Those with Maclarens--are you still using them now?

[jenfromnj]

I recently got a Quest and really like it so far. When I heard about the recall, I filled out the online form to receive the hinge cover. However, call me crazy, but I really can't quite see how DS could have his fingers amputated by the thing. He's never anywhere near it when I'm folding/unfolding it, and I always take care to make sure it's locked in place before placing him in the seat.

I felt OK with using it, until today when a woman in the grocery store made me feel like she was about to call the authorities on me for continuing to use this stroller after the recall--of course, she said that she stopped using her Techno the instant she got word of the recall. So, if you have a Maclaren, are you still continuing to use it? I'm thinking she was just kind of a jerk, LOL, but I'd feel guilty if I wasn't taking this seriously enough.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm still using it. I just keep ds away from it while opening and closing, which I already do anyway! eta- stil haven't sent for the covers b/c the Maclaren site was down every single time I tried to do it Monday.

Beth

[arivecchi]

Ignore her. I guess she has her kids all over her Mac when folding/unfolding. :6:

[WatchingThemGrow]

Well, I will use it if I need to take just one DC somewhere and I don't have the parts of the Cameleon in the car.

I am that woman - the one who calls people out, lol. Not really, but my friend who sent me an email about it yesterday was using her Volo in the H1N1 line today.

What I think would be neat about everyone REALLY stopping for the week....we'd get to see some different strollers, people would try babywearing more, etc. Woiuldn't that be fun?

[elektra]

I will be using mine this week, yes. I will probably be more aware when folding it but I am not going to stop using it.

[lareigna]

I recently got a Quest and really like it so far. When I heard about the recall, I filled out the online form to receive the hinge cover. However, call me crazy, but I really can't quite see how DS could have his fingers amputated by the thing. He's never anywhere near it when I'm folding/unfolding it, and I always take care to make sure it's locked in place before placing him in the seat.

I felt OK with using it, until today when a woman in the grocery store made me feel like she was about to call the authorities on me for continuing to use this stroller after the recall--of course, she said that she stopped using her Techno the instant she got word of the recall. So, if you have a Maclaren, are you still continuing to use it? I'm thinking she was just kind of a jerk, LOL, but I'd feel guilty if I wasn't taking this seriously enough.

My 2 cents: I think the recall is ridiculous. I don't have a Mac but I think that they might as well recall all umbrella strollers. A little bit of common sense goes a long way, don't have your kids anywhere near the hinge while you are folding it right? That being said, if it was my only stroller I would continue to use it and still be careful. If I had more than one stroller, I would probably continue to use the Mac and be careful. It's not like the stroller is going to collapse on itself or the canopy wire is going to poke out an eye spontaneously. Was this woman not planning to use her Techno ever again? Some people just buy into hysteria.. Makes them feel like good parents I guess.

[AshleyAnn]

I don't have a mac myself but if I did I wouldn't stop using it until I got the recall kit. I really don't understand the point of the recall - anything that folds is going to have spots you could be pinched by.

[jacksmoma]

My 2 cents: I think the recall is ridiculous. I don't have a Mac but I think that they might as well recall all umbrella strollers. A little bit of common sense goes a long way, don't have your kids anywhere near the hinge while you are folding it right? That being said, if it was my only stroller I would continue to use it and still be careful. If I had more than one stroller, I would probably continue to use the Mac and be careful. It's not like the stroller is going to collapse on itself or the canopy wire is going to poke out an eye spontaneously. Was this woman not planning to use her Techno ever again? Some people just buy into hysteria.. Makes them feel like good parents I guess.

WSS! maybe they should recall all stroller, any can be dangerous when folding! What if my bjced fell on my baby when folding- that thing is HEAVY and the handlebar goes crashing to the ground when you fold it!!! come on here people...

[scully_girl]

Call me crazy, but I have to use my foot to open up my Maclaren Techno XLR. There's no way my kid's around the stroller at all. The only way I could see the hinge cover being necessary is if you leave your stroller folded in the corner of your house, presenting a temptation for baby to play with it. Personally, my Mac lives in my car's trunk until we use it, so no problem for me. However, we took it out the other day to load our jogging stroller. I bought an over-the-door stroller holder, put it on the coat closet and hung the Mac on it. Problem solved.

Incidentally, I posted about this on my Facebook and got REAMED by a friend for complaining about the ridiculousness of the recall. She lives in NYC, and her daughter loves to mess with it. Lack of closet space in her brownstone prevents her from putting it away somewhere, apparently.

[AnnieW625]

No way would I stop using it! I :heartbeat: my Mac! I actually would've been really heartbroken if they told me I had to ship my perfectly good folding sun shade 2006 MAC back. I honestly don't know what I would've done.

[Neatfreak]

Absolutely. My Volo stays unfolded in my entryway.

[JamiMac]

Another vote for no way would I stop using it. My kids aren't around my strollers when I fold and unfold them. Now that I'm aware of this I will watch for it, but no, I haven't and won't stop using them.

[mikeys_mom]

I've got 2 and I have no intention to stop using them. In fact, the same Macs sold here in Canada are not subject to a recall and so far Canada has no plans to issue a recall. My guess is that Maclaren USA is concerned about lawsuits if they don't recall and that this is not really a major safety concern.

[jenfromnj]

Incidentally, I posted about this on my Facebook and got REAMED by a friend for complaining about the ridiculousness of the recall. She lives in NYC, and her daughter loves to mess with it. Lack of closet space in her brownstone prevents her from putting it away somewhere, apparently.

I hadn't even thought of this when trying to figure out how on earth DS could possibly get his fingers caught in the hinge. Since my Mac lives in my car trunk, I guess it hadn't occurred to me that some people might need to "store" their Macs in their homes, out in the open. It still seems that it would take a pretty strong, crafty child to fold the thing with enough force to actually amputate a finger, though, but DS is not even 8 mos old yet, so perhaps I am underestimating some little monsters.

I am definitely going to continue using it, hopefully DYFS won't come knocking as a result :). I love my Targo, but DH has taken to using our (his) SUV a lot more recently, leaving me with my smaller car, and I'm just too lazy to dissemble and reassemble the Targo to fit into my trunk.

[jenfromnj]

Ignore her. I guess she has her kids all over her Mac when folding/unfolding. :6:

LOL--that's the funniest thing, her DD was running around the store like a mad woman, wreaking having in the (glass jar-filled) aisle. Definitely more dangerous than the hinges, IMO. I need to think of a much more clever comeback for if this happens again.

[MontrealMum]

I've got 2 and I have no intention to stop using them. In fact, the same Macs sold here in Canada are not subject to a recall and so far Canada has no plans to issue a recall. My guess is that Maclaren USA is concerned about lawsuits if they don't recall and that this is not really a major safety concern.
:yeahthat:
I did order two of the retrofit kits from Maclaren USA because mine were actually purchased in the US, and I'd like to have them for future selling purposes. But my DS is nowhere near the stroller when I'm opening/closing it, and I don't have any concerns. Even after 3 out of 4 of his typically clueless about child issues grandparents "informed" me of the recall! Well, at least something clicked with them :)

[mommyp]

Yep, I'm still using it. DD is nowhere near it when folding/unfolding anyway, and it lives in the trunk. I did order the kit (I think, I never got a confirmation that it worked when I hit confirm) so that we have it.

[kijip]

Um, yeah. As much as I did before, which is not often. F is more of a carry baby. We use the stroller only once a week or so.

From where I am standing, we should recall car doors and nail clippers if we should recall mac strollers. I am sure more kids lose bits of fingers to those two things than to folding strollers.

[ellies mom]

Um, yeah. As much as I did before, which is not often. F is more of a carry baby. We use the stroller only once a week or so.

From where I am standing, we should recall car doors and nail clippers if we should recall mac strollers. I am sure more kids lose bits of fingers to those two things than to folding strollers.

:yeahthat:

I haven't even decided if I'm going to request the covers yet. Every time I think about it, the thought of dragging my butt out to the car to get the VIN# seems like such as hassle.

The way I figure it, if looking down on me for not caring about the recall makes someone else feel better about their parenting, then I'll consider it my good deed for the day.

[strollerqueen]

I have 8 Macs, and I bought another one today, haha! :tongue5: So no, I will not stop using them, :applause::yay::cheerleader1::loveeyes::ROTFLMAO:

[Neatfreak]

:yeahthat:
I did order two of the retrofit kits from Maclaren USA because mine were actually purchased in the US, and I'd like to have them for future selling purposes.

How were you able to do that, Molly? My Macs were bought in the US as well, but the form I looked at yesterday did not seem to have an option for mailing the covers to Canada.

[lkarp]

:yeahthat:

I haven't even decided if I'm going to request the covers yet. Every time I think about it, the thought of dragging my butt out to the car to get the VIN# seems like such as hassle.



Same here. I actually filled out most of the form and then didn't want to go out to get the VIN#. I haven't used the stroller since the recall, but we are more baby carrier users. I will have no problem using the stroller if the need arises.

[jgenie]

:yeahthat:

I haven't even decided if I'm going to request the covers yet. Every time I think about it, the thought of dragging my butt out to the car to get the VIN# seems like such as hassle.


Same here. I actually filled out most of the form and then didn't want to go out to get the VIN#.

You can leave the VIN# blank and still get a confirmation that the part will ship. That's what I did - I didn't have the energy to go to the car to get the number. :)

[WatchingThemGrow]

You can leave the VIN# blank and still get a confirmation that the part will ship. That's what I did - I didn't have the energy to go to the car to get the number. :)

I couldn't find a vin, so they said to write not available. You were smart to try it blank instead of spending 10 min. calling them like I did.

[ellies mom]

I couldn't find a vin, so they said to write not available. You were smart to try it blank instead of spending 10 min. calling them like I did.

Apparently, they are tired of answering that question because when I finally got the VIN# off the stroller (I had to put something else in the car) the website said the VIN# was optional.

[egoldber]

My 2 cents: I think the recall is ridiculous. I don't have a Mac but I think that they might as well recall all umbrella strollers.

Exactly. EVERY stroller that folds has the potential for this issue. Heck, I took a chunk out of my finger with my Silver Cross Micro *harness* once.

[MontrealMum]

How were you able to do that, Molly? My Macs were bought in the US as well, but the form I looked at yesterday did not seem to have an option for mailing the covers to Canada.

I put in my dad's address in MI. You can get the covers shipped to Canada too even though the government and/or Mac haven't issued a recall here. Kushies is apparently the importer for Mac here, and they're voluntarily providing the part. I found that out with a little googling because I wasn't sure what to do initially. I went the US route because both of my strollers were bought in the US, and I thought the VIN might indicate that if I went with Kushies, and be refused.

Here's the article I found about it: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/11/09/voluntary-recall-maclaren-usa-s-umbrella-strollers.aspx

[Neatfreak]

Thanks a bunch for that, Molly! My Maclarens pre-date the VINs, so I don't have to worry about that part!

[MontrealMum]

Laura, I just wanted to clarify about getting the part because I don't think my post above was all that clear. If you want it shipped to an address in Canada you have to go through Kushies, but they are sending people the parts even though they're not required to. The Mac USA site is not set up to handle foreign addresses.

[bubbaray]

http://www.kushies.com/Contact/maclaren_recall.html

[bubbaray]

OMG, *who* have they hired to deal with this recall? Seriously, I just got off the phone with them and WTF? It was like *I* had done something to cause this recall! The rep was completely snobby and just a complete b!tch.

Nice.

FTR, I'm still using mine and only ordered the recall part for when I sell my stroller. I can't say I like my Volo at all, its too tippy for my taste.

[hellokitty]

I'd still use it. I have a mac techno. I'm still in the snap n go phase right now though, but if I had to use my mac, I wouldn't hesitate. My kids are all in the car by the time I'm folding down my stroller, so if anyone's going to amputate a finger, it would be me, not my kids.