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AIBU?

Parents not having car seats for their children

363 replies

bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 15:50

The other day I came out of the supermarket and saw a couple getting into their car with the lady in the back seat strapped in with a CHILD on her lap (less than a 2 year old) and a slightly older child (maybe 4 or 5 ) strapped in but with no child seat or even a booster. I went across to them and told them in what was probably an overly abrupt manner that they should under no circumstances do what they were doing and that i was taking his number down and reporting him. He told me to F off and that he was 'only going up the road anyway'. Oh right thats ok then, accidents never happen on the short trip back from the supermarket... ahem..a little wound up by his lack of care for the people in his care i then told him that if he got back into his car and tried to drive away i would physically stand in front of it and sue him for assault if he drove into me... I know, i know..
upshot is, he got the family back out and went home and got the car seats that they did actually own but didn't see fit to put into the car..FFS
AIBU or should i have minded my own business?

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Annunziata · 27/09/2013 15:55

You should have minded your own business and you're lucky you didn't have your lights punched out.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 15:56

Ok case closed then. :o)

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UriGeller · 27/09/2013 15:59

I wouldn't have dared to speak to them but I would have (and have done) phoned the police and given them their reg number.

Pisses me off people being so cavalier with the safety of children.

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Sirzy · 27/09/2013 15:59

I agree with uri

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YoureBeingADick · 27/09/2013 16:01

I think you are lucky he didn't run over you! Shock

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Tee2072 · 27/09/2013 16:02

You should not have risked your life. You should have just rung the police.

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absentmindeddooooodles · 27/09/2013 16:03

You had no right to do what you did. Yes they were silly to be doing tjat, and nobody wants to see a child put in danger. But honestly leave it be and just report them next time.
Rhis time you found out that there was no reason for the lack of car seat. But you never know the circumstances. Ive had to take my ds on a 20 min derive without one before as ours broke and we needed to gwt to the hospital. You never know the full story.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:05

absentmindeddooooodles I don't think i would have approached someone in a hospital car park/emergancy situation to be fair to myself but a supermarket run is not really the same thing.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:06

and to describe their actions as 'silly' is a little glib, no?

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:07

Tee2072 - but in all honesty, what really would the police do retrospectively?
surely better to stop it happening at all if you can? I dont think my life was ever in danger to be fair..

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lljkk · 27/09/2013 16:10

But my parents got away with it & so did their parents & remarkably few people died, all things considered. The risks do get vastly overrated.

Plus, pissing the driver off so that he was more likely to have an accident on way home was not a good way to protect the kids.
I would have adjusted my judgypants but kept opinions to self.

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CoffeeTea103 · 27/09/2013 16:11

Ok so you feel that you have taught them a lesson? Do you think they would never do this again ? You are very lucky this person did not harm you as you instigated something. Yes call the police and report but threatening what you did, next time you might be in for a nasty situation.

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ouryve · 27/09/2013 16:13

lljkk - of course we got away with it. There were hardly any cars on the road when I was carseat age.

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ouryve · 27/09/2013 16:14

And FWIW, it pisses me off to see people being so cavalier about carseats for children, but i would never dream of walking up to someone and telling them that, mostly because I have no idea what their reaction would be.

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rachyconks · 27/09/2013 16:18

You think that's bad - I saw a person driving along a national speed limit road and the passenger had a baby on his lap. Baby was no older than 6/7 months. I actually couldn't believe what I was seeing. Unfortunately didn't get their plate though. Would not have hesitated to report them.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:18

lljkk - sorry, no. that argument just does not wash in ANY issue.
I can assure you that the statistics for child fatalities in a car crash show very clearly that the benifits of having the correct restraints in a car are massive and save a LOT of lives.
Just saying "we did it on our day and it did US no harm" is real head in the sand thinking.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:22

CoffeeTea103 - yes i DO think i taught them a lesson, if only that there are people out there who will stand up for those who cant stand up for themselves...I am lucky enough not to have to feel intimidated by bully behavior (though i can see the irony of that statement in this circumstance) and i will stand up to it if i see it.

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lljkk · 27/09/2013 16:23

*I grew up in a country where there were and are massive numbers of cars on the roads. Most the time. And everyone drives for every errand, even a gallon of milk. Where my kids live now admittedly, has hugely quieter roads & they have hugely less traffic to encounter than I, my parents or grandparents ever experienced. So basically, my life experience is 100% exact opposite of what ouryve said.

If I saw a parent strapping child onto roof of car I might well consider that an emergency worth interfering in.

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HenriettaPye · 27/09/2013 16:25

Yabu and should have minded your own business.

Would you have done the same if they were getting into a taxi?

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:25

lljkk - the car this guy had was not a volvo or a saab though Wink

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:27

HenriettaPye - YEP of course, why not? what is the difference? id also take that taxi number and report his arse to the local authority too

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absentmindeddooooodles · 27/09/2013 16:27

I was just giving an example of a personal situation. I dont agree with not having car seats in the car....id lile to keep my child and any others as safe as possible obviously.
We did have to stop off at a shop that particular time enroute to the hospital.....and how would you have known where I was on my way to? If you had stood infront of my car and done that I would have reported you kyself for being bloody unstable and a public nusance.
I get what you are saying I really do, and I am with you to an extent. But honestly, nezt time just get the plate and report them. They wont have learnt anything from you doing that. They might take more ndotice if they get a call or a visit feom the police. ( which has been done aeound here, I dont know about anywhere else)

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absentmindeddooooodles · 27/09/2013 16:29

Im not sure that you have to have child seats in taxis. Ive never wver seen one with a baby seat of any description.....dont you think the police would have cracked down on it if it was illegal?

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morethanpotatoprints · 27/09/2013 16:29

Nobody should put their child in danger and the law requires a car seat.
However Bicyclefish How would your family be feeling if you had been stabbed or ran over and killed. It does happen to people who interfere in other peoples business.
You put the happiness of your family at risk, bit stupid if you ask me.

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bicyclefish · 27/09/2013 16:30

HenriettaPye - if they had hit someone with any force at all, the child on the persons lap would have been squashed into the front seat by the weight of the full grown adult behind them and the other child may well have suffered life threatening injuries too. And you're fine with that possibility because....?

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