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Original poster

DH let's 3 year old drive his car off the drive

71 replies

Imthekingsmummy · 02/06/2022 09:13

I've never been comfortable with this and said I didn't want him to do it months and months ago but he still does almost everyday.

He sits ds either in his knee or next to him in the front seat (no car seat or booster etc) and drives off the drive and on to the road. Only a few yards but he's still going onto the road and a car could speed round the corner at anytime. It's happened before and gone into our neighbours fence!

Also what would the police say if they came round the corner and saw it?

I'm not comfortable with it at all.

Am I being ridiculous or sensible?! DH thinks ridiculous so wondered if it's just me and what the majority of people think.

OP posts:
inmyslippers · 02/06/2022 09:17

I remember Britney Spears getting absolutely slated for this. If it was somewhere quiet and
Rural fair enough but not a risk I would take.

SecretVictoria · 02/06/2022 09:18

How on earth has a 3yo got long enough legs to drive a car?!

Hadalifeonce · 02/06/2022 09:20

I would guess that the child is unable to reach the pedals, and just has their hands on the wheel at the same time as DH?

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 02/06/2022 09:21

Do you mean “drive” or “steer” OP?
but I agree, neither are great, also - unrestrained child.

Runningslow · 02/06/2022 09:22

If he hit something and the airbag went off it would be horrific.

Snowflakes1122 · 02/06/2022 09:22

YANBU. What if a small child happens to be walking past the drive as your toddler “drives” the car?!

I think many of us have let our little ones pretend play with the steering wheel when parked up with the engine off - why can’t he stick to that?

TitaniasAss · 02/06/2022 09:22

This is just really fucking stupid.

Kaftankween · 02/06/2022 09:22

I would be very unhappy with that. Even if it’s not all that dangerous in reality, there is a risk and if someone sees and reports him then he’ll be in trouble.

DoodleBelle · 02/06/2022 09:22

This is shocking! YADNBU

SundayTeatime · 02/06/2022 09:24

Yep, absolutely awful. There’s no excuse at all.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 02/06/2022 09:27

Pretty much anyone who is a 70s child remembers doing this with their dad, nit on the road though, that seems a bit daft. What do you mean by off the road and on the road?

ComDummings · 02/06/2022 09:29

Unrestrained child directly in front of an airbag, yes what a great idea

tiredanddangerous · 02/06/2022 09:30

I'm struggling to work out how a 3 year old could drive a car tbh. How is he working the pedals?

KatherineofGaunt · 02/06/2022 09:33

My family used to do this while camping - letting the younger members sit on laps and helping to steer the car into the field from the farm yard. But never on a public road.

I wouldn't be happy with this either, OP. Too many things could go wrong and your DH could get in trouble with the police. He needs to stick to letting him steer somewhere that's not a public road or has the risk of being in an accident.

KatherineofGaunt · 02/06/2022 09:33

My family used to do this while camping - letting the younger members sit on laps and helping to steer the car into the field from the farm yard. But never on a public road.

I wouldn't be happy with this either, OP. Too many things could go wrong and your DH could get in trouble with the police. He needs to stick to letting him steer somewhere that's not a public road or has the risk of being in an accident.

SundayTeatime · 02/06/2022 09:33

tiredanddangerous · 02/06/2022 09:30

I'm struggling to work out how a 3 year old could drive a car tbh. How is he working the pedals?

He won’t be working the pedals, he’ll be sitting on dad’s knee while “steering” the car. Still unacceptable though.

Doggyfish · 02/06/2022 09:33

Tell him to buy him one of those electric cars for kids.

Original poster
Imthekingsmummy · 02/06/2022 09:33

Of course he can't reach the pedals, he's sat on dhs knee as per my post.

OP posts:
Somuddled · 02/06/2022 09:37

Fond memories of doing this with my dad. Wouldn't let a child so this now, certainly not on a road.

GirlInACountrySong · 02/06/2022 09:38

He's negligent

But there's only one way he will learn and change his mind and that is likely to involve the emergency services

Hellocatshome · 02/06/2022 09:38

He's not really driving the car though is he. Still a silly dangerous thing to do. Thats the kind of thing we used to do in my uncles field which was private property and no chance of coming across another car.

Somuddled · 02/06/2022 09:39

Aside from the safety aspect, it seems really impractical for your husband. So he has the child on his knee, they drive into the road, then what? He stops, gets out, returns child to the house, or straps him in to the car seat? So the car is just in the way of the road while this goes on?

LightDrizzle · 02/06/2022 09:40

Ask your DH how he would feel about your DS being hit crossing a driveway by a car being steered by a three year sat on their dad’s knee?

If he’s gone into a fence before he can’t scoff at this. With all the children whizzing around on scooters and heelies, exiting driveways is one of the things I find most nerve-racking and I’ve 30 years experience.

If he won’t promise not to do it again, I’d ring the non-emergency local police and ask them to speak to him. It’s beyond stupid.

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 02/06/2022 09:41

It maybe fun for both of them until something happens. Not wise.

GirlInACountrySong · 02/06/2022 09:45

With a kid on his lap he's not in full control of the vehicle is he?

Isn't a mobile phone in his hand in a park with a handsy kid?

Also.....does your DH put his OWN seatbelt on first?

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