Disabled Placard Placement

Years ago, I used to see children in cars who weren't properly secured in car seats: Babies held in grownups' arms, toddlers bounding around the back seat with no restraint: Scary stuff!

Then came a campaign to increase public awareness of car seats. People began using them more--and more appropriately--thanks to local police agencies, the Highway Patrol,  and even hospitals (no more leaving the hospital without a car seat for your newborn!)

I think we need a new campaign to help people understand how to use "disabled-person" placards.

See the words at the top of the placard?

"Remove from mirror before driving vehicle."

You'd think that would be obvious: "Don't drive with this big ol' thing hanging down, obscuring your vision and making you more likely to have an accident."

And yet, I can't tell you how many people I see driving with this placard hanging from their rear-view mirror.

If you give it one second of thought, why would any municipality want a bunch of people driving around with their vision obscured?

Answer: They wouldn't.

And the warning to take the placard off is printed on BOTH sides, just in case you missed it on one side.

If you know anyone who uses one of these placards--whether it's for a permanent or a temporary disability--please: Remind them to take it off the rear-view mirror before they turn on the ignition.

Thank you. That's the end of my rant.

Grateful, Part 3

Earlier this year, I wrote about how Lovely Daughter #2 lost her beloved first (used) car--the one she'd had since she was 16--in an auto accident.

And then a few months back, LD#2's replacement car was vandalized. Key (and highly expensive) elements of its inner workings were stolen. She was left with a pile of scrap metal shaped like a car.

(Luckily, LD#2 went on to grad school in a city where a car isn't really necessary.)

And then bad luck returned. A few weeks back, Lovely Daughter #1 was in a car accident (she's fine, thanks!). But the sweet little (used) car she'd driven and loved for almost precisely 10 years sustained mortal wounds. LD#1 felt great sadness. Her little buddy, her ticket to freedom, her silent partner in so many important chapters of her life, was no more.

Happily, this past weekend, LD#1 found a new (used) little buddy:

It took much less pain and time and drama and annoyance than used-car shopping often takes.

Yet once again, I'm so grateful that she was able to find a car fairly quickly, and that she loves it already.

She is so very happy with this new (used) buddy. Next step: giving it a name. We name all our cars, in this family.

Stay tuned!

Grateful

Last weekend, while The Hubby and I were on a little getaway, Lovely Daughter #2 was in a car accident.

Luckily, she is fine. Unfortunately, her dear Little Red Car--the one she's had since she got it second-hand at age 16--is totaled.

I am profoundly, endlessly grateful for our luck. It could've been so much worse.

We will all miss that little car. I have only this one photo of her driving it.

Thank you, Little Red Car, for carrying our precious daughter to and fro for 6 years.

Thank you for giving her her first taste of independence. Thanks for all the happy memories she has from her days as your driver. Thank you for protecting her from harm on the last trip you took together.

Love,

The Mom