Quinny Yezz Mission Three – Yezz meets London and the Underground

Mission 3 has been a bit of a tricky one for me, it was to show the Yezz in use on a train or bus. Well I don’t live near a bus stop nor a train station and I have my own car which is far easier and cleaner than public transport (only just though with 3 smelly kids).
But last week I ventured to Central London and decided to take the Quinny Yezz with me. This was an important journey that would test the Yezz to the max.

Firstly I got the Yezz out of the car at the car park, Mark was happy to jump in and off to we went to the train station. Getting on the train was ok, although as the Yezz is so close to the floor it is a little scary wheeling Mark onto the train which is so high up. Luckily some kind stranger helped me out. On board the train we left the Yezz by the doors and sat in proper seats. I could of been kind and polite and folded it down, but I didn’t fancy unfolding the pushchair on the train with it going with Mark wandering over the place. It didn’t really help that it was morning rush hour and the train was packed to the brim.
Getting off the train normally I would lower the rear of the pushchair out first and get the back wheels on the floor of the platform  before stepping back and lowering the front wheels, but as the Yezz is so low this wasn’t achievable, so we required assistance.

Wheeling through the station was a dream, after all the platforms are smooth and flat and the Yezz loves it!

Getting to the tube station I decided to take Mark out. I had my changing bag with me, so that was put across my shoulder. I then collapsed the Yezz and put it on my other shoulder. I could only put it on one shoulder as my bag was on the other. I then thought I could hold Marks hand and walk down the steps to the tube station…however Marky wasn’t keen on the amount of people running up and down the steps so asked to be picked up. This was the real test. I had to carry him, the Yezz and the changing bag down the steps, then down the escalators. Once at the bottom I put the Yezz back up and put Mark inside for the tube journey.

This is Mark in his Yezz on the London Underground.

It was easy to whizz around as people got off and on, you can move it with just one finger! But I was not a commuters favourite person when the bars which poke out the front stabbed a man in the leg as the jolt of the train pushed him back into the pushchair.

Getting off the Tube, I took Mark out of the pushchair again and had to carry everything again up the stairs and escalators, at one point I honestly thought my arms would snap. I also got stuck on the escalators and nearly went tumbling when the wheels of the Yezz on my shoulder, which is rubber like material, rubbed against the metal of the escalator side and decided to stick.

Here is a short video of the Yezz on the underground:

Once in the streets of London, I wished I had never bought the Yezz with me, it was not cut out for the streets of London with its drains (did I mention the slimline wheels are just the correct width to get stuck down drains?) and every little nook or cranny, cobble or uneven pavement and the pushchair would get stuck dead in its tracks.

To carry on pushing I would have to give it a damn good shove or even lift it out of the hole or groove it had got wedged in. I even have a green bruise on my leg just above my knee where the pushchair stopped dead and my knee went straight into the back of the long metal bar which runs down the length of the Yezz. Also on one rather awful groove in the pavement, the Yezz stopped suddenly and made a rather loud cracking noise which made me and the two other mummies I was with look at each other with the worried look. I honestly though the whole thing was about to collapse. Luckily it didn’t, but one of the handles now doesn’t stay upwards once folded. I can’t see that having any detrimental effect on the actual use of the pushchair though at this moment in time.
The bottom bars of the Yezz are close to the floor so when tipping slightly backwards to go up a curb it scratches the underneath of the chassis.

Overall I still stick by what I say, the Quinny Yezz is fine for completely flat floors which have no bumps, lumps, grooves, drains or cobbles. Even with a heavy toddler inside it is light to push, however I do not find it comfortable or easy to carry on my shoulder. I thought it would perform better in London but next time I shall take a pushchair with larger wheels for a more comfortable ride for Mark and me!