Horrific taxi experience

[babyox]

Hello there...i dont know quite why i am sharing this, probably coz Dh is away on business and i am still feeling wobbly about it, but i though it may help any other mums next time they are getting a cab..Feel like the most stupid mother on earth and all could have been a disaster..guess i shld just spit it out eh. Was returning home yesterday in a yellow cab with Ds who is 19weeks...live in NewYork and always wonder what to do when i am on my onw with baby and travelling..do you take car seat and baby out of car and put on sidewalk whilst you take stroller out of boot...or leave baby in car whilst you get stroller out and risk car driving off. My BIGGEST NIGHTMARE. ANyway yesterday it Fing happened. Had a particularly unhelpful cab driver who let me struggle getting in. Was listening to radio and a car had veered off pavement hitting pedestrians in union square. With this in mind when cab stopped i got out, left door open to retrieve buggy then the cab with door open and baby inside started slowly moving. I tohught he was pulling over to what he considers to be a safe place then he must have pressed a button inside cab to shut the passenger door and began to my horror DRVING OFF WITH MY BABY. I was in such shock couldn't beleive this was happening Fing newyork drivers beeping me to get off the road and i start running after it screaming "STOP THAT CAB HE'S GOT MY BABY" crying now even thinking about it. Of course no-body does anything I'm runniing and screaming and cab driver doesn't even see me right behind him. Am watching the traffic lights as I can see he is about to go through them and then ....oh god only knows....and THANK GOD they turn red and he stops. I'm running screaming up to the bus stop everyone watching and doing nothing...some pedestrian rapped on the drivers window and I think another opened the passenger door and there is DS just smiling up at me. That is until I begin to yell at the cabbie "You idiot why did you drive off...i'd left the door open" and he's like "Me an idiot...wht about you" (and of course i am feeling like an idiot as well as the luckiest woman in the world that light changed to red" I asked to women at the bus stop to help me as I am so shaky...DS begins crying as I am still shouting at the cabbie What an F*ing idiot he is as I slam the car door". And then it's over. The worst moment of my life and my head filled with what ifs. I can't even go to that place of what ifs today as I think i'll break down.
Called DH at work hysterical and he came straight home and was wonderful. Said I wont be the first or last that happens to and everything is fine we just know in future...DONT PAY THE CABBIE TIL YOU ARE SAFELY OUT OF CAB AND ALWAYS ASK THEM TO GET STROLLER FROM BOOT SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE BABY IN EITHER CAB OR ON SIDEWALK.
Dont know why i didnt ask him for help initially probably coz he was such an arse to begin with and thought i cld do it all myself.
God I still feel so awful...just seeing that cab drive off...thinking how cld i let this happen. I know i need to stop beating myself up..just wnated to post this to get it off my chest and so when anyone else is getting in a cab remember my story...could have been far, far worse...ieven if the cab driver had only made a mistake and wasn't trying to steal the baby. God nightmare.
Phew. DH now away so having far too much alone time to dwell on this....hhhhm DS fast asleep in crib right now...and none the wiser...Sigh

[RTKangaMummy]

Blimey

Thank goodness DS is ok and safe

[NAB3]

My God!!! Have a very stiff drink. Are NY cabbies self employed? I ask as I really think he needs reporting to someone. Thank God it turned out okay.

[brimfull]

Oh babybox what a fucking nightmare!You poor thing.If it's any consolation I would have done the same thing ,wouldn't have had the nonce to withhold payment until he'd taken stroller out.It seems so obvious now !
Have a glass of wine and relax,your ds is fine!
Sorry you had to go through this.

[babyox]

Hia
I know...nightmare still keep thinking through all the terrible scenarios.
NAB3 Did think of reporting him...but DS said what if this guy looses his job...it was a mistake....even if he was totally in the wrong, didn't apologise, was no help whatsoever. ...and really dont know. Part of me wants to make the yellow cab company aware even just to tell their drivers to be careful if they have young mums and babies travelling with them...dont know as everything turned out ok if i want this guy to loose his livelihood?

[babyox]

Thankyou ggirl...dont think i'll be leaving the house with him til he's 18!!!

[NotQuiteCockney]

But in North American taxis, you always pay before getting out. It's just how it works ...

I would report it, it was mindbogglingly crap of him, you were entirely sensible, and he was random and crap.

[babyox]

Thankyou NotQuiteCockney.
Still feeling bloody stupid!! will think about reporting him.

[NAB3]

Tough if he loses his job. You could have lost your baby if the lights had been on green. If he had have realised the baby was there it would still have been a while before he could bring him back to you.

[babyox]

I know...I know..i suppose I am just so thankful DS is safe and well...but you are right and i will report him. SHall let you know the response...

[fransmom]

babyox how awful. i now realise how lucky i have been with taxi drivers when travelling with dd. i don't live in ny, i live in sw england and all the time i have had to cathc taxi, most if not all have been parents themselves. and every single one has helped with shopping and pushchair.

tbh i would think if he got off lightly if you only reported him. i would have gone to their offices and strung him up alive for running off with my baby. you left him in the cab thinking he would be safe.

i hope you feel a lot better now x

[mamama]

Oh babyox, I'm so sorry. What a horrific thing to happen. It's really hard when you're by yourself and have so many things to sort out. I agree with the others though - I think you should report it. Thankfully the lights were red for you but someone else might not be so lucky. If the taxi driver loses his job then that's his own fault. Maybe he'll just get a warning & they'll all be reminded not to drive off with people's babies. Let us know what happens.

Don't torture yourself about what might have happened - have a drink and give your ds & wonderful DH a big hug

[WhizzBangCaligula]

Jesus. I will never ever complain about London cabbies again. Ever.

Glad you and your baby are OK babyox.

[moljam]

how awful!i agree you should report it,he wasnt doing his job properly!glad your ds is ok,as mamama said dont torture yourself with what ifs.give him a huge hug!

[babyox]

Thankyou all for your kind words....plenty of hugs and kisses for DS and having a glass of vino. Shall report taxi diver and let you know

[saadia]

oh babybox that is horrific. Just told dh about this as we were in a cab a week ago and dh made sure he stayed in the car till both dss were out but he said that if - God forbid - such a thing ever happens, you have to memorise the number plate and call the police straightaway. You were lucky that there was a red light. So so glad that ds is safe and with you.

[saadia]

sorry babyox

[babyox]

Well reported the incident to New York City Gov last night...they will then pass it on to the taxi commission and there may be a hearing . Will get something in the post in the next couple of weeks and shall see what happens from there.Just hope it doesn't happen to anyone else...

[fransmom]

at least it looks like it's going to get sorted now. hope your shakes have stopped not sure what time it is over there, it's half 6 sunday evening here. maybe you might here something tomorrow?

[fransmom]

hear.....

[moondog]

Babyox,how unetterably horrid and freaky!!!!

Hope you're feeling less shaky.
XX

[mamama]

Well done for reporting it, Babyox. I'm glad it is being taken further. Hope you are feeling better about it all now. {hugs}

[SparklyfestiveYellowFeathers]

Oh gosh babyox! How horrendous.
FWIW, like others have said, I would have done exactly the same. Its your natural instinct as his mum to protect so dont feel silly in that respect.
Is there anyway ofreporting the driver?
Did he explain himself?

[SparklyfestiveYellowFeathers]

Sorry just read that you reported him.
Well done.