I worked a Car Seat Check today and am sore and totally wiped out. Busy, busy! Sure had fun though. Some of the *cuties* babies came through. Early to bed tonight. I'll have to tell DH I need a total body rub. Hee hee! *EG*

By Pamt on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 08:02 pm:

I think a professional massage is more the ticket! Glad you had fun

By Marg on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 08:03 pm:

You did a good thing Trina

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 08:10 pm:

Thanks Pam and Marg. BTW, that's supposed to say *cutest* babies. See, I told you I was wiped out. LOL!

I had a professional massage once, and it was nice, but DH's are more fun!

By Pamt on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 08:12 pm:

Well, yeah, but those DH kind of massages end up to be really short (the actual massage part), because they so quickly lead to other things *eg*.

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 09:19 pm:

LOL, you can say that again!

By Mrsheidi on Sunday, September 12, 2004 - 09:35 pm:

Trina...I admire what you do!! You save lives!! You deserve a thousand massages!! (Yup, quote me on that when you tell your hubby! LOL!!!)

By Trina~moderator on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 06:48 am:

Thanks, Heidi!

There were a few installs that I was having a very hard time with. I called over the senior tech, and he couldn't get them in right either. The car seats were incompatible with the vehicles. We sent them into BabiesRUs with a coupon. LOL! Many harnesses that were too loose and in the wrong slots. Lots of loose objects (projectiles) in cars. Yikes! I installed a rear facing car seat for a 4 mos. old and found a matchbox car on the floor. I asked the mom if she had any other children. She said, "Yes, a 6 yr. old." There was no booster in her car, so I explained how kids are safest in boosters until 4'9" and 80-100 lbs., etc.. What a day! I get a natural high doing it.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 08:03 am:

Good for you!

By Tunnia on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 09:31 am:

I think what you do is wonderful!

By Dana on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 11:11 am:

I love hearing about your checks, Trina. I really enjoyed my days during playgroups when I "unoffically" checked the mom's carseats. Usually most of them had at least one thing improperly done. Some were just terrible. And the moms with the really poor seat adjustments were so greatful for me fixing it up correctly for them. After I would look at it, I always told them to go to a certified seat check since so many things change over the years with different makes and models. It wasn't too long ago, that a past playgroup mom saw me and thanked me AGAIN for "fixing her up" several years after the fact.

By Mommyathome on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 11:29 am:

Sounds like a successfull day!! I'm glad you are enjoying it

By Eve on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 03:09 pm:

There were a lot of cars there when we drove by, so I can imagine how sore you would be after struggling with seat after seat! Good job though!

BTW-Does a 5 lb model Herbie car count as a projectile? There's no way we can travel without a Herbie car. I guess we need to get a stuffed one. LOL!

By Trina~moderator on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 04:40 pm:

Dana, The parents who come to seat checks are very appreciative, and it's a great feeling to be able to send their child(ren) off safer than when they came in. That's what I get high off! However, I do get frustrated when I see misuse out in public. I hesitate to say anything because people don't take kindly to unsolicited advise.

Eve, There are some really cute stuffed Herbies on that VW web site. Actually a stuffed Herbie would be MUCH, MUCH safer than her 5 lb., hard Herbie model. Getting very technical here, but the crash force of a projectile is calculated like this: weight x speed = crash force. For example, 5 lb. x 30 mph = 150 lbs. crash force. If your car was traveling 30 mph and the driver had to brake hard or crashed a 5 lb. object would become a dangerous projectile with 150 lbs. worth of crash force. Yikes! Soft, squishy toys are OK but nothing hard or heavy. (I know, I'm a nerd.)

By Eve on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 05:05 pm:

Thanks, Trina. That's food for thought. Can you give me more information on what should and shouldn't be in the car? I know we've talked about the tv's in the car. I'm just thinking about the things that we sometimes have no choice but to put in the backseat when we travel. Is it only weight that is of concern?

I'm thinking my purse must weigh 5 lbs too. (I'm being serious, even though it sounds funny!)Sometimes we have an ice chest in the back and sometimes a small suitcase. Roxy is in a seatbelt, so she's good.

Do you have any info. on what is and what isn't safe? Thanks.

By Vicki on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 05:21 pm:

I understand your calculation on the weight x speed equals crash force, but that doesn't take into account how far things travel. I wouldn't think that anything could go far enough within the confines of a car to get up to that speed could it?? I agree that anything hard in the car could be dangerous if it started flying around during a crash, but I question would a 5 lb object REALLY travel 150 MPH in a car if it only went 3 feet or so?

By Vicki on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 05:24 pm:

hmmm...just re-read everything....maybe the difference is the mph and pounds of force... either way though, wouldn't distance traveled play a factor?? What is the difference?? LOL

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 10:03 am:

Vicki, Now you're getting even more technical! LOL! I was never good at physics, but yes, I think distance traveled would be a factor as well. I'm not saying a projectile would travel at 150 mph within the car, but that it would have 150 lbs worth of crash force. This means it definitely would cause injury, possibly death, if it hit a passenger.

Eve, my backpack weighs more than 5 lbs.! LOL! One of the things the CPS instructors asked in class was, "Is your cargo (bags and so on) secured in your vehicle? It should be." In a sedan obviously the safest place for cargo is in the trunk. Of course, there are times when everything doesn't fit in there. Many vehicles have cargo hooks, and that's exactly what they're for - to secure cargo. Bungee cords were mentioned as not the best thing to secure cargo because they will give and stretch during a crash. My new van has a hook on the lower dash on the front passenger side. It's purpose is to secure hand bags. Cool, huh?! Basically, if something isn't soft and squishy it shouldn't be loose in the car. If not in the trunk, cargo should be secured somehow. As a CPS Tech, during car seat inspections, I have been trained to remove all mirrors (for rear facing car seats) and any toys or objects that aren't soft and squishy.

By Vicki on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 11:06 am:

LOL Trina! I think I have been helping dd with Math homework too much. I am over thinking everything. LOL I completely agree that anything hard flying around the car would be very dangerous. I guess that is all that matters!