Who should sit in front seat of the car in this situation? (children, grandmother)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Let's say in the car it's a guy with a girl he's been dating for a good while (years). The guy picks up his elderly mother (almost 80 years old but still in pretty good shape with no physical disabilities) to take a hour trip. Does the girlfriend offer the front seat to the guy's mom or does she let the mom sit in the back seat? No, these are not bucket seats.
What is your opinion?
I haven't yet read the responses. I would offer mom the front seat.
this is funny because my grown sons try to MAKE me sit up front, and I insist on the back seat, not out of martyrdom, but because it is too nerve-wracking watching the traffic, more relaxing for me in the back seat; also i am really short and tiny, while my sons are all over 6 feet tall so i'd rather they have the leg room; if i am ever put in the front seat, with other adults in the back, I slide the seat way forward so the people in back can have leg room. i get teased all the time for being really short. i have to buy Japanese cars always so I can see out of them to drive
My mom eventually became a very nervous passenger, so I had to insist that she sit in the back if we were going to be on a highway or would be going faster than 45 mph. I bought a couple of press on sun shades for the rear side windows, a horseshoe shaped neck pillow in case she was going to doze (a good thing) and always made sure that there were a couple of magazines available for her to look at when she felt panicky. The dashboard reach and accompanying scream caused me to almost lose control of the car a couple of times.
Mom in front. Always, even if she insists she'll be fine in the backseat. Here's the reason- when mom sits in the back she insists on sitting in the middle, blocking my view out the rearview mirror.
What happens if they're married and MIL is middle-aged and healthy? Does wife give up seat? I feel like sometimes I offer and sometimes I don't...now I'm curious!
Hey, it's just me but I always offer the front seat to older relatives, male or female, if we're riding together somewhere.
I also offer the front seat to my BIL if he and my SIL are in town. Then the two brothers can talk about whatever it is men talk about when they get together, and my SIL and I can talk about much more interesting things.
That's my mom. She doesn't want to put anyone out. But I feel the girlfriend should at least offer and if she knows the mom wouldn't want to put anyone out, then get your butt out of the front seat and encourage the mom to sit in the front.
Yes^^
My MIL (of 12 yrs) would never take me up on the offer to sit in the front, so if I get to the car first (which with small children I am usually at the car buckling them in, loading up, etc) I seat myself in the rear of the car!
My MIL sometimes wants to sit in the back to visit with then children, and at those times she will ask me to switch back. No problem! But she's much more likely to speak up about that, so I feel like we're doing right thing by erring on the side of MIL in front.
IMO, GF should be sitting in the backseat when Mom gets to the car.
Btw, if I were driving and we were picking up my mother, my husband would do the same thing.
What if mom is middle-aged and healthy? My wife and mother are like best friends so it's difficult for me to imagine such a situation, but personally, if I was driving my car, my mother should not feel entitled to the front seat, and I wouldn't expect my wife to offer it. It would be a nice gesture, but not obligatory.
I agree people shouldn't have expectations that other folks are bound to fall short of (and people who "expect" certain things usually come across entitled and unpleasant) HOWEVER, in scenario here is simply good manners! I will always offer my MIL, or other elder or even guest, the front seat simply because it is the polite and courteous thing to do. No more, no less. They don't have to say yes, and I'm not going to beg them, but the offer will be made.
Easy, mom should go in the front seat, unless she wants to sit in back.
The front is typically easier to get in/out of.
My souse would drive, my MIL {who had had a stroke many years ago} sat in front.
My FIL and I sat in back of their car.. He is {was- as MIL passed}as old as she, but didn't have as severe health issues.
When We went anywhere as a group, FIL preferred NOT to drive, but have MOH {My Other Half} drive.
BTW, FWIW: I get around with a cane, and drive a minivan..easier for me to get in/out, and around in, as cars are a pain for me too, But I would NEVER dream of asking MIL to sit in back!
MIL could NOT get into the minivan, as she was barely 5' tall and the seat was too high for her...or else we would have taken it. AND MOH drives us in the minivan when we go anywhere, I take the passenger front seat, as MOH prefers to drive, and I enjoy it. IF MIL COULD have gotten in it, I STILL would have taken back seat, even though I OWN the vehicle!!!
What happens if they're married and MIL is middle-aged and healthy? Does wife give up seat? I feel like sometimes I offer and sometimes I don't...now I'm curious!
Yep, wife still defers to Mom because Mom is 1) older and 2) a guest. Simple hospitality.
I think it's even more a situation of respecting a guest rather than respecting an elder -- if the mom in question isn't particularly elderly or infirm.
The guy and long-term girlfriend are the people inviting the mother into the car. The guest gets the best seat.
I don't think this changes even if the person they are inviting in for a ride somewhere is an able-bodied man.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
