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Front seat passengers -back seat drivers

(19 Posts)
Alea Sun 29-Nov-15 09:09:14

We are all most of us familiar with the latter, but how about the front seat passengers? Oliver Pritchett has written an amusing article on today's Sunday Telegraph which made me thinkwww.Telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle , I think. Here is an extract
As the ideal liftee, you will have trained in seat-belt management, so that you can fasten it with the minimum of writhing and heaving, you will have no opinion on whether the windows should be open or closed and you will accept the position of the seat as you find it. Fussing and fumbling to shift it back or forwards is bad form

I regularly give a lift to a non-driver friend whose husband has had to stop driving because of Alzheimer's. Without fail, she moves her seat forward as soon as she gets into the car and moves the additional backrest cushion I keep there for DH's back out of the way. She can cope with the seat belt, but by the weirdest coincidence, the three occasions that the car had to go back to the dealership because an airbag light had come up on the dash, were when I was driving her!!
I am very fond of her, but when DH gets into the car he will often comment "I see you've had XXXX in the car again!"

Indinana Sun 29-Nov-15 09:21:53

Oh I would find that a little frustrating. I wonder why she feels the need to move the seat forward? I could understand if she wanted it to be moved back, to give extra leg room, but cannot for the life of me think of any benefits to moving it forward confused

Bellanonna Sun 29-Nov-15 09:25:23

I find that rather bad manners. Unless, of course, it's for a bit more than a very short journey, then I can understand her need for comfort. I hope she doesn't open/ close her window too ?
If DG has used my car, I find the driving seat too far back, and the angle altered too. That us ok, he's very tall. But what really annoys me is that I can often not release the handbrake after he's put it on and have had to call him out to do it for me. I don't have hand issues, hes just a bit heavy with it.

Greyduster Sun 29-Nov-15 10:22:25

I hate it when anyone moves my seat. The other day, as DH and I were just about to get into our car, a lady came into our road and stopped us to ask directions to a house on our estate where she was going for a Macmillan coffee afternoon. She only had half the name of the road, and that notwithstanding, the number of the house put it a considerable way away from where we lived. She muttered that she had a dodgy knee and didn't know whether she would bother if it was a long way, it was raining, so we offered her a lift. As it is a bit awkward to get in and out of the back of our car, we suggested she sit in the front. She was a bit on the large side and me being short, I have my seat fairly far forward, so there was much shifting of the seat and fiddling with seat belts before we actually got off! She was very grateful though and I expect (hope) Macmillan made a few bob from her presence!

merlotgran Sun 29-Nov-15 10:35:25

I used to give a lift to a small lady who was also a nervous passenger. I'm not that bad.....honest!!

She would move the seat forward sit on the edge with the seatbelt stretched out and cling on to the dashboard. I used to point out that her nose was only inches from the windscreen which was not a good place to be. grin

glammanana Sun 29-Nov-15 10:44:27

I hate anyone driving my car and will do anything to avoid any of the family use it,I find I have re re -ajust the drivers seat and also the wing mirrors would be out of alignment so it takes me an age to get back to normal positions before I can even start the car,as for giving a lift very few of my friends ask as my car is quite low down and they have a problem getting in or out with out a push or a shove.grin

Indinana Sun 29-Nov-15 10:57:35

My DH and I are, luckily, the same height, and have the same leg length, so we can use each other's cars with no need to adjust seat, mirrors etc. The one thing that does annoy me, though, is that he changes the radio station to some flipping sports channel. It's on AM, not FM, so I have to change that first before I can retune to my favourite station, grrrr angry

Greyduster Sun 29-Nov-15 11:22:05

I don't drive our car very often, but DH is five feet ten and I am five feet nothing so I have to pull the seat a long way forward and then Jack it up so that I can see over the steering wheel! I try and restore the status quo before the senior driver gets back in, but it's never quite right! He doesn't complain though ( would he dare??)grin

ninathenana Sun 29-Nov-15 11:36:51

The lady who moves the seat forward may do it for the same reason as DH dose after DD has been in the car. DD likes to stretch out and when driving her own car has her seat much further back than I do. To me it would almost feel like laying down.
DH has a dodgy knee and needs to sit with it bent and foot flat on the floor so he likes the seat forward.
I agree for a short journey it's not unreasonable to expect someone to put up with it. If a long journey it would be polite to ask first.

Katek Sun 29-Nov-15 14:30:43

I hate DH driving my car!! The rear view mirror, wing mirrors, seat height and rake are all adjusted, as well as the radio channel, and the handbrake Is immovable! I've lost the plot with him totally and he tries for a while then just slides back into bad habits. Unfortunately, we have a long, narrow drive which means we park one behind the other so he often gets to my car first. As for me driving his and extracting revenge?? Heaven forfend anyone should drive the pride and joy!! Does my head in as they say.

tanith Sun 29-Nov-15 16:36:59

I only need to move the seat one notch after OH has been driving fortunately so we can easily drive each others cars without changing anything else . I do find his car very low and uncomfortable for my arthritic hips so only drive it if I absolutely must, he drives whichever car is first in the drive as long as I don't need it.

whitewave Sun 29-Nov-15 16:47:39

Why do they pull the hand brake so tight? I have real difficulty moving it.

Bellanonna Sun 29-Nov-15 17:35:25

Brawn over brain ?

tinaf1 Sun 29-Nov-15 19:28:42

Katek think my husband and yours may have been twins in an earlier life!

Katek Sun 29-Nov-15 22:06:34

You have my sympathies Tina!

hazeljoy Mon 30-Nov-15 17:08:48

I am with you Indinana about the radio. Over the years all my grandchildren have tried changing the station but they have finally realised that they will get their hands slapped if they do it again!! Oh dear I expect social services will be calling me

Elrel Mon 30-Nov-15 17:49:04

I am a non driving liftee. Some seat belts are much easier than others! Some hire car ones are almost unusable. I wouldn't think of interfering with the seat, cushions, window or radio!
I annoy my daughter (a good, experienced driver) by making braking movements, occasionally wincing and, worst, criticising other motorists from my wisdom gained over the years during lessons and tests ... Her response, through gtpritted teeth at times, is that I am welcome to criticise other motorists when I have a full driving licence in my bag. Oops!

Ana Mon 30-Nov-15 17:51:26

Agree about the hand brake! When DD's been driving my car I have to use two hands to disengage it...

rosesarered Tue 01-Dec-15 01:46:35

Haha, it's me that makes the handbrake immovable in our car! I am a bit paranoid about it due to the fact that our last house had a steep-ish drive, and now that we have a totally flat drive ( it was on my wish list when we moved house) I can't seem to get out of the habit of making it super safe.