WWYD: No carseat?!?!

Natty13umppo · September 2013

So we just got back in town yesterday. We were at the airport and DH went to get the car while DD and I sat with the luggage outside baggage claim. While I was waiting, I noticed a couple walk out with a small baby (maybe 7 months?) in a stroller and a bunch of luggage. Another guy - friend? brother? - picked them up. The two guys loaded the luggage and the woman just got into the backseat with the baby in her lap! NO CARSEAT! And off they went. What?!!? As they drove away I could still see the baby sitting in the woman's lap, so it's not like the guy picking them up had a carseat in the car waiting for them.)

I wondered after the fact if I should have called the police or something? Or is it just people being stupid and let them live with the consequences? I was just shocked. Have you ever seen something similar?? The closest I've heard before is another mom who told me that she would sometimes take her baby out of the car during long car trips. Though my favorite part of that story was that she thought it was okay because her DH "drove like a grandma." Um, there are other drivers and other things that can happen on the road... (But at least this crazy woman HAD a carseat in her car....)

Anyway...just thought i'd share that bit of craziness!

RedCamaro · September 2013

Not sure if you were at an international airport, but I wouldn't be surprised if the couple was not aware of our laws here (or how strict they are) if that's the case. If not, it's just too sad that someone would take that chance. I have forgotten my DD's booster seat once in her life. There are plenty of people who think that car seats are not mandatory. In my experience, where I live, it's usually foreigners.

From what I know of the law, it's the equilviant of an adult not wearing their seat belt. In some cases, I guess the cop could find a reason to charge the parents with child endangerment. I can't say that I would have called the cops in this situation though.

smwiggle · September 2013

I don't think a call to the cops would be needed. At most, they would get a ticket.

When we were living in Germany, we would take DS1 in cabs without a car seat. Even if we traveled with one, trying to get a cab driver to sit still long enough to install a car seat would be impossible.

Natty13umppo · September 2013

Yeah, I thought maybe it was a foreign/lack of knowledge of US laws thing, but they seemed to be American. Or maybe there were from somewhere like NYC where they get around by public transportation and just don't have a car seat?? (But this is NOT a public transportation friendly city so if you want to go anywhere, you pretty much need a car.) Or maybe they were on their way home and somehow their carseat was destroyed in their travels??? I don't know.

I was just really sad for this baby that the parents would be so risky.

(I think the calling the cops thing came to mind because we just got back from California and every five miles (it seemed) we saw signs that said "Report Drunk Driving - Call 911" so calling cops for bad driving behavior (e.g. - no car seat) was on my mind

...)

purple4u · September 2013

While it sucks, honestly it's none of your business. What people do with their children is their business.

RedCamaro · September 2013

purple4u said:

While it sucks, honestly it's none of your business. What people do with their children is their business.

Not true. Plenty of abuse that is stopped is because someone else made it their business to care for a child that didn't deserve to have another adult treat them like dirt. Just because you have a child, doesn't give you end-all be-all rights to do whatever you think is ok. Some people just don't know how to restrain themselves. If you don't speak up, and the child can't, who will?

purple4u · September 2013

RedCamaro said:

purple4u said:

While it sucks, honestly it's none of your business. What people do with their children is their business.

Not true. Plenty of abuse that is stopped is because someone else made it their business to care for a child that didn't deserve to have another adult treat them like dirt. Just because you have a child, doesn't give you end-all be-all rights to do whatever you think is ok. Some people just don't know how to restrain themselves. If you don't speak up, and the child can't, who will?

That is not what I was saying. In this context I think it's none of the observers business.

Natty13umppo · September 2013

purple4u said:

purple4u said:

While it sucks, honestly it's none of your business. What people do with their children is their business.

Not true. Plenty of abuse that is stopped is because someone else made it their business to care for a child that didn't deserve to have another adult treat them like dirt. Just because you have a child, doesn't give you end-all be-all rights to do whatever you think is ok. Some people just don't know how to restrain themselves. If you don't speak up, and the child can't, who will?
That is not what I was saying. In this context I think it's none of the observers business.

I guess that was sort of my question with this post..... *IS* this something I should have a voice about (call the cops) or is it really something that sucks but I should just turn away from?

I honestly didn't know if the reaction I would get from this board would be "OMG! Call the cops!" or "Mind your own business."

But RedCamero brings up an interesting angle....I didn't think of it as abuse per se at the time, but is it??? What's the line between a safety issue and abuse? Is putting an infant in a reckless situation just stupid and dangerous or something that should be reported? I don't know.

gracefulruby33 · September 2013

Not having a child in the carseat is not the same as not buckling up yourself. The child can't make the decision. And, saying that it isn't your business and what people do with their kids is their business? That is terrible. If someone left their baby in the car with the windows rolled up on a 100 degree day, I sure as hell would call the police. And if the opportunity presented itself to report the people that didn't put their baby in a carseat, I would have reported that as well. Maybe that makes me a bitch for sticking my nose in someone's business... But if it comes to a child's well-being and safety? That is selfish NOT to say anything.

RedCamaro · October 2013

gracefulruby33 said:

Not having a child in the carseat is not the same as not buckling up yourself. The child can't make the decision. And, saying that it isn't your business and what people do with their kids is their business? That is terrible. If someone left their baby in the car with the windows rolled up on a 100 degree day, I sure as hell would call the police. And if the opportunity presented itself to report the people that didn't put their baby in a carseat, I would have reported that as well. Maybe that makes me a bitch for sticking my nose in someone's business... But if it comes to a child's well-being and safety? That is selfish NOT to say anything.

=D>

authorofdreamz · October 2013

It's possible that the airline lost their carseat and they didn't know what else to do. That happened to us when traveling with DD but we got one from the airport but if they were foreign or weren't comfortable asking maybe they felt like they didn't have a choice.

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