side facing seat passengers (1 Viewer)

lorger

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Hi weather its law or not would you want to sit in the back with no seat belt or worse sit kids there. Here is a link to let you see i know it says aircraft sidefacing but think how it would be with no seatbelts or wall there to stop them.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5zVniK2tkE[/ame]

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Loujess

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For goodness' sake, I just cannot go along with this claptrap. Yes, of course there is a risk, but how serious is this risk. I well remember driving along the South Bank in London with my two children in the back fighting whilst I was trying desperately to bash them as I drove, in the 70s. That was pre the legislation that struck fear into everybody's heart if they were driving without being strapped in. Of course, there is no doubt that being strapped in has saved lives and some people may ask 'but are you prepared to take the risk?' as if my family's lives are of less value to me if I am prepared to take the risk, but I just cannot be of the panic brigade. My van does not have seat belts in the back because it has side benches, but recently my daughter drove to Whitby with my eldest granddaughter in the passenger seat and I was in the back with the youngest and we had a great holiday together. This would not have been possible if the 'but are you prepared to take the risk' brigade had snuck into my head.

Yes we were, yes we had a great time and yes, we will do it again. b-----er off the scary brigade. ::bigsmile:

Ivy
 

vwalan

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hi, i agree with loujess. i was taken all over europe in campervans with no belts as a child . my kids all over europe . have never had a camper with seat belts in the back. now my truck does have them fitted in the back .but not in the front. i took them out not required on a 2000vehicle like mine . left the rears but you cant see them .hardly carry anyone anyway. my kids are now in their 30,s but cant believe the fuss. most of my cars never had belts . built trikes so no belts or crash helmets required. at the time that was the reason i got into trike building. wouldnt wear a crash hat on m,bike if it wasnt law. freedom and freedom of choice. where as it gone.
 

lorger

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Hi Lou this seems to have hit a nerve that certainly wasnt meant but it is purely up to the individual if they are prepared to take the risk. So without giving them an opinion it may help if you point out some risks so they can make that choice with better info.

If you where meaning my post at no point did i give my personal opinion on this just some info to help the op i certainly dont think its claptrap to point out a risk. i am 100% sure your family mean as much to you as mine do to me and i was a kid who travled in the back while my dad tried to bash us. ( cant bash kids now though :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:. )

I think it is better to point things out to help people make their decisions as id hate for them to buy a mh then be scared to use it once they realised the risk involved thats all just trying to help them. Risks will always be there no matter what we do but its how you manage them that count i for one would not let my daughter sit in a rear lounge of a mh while driving. Thats is only my opinion doesnt make me better than you or vice versa.

vwalan i totally agree with you about freedom of choice but surely the more info you have good or bad makes that choice easier, as for wearing a helmet i even wear one on my push bike but thats my choice :ROFLMAO:

Love
The scary brigade:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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dc6947

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I'm all for abolishing the health and safety nonsense that is floating around right now, but i don't think this particular risk is one i'd personally take with my own daughter/family. Each to their own i guess.
 

Swift

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What right does an adult have to put a child at risk? yourself, your choice no problem.

It doesn't have to be your fault that caused the accident, there are a lot of idiots out there, like ones I see with children in the cars with no seat belts on!

I had a Land Rover Defender with rear side facing seats, having seen the injuries to passengers in one of these I sold it and bought a Discovery, side facing accident at 70mph your dead! With a front facing seat and belt you have a chance!
 

Techno

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Is it against the law?
If it is which I think it ought to be IMHO then there is no choice end of.

SO is it illegal?

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freelanderuk

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nearly every bus i have travelled on have side facing seats, i have sat in these and so have many old people , they even have spaces now for wheel chairs facing sideways,
 

artona

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Bailey have been testing their new motorhome recently and during the first test the dummy sat in the drivers seat was deemed dead after a 30mph head on. He was seat belted in but it was the flying fridge and cabinets that killed him as they continued at 30mph after the vehicle was stopped. They don't mention this in their report but I heard it from an eye witness. They have continued with their testing to make sure their motorhome will be as safe as possible.

click here

And as safe as possible is the key phrase. I personally take care when I go into restaurants, I reckon a quick death in a car accident is preferable to a slow one through food poisoning. Its pretty dangerous crossing the road, Jessica fell off her pony the other day, I don't buy newspapers anymore because stress is deadly. I don't go on exhilarating fairground rides incase one of the young lads did not do all the connections up fully etc etc

As far as seatbelts are concerned I would travel in the back with out seatbelts and I would allow others to. I would not have Jessica sat there unless she had an adult, she would always be in a car seat strapped in but only because as a child her reactions might not be good enough.

I reckon its a personal choice though.
 

Swift

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How many of these travel at 70mph on motorways or other roads?

Use common sense not just the law!

As I said I don't give two hoots about the arrogant individual it is the little young innocents cought up with these people that lose their lives out of no choice if their own, a bit like the filthy horrible murdering people that smoke in cars with children, no law (yet) but absolutely outrageous, these type of people should be exterminated!

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artona

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How many of these travel at 70mph on motorways or other roads?

Use common sense not just the law!

Purely on a technical issue if you get a takeaway and eat it as you drive down the motorway if you are doing 70 mph then so is it. ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

A death is a death whatever causes it.
 

GJH

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Just done some Googling and found This Web Page which includes an interesting point:
However, if you are carrying passengers in the back you must discuss and declare this to your insurance company. It is very likely that your insurance company will not let you travel with passengers in the back unless they are in forward facing seats and have a 3-point seat belt.

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grumps147

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Just done some Googling and found This Web Page which includes an interesting point:

Apart from strict rule of law and using common sense, Grahams point re insurance should make you stop in your tracks, if you are seriously thinking about it.

In the event of an accident insurance companies will use any excuse to void it for other than third party risk, and some would even void it completely given the circumstances.
 

artona

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Apart from strict rule of law and using common sense, Grahams point re insurance should make you stop in your tracks, if you are seriously thinking about it.

In the event of an accident insurance companies will use any excuse to void it for other than third party risk, and some would even void it completely given the circumstances.

It depends on whats in your actual insurance not whats said on the internet! :winky::winky:

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vwalan

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hi .i dont think the insurers will bother. if the law allows it then when you underwrite you take in to consideration the law.
i dont mot my truck .when it got hit by a third party in portugal my insurers asked to see the mot. i told them it was exempt . they checked came back and said all ok and carried on with the sorting out. some policey,s do say vehicle mut be motted . but now most say kept in road worthy condition.just as well as an mot isnt a certificate of roadworthyness.
but if you dont need seat belts you dont have to fit them . my truck doesnt have seat belts in the front not required so not fitted. still doesnt effect insurance.
cheers alan.
 

Terry

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Is it against the law?
If it is which I think it ought to be IMHO then there is no choice end of.

SO is it illegal?

Simply put -pre 2007 vans it is legal to carry passengers in/on side seats after that you have to be in belted seats ::bigsmile:
Not getting into rights and wrongs of carrying un belted passengers :Smile: We do take our grandson with us at times in the side seat where he lays on the bed either sleeping or playing on his games console :thumb: or he gets into the front passenger seat,(co-pilot) relegating Ann into the back ::bigsmile: I could easy fit some lap belts :thumb: but hat would stop either of them laying down and sleeping :ROFLMAO:SEE they trust my driving enough to go to sleep :ROFLMAO::winky:
terry

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Simply put -pre 2007 vans it is legal to carry passengers in/on side seats after that you have to be in belted seats ::bigsmile:
Not getting into rights and wrongs of carrying un belted passengers :Smile: We do take our grandson with us at times in the side seat where he lays on the bed either sleeping or playing on his games console :thumb: or he gets into the front passenger seat,(co-pilot) relegating Ann into the back ::bigsmile: I could easy fit some lap belts :thumb: but hat would stop either of them laying down and sleeping :ROFLMAO:SEE they trust my driving enough to go to sleep :ROFLMAO::winky:
terry

It is legal to travel in side facing seats if the van was registered before January 2006. Seat belts should never be used on side facing seats as they can cause more injury than not wearing them in an accident
 

Terry

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It is legal to travel in side facing seats if the van was registered before January 2006. Seat belts should never be used on side facing seats as they can cause more injury than not wearing them in an accident

Hi jezport :ROFLMAO: did I not say that in my other post ? :ROFLMAO: You can fit lap belts in side seats :thumb: but not 3 point :Eeek::thumb::winky:
terry
 

Swift

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Is it 'normal' to sit in side seats in the back or are these people 'odd'?

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Oct 29, 2008
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Hi jezport :ROFLMAO: did I not say that in my other post ? :ROFLMAO: You can fit lap belts in side seats :thumb: but not 3 point :Eeek::thumb::winky:
terry

You say pre 2007. I read that it was Pre January 2006. Lap belts are extremely dangerous on side facing seats as they cause hip and other damage.

The safest side facing seats are designed to be travel seats by the converter and should have suitable paneling in front of the seat. The two in my van are the first seat either side of the cab and have a cushioned solid panel next to them.
 

Swift

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I did here that if people are caught moving about whilst driving you can be charged with having an unsafe load :winky:

So is popping to the loo whilst driving on a motorway (passengers) illegal or normal? and has anyone done it?
 

artona

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I did here that if people are caught moving about whilst driving you can be charged with having an unsafe load :winky:

So is popping to the loo whilst driving on a motorway (passengers) illegal or normal? and has anyone done it?

I wonder why every bus driver in the land isn't being prosecuted?

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Swift

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Good question, maybe the buses are purpose built for moving around, I doubt my Ducato Al-ko chassis is :RollEyes:
 

Terry

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You say pre 2007. I read that it was Pre January 2006. Lap belts are extremely dangerous on side facing seats as they cause hip and other damage.

The safest side facing seats are designed to be travel seats by the converter and should have suitable paneling in front of the seat. The two in my van are the first seat either side of the cab and have a cushioned solid panel next to them.

QUOTE Seats prior to October 2007 do not require seat belts ---
LAP BELTS ARE CONSIDERED BETTER THAN NONE --if only to stop people flying around :ROFLMAO::winky:
terry
 

Hendrixfan

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side facing ...

I was wondering about taking a friend on a long (to her) journey lying on the bed in the back of our 1997 converted ambulance, as she gets very tired and sometimes nauseous sitting upright. Seems that should be legal, and reasonably safe?

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