Kids sat on drivers lap

[sarahbell 3,370]

Just seen the neighbour pull out from half way up the road - she's stopped to take her child out of his car seat (he's about 18 months old) so he can "drive" the car home.

AIBU?

SIHGTM?

[Libspero 2,109]

And..?

[One percent 21,428]

My dad did this to me when I was really little. I loved it and still hold it as a fond memory even now. 

Perhaps not a good idea on a busy road, but a quiet side road, why not?  

[Panther 2,078]

I did that a few times, just very slow on quiet estate roads, and I was always driving. Once gave a bit of a fright to a workman poking his head out of a manhole though.

Edited October 2 by Panther

[SpectrumFX 3,509]

2 minutes ago, One percent said:

My dad did this to me when I was really little. I loved it and still hold it as a fond memory even now. 

Perhaps not a good idea on a busy road, but a quiet side road, why not?  

Snap. I remember the same.

Those were the days.

 

[wherebee 5,398]

31 minutes ago, sarahbell said:

Just seen the neighbour pull out from half way up the road - she's stopped to take her child out of his car seat (he's about 18 months old) so he can "drive" the car home.

AIBU?

SIHGTM?

YES.  YABU.

[One percent 21,428]

1 minute ago, SpectrumFX said:

Snap. I remember the same.

Those were the days.

 

Before the health and safety lot killed all our enjoyment. Sadly, I never did it with my kids but made sure they drove as soon as legal. 

[Libspero 2,109]

38 minutes ago, One percent said:

My dad did this to me when I was really little. I loved it and still hold it as a fond memory even now. 

Perhaps not a good idea on a busy road, but a quiet side road, why not?  

I remember my dad putting me in his boat on the back of the trailor to "test it" while on a little jaunt around the local backroads.

He'd probably be locked up for child abuse or something these days..

[One percent 21,428]

1 minute ago, Libspero said:

I remember my dad putting me in his boat on the back of the trailor to "test it" while on a little jaunt around the local backroads.

He'd probably be locked up for child abuse or something these days..

Life was so much more fun before the busybodies got involved. Bloody legislated against anything that could be construed as fun. 

[Libspero 2,109]

Just now, One percent said:

Life was so much more fun before the busybodies got involved. Bloody legislated against anything that could be construed as fun. 

Too much focus on risk and quantity of life.  Not enough focus on quality of life.   The suicide statistics speak for themselves..

Quote

Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the country

 

[One percent 21,428]

1 minute ago, Libspero said:

Too much focus on risk and quantity of life.  Not enough focus on quality of life.   The suicide statistics speak for themselves..

 

The cost of everything and the value of nothing springs to mind 

[Van Lady 5,842]

Yes, I remember getting a go at “driving” several times while sat on the drivers lap. They’re good memories. However I was more than 18 months old! It’s a tad young IMO!

As @One percentmentioned above I didn’t do this with my own children. On reflection it’s maybe because bringing up my own children was different to when I was brought up. When I got a go at lap driving it was on a Sunday afternoon or father’s holiday time. Back then Sunday was a day to drive somewhere e.g. lakes, beaches, places of interest with a packed lunch, flasks and cooking stove. Idyllic really, mum at home, dad in decent job and a comfortable life with basic needs and more met.

When a bit older I also remember times when my mother would take herself and seven kids (not all hers) to various places for a day out in the estate car we had. No seat belts...mother + 1 kid in front, 4 kids in backseat and 2 kids in the boot. No seat belts. 

Life did seem better fun and freer back then in comparison to when I brought mine up. All the rules and regulations are stifling. It’s because partly many people are so keen to sue and demand financial compensation these days for bad luck in life!

[eight 3,676]

How else is a family of six going to fit on the front bench of a Transit van?

[JackieO 3,789]

1 hour ago, One percent said:

My dad did this to me when I was really little. I loved it and still hold it as a fond memory even now. 

Yes my dad did that too! I loved having my hands on the steering wheel!

Thanks I just remembered that!

[spygirl 9,551]

1 hour ago, SpectrumFX said:

Snap. I remember the same.

Those were the days.

 

Fag in one hand, beer in the other....

 

[One percent 21,428]

8 minutes ago, Van Lady said:

Yes, I remember getting a go at “driving” several times while sat on the drivers lap. They’re good memories. However I was more than 18 months old! It’s a tad young IMO!

As @One percentmentioned above I didn’t do this with my own children. On reflection it’s maybe because bringing up my own children was different to when I was brought up. When I got a go at lap driving it was on a Sunday afternoon or father’s holiday time. Back then Sunday was a day to drive somewhere e.g. lakes, beaches, places of interest with a packed lunch, flasks and cooking stove. Idyllic really, mum at home, dad in decent job and a comfortable life with basic needs and more met.

When a bit older I also remember times when my mother would take herself and seven kids (not all hers) to various places for a day out in the estate car we had. No seat belts...mother + 1 kid in front, 4 kids in backseat and 2 kids in the boot. No seat belts. 

Life did seem better fun and freer back then in comparison to when I brought mine up. All the rules and regulations are stifling. It’s because partly many people are so keen to sue and demand financial compensation these days for bad luck in life!

My mums best friend had a cream mini traveller. All the kids piled in the boot and off we went for days out. Magical times 

[SpectrumFX 3,509]

2 minutes ago, spygirl said:

Fag in one hand, beer in the other....

 

You're not far wrong. I don't remember him ever drinking while he was actually in the process of driving, but he thought nothing of driving 4 or 5 pints in back in the day.

[spygirl 9,551]

1 minute ago, SpectrumFX said:

You're not far wrong. I don't remember him ever drinking while he was actually in the process of driving, but he thought nothing of driving 4 or 5 pints in back in the day.

I meant the kid.....

I had a mate on the moors who luved in a bizzarre terace of house, about 6, by themselves. He had an 80yo neighbour whod go to the pub, parking her car so it pointed at her houses some 3 miles away - there was a track and a bit of moor. Shed get pissed climb in the car and head back in 2nd gear at about 10mph.

[Happy Renting 4,508]

When she was 10 I gave my daughter some driving lessons in my garden (it more of a was field really). The car was an automatic and she could reach the pedals.

She's in her mid 20's now and has had several accidents so I guess I was wasting my time.