Super glue the vents and the control, I like looking at the "redneck thermometers" that "pop up".

 

We did, others were less fortunate. Yeah, I rode in my uncle's lap and steered his Roadmaster, rode unrestrained everywhere else, remember those Maggie Simpson car seats that were hung over the (movable) backs of the front seat. Then again, the likes of James Dean and Jayne Mansfield suffered alternate fates. Had they been properly restrained in cars like we have today, their stories would undoubtedly be different. Tempt fate? Your call. Personally, I will avail myself to the safety systems for which I have paid. Wearing a seatbelt ain't that big a deal.

 

All true. I do also today use my belts as do anyone that rides in my car. I can remember, however, when the seatbelt law was inacted in Texas, that I looked hard for a 1959 Chevy pick up for a ride. If your car was built before 1960, seatbelts were not standard and you didn't have to have them. I changed my tune. 30 days makes a habit.

 

I usually get all riled up about seeing people on the road with their kids jumping around in the car. I don't think it is that big of a deal if you are going around the neighborhood so no fun from me today. We never used seat belts when I was a kid. My mother had one wreck that NOT having the seat belt on saved her life but she still flew out of the car. After that she made us wear them and then about 5 years later she had a wreck where that was all that saved her. You never know what's gonna happen.

 

Don't get me wrong. Obviously some safety precautions are sensible. I wear my seatbelt, I wear a helmet and leather when I ride my motorcycle. But we (as a society) are just taking things too far, IMO.

Example: mandatory helmets on bikes, skates, scooters, etc. Some places mandate use of knee,elbow, and wrist pads too. Helmets...ok, I'll buy that (maybe). But do we need to save our kids from skinned knees?

 

George Carlin has a great bit about this. He says this is why the world is getting dumber and dumber. At one point survival of the fittest made sure stupid people didn't breed but now that we make such an effort to protect everyone from their own stupidity we are paying for it! LOL!!

 

yea my friends do stupid crap like that too, they are not 4 year olds more like 20 year olds but yea they push the heated seat button and the love to move my seat in every direction possible(i have great friends lol)

 

On topic;

My 12 year old loves to turn on my seat heater on a hot day....just to get me pissed!

Off Topic:

I just hate what the lawyers are doing to auto regulations. The whole airbag thing preventing kids from riding in the front seat is total BS. While there is no question that the rear seat is somewhat safer than the front seat in an accident, an airbag will NOT injure a child in the front seat. The key is the placement of the front seat, and use of the seatbelt. If you move the front seat all the way back, and have the sholder harness on, and properly adjusted to cross the kid's shoulder and not their neck, you are fine. If the kid is too short for the seatbelt, then they need a booster seat. In a crash, the airbag will never even touch the child, unless the car is totally crushed.

I once took a special air-bag course at General Motors designed for first responders, and the engineer admitted that the whole "Never Let Kids In The Front Seat" thing is strictly a ruse the lawyers cooked up to prevent law suits to the manufacturers by people who are too stupid to wear a seat belt AND prefer to seat as close as possible to the explosive charge in their dashboard.

Anyone who needs to move their seat forward to drive should have their steering wheel airbag disabled. The same holds for someone who is really heavy. And never allow the front seat passenger, whatever their size or age, to move their seat forward. And most important, never let rules made by idiots, for idiots, rule your life!

PS: I remember as a twelve year old riding in a 356 while sitting on the folded convertible top with two other friends, with our feet on the useless rear seats, holding onto the luggage rack for dear life, doing 80 down a country lane. Who knew, (or cared,) that we weren't politically correct?

 

That was fun - reading all those childhood car experiences! I too remember when my parents & I came to CA to visit family and we (my parents, my aunt & uncle, me & 2 cousins) drove to visit Grand Canyon.

Back then, my uncle had a Datsun station wagon...small as it is for 4 adults, the 3 kids just rode in the rear cargo area. And, since it was so ****** hot - they'd buy bags of ice at gas stations & we just 'chilled' back there, literally! Good times, good times...^-^

Also, I remember back in the days when (in Hawaii, before they restricted this) we'd pile into the bed of some older kid's mini-truck afterschool & go cruisin. Being a 7th, 8th, or 9th grader and having your spot in the back of a lowered truck was a cool, fun feeling...y'know?

Regarding the safety thing...I agree, there are waaayyy too many restrictions nowadays. If only people would just take the time to learn to drive better. Don't get me wrong, I know that the laws' intentions are good...but our "free" way of life isn't so free anymore.

I drive fast (read: I speed alot)...but I honestly think that a focused, yet relaxed speeder is alot safer than those nervous, scared to drive types going 60 on the freeway. I look ahead...way ahead...so I have my lane-changes planned before I get there **vs** someone who is so focused on the rear-bumper of the car immediately in front of them that they don't know what else is around.

My how things have changed.....=(

 

Oh...one more comment...

If you really have alot of kids and/or big dogs and/or carry alot of stuff...then I guess big SUVs are a necessity. However, here in Southern California (and I'm sure alot of other places), I get really irritated when I see so many Suburbans/Expeditions being driven by cel-phone-weilding women by themselves (hope that didn't sound sexist). Not to mention those guys that have like 5 tv-screens on...and noone else is even in the car besides the driver! And if anyone here is in SoCal...you know how people like to tailgate. They do it unintentionally, but they're going like 85mph...about one car-length behind the car in front! I hope they all have monster big-brake kits behind those chrome 22's...and reflexes like a cat! (highly doubtful)

The worst part is the mentality of it all...."well, I want to be safe - if I get into a wreck, my SUV should be pretty tough & I'd feel sorry for the other guy"

What's up w/ that?!