How'd We Ever Make It?

A friend of mine recently posted a picture of an old station wagon and wrote about how there were no seat belts in our cars, years ago.

That got me thinking back to family car trips and how different things are now.  We have these spacious vehicles, equipped with seat belts, air bags, laws about car seats for kids.  All of these have made a difference in the number and severity of injuries and one must ask...how'd WE ever make it?

I remember our family of seven, piling in a sedan for our trips...always three in the front - four in the backseat.  My baby brother would be sitting up front with the folks, in what amounted to a seat made of a steel frame, with a thin plastic covering the thin seat. And what would protect his sweet face, in case of a fast stop, or heaven forbid, an accident?  Oh, that would be a play plastic steering wheel, complete with a red rubber horn in the middle!  Yeah, like that would save him!  A far cry from the requirements now that have kids sitting in infant seats for years!

Once my brother outgrew that car seat, he had to join us in the back, while the oldest sister took her place, upfront with the folks, minus the baby seat,  of course.   And with no seat belts...

I remember, like it was yesterday, how my brother used to stand, in the back, directly behind my Dad - and good thing!  There wasn't any more seat room for one more kid to sit!  But standing in a car would be a "no no" these days, for sure!  And with good reason.

I also remember so clearly some of the tiffs that would take place, no doubt because of the cramped condition of the backseat occupants.  I don't recall my Dad ever threatening us with "Do you want me to turn around and go home?" Or "If I have to pull over, somebody's gonna get it!"  But I DO remember "the swinging arm of the law", a maneuver, perfected by Dad, that would have his arm, hanging over the seat, ready to crack the leg of the instigator.  He didn't have to use  it often -maybe someone had the audacity to cross into somebody else's space or an argument ensued over whose turn it was to sit by the window.  But I'm no dummy and for the better part of two years, I'm pretty sure I sat on my feet every time we got in the car.  "Hah, foiled ya, Dad!  Swing away!"    (Yeah, like I'd have said -or even THOUGHT - that!)

As the years went on, and we kids got older, the number of "riders" in Dad and Mom's car diminished...no need for "the swinging arm" and still no seat belts in the car...I really do have to ask "How'd we ever make it?" But certainly feeling blessed that we did!