Good spotting. I’ve been increasingly amazed over this too. When we were kids safety belt were an option and the favourite position was standing between the front seats so you could see the road better.
Todays kids might be safer when riding a car, but it sure must be a lot more boring too…
We once had seven people in a VW Bug– two in front, three kids in the back (there were no seatbelts), and two little kids in the luggage well behind the back seat. Rode to the Philly Zoo and back that way.
We had TWO safety harnesses… a good grip and Dad’s arm pressing you into the seat. I cannot be the only one who ran into dad’s strong arm breaking routine.
For me & my sibs, it was mom’s arm. It would just come swinging over like a sideways catapult. Of course now, out of habit, I do the same thing to my son.
Yup, daddy’s arm was the other safety feature, apart from a strong grip. I smile whenever my boyfriend does the same thing, even though I’m strapped in, or whenever my father does it too, although I’m very much an adult now. Ah, memories… Thanks Adam.
I giggled (very tough-like, mind you). Man, even when I was a little girl and had a carseat, you just used the regular seatbelt to stick it down. Easy, plus I loved the slide you got going around hard turns and such. My parents would even take ’em hard because they knew I loved it. lol Whatever happened to everybody just pilin’ into the back of grandma’s pick-up? = P
My son loved his seat that hooked over the back of the front seat. It had a steering wheel with a squeaky beep horn. He was on a level with the dashboard so he could see where we were going. His 2 sisters would stand behind the front seat and generally tease him until he screamed. Aaah, those were the days. NOT!!
Summer 1983, I rode nearly the entire length of I-70 in the bed of a pickup. In a lawn chair. How we didn’t get pulled over, even in 1983, is a mystery.
The carseat probably was the result of the well-intentioned bystander of the above happy memories.
Imagine watching a child slide from left to right (and back to left). Your initial response is probably not along the lines of “hey that looks like fun”.
Discussion (29) ¬
Oh my god, did the last panel make me laugh. Nice one Adam!
Who needs natural selection anyway?
Good spotting. I’ve been increasingly amazed over this too. When we were kids safety belt were an option and the favourite position was standing between the front seats so you could see the road better.
Todays kids might be safer when riding a car, but it sure must be a lot more boring too…
Modern child seats are referred to as “orphan makers” by emergency responders. Too often, the kid survives a wreck that kills the parent(s).
“We have the technology!”
Unless you’re in the front seat…If you’re in the front, we’ll get you a balloon or somethin’ to stop ya.
I remember spending half the trip laying in the rear window well.
We once had seven people in a VW Bug– two in front, three kids in the back (there were no seatbelts), and two little kids in the luggage well behind the back seat. Rode to the Philly Zoo and back that way.
Some people argue “we survived without that stuff” … well sure, the ones who didn’t aren’t here to tell their side of the story.
Someone who understands!
Where’s the fun in mere surviving?
“I don’t want to survive. I want to live!”
We had TWO safety harnesses… a good grip and Dad’s arm pressing you into the seat. I cannot be the only one who ran into dad’s strong arm breaking routine.
For me & my sibs, it was mom’s arm. It would just come swinging over like a sideways catapult. Of course now, out of habit, I do the same thing to my son.
My mom still does that to me when she comes to a sudden stop despite the fact that I’m quite a bit bigger than her now.
Yup, daddy’s arm was the other safety feature, apart from a strong grip. I smile whenever my boyfriend does the same thing, even though I’m strapped in, or whenever my father does it too, although I’m very much an adult now. Ah, memories… Thanks Adam.
I was wondering where Guenter Wendt…
Thank you. I was hoping someone would say that!
Every time I finish strapping the boy into his chair I go “Ready to get shot into space!”
On the plus side you get a lot less “DAD! Pete won’t stay in his side!!” with the kids properly strapped in.
Can’t wait to install my five-point harness and put on my neck brace.
Perfectly sums up what I thought when I saw my niece’s car seat…
Looks like the seat of race car.
I giggled (very tough-like, mind you). Man, even when I was a little girl and had a carseat, you just used the regular seatbelt to stick it down. Easy, plus I loved the slide you got going around hard turns and such. My parents would even take ’em hard because they knew I loved it. lol Whatever happened to everybody just pilin’ into the back of grandma’s pick-up? = P
My son loved his seat that hooked over the back of the front seat. It had a steering wheel with a squeaky beep horn. He was on a level with the dashboard so he could see where we were going. His 2 sisters would stand behind the front seat and generally tease him until he screamed. Aaah, those were the days. NOT!!
” Why aren’t we sitting in these?”, indeed.
Summer 1983, I rode nearly the entire length of I-70 in the bed of a pickup. In a lawn chair. How we didn’t get pulled over, even in 1983, is a mystery.
The carseat probably was the result of the well-intentioned bystander of the above happy memories.
Imagine watching a child slide from left to right (and back to left). Your initial response is probably not along the lines of “hey that looks like fun”.
Damn, I would kill for having a Bug von Braun helping me fix a kids seat in place.
The Guv’mint has everyone in one of these now… ever in front of the Required-vision where we watch happy bunnies skip across the screen.