Today my husband left for work, after closing the front door, he then opened it a few seconds later saying I can't go to work. My immediate thought was...Monday holiday? what holiday, I always know when its a holiday. No it wasn't that it, was that his car that was parked on the street had been stolen. Some time between 8 pm and 8 am, it was nabbed. We both stared at where it was last parked for a minute wondering where it could be, its hard to believe someone we don't know has it. He is upset because his skateboard was inside.
I'm annoyed because I don't want to buy a new carseat. Convertible carseats are stupid I have decided. My son was able to stay in a rear facing infant carseat until he was 12 months old. Then we got a convertible carseat because it was either that or a booster seat. Well obviously a 13 month old can't sit in a booster seat. Even though my son is not a large child for his age, normally he is right in the 50% percentile. He is about 3 months away from out growing the convertible carseat. His shoulders are about at the top of the straps, and when children face forward the manual says the straps should hit at the shoulders or above. We can't move him to a booster seat until he is 4 according to government regulations, and he still has 12 pounds to go until he meets the 40 lbs size regulation for booster seats, which I'm assuming is going to take a while. We had two car seats, one in my husbands car, and one in mine that is the convertible seat. Which means I have to buy a new carseat in a few months. I think this is my future. The Graco Nautilus 3 in 1, I hate evenflow carseats, that is what was in the stolen car, I was always happy with my infant seat so Graco is the way to go for me. But who wants to spend an extra $100 on a new carseat. I guess the positive thing is if politicans decided to go crazy and mandate children must be 8 or older before they don't need a booster seat, this will grow with him until he is 8. Hey by the way, did you know carseats have expiration dates? If you use it beyond the expiration date, and you are in accident all liablity falls on you the parent. My current infant seat will only last this coming baby before it expires and I have to get a new one. What I don't know is this really about safety or about keeping carseat companies in business. I mean I do want my child safe in the car, thats why I'm not moving him to a booster seat now, thats why he sat rear facing for 12 months. But still... I never planned on buying 3 carseats with shoulder straps for my first born.
By the way, we are also annoyed the car was stolen, it had new tires and we just re-registered it. Luckily we have car insurance and renters insurance.
Car seats are a total racket if you follow everything "they" say. Both V and Z got too long (over 29") for the infant carrier around 6 months (no, I didn't buy a new one for Zeke!), and Victor moved to a booster at 2 because he was 39.5", just 0.5" under the limit for his convertible seat (which Z now uses).
ReplyDeleteOur booster accommodates children from 38" tall. There was no weight limit on the package (it's a Graco).
I've never heard of the expiration date thing. Sounds like baloney cooked up by "safety" people to me. I can't imagine a tort system that would lead to that result unless you were in a contributory negligence state (NC is one of the last) and it were accepted as fact that it is negligent to use a seat past the date.
Oh--and I'm sorry about your car. That stinks.
ReplyDeleteHmm, that is all very interesting. It is definitely cooked up by the safety people. I have a friend that studied public health for her undergrad, for her final project she did public health work on carseats. She is the one that told me about the expiration date. If you pull yours out of the car and look on the back, there is a date embossed on the back. I knew about car seat expiration dates before I met her, I just always assumed they were guidelines. Not liabilities. I don't know just saying what she said.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks to have a car stolen, or broken into, etc. It's stuff like this that makes me want to impose VERY stiff sentences on criminals.
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of the night it hit me, maybe my friend said after the expiration date, the carseat company is void of any liability of faulty manufacturing or malfunction. I'm not quite sure, I'm a chronic misquoter. I do know she said if you get in an accident and your carseat is not installed properly (ie follow all owner manual guidelines.) then insurance doesn't not have to cover damage caused by installation error. At least according to my state law 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteSuch a bummer and you don't even live in Oakland!
ReplyDeleteI go away for a few days and look what happens. You can't even keep track of your car. Stupid theives. They better watch out.
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