Marathon installed- did you have this issue?

[SoCalMommy]

DH just installed our new Marathon 70 convertible car seats rear facing passenger side (DD is 15 months).

DH says the MA makes it very difficult to see when changing lanes. The seat obstructs his view, making a typical blind spot much much worse.

We never had this problem with our Graco Snugride 35 infant seat in the same cars. Has anybody else experienced this issue and if so, how did you remedy it?

[o_mom]

I've decided after driving around various kids for years now (from infant seats, to boosters, to teens in seat belts) that kids just block your view. It only gets worse when you have three adult-sized kids across your back seat. :)

You do have to learn to use your mirrors more. I would start here:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/avoiding-blind-spot-5

They have a great way to set up your mirrors to reduce your blind spots.

The other option is to move the seat center (may not help) or to the driver's side. At 15 months she can be more upright than an infant seat and the new Britax convertibles are very compact front to back. He may need to sit more upright if he is used to leaning way back, but that's probably safer for him as well (reclining increases the risk of submarining under the seat belt in a crash).

[SoCalMommy]

Will check out that link. TY. The seat is much taller and with larger side wings which almost entirely block the passenger window but it's new and he is not used to it yet. Hopefully he will get adjusted, but if he doesn't feel safe driving with that much of a blindspot, we were already thinking of moving her to either the center or behind the driver seat.

He is concerned that if she is on the driver side, it is unsafe to be in traffic putting her in/taking her out. And she is still too young to "listen" and sit still, so it sometimes takes a while for her to sit down properly (love the toddler years!) plus if his car can allow the center seat to be used, how would you get her into it? It's an SUV.

The Britax manual says that the seat must be fully reclined if rear facing so we can not sit it more upright. From what we understand the other recline options are only for FF.

I hope we can figure this out. Just curious, does anyone have their car seat installed behind the driver?

[BayGirl2]

Will check out that link. TY. The seat is much taller and with larger side wings which almost entirely block the passenger window but it's new and he is not used to it yet. Hopefully he will get adjusted, but if he doesn't feel safe driving with that much of a blindspot, we were already thinking of moving her to either the center or behind the driver seat.

He is concerned that if she is on the driver side, it is unsafe to be in traffic putting her in/taking her out. And she is still too young to "listen" and sit still, so it sometimes takes a while for her to sit down properly (love the toddler years!) plus if his car can allow the center seat to be used, how would you get her into it? It's an SUV.

The Britax manual says that the seat must be fully reclined if rear facing so we can not sit it more upright. From what we understand the other recline options are only for FF.

I hope we can figure this out. Just curious, does anyone have their car seat installed behind the driver?
Now we have 2, so one is on the driver side, but even with one we had DS on the driver side for a while. I found it easier sometimes to climb into the car to take him in and out, while I was sitting on the passenger side. And if we have bags and stuff I would put those on the passenger side too, so I didn't have to go around and open both doors to get him and then stuff out.

Now that we have 2 DCs I have the infant seat on the passenger side and DS's RF convertible on the driver side. If we're in traffic or a parking lot where I need to contain him I unbuckle him from the drivers door but have him climb out into the middle. He climbs down to the floor and under the infant seat and out the passenger door. Its usually easier that way as he's at least contained in the car while I buckle in the baby.

[o_mom]

The Britax manual says that the seat must be fully reclined if rear facing so we can not sit it more upright. From what we understand the other recline options are only for FF.



PP covered getting in and out of an SUV.

The manual is referring to the recline position on the base, however, on page 28 of the manual, it shows that you can have the seat as upright as 30 degrees (straight up would be 0 deg, parallel to the ground would be 90 deg). Usually, if you pull the seat base away from the bight (crack where the back and seat meet), just a little, then install pushing down on the part of the seat where the child's legs sit, then it will install more upright. Hard to explain in words, but hope that helps!

[edurnemk]

We have a Blvd, and in my previous car we had it in the passenger side. I never felt it obstructed my view, but I NEVER turn to look that way when changing lanes, I just use the mirrors, like the link describes and that's always been enough.