Dilemma

mommy2jasmine

New member
I was going to reply to the other thread with the same subject, but after writing it all out, I felt bad, and that I was stealing the thread :eek:

My daughter's Radian is installed in the middle, in our Ford Focus. I love it there, it fits great, but (and this is a huge but) my dh can't seem to remember to tell his extremely TALL friends not to cram their seat back into it. EVERY day of the work week he has someone in his car, and even the short ones think they need to ride gangster style to lunch. I don't get it, and I am getting REALLY tired of telling my husband he needs to stop his friends from doing that. It's tethered down, and when they push the seat back it forces it up, and puts more tension on the tether. And, it pushes it to the side, and since it's lap/shoulder installed, after so many times I have to completely re-install it, because it starts tilting to one side. I'm not so much worried about it happening every once in awhile, but this is daily, M-F. I don't like the idea of putting that stress on it on a daily basis, especially since I know it stays like that some days, because he will give someone a ride Monday, then I don't go anywhere in the car until Saturday.

So...what's the statistic for putting car seats on the side? I know the middle is the safest, and that by her being rear facing she is extremely well prepared for a side impact collision. I told my husband the next time I get in the car and I have to adjust everything, her seat is going behind the drivers seat, and he is NOT going to like having his seat upright, so maybe after driving with the seat like that for awhile he will remember to tell his friends they can either deal with it, or walk to lunch.

Thanks :)
 
ADS

Pixels

New member
Depending which study you look at, it's anywhere from 16% for adults to 40-some percent for babies and young children. That's approximately the same difference as moving from the front seat to the back.

If you can't get your DH to change what his coworkers are doing, I would leave the seat untethered and use a locking clip instead of locking at the retractor. That should minimize how much moving the front seat messes up your install.
 

romanoma

New member
I agree, just undo the tether, either permenantly or just during the week when DHs friends are in the car. I think middle untethered is better than outboard tethered.

Although if the intent is to make DH eat dash to learn a lesson, then by all means, outboard behind the driver :whistle: :D
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Oh heck, I'd just tape a big sign... "do NOT move me back" on the passenger seat... with the details "it will mess up the installation of our carseat for our child"

LOTS of tape... and if they miss that, well, then his friend needs to ride in back.
 

Louisa

CPST Instructor
Oh heck, I'd just tape a big sign... "do NOT move me back" on the passenger seat... with the details "it will mess up the installation of our carseat for our child"

LOTS of tape... and if they miss that, well, then his friend needs to ride in back.
:yeahthat:
 

mommy2jasmine

New member
Oh, wow. That's a lot more than I had thought. I just moved it to the side, but I'll be moving it back once we get back in the car this evening.

I think I'll do a little of both. I'll make a note AND untether. I'm mostly worried about the tether, rather than the tilting. Tilting, I can fix, but not a stressed tether.

Well, I gotta re-install it in the middle now anyway, I'll just use the locking clip too.

Thanks everyone!
:yeahthat:
 

EmmasMom

Member
Would it be a horrible idea to put a piece of tape over the recline handle on the passenger seat? That way when friends get in and automatically go to reach for it they get confused and ask. :shrug-shoulders:
 

mommy2jasmine

New member
I never even thought of that! Good idea! I'm going to do that as soon as my husband gets home. :)

Would it be a horrible idea to put a piece of tape over the recline handle on the passenger seat? That way when friends get in and automatically go to reach for it they get confused and ask. :shrug-shoulders:
 

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