would you have done something? : Hot Topics

Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:19 pm

We went out for dinner tonight. As DH is strapping DS into his carseat a family pulls up and parks directly infront of us, so our windshields are facing eachother. I first noticed they had a baby in the front seat (looked to be under a year), no carseat or anything. Then I notice at least 3 other kids in the backseat. I couldn't really see in the backseat b/c it was dark, but there was no outline of any carseats or anything. It aggrivated me so much, I felt like this poor little baby was at risk b/c he was not in a car seat, sitting in the front between mom and dad and it didn't look like they were even in seatbelts.
I really wanted to call the police, the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I really don't know the situation. It looked like they just pulled into the parking lot, but they could have been in the parking lot for a while, driving around from one store to another. Maybe the baby was in the back in a carseat, that I couldn't see b/c of the lighting, and as they were pulling toward the spot one of the siblings got the kid out and passed baby to mom. So it just looked like they were riding upfront the entire time.
Would you have let it go? Called the police?
Have you ever called the police on something like this?
My problem with letting it go is the fear that I'll see in the news tommorrow that a baby in my town was killed in an MVA and the baby was in the front seat.
Jeannine

Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:48 pm

I would have called the police. Unless they are parked there, kids belong in age-appropriate car seats.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:05 pm

At a minimum I would have waited until they went into the restuarant and I would have looked to see if there were car seats for the children who were riding in the back seat. If not, I defintely would have called the police. I am surprised that we have heard so many people talk about seeing parents with children who are not in car seats. Is it really that common? That is so sad.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:25 pm

This really pisses me off! I will admit, I've taken DS out of his carseat right as we are pulling into a parking spot (not the parking lot, I've still seen some ugly parking lot accidents) and held him in my lap until we stopped because he was screaming at the top of his lungs. When I pick up DD from Thursday school, which only accepts 3 and 4 year olds, I always see the parents opening the back door letting their kids into a car with no safety seat, not even a booster. My DD is four and she is still in a five point harness! In your situation, I prob would have done like PP said, looked in the back seat, then called the police. I hear/read of children who are killed all the time because they were not properly restrained. It really makes me sad that parents think if they are in a wreck, holding onto their child will keep them safe. I read in my SUV's owners manual that a child weighing 12 lbs feels like 200 lbs when you are in a wreck.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:12 am

usplilsis wrote:We went out for dinner tonight. As DH is strapping DS into his carseat a family pulls up and parks directly infront of us, so our windshields are facing eachother. I first noticed they had a baby in the front seat (looked to be under a year), no carseat or anything. Then I notice at least 3 other kids in the backseat. I couldn't really see in the backseat b/c it was dark, but there was no outline of any carseats or anything. It aggrivated me so much, I felt like this poor little baby was at risk b/c he was not in a car seat, sitting in the front between mom and dad and it didn't look like they were even in seatbelts.
I really wanted to call the police, the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I really don't know the situation. It looked like they just pulled into the parking lot, but they could have been in the parking lot for a while, driving around from one store to another. Maybe the baby was in the back in a carseat, that I couldn't see b/c of the lighting, and as they were pulling toward the spot one of the siblings got the kid out and passed baby to mom. So it just looked like they were riding upfront the entire time.
Would you have let it go? Called the police?
Have you ever called the police on something like this?
My problem with letting it go is the fear that I'll see in the news tommorrow that a baby in my town was killed in an MVA and the baby was in the front seat.
Jeannine

I thought at first you were describing my town

lol thenm I relized the only place to eat out with a pparking lot is DQ and Subway lol. I would have callerd the police and I have done so to!

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:20 am

I would have waited until they all got out of the car and into the store to see if they had carseats in the back. If they did, I would have done nothing, just in case by chance a sibling did pass the baby to the front. If there was not a carseat, I would have called the police.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:23 am

While I don't know what I'd do in your situation I just wanted to say this.

I'd be willing to bet that majority (not YOU) of people use their car seat improperly. I've read the manual dozens of times. In order to make it completely safe, there a very strict guidelines you have to follow.
Also, for parents with pre-school aged children, many parents let them strap themselves in, how accurate do you they can get it?

I'm just pointing out that even kids IN cars, are sometimes not safe.

Jenny

Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:40 am

I ran into this same thing at the grocery a few months ago. I went to get the car cart from an older woman taking her grandson out of it. She put him in the front seat, no car seat. He was the same age (approximately) as Frank. My mouth dropped open. She saw my face and said "I hate messing with them big bulky car seats. I just buckle him in here."

What I would say here that I would do and what I did are different. I was so shocked that I just walked off and did nothing.

I felt horrible that I did nothing.

So I could tell you I'd call the cops, but in the same situation I did nothing. But I felt terrible about it and think that doing nothing was the wrong choice.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:52 pm

We as a society have got to get it out of our heads "well we never had car seats... heck we didn't even have seat belts when I was a kid" If I have to hear that one more time how our kids turned out ok im going to scream. And I do believe that this is the main problem. My m and fil want to take my son here and there but you have to obey my rules.. I dont care than you didnt use seat belts..!! I DO!! jeeze... how many kids DID die back then because they weren't restrained, just cuz you got lucky don't mean I WILL!@!!

sorry I might have confronted them.. but who knows im not in that situation

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:08 pm

Take down the plate # and call the police.

Kids cannot be their own advocates. This is an issue that could cost them their safety, their lives.

There is no excuse for this. And by doing nothing then we play a minor part in this being allowed to continue.

Mary

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:29 pm

clarify a little, the man in the car got out, but the kids and woman stayed in the car, never getting out. Maybe he was picking up Applebee's to go for the family? But, me being judgemental here, looked like he was involved in something shady. Another reason to have called I guess. In all honesty, if it was just me and the baby I wouldn't have hesitated to call. But DH is very "don't get involved", I even told him we should call the police, but I listened to him and didn't want to argue about it all night. He would have brought up all my reasons for second guessing myself, dont know the situation etc. Darn, I'm so pissed at myself for not calling the police. The irony is, I watch that show what would you do on ABC and always say I'd do something. Obviously I'm not as brave as I thought. [/family]
[family=Times New Roman" size="3]Thanks for the advice ladies, hopefully there will never be a next time, but if there is I will stand up and make a difference for those babies. [/family]

Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:46 pm

I would have probably given them the benefit of the doubt in the parking lot, but if i see kids climbing all over the call on the roads, I WILL call the police.

I kid you not, I once saw a woman put her toddler in the back hatch of her suv. She did not hook her in, she didnt even put her in a SEAT she put her in the back behind the seats with the groceries! She then shut her door and drove off! I was SHOCKED! She was asian, and I only say that because I don't know if its a cultural thing for her to not use one, but I did call the police, I honestly couldn't believe my eyes!

Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:20 pm

I don't know where you live but here even if you call the police they give you an 800 number where you can leave a message with a license plate # and all they do is send them a letter in the mail. It's a joke. I have called a few times and once was because I saw a child that was in my preschool was sitting in the front seat with NO seat belt on as they were driving. I felt like I had a responsibility to call since I can be held liable. I actually called twice on the same family and I don't know if anything ever happened. It's sad that the police will not take a more pro-active stance on this issue.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:43 pm

FarrahTTC#2 wrote:At a minimum I would have waited until they went into the restuarant and I would have looked to see if there were car seats for the children who were riding in the back seat. If not, I defintely would have called the police. I am surprised that we have heard so many people talk about seeing parents with children who are not in car seats. Is it really that common? That is so sad. :-(

I agree with this! I would have done this before calling the police, just to be sure. I haven't seen this in my town, thank the Lord, but it doesn't mean there aren't ppl that do it.

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would you have done something?