Are the regulations height and/or age related.My ever growing godson who is approaching seven years of age is very very tall.I am led to beleive he is 1.4m(which i was told is that of an average nine year old).I do not have children,child seats etc and do not intend on purchasing one for his occasional need.I will however, have him safely strapped in the back as before.
|
>>I will however, have him safely strapped in the back asbefore.
>>
Ah well, that is debatable .
Safety is an absolute. Someone/something is either safe - absolutely safe - or not. I suggest your godson is less than ABSOLUTELY safe while seated in your motorcar and usung an adult seat belt.
There would be a greater degree of safety, if he were using a child seat (booster seat, or whatever).
Plus of course, it would seem that you are - or would be - breaking the law - does that matter?
|
I wouldn't agree that safety is absolute. It is most definitely an analogue concept. Otherwise, how is it possible for one car to be 'safer' than another?
|
safety is never absolute. There are practical steps you can take to assess & mitigate risk, but absolute safety comes at a cost that is not affordable or practical.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
I wouldn't agree that safety is absolute. It is most definitely an analogue concept. Otherwise, how is it possible for one car to be 'safer' than another?
Because one car is more (or less) safe than another. It is a question of degree.
I will accept that it is not possible - or practicable - to achieve TOTAL safety in the world of motoring.
|
> I will accept that it is not possible - or practicable - to achieve TOTAL safety in the world of motoring.
Or any other world come to that. Doom, doom!
|
|
>> Because one car is more (or less) safe than another. It is a question of degree.
Exactly, so therefore it is not an absolute.
|
|
|
|
|
In Spain, it's children 3 to 12 and anybody less than 1.5m irrespective of age - this co-ordination of rules across the EU is useful !
|
Can I just make it clear I fully support common sense legislation that makes our roads safer to be. My point is from a proffesional point of view that legislation has to be 'fit for purpose' to make it enforcable and that loopholes will be exploited by those that maybe dont see the common sense approach. I have identified some of those glaring loopholes.
--
Fullchat
|
|
|
No idea what we would do if presented withan under-height child expecting a lift, though.
If a reasonably local journey, quite simple.
Call a taxi, put the under height child in the cab and ask the cab to follow you to your destination as cabs are exempt.
Apparently it would appear that your child is far safer wearing an adult belt in the back of a cab than wearing an adult belt in the back of your car!!
This also has a knock on effect in all sorts of ways, local sports clubs with youth teams are now beginning to insist that all players are now transported to games by their parents.
This has some benefit in that the clubs no longer have to have every driver CRB checked and the drivers will no longer be responsible for any child other than their own and won't have to purchase two or three extra child seats.
The draw backs are that if Mum or Dad aren't available to chaffeur then Junior doesn't get to play and eleven cars, or more for rugby, now make the journey instead of four.
To see the knock on effect of that have a look in the roads around any local park on a weekend morning....... and I don't suppose it'll ease congestion on a Saturday or Sunday morning either.
|
The regulations do state that you may carry another child in the rear as a one off where a suitable booster is unavailable, or you are unable to fit any more - i.e. two boosters already, but of course seat belts must be used.
|
Can't a child sit on a couple of pillows? In a crash, the upper body is thrown forward until limited by the seatbelt, and this makes the back of the thighs lock the pillows against the squab unless it is a very poorly designed seat. Most EU legislation is made by lobbying industries who want to make a fast buck.
|
Can't a child sit on a couple of pillows? In a crash, the upper body is thrown forward until limited by the seatbelt, and this makes the back of the thighs lock the pillows against the squab
Nope, if a child does not have its feet on the floor the legs whiplash forwards and drag the child out from under the seat belt, Its called "submarining". Its very dangerous to sit kids on soft squashy pillows.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
The point that has not been addressed (except by me, of course ;-) ) is that the law is changing. Turbo11 hasn't come back to my point - that what he is proposing is against the law.
No matter how safe (relatively) we may think that Little Jimmy is sitting on a couple of pillows, or a couple of egg boxes, or whatever, the fact remains that we don't have a choice.
If we do not comply, we are in breach of the law.
|
Coming back to your point.I shall ignore the law.I know that my godson would fit in an adult belt without submarining under neath.He would also be safer strapped in my mazda 6 than probably half of the other cars on the road.Also I am not of the type who cow tows to any jobsworth eu money grabbing nanny state rule changes.His dad agreesO our society is becoming a bunch of softies who wont take risks and who wont take responsibility for their actions.
|
Turbo 11, I hear what you say but are you prepared to take any sort of risk, however small, with the lives of your children, grandchildren or whover? Equally, the point made above re taxis being exempt suggests that the legislation has not been thought thru too well - it is the EU - what do you expect!?
|
The point is well made that taxis (hackney carriages) are exempt; private hire vehicles (minicabs, for want of better shorthand) are not exempt.
In my council area - Elmbridge, in Surrey - the same make and model of vehicle can be licensed as either a taxi or a private hire vehicle.
Stupid, illogical, not thought through or what?
I think turbo11 had it about right, with his little rant about EU legislation.
|
The point is well made that taxis (hackney carriages) are exempt; private hire vehicles (minicabs, for want of better shorthand) are not exempt. In my council area - Elmbridge, in Surrey - the same make and model of vehicle can be licensed as either a taxi or a private hire vehicle.
The law actually states that the exemption is for licensed taxis/private hire vehicles so the exemption will apply to the legal minicab fraternity, however a vehicle being used as a minicab but not licensed by the local council will not be.
As you say the same model is frequently seen as a taxi or a private hire vehicle, indeed in our area the only real distinction is that a private hire vehicle can't be hailed in the street, you have to order them by phone, even the fares are the same.
As others have said, those of us that look after our offspring will continue to do so and those that don't will also continue to not do so. Will probably be enforced with as much vigour and success as the mobile phone law.
|
>> The law actually states that the exemption is for licensed taxis/private hire vehicles so the exemption will apply to the legal minicab fraternity, .
I regret to say, that I think you are incorrect.
However, until I can quote you chapter and verse...............................
|
However, until I can quote you chapter and verse...............................
Well if I'm incorrect then I only have RoSPA to blame :-)
This link seems to indicate that they think all licensed taxis and private hire vehicles have the exemption.
tinyurl.com/ooqmr
Hope that clarifies.
|
|
.Also I am not of the type who cow tows to any jobsworth eu money grabbing nanny state rule changes.His dad agreesO our society is becoming a bunch of softies who wont take risks and who wont take responsibility for their actions.
Come on, spit it out!
If you have somrthing to say - say it.
|
|
|
|
|