tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post7367701371070876801..comments2023-11-03T07:29:16.334+00:00Comments on The Potty Diaries: Getting irate about being ripped off; today it's the car hire companies...Potty Mummyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04751869800592294891noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-7883285358270086482012-04-21T20:26:31.280+01:002012-04-21T20:26:31.280+01:00My sister used to work for a car rental company in...My sister used to work for a car rental company in the UK and I remember asking her about car seats the first time we travelled back there with DD. Sis told us to bring our own if at all possible even though she could have arranged for one for free. The ones her company had were definitely not as nice as our own. She said the car seats sometimes got stolen/not returned, which I really don't understand! <br /><br />Making sure the seats fit was more problematical. Our seats needed a locking clip, or seat belts that had a lock function - which it turned out the rental car didn't have. The European cars were LATCH-enabled way before they started selling LATCH-enabled car seats in the US. On our last trip we took just the two bases, which fit in a duffle bag. So far we've always travelled with 2 suitcases for the 4 of use, so an extra bag on a transatlantic flight hasn't been a problem for the luggage allowance. Oddly, the carseat bases didn't fit very well in the BMW 3 series car we rented last time. Hopefully by the time we visit the UK again, we won't need a booster seat. <br /><br />I agree with Iota - they're not optional extras and I think the rental companies should be required to provide them.Almost Americanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17865905831387595915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-1368323204089871472012-04-18T21:49:58.845+01:002012-04-18T21:49:58.845+01:00Coincidentally, I've just been looking at Hert...Coincidentally, I've just been looking at Hertz, and there's an offer on the American site giving a free booster seat if you rent a Family Collection car rental car before mid-May. (That's when you have to make the booking.) It may be worth looking on the Russian web site, or the UK web site to see if there is a similar offer.Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-60558003191030020472012-04-18T09:45:48.711+01:002012-04-18T09:45:48.711+01:00Oh yes, car hire companies! We don't have a ca...Oh yes, car hire companies! We don't have a car of our own at present, so need to hire if we go further afield. Not very often. Now that we are a family of six, we'd need a seven seater. But these only come at ridiculous prices! This weekend we have a wedding in Cumbria. So we're hiring. But just a five seater. One of the kids is having to go with my Mum. <br /><br />But the extra cost of the booster seats is just way over the top. Where are they getting the prices from? <br /><br />Would it be worth actually writing to the companies and asking?Jenhttp://fussfreeliving.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-87856215329950718942012-04-18T05:01:36.798+01:002012-04-18T05:01:36.798+01:00Potty's Botty - Pig is on form today!
You'...Potty's Botty - Pig is on form today!<br /><br />You're right. It is overpriced. Boosters aren't optional extras. They're required by law. You wouldn't pay extra for the steering wheel, or the seat belts. Same sort of thing (though if I didn't have children, I probably wouldn't agree, and would maybe resent subsidising those who do).Iota https://www.blogger.com/profile/08507184283437057648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-21982359817705913592012-04-17T19:25:10.968+01:002012-04-17T19:25:10.968+01:00£130 for a family car for the week???! Hire it! ...£130 for a family car for the week???! Hire it! Quick! <br /><br />Try over £1000 for a car for two weeks that fits six... No-one told me about that one when we went for number four. Then you add the four car seats, and the tank of petrol, and and and and even without the damage waiver liability you're looking at over £1200 for a car.<br /><br />Guess what? We're driving to France this year. From Scotland. Wish us luck.<br /><br />But I love Potty's Botty!Harriethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11975259590293860488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-55474553714364819242012-04-17T18:56:36.207+01:002012-04-17T18:56:36.207+01:00I went through this with the teens but that was be...I went through this with the teens but that was before the ridiculous limit on checked baggae so I just got a lovely canvas carrier for them and checked them. With the 8 y/o, we had a base which I just used to take on board with me and dare anyone to count it as my hand luggage (no one ever has, interestingly). You could try that?<br />Last week in Costa Rica, we went through the whole rigmarole of hiring a car and at the very end the agent told us that the booster seat age was 12, and we'd need to hire one (Only $5 per day though.) Having just upgraded our car at their suggestion, my husband just made one of his huffy puffy noises, threw his hands in the air, and the agent said he wouldn't charge us.<br />Don't think that would happen in England though.<br />The other thing we've done is buy a stomach belt (thing) which sort of feeds the regular seatbelt through and keeps it away from kids' faces and holds them safely at their shoulder. Not the long term answer but it gets you from A to B where you could have a proper booster seat waiting?Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-60039119694755153572012-04-17T17:57:35.840+01:002012-04-17T17:57:35.840+01:00Couldn't agree more with you. It's always ...Couldn't agree more with you. It's always an issue for us when travelling back to the UK. And I only have one child. My friends have 3 daughters and every time they holiday abroad they buy 3 seats and then give them away to families coming through arrivals on their day of departure!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-26667790774822847922012-04-17T16:27:58.728+01:002012-04-17T16:27:58.728+01:00I am with you on this one. It's BLOODY OUTRAGE...I am with you on this one. It's BLOODY OUTRAGEOUS! I have not heard about inflatable booster seats. This is yet another reason I leave my children behind when I come to England. When we go to my parents' house in Washington I get them to bring the booster seat in their car. They are getting tired of that. Gah!MTFFhttp://motherhoodthefinalfrontier.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-40278280576274175182012-04-17T15:15:58.245+01:002012-04-17T15:15:58.245+01:00Yep, good idea potty. Altho... I see a business op...Yep, good idea potty. Altho... I see a business opportunity renting car seats for a song at airports! Now that could be yr next career move! 'potty's botty' - leave your car seats derrière' and other awful tag lines could abound :-)Pig in the Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10631525119816074013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-47848373520765196632012-04-17T12:46:27.402+01:002012-04-17T12:46:27.402+01:00That is crazy - was wondering about the inflatable...That is crazy - was wondering about the inflatable ones as a way of getting around our booster seat dilemma in the summer hols because it packs flat - the trunk one is massive AND has only a little bit of storage in itMuddling Alonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04702217530704657676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175562867822111389.post-52454762073172707942012-04-17T11:58:48.362+01:002012-04-17T11:58:48.362+01:00That sounds perfectly reasonable to me and the pri...That sounds perfectly reasonable to me and the price you quoated for booster seats rental sounds outrageous. I would have an outright fit if I would have to pay it. It does sound as though people are being ripped off left and right. Car rental companies ought to be very ashamed of themselves. What's that going to do to their image? I'm certainly more than disappointed.Irenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05043376053971475659noreply@blogger.com