I don't drive (I don't even have a drivers liscence). I am of two minds about what you are suggesting - but basically my opinion is that if you have a car, have a seat - JIC. If it is a JIC seat, then a cheap second hand one should do, I mean if you plan on never using it, it hasn't cost you much, but if an emergency arises then you have it. If you are getting rid of your car though, then you obviously don't need one (but I have found having a spare one handy is a good idea, if only for when others babysit, etc).
Also, hire is a good option - But not in the middle of the night, plus you usually have to drive to pick up the seat in the first place. And relying on others generousity is not the best option either. I personally would never lend my kids car seats out to a friend, and would feel arkward and put on the spot, if they ever asked.
If you have one you don't have to use it. I would rather have my own than trust a taxi or hire car one - we've caught the cabs and hired the cars with baby seats and often they were totally inappropraite to our babies' development (ie the booster seat that we had to put 3 month old Yasin into) and really low budget without good side impact protection.
If you have your own you can put it in a cab or hire care.
Also you can use it on planes instead of the plane seats which can be pretty uncomfy for longer flights.
Since I have a child who gets bad croup I've done many, many late night hospital dashes. Our MO is to dump a parent and sicky at the front door and the other parent can worry about parking afterwards. Trust me - when your baby is gasping for every breath finding a parking spot before getting your baby through the door isn't an option.
Imran is still using the one that we bought for Yasin almost 4 years ago - it only cost about $300 which works out to less than $100 a year. To me that's a cheap price to pay to make sure that my child has an appropriate seat to sit in every time he travels by car.
I'm perfectly happy to save money by buying/using second hand clothes, books, toys and furniture but I would never scrimp on their car seats, helmets and other safety equipment.
Why don't you just see how you go without one first? Then if you think you need one, then buy one then. It doesn't take long to go to the shops, buy a carseat and install it. Just do your investigating now (ie. investigate which carseat you may want if you decide to get one) so then you only have to go to the shops and buy it.
I admire you to be able to do so many things without a car. And for what it is worth, it can be done without a car. Our mothers and grandmothers etc did it. We (yes including myself) have just become lazy!
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