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Any - Baby on board signs - dan86

I don't know if it's just me or has anyone else noticed this?

I understand why people would want to put a baby on board sign in their car but why do they feel it gives them the right to drive light an utter twonk.

There times today on the same journey had someone (all women but not saying it's only women) do something stupid one just pulled out in front of me with only a few meters of a gap and then didn't even bother to try and accelerate up to the speed limit, one just slammed on the breaks and got out the car to open a rear door to drop off a passenger no signaling or anything not even pulled over to the curb and the last one was on the break off the break for around 3 miles with no one in front.

Rant over

Any - Baby on board signs - badbusdriver

In my experience, it is by no means just folk with those (awful) signs on display who drive like this, you maybe just noticed these particularly because of them?.

The thing which annoys me is that if you are close enough to read what the sign says then you are too close and are likely to hit the back of the car should they break suddenly. But also the notion that people should or would change how they drive around cars with these signs on!.

Any - Baby on board signs - dan86

Trust me you don't need to be that close to read them especially when it says in big letters across the entire back window princess Tiana on board in Disney type letters

Any - Baby on board signs - gordonbennet

Hardly surprising, the skills required to control and drive vehicles have been dumbed down constantly, when you make something available to idiots, don't be surprised when idiots avail themselves.

The answer to this, after all this is the west, is more of the same, dumb things down further, twas ever thus.

Any - Baby on board signs - tourantass
The Babe on Board signs, make me smile...as it is usually being driven by a Baby Hippo in leggins..smokin a greggs sausage roll...
Any - Baby on board signs - coopshere
Whilst all the above has merit isn’t it time that the same rules apply to this as in the use of mobile phones. The baby should be in the rear seat and the driver should not be able to offer attention to it. If it’s dangerous to prod at you mobile because your attention is taken away from your driving then the same must be for attending to a child in need of attention.
Any - Baby on board signs - Bolt
Whilst all the above has merit isn’t it time that the same rules apply to this as in the use of mobile phones. The baby should be in the rear seat and the driver should not be able to offer attention to it. If it’s dangerous to prod at you mobile because your attention is taken away from your driving then the same must be for attending to a child in need of attention.

I agree in that the attention of drivers now is taken more by whom is in the back seat than mobile phone use imo, and little to no notice is taken of surroundings, in some cases don't seem to care either

Any - Baby on board signs - Bromptonaut

There are drivers with assorted variants of 'child on board' stickers and there are people who drive like twonks. I doubt a Venn Diagram would show an unusual degree of overlap.

I'm not up to date with the latest thinking on how babes in arms or toddlers should be transported in terms of (a) front versus back seat or (b) which way child seats should face. When my two were young front travel was mildly frowned on but OK provided the lethal effects of airbags were understood and mitigated by use of an isolation switch for passenger side.

There were certainly occasions where I travelled alone with a child up to age three or four where I'd rather have them in the front. I certainly would not have liked idea of lengthy travel (or traffic related stop) on a motorway with a distressed child inaccessible in the back. My daughter travelled all the way from Northampton to NW Scotland and back at 6 months in a rear facing seat in front of car. I could at least make brief eye contact, replace a dummy, offer a drink or otherwise distract.

The mobile phone law is specifically drawn around devices held in the hand. If it's in a mount or cradle prodding it is not, of itself, an offence. Charges of not being in full control may still be available but are defendable in a way that phone on hand is not.

Any - Baby on board signs - Sofa Spud

I don't mind the 'baby on board' signs although we never used one on our car. I don't think people with those signs drive any worse than similar people without them.

The signs that annoy me more are those saying things like: "little princess on board" or "future superstar on board".

Edited by Sofa Spud on 14/06/2019 at 10:59

Any - Baby on board signs - galileo

I don't mind the 'baby on board' signs although we never used one on our car. I don't think people with those signs drive any worse than similar people without them.

The signs that annoy me more are those saying things like: "little princess on board" or "future superstar on board".

I take them as proof that the driver is more concerned with public display of their ego and achievement in having produced offspring (in the case of males, possibly mistakenly) rather than the serious business of driving with due care, courtesy and safety

Any - Baby on board signs - Gibbo_Wirral

The original use of that sign was to alert first responders in a crash to look for a baby or child under the rear seats in the event of a serious accident.

Now they've become sad vanity accessories.

Any - Baby on board signs - Engineer Andy

The original use of that sign was to alert first responders in a crash to look for a baby or child under the rear seats in the event of a serious accident.

Now they've become sad vanity accessories.

Especially when they are still displayed when NO baby/child is 'on board'. Right up there with people (including contractors in vans) using their disabled parents blue badge or parking in the Parent & Child spaces (without the latter) to get a nice parking space near the entrance when they (only) go to the local supermarket or DIY centre.

What does it also say about our society that many people feel the need to display a sign so other drivers don't drive like aggressive idiots around them? Especially when many displaying them drive like the aforementioned berks themselves.

Any - Baby on board signs - Snakey

I saw a purply/pink Micra the other day with the naff sticker 'Powered by fairy dust' on the back - when I went past the driver looked like a 20 stone cage fighter, I wonder if it was his car!

Any - Baby on board signs - Steveieb

According to a leading motoring writer the signs , especially when placed on an MPV idicate the driver is extremely virile and can produce many children.

I love the signs on Renaults that say "Built in France, fell apart in Britain"

And the other ones on vans which say "Adventure before dementia"

Any - Baby on board signs - barney100

Would have thought it was downright cruel to put a baby on a board.

Any - Baby on board signs - galileo

According to a leading motoring writer the signs , especially when placed on an MPV indicate the driver is extremely virile and can produce many children.

Or is a bit naive, with a virile postman/milkman.

Any - Baby on board signs - Leif
Others have said there’s probably no correlation between these signs and bad driving. And statistically women have less accidents than men.

That said, I do wonder if someone who thinks such signs are useful,or amusing might not be the brightest specimen on the planet.

Regarding pulling in unsafely etc, I see such driving regularly, I haven’t noticed any stickers. It’s often men too.

Unfortunately you have to drive defensively, assume the worst, and be pleasantly surprised when others show courtesy and/or respect. And don’t drive in Luton. ;)
Any - Baby on board signs - dan86
And don’t drive in Luton. ;)

I did that once never again

Any - Baby on board signs - Leif
And don’t drive in Luton. ;)

I did that once never again

I did that once for two and a half years ... never again.

Any - Baby on board signs - focussed

I worked in Luton for 6 months in the 1970's - thankfully never again after I found a job in a civilised town - yes it was that bad even then!

Any - Baby on board signs - bathtub tom

I was born in Luton and lived there for 25 years, although I moved away in '75.

Any - Baby on board signs - RaineMan

I am sure some people just hang the signs so they can nick a space near the entrance of s supermarket when they just want cigarettes or a sandwich!

Any - Baby on board signs - dan86

I am sure some people just hang the signs so they can nick a space near the entrance of s supermarket when they just want cigarettes or a sandwich!

What about the lack of a child's car seat. By the time a child is old enough the be out of a booster seat I don't think you need to be parking in a parent and child space.

Any - Baby on board signs - SteveLee
Others have said there’s probably no correlation between these signs and bad driving. And statistically women have less accidents than men.

I worked for one of the UK's largest insurers and had full access to the relevant data, Women do not have fewer accidents than men - actually, they have about three times more accidents per mile driven than men - but tend to drive in lower speed conditions (urban/semi-urban) - therefore the accidents are less costly in terms of life and limb as well as twisted metal, they also drive (on average) far fewer miles to the point it outweighs the greater number of (minor) accidents per mile - also, where couples are concerned, the men tend to be the primary drivers on longer/higher speed trips, although accidents on motorways/A-Roads are less likely, when they do occur, they are very costly to insurers.

RE "BOB" stickers, I interpret them as "I know I'm a terrible driver - to the point where I am actually concerned for the safety of my own child due to my incompetence - so please give me a wide birth ('scuse the pun) when I forget to indicate, or are in the wrong lane (yet again) or am braking inappropriately or have missed the fifth perfectly viable gap in the traffic in a row."

Segueing the two points, being overly cautious due to your own incompetence means you are a better risk to insurers - it certainly doesn't mean you're a "better driver" - of course there are many male drivers who are too confident to the point of being dangerous.

Any - Baby on board signs - Engineer Andy

I'd say that 'child on board' more likely is a warning to other road users - parents distracted by their kids mucking about in the back (and worrying about getting to work on time as well) are not, in my view, attentive drivers. I've seen many a minor accident bung up the road for ages as a result.

It's why I also try as much as possible to avoid school pickup/drop-off locations and times when out and about. The same goes for me picking holidays, as I drive to the West Country nearly 300 miles - not only is picking non-school holidays far cheaper, but the roads are far emptier with less of the above type of vehicle on the roads. I also save (according to Google Maps) about 1-1.5 hrs on my journey time.

Any - Baby on board signs - concrete

I think it is immaterial wether there is a sign on the rear screen or not. Poor drivers are just that, sign or no sign. I think it should be illegal to have these signs and stickers on the rear screens or windows. Visibility being the main issue. They should be bumper stickers as in the USA, not windscreen stickers. Apropos emergency services attending an accident. I would have thought the baby seat (or absence thereof) would be enough of a clue to instigate a thorough search of the vehicle, without the need for sign which may or may not be accurate information.

Cheers Concrete