them in a yellow cab on the way back, as the first cab that we hailed happened to have the belts. Unfortunately, I had to sit in the middle seat in the back between the boys without a seat belt both ways because neither cab had a functioning belt in that location. :( When my older son noticed this, I told him just to remember I did it all for him. ;)

[Mom2B&Z]

We are just back from Costa Maya and did find yellow taxis with 3-point seat belts. It required extra effort, however. First, we did not immediately understand how to catch a yellow cab leaving from the port complex. Everyone was directed to buy tickets at this booth right after leaving the shopping area (but before departing the front gate where they have a check point for cars with those big arms that come down like in a parking garage). They told us that yellow cabs (which were dropping off people returning from the beach here) were not allowed to pick up passengers but had to go empty back to the beach (a lie). They told us the cabs would be at the beach for our return however. So, they herded us into a LONG line to wait for giant buses to drive us to the beach area. Riding on a huge bus like that would have been fine, carseat-wise, but it wasn't just buses that were picking people up. They also had what I can only describe as these open-air wagons (covered on top, but no sides) with white plastic chairs fastened on top that held 40 people or so and looked like the kind of thing for an all-you-can-drink rum tour. No way were our kids riding in one of those. Plus, it was taking forever for the buses to come and it was hot. So I walked past the front gate of the complex, and it turns out about one block away, by the Hard Rock Cafe, there is a yellow taxi stand. Our family got out of line and walked down there, where there were 3 cabs just sitting there waiting. The first few cabs did not have appropriate seat belts, but one of the drivers (who said he understood because he had kids of his own) flagged down another cab which he recognized as the kind that did have seat belts. Long story short, we were able to use our booster seats for our boys. We also got to use them in a yellow cab on the way back, as the first cab that we hailed happened to have the belts. Unfortunately, I had to sit in the middle seat in the back between the boys without a seat belt both ways because neither cab had a functioning belt in that location. :( When my older son noticed this, I told him just to remember I did it all for him. ;)

Thanks Parent22, this is exactly what I was hoping to hear! We had been told about walking out to the Hard Rock Cafe to catch a cab, we'll definitely go that route, we too would not use the "open air taxi" ;) I had somewhat already resigned myself to the fact that I would be sitting between the two boys in their seats, fortunately it's a short ride.

[Parent22]

You would think that people would "get" the need for seatbelts and car seats better these days. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a struggle. The first cab driver told me we did not "need" seat belts. Thankfully, the other cabdriver had kids of his own and basically told the first where to stick it. He recognized from the outside the kind of cab that has the seatbelts, so I would just be persistent about asking. Yes, you get to feel like a pain in the a**. But hopefully the kids will appreciate our efforts someday.

[klepton]

Sorry to drudge up an old thread, but I was wondering if the cabs that didn't have 3-point seat belts had the lap belts, or no seat belts at all. DS will be in a carrier that we can secure with just a lap belt.

 

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

[Mom2B&Z]

Sorry to drudge up an old thread, but I was wondering if the cabs that didn't have 3-point seat belts had the lap belts, or no seat belts at all. DS will be in a carrier that we can secure with just a lap belt.

 

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

There were some with lap belts, but many had cut the seat belts right off. You will have an easier time finding a taxi with a working lap belt, as many of the three point belts we found weren't working either. OTOH, the Tropicante staff were great to help us find a taxi with working seat belts :)

[klepton]

There were some with lap belts' date=' but many had cut the seat belts right off. You will have an easier time finding a taxi with a working lap belt, as many of the three point belts we found weren't working either. OTOH, the Tropicante staff were great to help us find a taxi with working seat belts :)[/quote']

 

Thanks so much for the info... I think we might end up at Tropicante too so good to know they're so helpful.