Re. children not in car seats?

[bibbitybobbityhat]

When I was walking home from school today I saw a grandma driving off with three small children in the back of her car without seatbelts on. The youngest was in a Stage 2 car seat without the straps done up.

AIBU to put this note on the windscreen next time I see the car

"Yesterday I saw this car being driven away with the three children in the back not wearing seats belts. I have taken a note of your number plate and if I ever witness this happening again I will have no hesitation in ringing the police."

Btw, this is a very young Grandma, iyswim. I doubt she's much older than me. Could possibly be younger !

i think i read somewhere that long long ago before car seats people were told that the safest place for a baby was on the floor behind the seat

my grandad keeps telling me that the seat unit of my pram (not a car seat) is the same thing as a car seat and thinks i'm babying my 8 year old by sitting him on a booster... dps mums the one that told him it was illegal to have a baby over 12 month rear facing....

Princess Diana died because she wasn't wearing a seatbelt

I thing YANBU. Better at least to try and change her behaviour and perhaps avoid 3 fatalities at some stage down the line.

Sorry, was just rewording an earlier post re; note v's dead kids - I didn't like the former wording. If thats not your point or indeed something you want to think about then what is the purpose of a note? If it is really something that you believe should be actioned, then speak to the school about a PCO patroling at school run time. Added bonus of monitoring parking, road safety etc and would also guarantee that people putting DCs in cars behaved according to the law???

PCSO

YANBU there is no excuse good enough not children properly secured.

I can't see I note changing her behavour if she's careless enough to leave children unstrapped - it's not as if she could possibly be unaware that they should be strapped in. So I would just call the police (not 999 though) say you didn't know what to do but were worried.

I can't see that it's wasting police time - what could be more important!

Can you not find out who the parents are and let them know?

If they have gone to the bother of providing a car seat, it's pretty obvious that they would like it used.

Do the DCs go to your DCs' school? You could grass them up to the office and they might contact the parents for you. Some school offices love all this sort of thing

I would place the note but take out the bit about phoning the police.

"Yesterday I saw this car being driven away with the three children in the back not wearing seats belts. Please please please make sure they are strapped in properly in the future as I would hate it if something happened to your beautiful grandchildren."

After all, you can note the number and phone the police without telling her you are going to.

How could I grass them up to the office? (I like the idea). I only have the car number plate to go on. Its a school with 700 pupils.

Actually Tee, that note is much better. Thanks.

You're welcome.

A primary school with 700 pupils!

Blimey.

Don't your DCs know the children's names?

Yep,

Years 1-5, three form entry with 30 pupils per class. Plus one bulge class this year in Reception. Plus 120 nursery children.

.

No, my dc wouldn't know their names. They are in Years 1 and 4, I think the one school-age child in the car was in Reception.

Anyway, I am going to keep an eye out and put Tee's note on the car if I see it happening again.

Where we live there is endless clambering of children all over the car with no restraint whatever.

I think it's cultural. If the police made a point of challenging people then it would decrease but I've never heard or seen of anyone being challenged. Has anyone else heard of it?

You catch more flies with honey, as my granny used to say. A nice note would have the desired result

YANBU

Car seats are vital for our children's safety and someone should always do something if a child is not being safely driven. It isn't up to the child to decide if they are strapped in. Those who don't strap their kids in, I bet they strap themselves in.
It is the it won' happen to me, it is a stupid law brigade who are risking their children's lifes.
My son is possibly tall enough not to need a seat but imo he is safer in one.

MadamDeathstare
Thu 20-May-10 17:20:49

"The worst I saw was a whole family sitting in deck-chairs in the back of a pick-up truck driving along the road at regular speed. That was completely ridiculous."

Please tell me where you saw this fabulous sight!