Infant in a convertable with the roof down

[SuperWomanX4]

My partner has just brought a converatble car, not at all pratical, expensive to run, ridiculous to insure as he hasn't even been driving a year! and the car itself is very expensive (cost the equivalent to a year of private education but that itself is another issue altogether).

I am not a big fan of this car for many reasons some of which I've gven away above but my main issue is that I requested he not have the roof down when our son is in the car as I did not feel it responsible and his safety would not be as high if the roof was up. My partner told me he will put our son in the car with the roof down if he wants as he can make judgments to our sons safety himself. This coming from someone who not only allowed his disqualified (drink driving) friend to drive him and our son around in a car that was uninsured but also when he got this new car with red leather interior, asked me for a sheet to put on the leather so that the car seat didn't damage it (providing no grip for the car seat whatsoever - and when i pointed out this small safety issue, he told me on this occassion too that he can make good judgment on our sons car safety).
I have searched the internet and cannot find any laws but have come across three good reasons

1. Most parents don't think to put sun cream on child before popping to the supermarket leaving child at risk

2.Child should also wear a hat if roof is down and due to wind these may fly off.

1. Infants and young childrens ears are likely be irritated due to the wind.

I have pointed these points out politely to my partner who is having none of it - can anybody provide any other facts or good points to help my case???!!!

he isn't going to listen to anything you say. he sounds like a right tit

Sorry but if this is a relatively new car I'd say under 5 years old, due to the roll bars built in (normally the headrests and bit above the windscreen are the roll bars) they are as safe as a normal car.

YABU to say an infant can't go in a convertible.

I can't think why a child shouldn't be in a convertible car. Nor do I think a cloth under a car seat would affect the functioning of a the car seat either, they dont work by gripping the leather
I think you're overreacting.

The infrastructure of a convertible needs to be better than a "tiptop" because of the potential of a crash with the roof down.

Have you checked the car's NCAP scores? My car had 5* when it was first released, not so now because it's several years old and other models have superseded it.

Remember all sorts of tests will have been done on the car before it's release with all sorts of different passenger types.

how did he manage to buy that when he's not working and you'r on a pretty low salary???

I wouldn't have thought that a convertible was quite as safe, but not by much. If the only issues you can find are similar to going out for a long walk unprepared your case isn't looking too strong. Your DP sounds like a bit of a git when it comes to car safety though.

lol

Tintop, not "tiptop".

Cloth under the car seat - not good (makes is slippy). Children in a convertible - good. I have a convertible, my kids love it, as do all of their friends and my niece and nephew, they are very safe, their hats do not fly off, and they all wear sun cream if it's a sunny day, happiness all round :)

oh and welcome to MN OP

You sound bossy, shrewish and a killjoy.

Your partner has parental responsibility too.

Loosen up a bit. What's the worst thing that can happen? The single most important thing is that your son is in the right kind of car seat and that it is correctly fitted. The rest is luck and fluff.

1. Most parents don't think to put sun cream on child before popping to the supermarket leaving child at risk - so I take it you don't allow your husband to take him out in a buggy either? Also, a limited amount of sun exposure is good for vit D levels - how far away is the supermarket?

2.Child should also wear a hat if roof is down and due to wind these may fly off - a hat with a chin strap might resolve this?

1. Infants and young childrens ears are likely be irritated due to the wind - would have thought their ears would be below the window level? Don't know much about convertibles but can he keep the windows up in the back?

I think he lost all credibility in his stance on child safety with the disqualified driver story.

So, YANBU. He sounds like an arrogant twit to me.

TattyDevine - I don't think she's bossy - she pays for childcare out of her part-time wage so her partner can use his non-working time to socialise - sounds quite cool to me

I cant think of any actual evidence, but my maternal instinct is screaming no!
If I'm honest though, an antagonistic approach rarely works, I remember when DH took DS to his first football match aged 4, on boxing day, wearing only a football kit. erm, yes, can we say hypothermia? After having the screaming argument saying he wasnt taking him, we finally compromised with him taking a coat and hat with him just in case. DS was apparently wearing the coat and hat before they even got into the ground as he was complaining of being cold. It was so very hard to resist saying I told you so.

Sorry I know it is not to do with this thread, but please for my own sanity tell me you are not funding the purchase of this car (and all the other costs that come with cars) for him. Given that you don't like the car, you pay childcare so he has loads of free time, I do hope you are not funding a car you dislike for him.

We bought a convertible car (Audi A4, so yes - not cheap I guess) when I was pregnant and got it just before DD was born and had it a couple of years when she was a baby.

1. - I always put sun cream on Dd if she was being exposed to the sun, regardless of whether it was in the car, the buggy, outside in general.

1. Buy a hat that fastens on. Simple. Also not tha children in the back are much lower down thatn in normal non convertible cars so are more shaded than you;d think too.

1. Use a hat - see (2)

The tea towel under a car seat on leather is a tried and tested thing oads of people do, regardless off if convertible or not. It doesn''t alter the affectiveness of the car seat, nor it's safety rating.

We always had our roof down if it was nice. DD was perfectly safe and she adored having the roof down - would giggle like mad about it.

Modern convertaible cars are safe.

the driving when disqualified and uninsured are totally unreleated to the convertible car thing and are completely wrong. I would be questioning anyone who allowed this to happen.

I still miss our convertible!

Tiny infants are fine, as long as you do use sunscreen and/or hats (with strap). The child sits too low when in a rear facing seat to be bothered by wind.

The problem comes with slightly bigger infants in forward facing seats - wind might be an issue depending on how high they sit - you only find out by doing. Also, if you have a child who throws things, they are a hazard to other road users (flying blankie!) and precious toys can be gone for good.

I think there is no problem that cannot be overcome if you are responsible though. But it sounds as if you think he is not. Is this really just about the car?

My parents had a convertible when I was younger. We hated it. The ones in the baack get the wind horribly in their faces so much more than sitting in the front.
We used to beg my paarents not to put the roof down and spent entire journeys with our heads ducked between our legs to be more comfortable.

Stuck in a car seaat I shoudl imagine your DS will scream most of the time with the top down!!

but what if i peedo leaps off a bridge onto the car, who will protect your child in that case?

mamatoto
Where does the op say about salaries and childcare or is that on another thread?

How old is your son, OP?

We have a convertible and DS and Dd both go in it, and it is a vintage car so not as safe as a normal car. But they are slightly older, DH is a very careful driver.

I wouldn't be lettting anyone take my Dc out if he had gone in a car with a drunk, uninsured driver.

MMe - sorry - just came off another thread where she mentioned salary and childcare and then this was at the top of my active so the other details were still fresh in my mind.

I would like to see real data on this.
My instinct would be that they are not safe.
I don't think your reasons are that valid really, but I get where you are coming from, and your DP does sound like a bit of a knob with his attitude.

Sorry, YABU about the baby not gong in the car with the roof down.

Why would there be a law against an infant being in a convertible?!?!? They have to pass the same safety standards as any other car.

1. Put some sunscreen on the baby
2. Buy a hat with a strap
3. Buy a hat with a strap with bits that cover the baby's ears.

The cloth under the car seat thing is bollocks too.

YANBU however about your partner allowing his friend to drive though. Let's face it, this is the real issue, not the convertible car.

You can get mats specifically designed to go under carseats and protect the seats. They come in two halves and strap down so I wouldn't have thought they ( or a towel ) would effect the safety of the fit , particularly if newish car and carseat installed via isofix = locked to bar of seat nothing to do with the actual seat itself. Not convinced no roof quite as safe in event of a badcrash though eg if car rolls.

I wouldn't put a small child in a convertible. I used to drive one and we got rid when we had DS. I know they are safe to an acceptable level, but not safe enough to me for an infant in a car seat.

I wouldn't actually allow your husband to go anywhere in a vehicle with a motor with your child due to his complete lack of judgement as evidenced by the uninsured friend story.