[DMCForum] Re: Child Car Seats In A Delorean

["ryanpwright" <yahoo1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "wannadelorean" <mcquinlan@xxxx> wrote:
> Actually that isn't true.  Airbags, seat sensor, side curtains are 
> all required by law.  Not a choice.  The auto manufacturers have 
> adopted some of the features earlier than the law required but only 
> because they were going to have to anyway.  It used to be that 
> airbags were only required on the driver side but the laws keep 
> getting more stringent.  The side curtains may not be required yet 
> but there has been a law passed already that will make them 
> mandatory.  These items would all be options if laws didn't exist 
> requiring them.  

Consider me informed. I wasn't aware that passenger side airbags were
required by law. 

I'm surprised at side curtains being required. This isn't a law yet,
because many 2004 model year vehicles don't have them. If true, this
would make convertibles and any new vehicle with non-standard doors
(Lamborghinis, etc) unable to comply with the law.

> Yes I do have kids and car seats.  We however don't have car seats 
> in all of our cars.  

Sounds like most families. We have the one car seat (only one child
who needs to be in one) and we move it from vehicle to vehicle as
necessary.

> I have been a victim of the restrictions of car seats and it is a 
> real pain when it happens.  My son had an severe alergic reaction to 
> antibiotics and I rushed him to the hospital with our minivan (in a 
> car seat).  He started with a mild rash and swollen joints.  At the 
> time we thought it was a rash due to the cold he had (for which he 
> was taking the antibiotics.  He had hives the day before and our 
> pediatrician said it was normal) By the time I got to the hospital 
> he could barely breath.  We were afraid he wasn't going to make it 
> and my wife wanted to come to the hospital to see him.  She couldn't 
> come because our other son was at home with her and I had the car 
> seats in the minivan.  Come to think of it now.  If I had taken the 
> time to switch my sons seat to my truck he probably wouldn't be 
> alive today.  He was minutes away from  suffocation when I got him 
> in the emergency room.

A unique situation, and certainly frustrating. However, if there
wasn't a car seat law, would you have risked the life of your second
child in this situation by allowing your wife to drive down there
without the car seat? Best thing to do in this situation is call a
friend or family member to bring the seat to your wife, I would think.

> Well, this just isn't true.  There are no requirements for child 
> seats on a plane.  There isn't even a requirement to buy them a seat 
> if you can hold them.  

You're right again. They were preparing to make this a requirement
several years ago
(http://archives.californiaaviation.org/airport/msg04314.html) but
apparently it didn't pass. I simply assumed that it had; every time
I've been on an aircraft since then, the children I've seen have
always been buckled into a car seat. I'm learning a lot today. :)

> Also, most times when I fly, once I get to my destination, I have to 
> take a taxi or shuttle to a hotel or car rental agency.  During this 
> time there are no car seats available.  If I brought my own, no one 
> is going to let me hold up the van while I strap in a car seat.  
> Like you said, it takes a half hour to install one the first time.

Yeah, that's an interesting issue. Obviously car seats in shuttles or
taxis just wouldn't work. I suppose that's why they aren't required.
It does make for legal inconsistencies, but on the other hand, it
means the people who make our laws are using common sense. Requiring
parents to put a child seat in a private vehicle isn't a huge hassle
and saves lives. Requiring child seats in taxis and the like is too
much of a burden for everyone involved.

Who knows: Maybe they ARE required, but nobody abides by the law.

> GM service centers will check out your seat too.  But in reality if 
> you are too lazy to take the time to install it yourself what is the 
> likelyhood that you will drive somewhere and have them do it for 
> you.

Good point.

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