How long did it take to find out if you passed your test?

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
It's been three weeks and I have no idea if I passed. I would assume I did, but I don't want to go around saying I'm a CPST without official confirmation (though if I found someone doing something terrible I sure would throw it about). I emailed SafeKids, but my online profile still says Technician Candidate, so I'm assuming they won't be able to tell me anything. ARGH!

On another note, when did Century stop making seats? I saw one today being used as a BPB and I was tempted to either leave a note or talk to the lady, just ask her to check her date on it and replace it if it's older than six years, but I couldn't remember when Century stopped. I found a recall notice online that said Graco owned Century in 2000, so I'm guessing the seat was more than six years old. :-(

Wendy
 
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Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Don't know about your first question (hope the "EI" doesn't have anything to do with any delays, lol). Century seats were still made until at least 2002 because the Century Accel convertible I had the misfortune of using for my oldest had a 2002 DOM. There could be some useful life left in other Century seats, but it's definitely good to be on the lookout for the older ones all the same.
 

Splash

New member
You passed. You know you did.
And some century seats still have life in them. I have one sitting in my shed waiting to go to a new home that has a 2002 DOM.
 

TXDani

Senior Community Member
Girl we KNOW you passed! My class was June 6-9th and I just got my card and letter stating my score last week...or maybe it was Monday of this week. I already knew my score because our instructor told us right after we finished the test what our score was. So I would say it should only be another 2 weeks or so.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Sigh. I got a response from SafeKids. 20 BUSINESS days. So that's still another couple of weeks, like you guys are saying, especially since July 4th is built into it.

I checked two friends seats this weekend (unofficially, I guess. LOL). The first had a Century seat, sure enough. LOL She had been using mighty tites, said they couldn't get them in otherwise. Well, her car had latch and she didn't know it, and the seat had latch, and that thing is in there SOLID. Her daughter isn't going anywhere. Then her son had an angle problem, and again wasn't in tight enough in his infant seat.

The second one, today, has a nearly 4 yo 37 pounder in a Graco combo (they're going to get a dedicated booster in three pounds, though I may try to talk them into the Apex), 2 yo 28 pounder in a FF Touriva tray, and infant in an Evenflo Discovery. Thank goodness I didn't need to do paperwork on hers, the infant seat was the only thing left as it was, other than it was installed at a better angle. LOL The 2 yo got turned BACK RFing (woo hoo!) and was in solid. They had a locking clip because sure enough their seatbelts don't lock at the retractor. They have cinching plates (I was told those were rarely seen and in two of the three cars I've done since class ended they've had cinching) so the locking clips came out. They were too far from the buckle anyway, but it's nice to see parents trying to make it better without using duct tape or glue. LOL The 4 yo got moved from the third row to the middle next to his now RFing sister, and his seat got put in nice and tight with the tether (they have LATCH, but I would have had to cut the thread over the hole and ya know, it wasn't worth it, I had solid installs with the belts). The infant in the third row had angle and handle issues (no toys, and they keep the handle down), so I got to use my first pool noodle. The mom rand out and got a thin one and that was all it took. We moved the middle row forward and now the handle could drop all the way down, rather than being just away from the head.

I had fun today. :) Completely rearranging someone's car. LOL I was talking with someone else and her son is in a graco something, she wasn't sure, with a harness, her daughter was in a turbobooster. She wanted to keep her son in a harness as long as possible, and she said she had a Husky. Well darn, lady! You've got the best seat out there for longevity in a harness! She didn't realize it harnessed to 80 pounds, she thought it was a combo of sorts. So she's good to go on selection, I didn't check her installs (she didn't ask and I didn't push).

I just want to be officially certified!!!

Wendy
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
You were told cinching latchplates were RARE? That's a load of bunk! They're even more common that switchable retractors. :p
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
Cinching aren't rare, it's the other ones. lol I'm a lot of help. There used to be one where you could choose switchable or ELR. Anyways.

It took close to 6 wks I think before I got all my stuff in the mail. I knew I passed though b/c the teachers 'graded' our stuff that day.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
skaterbabscpst said:
You were told cinching latchplates were RARE? That's a load of bunk! They're even more common that switchable retractors. :p

Yeah. That only a few manufacturers made them and that they weren't used so much anymore. They said we were lucky to get a truck that had one in the middle belt of the bench, but otherwise no one else had them in their vehicles. I was under the impression that a few minivans here and there may have them, one model of Dodge truck or something, and that was it.

But then again we all know how great my instructors were, in hindsight. LOL

Wendy
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
Just so I'm getting everything right, we're talking heavyduty locking, like a lap belt. If so, I have one in the 3rd row of my Dodge van and it's an 06. DH's Tracer has one too. All the other seatbelts in my van are lightweight locking.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
thepeach80 said:
Just so I'm getting everything right, we're talking heavyduty locking, like a lap belt. If so, I have one in the 3rd row of my Dodge van and it's an 06. DH's Tracer has one too. All the other seatbelts in my van are lightweight locking.

No, we're talking the lightweight locking. They said the heavyweight locking were very common in lap belts only, like in my truck, but that the lightweight or cinching ones were not common anymore.

Why do I get the impression that other than hands on experience I knew more than my instructors? LOL

Wendy
 

Dreaming_of_Speed

Senior Community Member
I think dodge uses cinching latch plates on every vehicle they make, i know all the trucks have them.

I lock locking latch plates. i dont know why car manufacturers starting making ALR belts, i think they confuse more parents than they help. It much easier IMO to use that than ALR belts b/c you cant 'forget' to lock the belt and as long as the parents thread the belt thru the right belt path and pull on it, its fairly tight (not within the one inch rule but better than with an unlocked belt none the less)
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
See, that's one reason in my class we were very specific about the names of the different types of locking mechanisms. We had heavyduty locking cinching (these were straight from someone in my class who worked for NHTSA), lightweight locking cinching, ELR, ALR, switchable, and that other one that has escaped my mind.

Either way, I have both of those in my van and I know when I did my cousin's car (it was a jeep so still in the Dodge family) she had them too.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
lightweight locking aren't *as* common as heavy-duty locking, but are still pretty common, if that makes sense. They went to a heavier-duty lightweight locking because sometimes they slip. They're still pretty common though.
 

Dreaming_of_Speed

Senior Community Member
I thought they went from heavy cinching latch plates on lap/shoulder belts to cinching. I've never seen a heavy weight locking latch plate on a newer car except on lap belts but then i'm a dodge girl. :)
 

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