This is largely hypothetical, but...
Stig is a '58 and therefore has no legal requirement to have seat belts fitted (and indeed doesn't). It is therefore impossible for me to fit an appropriate car seat for Charlotte (aged 3) to sit in.
Does the new law actually make it impossible for me to use Stig to carry children, or is it exempt. There doesn't seem to be any information on this on any of the sites I've looked on.
And of course, I've immediately found what I'm looking for (sort of)
A. My vehicle has no seat belts, or no rear seat belts If a vehicle has no seat belts (eg a classic car), a child aged 3 years and over may travel in a rear seat unrestrained.
A child under 3 years old may not travel in cars, vans or goods vehicles which do not have seat belts installed. if there are no seat belts fitted in the vehicle, then a child under 3 years old may not travel in it.
Of course, it doesn't say what applies when you don't have a rear seat either....
On or around Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:20:53 +0000, Tim Hobbs enlightened us thusly:
over 3: can travel unrestrained in the back seat. If no back seat, no travel.
under 3: if no seatbelts, no travel. front or back. That's the way I read it.
I've got the legislation somewhere, I can have a look for you, but it's notoriously difficult stuff to read and get sense from.
You can, of course, I imagine, devise a way of attaching a suitable child restraint seat in the vehicle.
Alternatively, you could create seat belt mountings as was done for buses and coaches which were not equipped thusly when new. The regulations aren't all that fussy about this - unreinforced floors must have a suitable reinforcement plate fitted - I've an idea I've seen 4"x4" or 100mmx100mm as a suitable size, but I don't know where. Seat belt mounting nuts are captive 7/16" UNF.
What I've done in the past is to get 4"x4" 3mm steel plate, drill a hole in the middle and weld the 7/16" nut to it, then weld or rivet it in place under the floor.
That's my interpretation too.
Seat belt mountings are present. I removed the belts as they were pretty old, non-inertia reel (kept trapping in the door) and frankly I'd rather be well aware that I'm unrestrained than kid myself with crap belts (and equally crap mounts).
At some stage I'll be replacing the seats with original three-abreast jobs so I can carry a couple of passengers. I'd like to devise some kind of fixing for a child seat in the middle, but based on decent mounts as you describe (or even bolted to the chassis). A three point childs harness would be ideal (my Dad had them fitted to all our cars in the 70's for my sister when the middle rear seat generally had nothing or just a lap belt). I suspect that there's at least one in the loft / garage somewhere.
This legislation is ridiculous - I have to fit a belt that isn't suitable for a child, then use a booster seat to raise the child to suit the belt. There doesn't seem to be any provision for modifying the vehicle specifically for a child by fitting an appropriate belt in the first place. I could raise the middle cushion permanently with something bolted to the seat box - but that wouldn't be an "approved restraint", so couldn't be used ffs!
Charlotte loves the truck and is desperate to have a go in it, so I'll have to sort out something.
Dont want to hurt any feelings, but I would make sure in this day and age that the seat was well anchored and secure or would'nt carry child. They are too precious. No rudeness intended please dont take offence.
John H
None taken, and I did say it was "largely hypothetical"....
Agreed, but then again they are no more precious than they were in 1958. We just have a slightly skewed view on risks IMHO - many people prefer to put their child in a huge BMW 4x4 and drive them in total safety to McDonalds....
That said, until there is a restraint that I am happy with (and that's pretty much regardless of what New Labour have decided is 'safe') she won't be going anywhere in it. These regulations do seem to push me into a less than perfect installation though....
On Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:15:24 +0000, Tim Hobbs scribbled the following nonsense:
dunno bout that, but Kiddicare refused to sell me a fancy travel system thingummy because the Disco 1 was not listed in their book. Went back the following day with the advice published on the manufacturers website and they relented...... grrr
BTW, Dawn rang me at 1pm today, jumped in the car, made an 80 minute journey in 60 minutes, got to the hospital just as they were letting her out....... Midwife had sent her in for a "membrane sweep".....
Next question is are these contractions every 30 minutes going to turn into the real thing now, or do I have to suffer yet another night of Braxton Hix......
That there plate will cost you two dollars, seven shillings and sixpence, as there's no other way to price something defined in mixed measurement systems ;-)
|| Austin Shackles wrote: || ||| What I've done in the past is to get 4"x4" 3mm steel plate, || || That there plate will cost you two dollars, seven shillings and || sixpence, as there's no other way to price something defined in mixed || measurement systems ;-) || || || -- || EMB
Same as tyres, really. Soon there will be tyres marked 235/85/406.4
Ah the pitter patter of sleepless nights, remember it well.................................. BTW wait till they get to 20 :-(( you think LR empties your wallet !!
You missed the REAL fun bit - when they start learning to drive! JD
Can't be much longer now anyway - round here at least they induce at 10 days overdue....
Don't fall for the old 'labour is hell' bollocks either. Mandy was induced at 7am and by 11 still nothing happening. The midwife asked if there were any contractions, pain etc. "No, nothing". So they induced again. 3pm, still nothing.
When actually properly examined it turned out her contractions were
On or around Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:38:05 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:
You try buying 1/8" steel plate these days, it's all metric. and anyway, it's perfectly valid. The plate is made 3mm thick by the steel mill and I measure and cut it in inches.
On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 09:10:32 +0000, Tim Hobbs scribbled the following nonsense:
be nice to actually get the damn thing out..... Sat all night again.... rang up work, told them being as I have a course this afternoon and I'm too knackered, I'm not going in, so now sat filling my time until lunch when I have to go an learn about Health and Safety. Employer requires me to do the CIEH Basic Health and Safety course, despite the fact I have CIEH Advanced H&S from a previous life....
On or around Thu, 14 Dec 2006 10:25:51 +0000, Simon Isaacs enlightened us thusly:
winch?
It's bloody crazy, that sort of thing. I have (same as you, I darseay) enhanced CRB checks 'cos I work with children. But if I do coaching in harchery, I have to apply again, 'cos that one was done by the council not the harchery bigwigs.
On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:32:51 +0000, Austin Shackles scribbled the following nonsense:
yep, and the MSA wont accept my enhanced CRB check for being a teacher as MSA approved clubs are now meant to have a named contact for child safety and protection in the club. Means my club now have to fork for a CRB check on who ever now ends up with the job. I had been put forwards owing to my CRB check!
and I'm currently doing some work with two other schools in the same county, and have had to have 2 other enhanced CRB checks for each one to do that.....
Even more stupid is our school is now a "Full Service Extended School" and runs night classes, so guess what I have to have...... This time paid by FSES.....
I agree that things needed changing, but I now have 4 valid enhanced CRB checks, all paid for by the Lincolnshire tax payer....grrrrr
I need an enhanced CRB check to be a charity trustee, because the charity runs schools and childrens services, probably would need another if I volunteered somewhere else, it's quite a palaver to get one as well, needed to produce all the same proofs of identity to renew it as if I had changed my identity in the meantime.
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