singingpond
New member
We're in the midst of a major carseat reshuffle here (replacing several seats that were in a vehicle that was rear-ended several months ago). In the process, I'm also rearranging seats in our old Crown Vic (as well as in the new car that replaced my totaled Corolla).
DS1 (9 1/2 y.o.) has been riding in a HBB for a number of years. DS2 (6 y.o.) was in a Regent in the Crown Vic. For various reasons I'm moving DS2 into a Frontier 85 now in that car. That leaves the Regent pretty much surplus. DS1 still fits in it, and has said he would like to ride in a harnessed seat again for a while (he's still way under 80 pounds, and not too tall for the seat). I've finally managed to get the Regent installed SBP, as needed for his weight. We do have a rear tether anchor for the seat. I think I can just get FR85, RF Radian (for 3 y.o. DD), Regent to fit.
However, this will leave the Regent and the FR85 quite close to the door handles. In this particular vehicle, to open the doors from inside, you have to pull a long metal lever inward, and it takes several inches of travel before the door opens. Installing the two big carseats would mean that neither of the boys would be able to open their doors from inside the vehicle.
DH jokes that this would be a good thing, and I can see his point . However, I can also see safety arguments the other way.
Any opinions?
To be clear, the vehicle doors wouldn't interfere with the safe install of the seats in any way; just that the occupants of the seats would be unable to open their own doors from inside the vehicle.
Katrin
ETA: I do have one safety reason arguing for having DS1 in a harnessed seat in this vehicle -- we use this car for long family trips, he still falls asleep, and tends to sag out of position in his booster when he does (no locking seatbelts in this car). That would be a small argument in favor of the Regent, although I think he'll probably outgrow the seat height-wise in the next year anyway.
DS1 (9 1/2 y.o.) has been riding in a HBB for a number of years. DS2 (6 y.o.) was in a Regent in the Crown Vic. For various reasons I'm moving DS2 into a Frontier 85 now in that car. That leaves the Regent pretty much surplus. DS1 still fits in it, and has said he would like to ride in a harnessed seat again for a while (he's still way under 80 pounds, and not too tall for the seat). I've finally managed to get the Regent installed SBP, as needed for his weight. We do have a rear tether anchor for the seat. I think I can just get FR85, RF Radian (for 3 y.o. DD), Regent to fit.
However, this will leave the Regent and the FR85 quite close to the door handles. In this particular vehicle, to open the doors from inside, you have to pull a long metal lever inward, and it takes several inches of travel before the door opens. Installing the two big carseats would mean that neither of the boys would be able to open their doors from inside the vehicle.
DH jokes that this would be a good thing, and I can see his point . However, I can also see safety arguments the other way.
Any opinions?
To be clear, the vehicle doors wouldn't interfere with the safe install of the seats in any way; just that the occupants of the seats would be unable to open their own doors from inside the vehicle.
Katrin
ETA: I do have one safety reason arguing for having DS1 in a harnessed seat in this vehicle -- we use this car for long family trips, he still falls asleep, and tends to sag out of position in his booster when he does (no locking seatbelts in this car). That would be a small argument in favor of the Regent, although I think he'll probably outgrow the seat height-wise in the next year anyway.