Vent Hmm..I've never seen that seat before...(misuse)

[geekKT]

I was just at the bank, sitting in the backseat buckling baby into his TF and a car pulled up next to me with 2 kids in the back. The boy was about 6 and had obviously unbuckled himself early from his high back TB, hopefully just as they entered the parking lot, but it caught my eye so I looked more closely.

There was a little girl on the far side in a *very* short, reclined, FF seat. I glanced and noticed it had a gray rubber bar on the top that said Graco but couldn't tell what it was, haven't ever seen it before, and thought I'd come back and ask all you wise ones for fun. Then the mom took the girl out...

I didn't recognize it because it was a forward facing infant seat. :thumbsdown: The rubber bar that said Graco was the handle. As she lifted the girl out it tipped at least 6 inches toward the door. I have no idea how it was actually secured. Seeing the girl standing next to the car I would guess her as at least 3. Her head was a good 4-5 inches above the shell, not that in the way it was being used that would necessarily matter.

No point to this story but to share my . I had heard stories of misuse like this on here before but never thought I'd actually see it in real life...

 

[MomToEliEm]

I have seen a few of those around and it is shocking to see.

 

[mish]

Oh fun! You got to see a forward facing infant seat! Kidding aside, it makes you sick to your stomach doesn't it?

 

[lorismurph]

I saw one of those the other day in a parking lot. Mom came out of the store, put little girl in an evenflo Embrace (handle was by the head). The girl had to be at least 2, maybe 3. Buckled the belt over her (no harness) and then put the shoulder harness behind the seat. What the heck are these people thinking?! I would have said something but as usual around here, they are all hispanic and speak about 2 words of English.

 

[yetanotherjen]

We have at least one person drive up that way at our checkpoint every month, makes me crazy!

 

[jourdysmom]

My girlfriend called me about a month ago to ask me if she could give one of her seats away (she knows how crazy I am about selling used seats) because there was a girl at work that was doing this... she said that she was putting the lap part of the belt around the part that is below baby's feet that goes into the base and the shoulder belt thru the seats belt guides...

My answer was yes yes yes please give her one of yours.. and for pete's sake, install it for her !!!!!

Scary!

 

[KaysKidz]

Not that it's any better, but my bf (who knows how anal I am about car seats) has a her teeny tiny 3yr old in a BPP with the shoulder belt BEHIND THE RESTRAINT and just the lap portion over him. AND SHE HAS A BRITAX MA for him siting in her garage probably being chewed on by mice!! I asked her what the heck he was doing in a booster and she said the other seat was too tight on his thighs. OMG. UGH. I give up.

 

[geekKT]

I wasn't looking closely but I didn't see the shoulder belt anywhere. It's entirely possible it wasn't buckled in at all, especially based on how it tipped as far as it did.

I had to wipe the shock off my face. I didn't think fast enough to grab the plate or anything either. I know a lot of people aren't "into" car-seats and don't read the manuals, do the research, have tight budgets, or maybe just aren't interested. Still, it was hard to see such a gorgeous little girl in a seat like that. I have to think if mom hit the brakes hard enough she was probably flying all over the place; a collision would be bad news.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Apparently it's possible (not allowed of course but has been done) to put a base in FFing so maybe the belt was through the base?

 

[Calleiah]

I see this about twice a year, and each time, I have to really control my face because it SO appalls me. But my worst WORST misuse... I was at Walmart, a couple came out with a newborn, and were getting into a car. I see the infant seat turned forward and Im just about to fall out of my truck in my anxiety to try to stop these people. They get in before I can pull myself together and *keep right on holding the newborn* as the car speeds off through the parking lot. Literally, the tires squeeled he was pulling out so fast. I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown right there. On top of that, the back plates were obscured with a cargo rack of some kind and I couldnt even call the police. I seriously nearly cried.

 

[Specialksw03]

it seems like the norm in my area to do that. i see very few kids even with conv seats. at about 5 or 6 months the infant seat goes ff (a lot installed with the base). around 2 or 2 1/2 they go into a lbb. it's sad. i almost started crying when one of my friends drove off like this the other day. i had just re installed the baby trend (i had bought for her shower) for her a few weeks earlier because she was routing the seat belt through the latch path on the base

 

[crunchierthanthou]

I saw one of those the other day in a parking lot. Mom came out of the store, put little girl in an evenflo Embrace (handle was by the head). The girl had to be at least 2, maybe 3. Buckled the belt over her (no harness) and then put the shoulder harness behind the seat. What the heck are these people thinking?! I would have said something but as usual around here, they are all hispanic and speak about 2 words of English.

I've seen that as well, but I'm not sure if you meant that quite so insensitive as it sounded. I live in the same city and there is a high rate of misuse among the immigrant population. However, those with whom I've come in contact are genuinely concerned about the safety and wellbeing of their children. I think their misuse is purely a lack of information and exposure. They don't have much previous experience to draw from because passenger safety is generally not a priority in their native countries.

At seatchecks and events they are striving to do what's right, even if there is a language barrier (fortunately, much of our coalition is bilingual - especially those from SLVHD). I expect that the parents are told to have a carseat to take the baby home from the hospital and not much gets said beyond that. Even if they realize the need, they aren't aware of resources to help them do it correctly. Further, the police cars inherent at checks scare off the undocumented families (no debates on that, please). It isn't that they don't want to do the right thing or don't care; they simply don't know or are afraid to ask.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to print off some of the spanish language brochures from SBSUSA -

basic guidelines
choosing the type of seat
how long rear facing
boosters and HWH

 

[Wiggles]

A friend of mine had a baby a little over a year ago. I used to babysit for her when I lived back home. I first got into my 'carseat fever' when he was about 5 months. I quietly brought up ERF to her and she said that, once he hit one year, she would be turning him forward facing because his infant bucket went rear-and-forward facing. I let it go that day, because I had 7 months to get it through to her. I later convinced her to buy him a 35 lb rear-face seat when he hit 20 lbs before he hit a year. I BELIEVE he is still rear-facing, but I haven't seen him in ages. Apparently, the people at the store she bought the baby bucket at had told her that it was rear-and-forward facing. And she'd never read the manual (surprise surprise) so she believed them. Had I not intervened, she would have found a way to forward face him in that rear-face seat.

I, personally, believe that safekids needs to put out a course for baby store employees, 3 hours long at most, that at least teaches the basics of carseat safety. Not installation, necessarily, but how to choose the right seat for the child. I think this would help greatly because, as it stands now, too many baby store employees (and department stores) have no idea what they're talking about and will just make up whatever the parent wants to hear for lack of having information.

 

[PurpleCat]

Crazy.

I saw a kitchen booster seat in someone's car being used as a car seat. YIKES!

 

[geekKT]

I quietly brought up ERF to her and she said that, once he hit one year, she would be turning him forward facing because his infant bucket went rear-and-forward facing.... Apparently, the people at the store she bought the baby bucket at had told her that it was rear-and-forward facing.

I think that's what made me feel the worst about seeing it... this mom got some bad information somewhere, or maybe just didn't get it at all. I didn't want to draw any rash conclusions or pass judgment, I don't know her situation or anything about her.. I just felt bad for the little girl, bad for the mom not knowing more, and bad that there wasn't anything I could do in that situation, I had my hands full.

 

[Judi]

Oh, the baby catapult!