I remember when I was growing up my first real memories of riding in my parents car was when my Mom had a '68 Malibu 4 door and my dad had a '74 Maverick 4 door (three on the tree baby). And I OWNED the back seats in whichever car I was in.. It was my little world. I could lay on the seat.. hunker down on the floor.. climb up on the package tray for a min (before getting yelled at) but usual position was standing up and hanging over the back of the bench seat. Then Mom traded in for a brand new 77 Subaru and that baby had bucket seats where I could usually be found filling the gap between them while riding down the road. I also remember when I was little I would spend alot of time with my Grandpap riding around in the '73 Chevy Pickup he had. My place in Paps truck was standing on the floor in the passenger corner of where the dash met the door. Usually I had 2 younger cousins along when I was with my Pap or my Gram.. We all would go places with Grandma and she always drove Plymouth Fury Station Wagons. Of course the back cargo area was the ONLY place to be in that car being a little kid.
I'm 32 now and I'd wager a guess that probably 95% of you guys grew up riding in cars the same way I did. I now have a daughter who is almost 2. Isn't it funny how those of us who grew up the way we did, how very anally protective we are about our own kids riding in cars these days.. even when WE, as professionals, are driving? Just like all of you guys, now I strap my little girl in with a 5 point harness child seat securely positioned in the center back seat of my Nova.
But I still remember when I was little and how much fun that freedom in a car was at that age and when I take my daughter to her mothers place, if it's after dark I'll let my girl ride up front with me since we only go about a mile and don't exceed 25mph doing it on the urban streets here. And she just thinks that's the greatest thing in the world riding up front beside Dada. But if it's daytime or we're going anywhere else she gets buckled in.. They hand out hefty fines these days for not having your kid in a proper child seat. Oh I miss the good 'ol days..