They just seem kind of pointless - people don't crash into your car on purpose so what's the point of the sign if it isn't going to stop people crashing in to you?
Is it a 'smug parent' thing?
Is it the excitement of sticking it on when you have your first child?
I have no idea.
But I do have an idea for a sign that ALL mothers should be given as they leave the hospital and it reads something like this ...
MOTHER DRIVING CAR
I haven't had a proper night of sleep in three years, my kids are screaming in the back and I am simultaneously trying to pass them back some food, find the song that they want on the Play School CD and steer the car.
I'd drive carefully if I were you because I'M NOT CONCENTRATING AT ALL!
How's your driving since you had kids? Mine is completely crap!
Ha ha love it! I'm exactly the same.
ReplyDeleteI don't like those baby on board signs either but I think they started after a bad crash when rescue workers didn't realise there was a baby trapped in the back seat? Something like that anyway.
Oh how awful. That's your worst nightmare isn't it!
DeleteI remember in the movie Maybe Baby (based on Inconceivable by Ben Elton, which - if you ask me - is a much better title!)the female protagonist said, of these stickers: "I mean, what is the parent trying to say to other road users? And what are other road users supposed to make of it? 'Thanks awfully for the tip because I’d been thinking about driving into the back of you, but since you’ve got a kid in the car I’ll cover the brake.' It’s absurd. I’m going to have my own sticker made. 'Sadly my husband and I have not yet been blessed with the divine gift of a child but we’d still prefer not to die in a car crash, thank you.'"
ReplyDeleteYou have to love Ben Elton.
I don't mind them, they don't worry me, but I don't think they make the slightest bit of difference. Selfish, crappy drivers don't care about anybody else on the road anyway, and the rest of us are already trying not to ram one another, regardless.
And lastly, someone on a forum I was reading once asked - if the baby on board thing is for the rescue crew, what happens when you are driving without your baby? And wouldn't they just go by the car seat rather than waste time looking for possibly smashed up windows? So I looked it up on Snopes, and they say it is an urban myth, that they were simply invented by Safety First to raise drive awareness: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/babysign.asp
Totally agree - people who are bad, selfish, careless drives aren't going to bother to read a sign on your car. And I love Ben Elton's point!
DeleteI used to just hate those stupid baby on board signs and have often wondered myself what the purpose of them was. Now I hate those and those stick people stickers that show you who is in the family including pets and all their interests. Now I don't get the point to those either.
ReplyDeleteI momentarily wanted the stick figures (who knows why!) but I resisted and I'm over it now : )
DeleteSadly I was a crap driver before kids and motherhood has not improved the situation any.
ReplyDeleteI reckon that anyone who can drive with their kids in the car and NOT crash is amazing! The amount of distraction is unbelievable.
DeleteI had a similar realisation after having the Big Sister. Those signs are not about alerting emergency services to small people. They're code for "Sorry if I forget to indicate off this roundabout. Truth is, I forget my name most days".
ReplyDeleteI struggle with my name too but somehow I can always remember where the coffee is!
DeleteGuilty on all accounts - guess that's why we got rid of the car. After all, riding the subway with kids is just SO much nicer. (I'm kidding).
ReplyDeleteOMG at least in the car they're tied down, I mean strapped in!
DeleteYes! Those 'Baby on Board' signs are completely ridiculous!
ReplyDelete"Oh, look out! That person has a baby in their car, better be EXTRA careful to not crash into them!" I agree, it is a little smug.
And yes I suppose if I had a 'mother driving car' sticker then people would forgive me for all of the swerving... hopefully... ;-)
Hilarious! Agree totally.
ReplyDelete