Children - safety - Model T's

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Children - safety - Model T's
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 09:47 am:

My grandkids are coming to visit (yea!) Ages 6,7,8, & 12.

I know they're gonna want to ride in the T (a lot).

Those of you with grandkids - have you got any advice or rules that will help keep them safe?

We will be riding exclusively on backroads and dirt roads with very little traffic.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By G.R.Cheshire on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 09:58 am:

Make them run around the house as fast as they can 3 times before the ride starts and take their mama with you!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 12:06 pm:

Bud,

If you take them one at a time and teach them to drive -- they will usually be very attentive. At 6 they may just be happy sitting on your lap steering -- or if there isn't room between the lap and the wheel for a child, then letting them be next to you and steer can still be fun. A large empty field, church parking lot etc. can be useful for that. And with the 1-2-1 time it is easy to keep track of them etc. Of course you need to work with the parents to make sure it is ok. I've seen some parents that would want a crash helmet, roll bar, air bags, and a student license etc before they could touch the wheel. And other parents who are not worried about Grand Dad and his old car harming the kids. And if they don't want them to drive the car in the parking lot etc. you can let them drive it when the others are pushing it out etc. Note you can start the T in the garage -- but we always seemed to push it out to give us more room. They were stacked in fairly tight.

If you also have some kids in the back seat, having another adult / responsible person in the back seat to make sure the kids don't open the doors etc. is a smart idea -- depending on how mature the kids are.

And having something special after the ride is also nice. We used to have iced tea and ice cream in the summer time or hot coco in the winter when I was the little kid. The goal is to make it a positive memory and not a "Don't touch that, or that, or ..." etc. memory.

The suggestion of have them run around the garage 3 times would be one option for using up some of the energy. My Dad used the "If you can push it out of the garage -- I'll take you for a ride" approach. And it worked -- I would be tired and much less "wired."

With 4 kids there is a good chance one or more of them will really enjoy learning about the T. How to start it, how to lube it, how to drive it, etc. And while you are in Florida -- be sure they are dressed warm. Pulling up the top floor board allow heat to come in, both floor boards more heat. Good luck and have fun! Take pictures. And while you are at it -- teach some of the adults to drive.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 12:26 pm:

Bud: have another adult with you. You have enough to do with controlling the car without having to deal with an emergency. If you have seat belts use them and please stay out of traffic. Keep the speed down too. Usually they think their going faster than they actually are any ways.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Doolittle on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:06 pm:

Tell 'em " sit down, shut up, and hang on!"


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donald Conklin on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:06 pm:

It is hard to keep excited kids in their seats, a second adult and/or seat belts would sure help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Thomas on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:09 pm:

I had my 12 year old granddaughter with me the other day, and I offered her a ride in my newly acquired Model A Roadster. Now she had been with me 100's of times in my 25 Model T Coupe, so I thought, no big deal. When she got in she said, "Where are the seat belts?", I said, "No seat belts, just like a Model T." Then she said, "Well can we roll up the window?" I said,"No windows in a roadster." Finally in desperation she says, "Well can we at least lock the door?" I said, "No locks on the door." She says,"What kind of car is this?" I guess she decided it was all hanging out there in a roadster!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Goelz-Knoxville,TN on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:14 pm:

In Tennessee you must have kids in child restraints regardless of the year, most people disregard it but will be fined if a cop decides to stop you.But have fun.

Rick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Menzies on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:16 pm:

One time at a local fair I offered free Model T rides around the park (big mistake). At first the kids all lined up in an orderly manner and about 4 jumped in at a time around the park we went with out incident. After about 30 minutes of this the waiting kids started to chase the car (easily caught up to me) and started to jump on the fenders climbing over the back and fight with each other, one fell off the back and another got pushed off. When I finally cams around the park to the loading/unloading point it was uncontrolled about 10 wanted to climb on at the same time and a big fight started, we had to break it up and take the T home. The parents were so smitten with the car they didn't notice the scrum. I was warned however by the fair organizer not to do it for free and I said HO HO HO THEN OH MY. This was a 26 touring with no top so it was easy for them to get in and out and they are just like little monkeys there were everywhere. Just don't let them chase your car the little people can run almost as fast. Happy Holidays Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Coiro on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 01:49 pm:

A few years aqo, I decided to get proactive about my car's relationship with the local constabulary and state police. I visited both institutions (with my modern car), showed them my paperwork and a printout of the laws that grandfather in my '15 Touring and its lack of seat-belts, windshield-wipers, etc. They agreed the car was legal, equipped as it was. While there, I also asked about the allowable minimum age of passengers and it turns out that in the state of New York, anyone above baby-seat age (8) is okay in a Model T—at least legally speaking. It happened that one of the officers was a car guy and he invited me to his favorite cruise-in. I showed up with the Model T and gave him and his kid a ride.

I made a point of noting his name and that of the other officer with whom I spoke, with the intention of dropping their names in the event of a hostile pull-over (Well gee, Sir; Sergeant Bartlett at the 25th Precinct and Trooper Jackson at the Crooked Hill Road Station both said my car was okay when I went to visit them and ask about it. In fact, I gave Officer Bartlett and his daughter a ride in the car and they really enjoyed it. I'm sure he'll remember me).


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walt Berdan, Bellevue, WA on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 02:03 pm:

Good job Bob! The law varies from state to state about child restraints. It's best to check what applies in your area. That said, if you have another adult along and/or you know how the kid(s) will behave, a ride on a quiet back road or a chance to drive in a field can create some fine memories. I still remember getting to drive a hay truck (with the throttle locked) when I was too small to stack or throw the bales.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Eyssen - Abilene TX on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 02:18 pm:

If it is a brass car, make sure they know not to touch the pretty brass radiator after a drive.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave DeYoung on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 08:01 pm:

Every year I spend the third Sunday of September selling rides to anyone that wants one at our parish festival. I usually have 3 cars they can choose from. This year the three were a 26 Tudor, 25 Hack and 16 Touring. I have yet to have a problem with the kids misbehaving. They are given the rules and understand the consequences of not following them.

You're the grandpa. All you need is to be fair but firm with them. If they can't follow the rules they don't get to participate. Those that won't follow the rules will come around once they see the others having fun without them.

When they arrive, load them up and have some good fun.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Thursday, December 26, 2013 - 10:39 pm:

Absolutely set the ground rules and hold to them! I have two nieces that are wonderful kids but they do not listen and cannot sit still. At first I made them sit in the middle, and I would warn the older kids on the outside about keeping their arms and hands inside as I have no fenders and a custom rumble seat so their hands CAN get into the tires. I think I have scared them enough as they are excellent passengers.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Friday, December 27, 2013 - 09:02 am:

Thanks guys- some good suggestions here!


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