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AIBU?

Was I unreasonable to let my mum drive 3 year old 1/2 a mile with no car seat?

18 replies

BurningBuntingFlipFlop · 31/08/2010 13:46

I'm not very well atm and this morning I was altogether rubbish so my mum offered to drop my ds of at nursery as she practically passes our hous on the way to work. She was running a bit late so I just ran out with ds and put him in the front with a seatbelt on. She drove the half a mile around the corner and as she stopped a random father at the nursery started having a massive go at her in front of ds, saying she was endangering his life etc. My mum was mortified, she called ne when she got to work and was nearly in tears.

So was i bu? It's not against the law btw, I checked.

OP posts:

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HecateQueenOfWitches · 31/08/2010 13:54

Well, yes really.

You never know when an accident may happen. Half a mile is half a mile. You could pull off your drive and get hit by a van! It's never worth the risk, imo.

But I'm sorry for your mum that someone shouted at her and humiliated her. There was no need for them to do that.

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fizzytree · 31/08/2010 13:54

It is against the law and yabvvvvvu and you would have been feeling a whole lot more ill when he had broken his neck in an accident because the seatbelt didn't fit properly.

Sorry to be harsh but I think you need a quick sharp shock into the reality of child safety. And good on the father at nursery, I would have done exactly the same.

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LIZS · 31/08/2010 13:56

yabu It is against the law if you could have provided a seat as it isn't really an emergency situation where there was no alternative. Most road accidents happen with a mile or two of home so distance is not a mitgating criteria.

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usernamechanged345 · 31/08/2010 13:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

porcupine11 · 31/08/2010 13:58

I think it is against the law - they have to have a booster seat at the very least, until they are 7? 14?

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usernamechanged345 · 31/08/2010 13:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IMoveTheStars · 31/08/2010 13:59

the only times you can take children in a car without a carseat are in licensed taxi's and in an emergency.

You being 'altogether rubbish' is not an emergency. You could have put the car seat in your Mums car..

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nameymcnamechange · 31/08/2010 14:01

It is against the law. Why didn't you put him in the back seat, out of interest? Surely the back seat is a little safer than the front?

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NotFromConcentrate · 31/08/2010 14:01

YABU.

The law makes exception for "unexpected necessity". It would have taken two minutes to pop your seat into your mum's car, or for you to have donned some comfy clothes and made that very short trip with your DD appropriately restrained.

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alicet · 31/08/2010 14:01

Yes YABU

Agree with hecate though that I think it si unreasonable of the man at nursery to have a go at your mum

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LIZS · 31/08/2010 14:02

I'm guessing op is referring to "if the child is travelling on a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity"
from this site - questionable in this case I think.

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PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice · 31/08/2010 14:05

YABVU - accidents happen every day on the school run

I really hope there was no passenger air bag as that makes it even worse - they can kill small children

I dont agree with small kids in the front of a car AT ALL, even with the proper restraints!

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NotFromConcentrate · 31/08/2010 14:05

Sorry, I have only just realised that I made the (possibly incorect) assumption that you have a car and therefore could have driven DD yourself.

However, I still think YABU. Sorry.

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invisibleink · 31/08/2010 14:07

LOL There are two of these threads...on one everyone is saying YABU and the other everyone is saying YANBU!

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pumperspumpkin · 31/08/2010 14:11

YABU to claim it's an "unexpected necessity" to go to nursery. For starters even the guidance to the Regulations expressly says school runs are not covered.

Secondly, in any case - you put him in the front. The exception doesn't apply to children in the front seat, only in the rear. Children can travel in the front seat only with the right restraint.

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PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice · 31/08/2010 14:11

in support of the man at the nursery - he may well have thought he was acting FOR the mother - ie thinking a GP was drving child without parents knowledge (driving instead of usual walking) because he cannot fathom why a parent allows that - while an older person not clued up on rules and safety might.

he may be a police officer, paramedic or fireman used to seeing the effects of RTAs on children

also YOU were not there, so you have only a second hand account of what happened

and turn it round - someone comes on saying they witnessed an RTA involving child restrained in this way - who they see every day being driven like that - they would be lynched for NOT saying something!!

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TwoPeasOnePod · 31/08/2010 14:13

i answered on the other thread, saying YABVU...i shall reiterate; you cannot control every other road user,THEY COULD CRASH INTO YOU at any time no matter how short the distance travelled... what a massive risk to take..no matter how shite you feel, you would feel a whole lot shiter if your child was injured/killed because you didnt take 3 mins to clip the carseat in. Whats more important? your childs life? or your mum being 5 mins late for work?
Basic safety, ignored.