WWYD - approx 3 year old sat on knee of front passenger in car - neither strapped in

[RachelHRD]

Watched in disbelief as the older woman driver pulled out of the parking space and was shaking my head at her through my open window (we were parked). She wound the window down so I commented it that it really isn't safe to have a child in the front on a knee unrestrained. She and the younger woman mumbled something about not going far - so I pointed out that any journey was dangerous and illegal. They then drove off and definitely exited the car park on the main road.

I was in disbelief as was DH but now wish in retrospect that I had taken the car reg and reported them. I am pretty sure from their accents that they were gypsies/travellers and there are traveller sites locally - so I was hesitant to say anything else. I couldn't see properly but I'm not convinced anyone in the car was restrained and there were at least another 2 kids in the back.

What would you have done? I kind of hoped what I said to them might have hit home but I'm guessing probably not. Would you have reported them?

Makes me so mad that people take such unnecessary risks with their children's lives. It was a newish car so seatbelts a plenty.

There's nothing you can do except hope the police spot them some time.

At the end of the day, they'll know it's unsafe and illegal but they've chosen to flout the law so I doubt they're suddenly going to change their ways because of a comment by a random stranger.

As for reporting, unless the Police happen to come across them on the road I doubt they'll actually look for them IYSWIM.

Or at least they won't in my area as my neighbour reported her ex husband for drink driving and the Police told her they're too busy to 'scour' the streets looking for him...despite the fact her kids were in the car with him.

I'd have probably done exactly the same a you, right down to not taking their plates and regretting it.

It was going quite well, right up until the racist stereotyping ....

I live overseas and see this all the time drives me nuts

Oh please - what racist stereotyping??? I ran a business locally for several years which was close to a travellers site so I do generally recognise travellers when I hear them just as you would recognise a French person if you heard them speak and I said 'I think they were' not that I was 100% certain. I totally object to being called racist.

I knew, predictably, that someone would comment on that and not on the actual point in hand - or don't you have any opinions on that CaptainErgo or are you too busy looking for the irrelevant parts of people's posts to be concerned with child safety????

I see it so often round by me that it no longer shocks me.
Worst one I saw was a well built woman cradling a baby in her arms behind the drivers seat when the car was doing 60 on a dual carriageway.
It saddens me people are willing to take such risks.

That was NOT racist stereotyping. It was a perfectly acceptable description of the car's occupants.

The worst I can remember was on one of those traffic cop programmes. In the uk. A man was pulled over as he seems to have an unrestrained child or two in the front with his wife. They got them out of the car and opened e back and the peopl just kept on coming, like some kind of comedy car. I think they had about 13 people, mostly children in a standard saloon car. I was shocked, as we're the police. Think the guy was let off tho, and told to take e people home in groups (think he was only going a short distance and thought cramming them in wouldn't be an issue). I'd have done similar, but not much you 'can' do.

I saw someone on Saturday driving off with a 2 year old bouncing around in the back unrestrained in an enormous hummer type car. I know someone who was a prospective MP who used to go on the motorway with her 3 year old on her knee in the front because he cried when he was in his seat.
Takes all sorts to make idiots.

One of the worst Traffic Cops shows I saw had about 4 children sleeping in a caravan being towed down the motorway by their parents.

Can you just imagine if the caravan came away from the car?

It never fails to shock me how people will risk their child's life in their own hands.
I once saw a child minder do this and needless to say I reported her. I was disgusted to say the least.

I have no respect for people who do not use safety restraints in cars where possi le

I once saw a man came iur if his house with a baby seat and baby in his hand. He then proceeded to place child and seat on the passenger seat and drive away without doing the seat belts.

I imagine that if his wife had jnown, she would be furious...

Maybe his wife is just as stupid and does the same thing Athendof

Having said that, my ex's new partner, when she was collecting DS for contact, would accelerate away in ahurry without waiting even for DS to sit and put his seatbelt on, even when I was trying gesticulating next to the car begging her to wait for DS then 4 to be ready. So worrying and humilliating.

I hate the fact that the ex choose to cut contact with his child for this woman, but just remembering this... Brings it back home that I should be grateful for it. Bloody nightmare they both were...

I just don't understand why people do it? No-one can plead ignorance of the safety risk or surely the law regarding seatbelts. It's not like it was in the 60's/70's where not all cars had seatbelts - so why take the risk?? Is it really down to laziness?

As a mother I cannot understand how another mother could be so irresponsible.

How awful Athendof

My ex neighbours used to regularly drive around with 6 month or so old on mum's lap in the front passenger seat. I rang to report and the police asked where they were going - funnily enough I didn't know this, so they said there was nothing they could do! So even if you had reported OP nothing may have been done.

While I don't think you could have done anything else, I am confused as to the relevance of the fact you thought they were travellers - why does that make a difference?

"actual point in hand " excatly, the fact they were/might have been travellers has absolutly nothign to do with the "actual point in hand " - so why mention it.

Imagine the outcry if instead it travellers it had been 'black people'

it not on.

My sister used to lay on the parcel shelf at the back of the car, but that was the early 70's.
Along with others I find your reference to the fact they may be from an ethnic minority irrelevent and rascist. So what if you added - 'They were a Muslim family, I could tell as the women had veil covered faces' Just as derogatory.

Oh FGS the reason I added that I thought they were travellers was linked to my point that I was hesitant to say anything further because of MY personal experience with local travellers that I would be hesitant to get into an argument with them - just as I would with a strapping 6ft guy with tattoos - that also does not make me anti big guys with tattoos either.

I have had both good and bad experiences with local travellers from when I ran my business - as with most people from all backgrounds 99.9% of them are lovely so I am not being racist, derogatory or whatever inflammatory term some of you wish to use. I suppose if I had reported them that would be a racist action too????

It really bugs me when people come onto a thread to purely pick holes in the OP - not to comment on the actual point of the thread or make any useful contributions.

My apologies if anyone felt that my post was being derogatory - that was not my intention at all hence the disclaimer that some people seem to be overlooking.