to wonder if 'baby on board' signs make any diffference?

[misslinnet]

DH is very keen on us displaying a 'baby on board' sign in our rear window whenever we go out in the car with DS. He believes that drivers behind us will be much more considerate and not tailgate if they see this sign.

I think that most tailgaters don't understand why they're meant to be leaving a sensible stopping distance between them and the car in front, don't understand how their behaviour is potentially dangerous, and therefore I think that if a driver normally goes around tailgating the car in front, he's going to continue doing so whether or not there's a baby on board sign.

AIBU to think that these signs make no difference at all to other driver's behaviour?

Being serious and v sensible, I do wonder whether the stickers actually increase risk to you because impatient, bad drivers will try to overtake you on he assumption you'll be slow or distracted and, as their habit, will often do so unsafely.

I honestly think this would be a really good subject for a large-scale study.

These stickers do have a use - they let me know that the person driving the car with the sticker is an utter twat.

Personally, I would want the driver behind me to be concentrating on driving, not reading stickers on the back of my car...

I'd love a scrolling LED thingamabob, that I can change messages on it. I'd put it just under the central brake light that's at the top of the back of my car.

To things like "back off cunt lips"

and such other lovely phrases

*To say

eurochick yawn.....

All the worst of mumsnet, right here on this thread. Where else can you find such an impossible mix of cynicism and naivety - rudeness and judgement about every driver using a sticker, but failure to be aware there are idiots on the road who actually need to be reminded about safe driving. Do you feel the same rage and superiority about the overhead signs saying, "Don't drink and drive :, " Don't hog the middle lane," or, "Tiredness kills,"? Or warnings printed on cigarette packets?

Depends on the size of your buggy Mary.

(fast)

No Gentleness, because those signs are based on studies/research etc.

Have you read the snopes link? Or any of the posters who know,from the ES themselves, that these stickers a) do diddley b)possibly cause more harm than good as fire fighters waste time looking for princesses who are at grannies that night?

Again, roffles at someone who thinks a sticker is going to make a difference calling others naive.

I love the sign on a car round here that reads "My other car is a broomstick." I'm going to get one when DS gets married.

While expecting DS I did consider getting a personalised sign with something along the lines of "Hormonal pregnant woman on board" due to the sudden and almost overwhelming urges I got to slam on the brakes when some idiot was tailgating me. I resisted.

I did also briefly consider a "Sleep deprived new parents on board" sign when DS was a few weeks old. I was possibly too tired to drive safely though.

No Gentleness, because those signs convey 'do not put yourself or anybody else at risk' not 'me, my family is special, just avoid hurting us, while continuing to be a terrible driver generally'.

If you have a baby on board sign can you park in the parent and toddler parking spaces, even if you don't actually have your baby with you

Very good

I'm going to get a baby on board sign and I have no children just so I can use P&C spaces. And if there's none free I'll use disabled spaces.

Personal experiences:

1. one 3hr motorway journey when the sticker had fallen off and I hadn't noticed, I was aware that the oh-so-clever drivers who think tailgating is reasonable behaviour weren't backing off - so I tried a couple of comparison journeys and observed that WITH the sticker, a tailgater would get close but then at least half backed off until I finished overtaking. Without, less than a quarter did. No - it isn't empirical, but it's enough for me, especially combined with

2. not just one but 2 overheard conversations in pubs/cafes, over a year apart. Groups of teenage-looking lads, all saying in all seriousness that yes you have to be more careful if someone has a "Baby on board" sticker on. If I can somehow influence a member of the highest risk driving group, likely to be amongst the most inexperienced road-users to behave more cautiously, why on earth not? A superior mumsnetter who naturally understands exactly how to drive safely is really not the target audience...

So no - not a formal investigation or research, but enough for me to keep the sticker on, instead of trying to convince patronising, superior mumsnetters that I am a worthwhile human being. Such a paradox for you -all human life is equally valuable, but I do not respect you as a human being.

Differences of opinion are fine, but this thread has gone way beyond...

YY Gentleness

I remember some comedian (possibly Ben Elton) suggesting that the sole reason for these stickers is for the driver to boast to the world that he has had sex at least once.

Gentle-if you think this thread has gone beyond you should google the other 4,785 times this topic has been done.

You could have a lovely afternoon with your anecdotal evidence...

What kind of werdy cafes do you frequent that are full of teenage boys discussing baby on board stickers?

wierdy.

I use one, in the hope that some arsehole won't park too close, and prevent me from putting the carsest back in!

I have one on the back window of my estate. It is in the style of an Australian number plate and it has a cute little koala on a wobbly stick peeking over the top.

Its a souviner from family holiday in Australia and it makes me smile when I go round to open the boot.

That probably makes me a twat of the highest order - "look at me!!! I can reproduce!!! And, and, ive been to Australia!!!"

do I care? No, because I am a twatty twat

weirdy