[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

You're all right its not my kids--my wife's niece bought her son a BMW for a high school graduation present- he slammed it into the wall on a highway, suffered brain damage - his life ended 10 years ago- he has no short term memory and lives in a group home. I was a volunteer fireman & have seen my share of young lives ruined -- oh , well--its not my kids- why should I care

Agree with the sarcasm......when I grew up everyone did care, if they saw something unsafe or someone doing something that was just wrong they called it out. Because we MOOB TOTV exists. We see what we don't think is right, ignore it when it happens then jump on here and complain about it anonymously. And that's what we are teaching the next generations, don't get involved and we are succeeding.....and society continues to slide.

[Beechie]

Originally Posted by Bonnevie

worked with a woman once who's teenage son was riding on handlebars of a bike...fell in front of a car, brain damaged. In the blink of an eye he went from a bright, promising kid to someone who will need lifelong care....of course those parents think it will never happen to them.

You are absolutely correct when you say those parents think it will never happen to them. These are the same parents that are not able to see the imminent dangers that lay ahead. The offering up of your words of wisdom is based upon the assumption that they were totally unaware of those dangers and that sudden epiphany would change their behaviour. Not so. It is more likely they will just tell you to mind your own business.

[DeanFL]

Shortly after moving to TV early last year, we witnessed something similar early on.

In the Gilchrist pool parking lot, we were waiting to back up to leave. In came a lady driving a golf cart with a 4 year old (or so) child in her lap - the kid seemed to be steering for her. They drove up to the mailstation and she did not brake soon enough and the cart went up the curb, just stopping from hitting the building. I saw her back up quickly, and did not appear hurt - just startled.

At first we said OMG - then WTF. Really wanted to go up to her and chide her, but thought better leave well enough alone. Hopefully she learned the lesson. It could have turned out so worse.

Please don't chide me - for not doing something or whatever may be. One puts themselves out there on this Forum, I simply wanted to add some personal experience.

[57ChevyFI]

Saw Grandma allowing young child-maybe 5-10 year old driving golf cart today--Grandma was sitting close...and helping with gas--not sure if she could reach the brake. By the way she was pulling on to the main road not even just "on the path". I just shook my head and prayed the child remained safe.
Kids don't know better-but Grandparents allowing kids to drive...OH I could RANT

[joldnol]

In my ideal world, people could just sign a waiver and be free to do all of the stupid things they wished and we could all mind our own business as some have chided the OP to do. Unfortunately we live in a world where people sue over their stupidity and the consequences to their actions. Get injured and no insurance? That's ok the tax payers will bail you out. Improperly use a product and get injured? Sue the manufacturer.

[villagerjack]

Myob is my motto

[Richard1366]

How would you have felt if you didn't say something and the child was seriously injured a few yards up the road. It's like people that ride bicycles or motorcycles without helmets, and when they are involved in an accident and become a vegetable, their family expects the government to take care of them. I applaud you for speaking up...

[kcrazorbackfan]

35 years ago I worked a fatality accident where a young couple and their 6 month baby was travelling from his parents home approx. 1 mile to their home. The mom decided to hold the baby in her lap instead of putting it in a car seat. About a 1/4 mile from their home, a drunk came across the centerline and crashed into them. I had received a call about the drunk so I was enroute to the area when the accident happened; I was the first person on the scene. The baby died instantly from being crushed against the dash, the parents were in critical condition. The parents couldn't get over the loss of their child and divorced 6 mos. later.

Why the story? Do say something if you see something wrong; what you say, might save a life of a child being stupidly held by an adult. Those of you chiding the OP for saying something to the adult just don't have a clue sometimes.

[Indydealmaker]

I am very disappointed in those who said the OP was meddling and should mind her own business. It is one thing when you see a full-grown adult doing stupid, dangerous stuff. It is entirely another, when those actions are endangering the life of a child.

More than ten people have died from golf cart accidents in the last few years. I believe most of those involved a lack of seat belt use, resulting in ejections from the carts.

Golf carts are on the street traveling up to as much as 30 mph along side 2-ton vehicles traveling as fast or faster. It is inconceivable that someone who knows a small child MUST be fastened into a child seat in a car on that same road, would not exercise that same care in an light, open golf car.

[NotGolfer]

Gotta say here that it isn't safe....the local sheriff's office continually put out warnings in our local paper and radio station reminding folks the laws of the road with golf-carts. Holding babies and toddlers is way dangerous...think wiggling etc. There could be many awful scenarios to this picture. IF it were your family, is it worth it?? Think about it!!! To think it can never happen to you.....tell that to other accident victims or their families.

[dotti105]

Two very different opinion presented here.

My take, like everyone else's, does not really matter. People will do as they choose.

There are no laws regarding lap children in golf carts. No laws regarding seat belts. So, I try to mind my own business. It is not always easy to do.

I am a RN and a certified Car Seat Safety Tech. I am trained to determine the best car seat for a child based on his/her age, the type of car and the budget of the parents. So it is hard for me to keep my mouth shut when I see parents, grandparents who are not restraining their kids properly in a motor vehicle.

But Golf Carts are not Motor Vehicles. There are no laws governing safe transport of kids in golf carts. Common sense must be used.

Is it always? Hell no!! But, I will not get into an argument or start lecturing regarding how to best transport a child in a golf cart. There is no basis for such a lecture or argument.

Do you honestly think voicing your opinion will make a difference? It won't.

Some people will put seat belts in their carts for their grandkids. Some will let them climb around unrestrained. Good luck in changing their minds.

It is hard enough to get parents and grandparents to use the proper Child Safety Seats in their motor vehicles. We are light years from any laws regarding golf carts.

[Chatbrat]

Golf car are motor vehicles---tell that to a man who was held on 10k bond for driving a golf cart with a revoked driver license--someone had quoted the statute awhile back confirming this-now if a golf cart is a motor vehicle- does the new child safety seat law apply ? IMHO---it should. As well as the new adult seat belt law.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Ok- this week- we'll all see lots of infants being held in parents hands in golf carts--lets enlighten them

I am sure you mean well, but this old bird is going to remind you that many of our children lived even if they didn't have seatbelts keeping them in and their car seats hooked OVER the front seat next to the driver.

Many of us lived riding our bikes without helmets. Many of our children survived driving with their parents to see Mickey Mouse in the back of station wagons with just a big blanket and coloring books and crayons. (And NO air conditioning)

I am MUCH more concerned with teens driving the carts without supervision.

Thank God, that no child has been hurt in a cart in the span of time we have been here although 14 adults have been killed in the last five years in cart accidents.

I think a lot of guardian angels are overworked, but hey.

If I thought that you telling someone to stop doing something would help, I would encourage you to do that. But I am a student of human behavior, most people would just be ****ed off.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Two very different opinion presented here.

My take, like everyone else's, does not really matter. People will do as they choose.

There are no laws regarding lap children in golf carts. No laws regarding seat belts. So, I try to mind my own business. It is not always easy to do.

I am a RN and a certified Car Seat Safety Tech. I am trained to determine the best car seat for a child based on his/her age, the type of car and the budget of the parents. So it is hard for me to keep my mouth shut when I see parents, grandparents who are not restraining their kids properly in a motor vehicle.

But Golf Carts are not Motor Vehicles. There are no laws governing safe transport of kids in golf carts. Common sense must be used.

Is it always? Hell no!! But, I will not get into an argument or start lecturing regarding how to best transport a child in a golf cart. There is no basis for such a lecture or argument.

Do you honestly think voicing your opinion will make a difference? It won't.

Some people will put seat belts in their carts for their grandkids. Some will let them climb around unrestrained. Good luck in changing their minds.

It is hard enough to get parents and grandparents to use the proper Child Safety Seats in their motor vehicles. We are light years from any laws regarding golf carts.

Couldn't have said it any better. Hopefully, you made a few minds think!!!

[karostay]

Originally Posted by Beechie

You can't fix stupid but you can quit meddling

Translation
Don't remind me Im doing something STUPID