Very well put. I drive at least once a week with my 7 month old grandson in the bad seat. The only thing hurting is my back while trying to manuver him into the baby seat.

 

I presented the info you all shared with me to Haley's mom last week and dropped the subject.
I had told her husband I needed to pick up a mat to go under my niece's car seat so it didn't munch the upholstery too bad. Yesterday he asked if we had picked up the mat yet, because Haley still really want a ride!!
I guess common sense finally had a victory ! They are still over protective parents, but as someone who is the process of adopting and thus looking closely at what other parents do, and how the parent their children, all of this stuff has been a really good lesson for me.
I know it is hard for people to let their kids learn lessons the hard way, but I personally have never learned a lesson as good, as when I messed something up and had to fix it. Not saying that I want to crash the car with Haley, or at all for that matter. But their protectivness extends far beyond the car ride. Little Haley is afraid of her own shadow, and it makes me really sad
But... today is beautiful day here in Portland Oregon and my plan is to take Miss Haley motoring!!
Thanks again for all of your comments, they were very helpful!
M

 

Unfortunately, common sense seems to prevail only in about 50% of the instances. But, I am glad that Haley is going to be able to enjoy the MINI!

 

Has Haley gone on her ride yet?

 

When I was in high school, active safety = closing the tailgate on the truck after you climbed in the bed!

 

Not yet, but we are planning it. Last weekend turned out to be super hectic for everyone, but I am thinking maybe tomorrow. I will post a picture. I bet she will be smiling from ear to ear.

 

My 2 y/o daughter has been riding every day in her car seat in the back of my MINI since last Nov. Saturday a CITY BUS crashed into us at the back at between 30 to 40 mph when we were stopped for a light. Insurance is going to total the car, my daughter is fine, only the steering wheel air bag went off and I am sore in places but OK. All in all a very safe and lucky experience. NEVER let them out of car seats until they are about 16 y/o., OK? They really are just little racing seats with a 3-point harnesss when properly installed. I wish I had one, maybe I will after this.

 

Glad you are both O.K.

But 3-point? I thought they were 4-point harnesses? (At least the ones that I have seen.)

 

One over each shoulder, plugs into belt and buckle coming up between both legs, I would think they could slide out of it except for the belt between their legs, makes it like a rock climbing harness.

 

Oh my goodness CDMini, I am so glad to hear that you and your daughter are safe. Mini versus bus and you are all okay, that is just amazing!!!!
I don't know if you will feel up to it, but maybe you should post a picture.
Take care and get some rest!!
M

 

Maybe I am missing something, but didn't you just describe a 4-point restraint (both legs (2 points) + each shoulder (an additional 2 points))? The traditional over-the-shoulder belt in our cars is a three-point belt (because both legs (2 points) and one shoulder (+ 1 more point)) are restrained.

 

I think it's how many points it's connected at - one at each shoulder, and one between the legs = 3 points. Like the NASCAR ones are 5 point - one at each shoulder, one at each hip, and one between the legs.

 

It could be (based on mounting points). (But then, I could imagine a theory in which the points where the carseat is mounted to the car should be considered as well.... It has been a long day (and my head is more into FSD shock absorbers at the moment, as well).)

 

when I was 7 years old I was allowed to shift the gears on my school bus 1x every two weeks in rotation with other kids.

also, i used to have 5-6 sleds tied to the back chome bumper of a vw bug in the snow when iwas a kid. this cool girl (hottie now that I think of it) would drag us around the snow in my neighborhood.

 

Sounds like a lot of fun! Here in the south, we had snow (just a few inches) once every 2-3 years. We'd ride on innertubes towed by 4x4 trucks or even lawn tractors if that's all we could get.

If I ever have kids, I'm not going to have them running around terrified of everything. Imagine no bike riding, no tire swings, no monkey bars, no jumping out of barn lofts into big (deep) piles of hay. They wonder why kids are fat, but they won't let them DO anything.

Rawhyde

 

I don't think Haley's parents made the right decision to let her ride in the MINI. She should be wrapped in 12 layers of non-allergenic soft cotton from the neck down, wear a helmet and be locked in a disinfected padded room with steel-enforced bars on the windows covered with thick shades to keep the sun out so that she won't get skin cancer.

On a serius note, I'm glad you were "gently persistent" with Haley's parents by providing them with facts rather than accomodating them with fear.

It also goes to show how helpful this forum is in receiving information.

 

I haven't yet taken pictures because I am settling it off pretty fast and probably don't need them Supposedly they have paid the lien and I am waiting for them to get the title. But the car looked pretty intact, the wheels were in the same position, the rear hatch/back end body was crushed in pretty good, the front hood was buckled and the driver's door was sprung. Body shop said it was bent pretty good under the door and the driver's seat broke the latches that adjust it to lean position. Seat just flops around from front to back now. That's probably how I got hit in the back of my head by the headrest.

I'd like to put a racing seat in next one but that might be kind of extreme buckling up all the time. They call standard seat belts "3-point" but that's just PR B.S. as they only stop you in two places. Around your waist and over one shoulder across the chest.

P.S. On the "Haley" note, it doesn't sound like there is a car seat in your car. I wouldn't let my daughter in a car without one, why would they? They will save a life, kids are small and light and they will fly out of standard seatbelts in a wreck, and then there is big trouble.

 

"I believe in safety, I believe in caution, I don't believe in paranoia and making kids fear everything."

In principle this is good, BUT here is the flip side. At the Deli counter the other day is a guy making faces and joking with my daughter. Acting like Elmo is calling on his cell phone. It's OK, I say, but I still keep a little distance between them, and I am pleased that she is cautious and doesn't really warm up to him, but he keeps on trying for a few minutes. I keep myself between him and her as much as possible without being overtly rude and just shooing him away.

Now I wish I had, a few days later I spot him again and he's walking the strip with his shirt off showing the tatoos and all. Bottom line he's a street person and any grandchildren he recalls are probably a long time ago in a drug/alcohol crazed memory. The day I saw him he was just cleaned up a bit that day. It's a different world out there. There are predators in our society and we are the only ones who can keep our children safe. The Elmo cell phone bit could have been a lure, just like "help me find my lost dog?"

Have a kid first before you make the call on whether a parent is over-protective, OK?

 

get Haley the Mini Plush doll. My daugher loves hers.

Second off. At some opportune time, give them a copy of this
http://www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/Cra...operVsFordF150
or this
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html

Theres a ton of misconceptions about size and safety.

But to be fair to the F-150, it's been redesigned and is now better. But lots of older cars, and almost all body on frame designs, and much less safe than little cars like the Mini.

Matt

 

[quote=CDMINIHave a kid first before you make the call on whether a parent is over-protective, OK?[/quote] that the same BS as you have to be able to play a violin inorder to tell if someone has missed a note. Sure you get more perspective, but really, a-hole parents can be spotted by single people as well.

Matt

 

Well..., it doesn't take being a parent to be an a**hole, now does it?

At least the parent has a colorable defense, protecting the child, what's the rest of the others excuse?

 

She scoots around on little kiddy cars in the driveway. Totally fine by me, skinned knees and all. I just have to watch her to make sure she doesn't head down the steep part of the driveway, like she always wants to!

But then, I'm an experimentalist, so I belive in experietial learning (touch something hot once, you know the deal. HEar someone say don't touch that, its hot doesn't mean squat until you didn't listen!) So othe girl gets pretty free reign.

Also, my girl loves the Mini. This morining, she stopped with her little kiddy car, can over to the Mini, put both hands on the boot, and said "Daddys Car!" she had to climb in, into her car seat, and started to cry when she figured out we weren't going for a drive!

That's the spirit! I'll make a race car driver out of her yet!

Matt

 

What do you think about no child seat? I don't think this guy had one. I am a fanatical believer now in them, before I was still just a zealot.

 

Ok, I understand what you are saying but I'd like to point out your daughter didn't react to the man's fun play with screams of "mommy mommy a stranger is talking to me.".... she obviously was cautious because you taught her to be, but not over-reactive and fearful because you were there. It's okay to teach your kids to be cautious, but to fear every single person that speaks to them? (as happened to me) Even when you are with them? You kept watch, your daughter reacted fine, not the signs of a parent teaching their child to fear life.

And for the record I have raised four children.

 

People who don't use child seats are idiots. And yes, I have raised children and put them all in child seats LONG before it was law and LONG before there was even a selection on the market. My kids stayed in seats until they were ready to go into a seat belt. THEN the car never started until every seat belt was clicked. I get SO angry when I see parents cruising down the street with their kid standing in the back seat or leaning over the front seat. I want to tell them it is sickening to see how little they value the life of their child.

I give no quarter in this area. No mercy.