Never again RF in Hubbys van

Mommypooh · Aug 4, 2008

I just had to drive my husbands chevy Astro 91 2 seater cargo van with my youngest in the front seat. I am never doing that again. Once he is 12 months and 20 lbs, he will be FF in that vehicle for the once or twice in a year that he will ride in it. It is not worth getting into an accident to have him RF. I can't see my Passenger side mirror at all and I have no windows on the side of the van and have a cage behind the front seats with only a small area to see out of. I was so nervous the whole trip I tried to stay in the right lane so I didn't have to hope I didn't hit anyone.

I feel better just venting scared me so much.

fyrfightermomma · Aug 4, 2008

I had that once too (a different type of vehicle though). When we first had our daughter my DH still had a pick up truck with only side facing rear seats.

My car broke down when she was about 13 months. I had no choice but to put her RFing in the front with the air bag turned off. Same deal as you, I couldn't see for the life of me out of the window. Luckily I could see out the rear and sides, but it was enough of a scare that for the rest of the time my car was getting fixed she went FFing even though she was *just* 20 lbs.

My theory was it was safer for her to be FFing and me to be able to see at intersections and have a less chance of being in an accident instead of being RFing and an increased chance of a car accident cause I couldn't see.

Hopefully you won't have to travel with him often in that van!

laurenrachey · Aug 4, 2008

my DH has a Chevy Express work van that sounds similar. It is the biggest one (in other words it would be a 15 passenger model). Of course there are no back windows, cage behind the front seats etc like you said. You really rely heavily on your side mirrors to see. I had thought about installing DS seat there when we moved but it didn't come up. I hadn't thought about his view being blocked though. I can completely understand where you're coming from there. I think it is better to have the seat FF for safer driving than RF and drastically increasing your accident risk by further obstructing your already restricted view.

I saw one just like his at mcdonalds the other day. The guy put it in reverse barely glanced in his mirrors and just beeped the horn while backing up as if to say watch out coming through!

Mommypooh · Aug 5, 2008

Wow. I expected to be flamed. I am glad to know I am not being unreasonable in my line of thought. While I know RF is safer it just will not work in this van. Hopefully I won't have to ride in it again. I just had to since my inlaws brought my FIl work van and only he can drive it and He and my husband were working in the basement and my MIL was taking the kids to the park and library so she had to take my van and I had to take hubbys. Man it was a nightmare. I think it will make me think twice before going somewhrer it that is my only option so It should be a very rare occourance for me to drive it.

On a side note I hate driving it anyways as the speedometer does not work at all so no idea how fast I am going.

LOL.

Thanks ladies

Misty-Bug · Aug 5, 2008

what about trying a mirror extender? I know you can buy them for when you have a motor home or something on a truck. They are sizable and extendable. Have you thought to try that out? It might work. Gives that little bit of extra length so you can see. not sure if it would work. You can put the seat in and then go to the store and try it out.

Kat_Momof3 · Aug 5, 2008

no one wants to create you getting in a crash due to a very REAL problem. Most times, when it's something that isnt really a problem but seems like it, we will start ticking off solutions/reasons not to turn, but this is a very valid point. Not to mention that side crashes, while least common, are most likely to kill someone, so we wouldn't want that happening (to baby OR another person in another car)

But, that said, I do have one thought... could another seat solve the problem?? A seat that sits lower, like the Scenera? It might not, but Id at least try.

Not sure if there is anything else you can do except decide that having him a little less safe just by being ff is better than being a LOT less safe by having you not be able to see anything on your right.

Never again RF in Hubbys van

Mommypooh

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