Ladyl
New member
Since the topic comes up here pretty regualarly, I thought this article was pretty interesting. It doesn't mention five steeping but I think it is clearly related. It seems like the car industry is trying to rectify the problem.
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Non-five stepping women...
- Thread starter Ladyl
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skylinphoto
New member
I don't even five step in my tiny mazda 3. Almost..but my lapbelt is a bit high. Its the best fitting car I found (besides my VW passat I used to have..but I couldn't afford another one of those when it died!).
To drive..I have to be dangerously close to the steering wheel.
I'm 4'11.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Car-Seat.Org
To drive..I have to be dangerously close to the steering wheel.
I'm 4'11.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Car-Seat.Org
carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
BOOBS!!
My lap belt fits well in both my vehicles. My shoulder belt fits decently (not great, but acceptably) if I can force it to lie between my breasts. But it always climbs up and over and rides on my neck. I'm 5'5", so pretty average for a woman, and a 38F.
My lap belt fits well in both my vehicles. My shoulder belt fits decently (not great, but acceptably) if I can force it to lie between my breasts. But it always climbs up and over and rides on my neck. I'm 5'5", so pretty average for a woman, and a 38F.
CPST_Augie
CPS Technician
This is me. I'm 5.5 and I have my seat back as far as I can (my foot occasionally slips off the pedal) and am still way to close to the airbag. My lapbelt also sits too high.
When it comes time to replace my Lumina we'll be trying to find a car with adjustable pedals or something so that I can move back away from the airbag more.
LISmama810
Admin - CPS Technician
carseatcoach said:
Yes! My shoulder-belt fit completely depends on what bra I'm wearing. If it's a lift-and-separate kind, the fit is usually ok. If it's more of a "smoosh-together" kind (like my nursing tanks), the belt winds up climbing onto my neck.
LISmama810
Admin - CPS Technician
Does the grown female dummy have boobs? And if so, what kind? Because it really does make a difference.
carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
http://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/the-female-dummy-no-brains-but-a-real-lifesaver.html
The adult female dummy appears to have perky and separated breasts and is maybe a B-cup at most (5", 110#). We need a dummy who's got a few years under her nursing bra.
The adult female dummy appears to have perky and separated breasts and is maybe a B-cup at most (5", 110#). We need a dummy who's got a few years under her nursing bra.
LISmama810
Admin - CPS Technician
carseatcoach said:
:ROTFLMAO:
Although it is sort of serious.
After I read the thing about women being 49% more likely to die in a crash I suddenly went all feminist and got pissed off. It's like the glass ceiling of the vehicle-safety world. (The glass moon roof?)
ETA: Yeah, just looked at the photo. That dummy has very seatbelt-friendly boobs.
LISmama810
Admin - CPS Technician
tjham said:
Our cars have adjusters and none of the positions helps with my shoulder belt.
I have a terrible time getting a good fit in most of our vehicles too...I'm 5'10", but I'm all leg, with a short torso. Very rarely can I get the shoulder belt to fit me correctly, even when there are adjusters on the wall. Only time I have ever had a lap belt I was happy with was in our 2000 Ford Windstar...the drivers seat could be moved up/down, and if I put it all the way up both the lap and shoulder belt fit correctly. However, even in that van, I was still closer to the airbag than I liked, though not nearly as close as most women I see.
Aurezalia
Well-known member
I very, very rarely five-step in any cars, at 5'2", short torsoed, and uh, well endowed?
Lap belt practically never fits me, shoulder belt rarely fits me, etc. I also do have issues while driving with checking blind spots, mirrors, etc because I'm so low down in the car. I bought a Monterey to use, but I can only use it in some cars as it is a bit too high to leave enough room for my legs under the steering wheel. It does worry me a lot.
I also have tone issues, so I also have problems staying in position. I LOVE the car I'm driving now (05? Honda Civic) as I actually get correct lap and shoulder belt fit, AND it has pretty significant side bolster that help prevent me from leaning out of position. But I have to trade it back in a couple of weeks for my car, that doesn't work nearly as well for me in any aspect, so I'm worried.
Lap belt practically never fits me, shoulder belt rarely fits me, etc. I also do have issues while driving with checking blind spots, mirrors, etc because I'm so low down in the car. I bought a Monterey to use, but I can only use it in some cars as it is a bit too high to leave enough room for my legs under the steering wheel. It does worry me a lot.
I also have tone issues, so I also have problems staying in position. I LOVE the car I'm driving now (05? Honda Civic) as I actually get correct lap and shoulder belt fit, AND it has pretty significant side bolster that help prevent me from leaning out of position. But I have to trade it back in a couple of weeks for my car, that doesn't work nearly as well for me in any aspect, so I'm worried.
Kat_Momof3
New member
perhaps you need pedal extenders... they are made for people who are more petite like yourself, not just people with dwarfism
Ladyl
New member
I five step, usually. But I'm 5'8" and have B/C cup boobs (which are strangely re-perkifying as ds2 slowly weans). Our driver seat also adjusts height, it's a '10 civic. That seems to help more than the adjustable seat belts.
Car Talk posted the article on Facebook. The comments were pretty amusing.
Car Talk posted the article on Facebook. The comments were pretty amusing.
luckyclov
New member
I 5-step beautifully in the 3rd row outboard of my Sienna. But, at 5'2", my legs aren't long enough to drive from there. I do, technically, 5-step in the drivers seat, but the lap belt cooooooould be a hair lower.
I don't have a lot of boobs and I almost never have an issue with shoulder belt fit, just lap belt. How I fit in a seatbelt depends on the vehicle and the seating position within the vehicle. I tend to fit better in Toyotas then in Hondas - not just minivans, but SUVs and sedans, too - and I have a surprisingly good overall fit front passenger in DH's F-150. The lap belt was so high on me in my Grand Caravan (2009), it probably could have been used for bust support. And my legs barely bent at the seat edge. I didn't 5-step in ANY seating position in that vehicle. IIRC, I 5-stepped in the drivers seat of my 2008 Mazda 5.
I don't have a lot of boobs and I almost never have an issue with shoulder belt fit, just lap belt. How I fit in a seatbelt depends on the vehicle and the seating position within the vehicle. I tend to fit better in Toyotas then in Hondas - not just minivans, but SUVs and sedans, too - and I have a surprisingly good overall fit front passenger in DH's F-150. The lap belt was so high on me in my Grand Caravan (2009), it probably could have been used for bust support. And my legs barely bent at the seat edge. I didn't 5-step in ANY seating position in that vehicle. IIRC, I 5-stepped in the drivers seat of my 2008 Mazda 5.
Lenae
Active member
I read the article and LOL at 'older cars' being 1998-2008. I have a 2001 Mustang, and that's the 'newest' car I own! DH has a work pickup that is an '08, and I thought that was high style, lol.
As far 5-stepping, in most cars, I don't. But the best belt geometry I ever had is in my '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I haven't ridden in many 'new' vehicles, so I don't know how I'd fit in them.
As far 5-stepping, in most cars, I don't. But the best belt geometry I ever had is in my '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I haven't ridden in many 'new' vehicles, so I don't know how I'd fit in them.
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