What do I do with an unneeded carseat?

What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats, so that
would mean I shouldn't give it to anyone, but it seems a complete waste
to just throw this one away when it has another four years left in it.
Would a womens' shelter have any use for one? Or any other ideas?
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 9 mo.
And Jaden, 3 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

Cheryl S. wrote:
What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats, so that
would mean I shouldn't give it to anyone, but it seems a complete waste
to just throw this one away when it has another four years left in it.
Would a womens' shelter have any use for one? Or any other ideas?

I believe the reason "they" say not to use a second hand car
seat is because you might not know the history of the seat
and if it has been damaged from an accident. If it has been
in an accident, it may look like it's in good shape, but may
have some sort of damage that weakens it.

If you know for a fact that it has not been in an accident,
I think you would be perfectly fine to give it to someone.
Perhaps you could contact a local pregnancy crisis center or
women's shelter to see if they would want it for one of
their clients.

You can see if one of the consignment shops will take it. Unfortunately, I
decided that no one would take our car seat because most people want new
ones, so I threw mine away.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Cheryl S. wrote in message
...
What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats, so that
would mean I shouldn't give it to anyone, but it seems a complete waste
to just throw this one away when it has another four years left in it.
Would a womens' shelter have any use for one? Or any other ideas?
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 9 mo.
And Jaden, 3 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

Cheryl S. wrote:
What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats, so that
would mean I shouldn't give it to anyone, but it seems a complete
waste to just throw this one away when it has another four years left
in it. Would a womens' shelter have any use for one? Or any other
ideas?

Personally, I think the "do not reuse" thing is (to quote Tom and Ray
Magliozzi) BO-O-O-GUS. As long as you know the history of the seat and it's
not been in an accident, it's perfectly safe to reuse. And since I see used
car seats in resale shops all the time, I don't get the impression that most
people pay much attention to that prohibition, anyway.

I will add, however, that the person who TOOK the two car seats that had
been in an accident and were 4+ years old that I tried to throw away from my
trash pile is an eejit. I just pray they are not in a crash while using
them.
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [a quarter to 2] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Custom fabracation" -- Auto body shop sign

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 10:12:49 -0500, "Cheryl S."
wrote:

What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats, so that
would mean I shouldn't give it to anyone, but it seems a complete waste
to just throw this one away when it has another four years left in it.
Would a womens' shelter have any use for one? Or any other ideas?

I never heard of an expiration date on carseats. And I certainly
never heard of anyone saying you should not use a second hand
carseat unless the carseat had been in an accident and been damaged
so that it was not useful.

The resale shops here all sell used carseats that their customers
bring in to sell.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

"Circe" wrote in
news:0NYHb.92458$pY.57405@fed1read04:

I will add, however, that the person who TOOK the two car
seats that had been in an accident and were 4+ years old
that I tried to throw away from my trash pile is an eejit.
I just pray they are not in a crash while using them.

if you're throwing out carseats that are outdated or have
been in an accident, you should cut the straps so they can't
be used (at least not without some effort).
lee

"Circe" wrote in message
news:0NYHb.92458$pY.57405@fed1read04...

I will add, however, that the person who TOOK the two car seats that had
been in an accident and were 4+ years old that I tried to throw away from
my
trash pile is an eejit. I just pray they are not in a crash while using
them.
--
When my friend was in an accident before she put the car seats out for the
garbage she wrote 'don't use, been in an accident, do not use' all over them
in permanent marker. She was trying to prevent someone from taking them and
unknowingly put kids in danger.
Barb

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 10:12:49 -0500, "Cheryl S." wrote:
What do you do with a carseat that is in perfect condition, that you
don't need anymore? My seat has stamped into it that it is good until
December 2007. "They" say not to use second hand carseats ...

"They" say that because if you find one in a resale shop or yard sale,
you can't know that it wasn't in an accident. But you can certainly
give your seat away to a friend, and she'll trust you when you say the
thing has never been in an accident, because she knows you personally.
You could also see if any charities you support, or want to support, are
interested in taking your word for it (and taking the seat).

--
-- Vicki
Married DH May 21, 1995
Ima shel DS, born 11/16/99; and DD, born 5/19/02.
"Stay-at-home" Ima since October 2002.
An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. -Spanish proverb
I may not currently be pregnant, but I look pregnant, does that count?

enigma wrote:
"Circe" wrote in
news:0NYHb.92458$pY.57405@fed1read04:

I will add, however, that the person who TOOK the two car
seats that had been in an accident and were 4+ years old
that I tried to throw away from my trash pile is an eejit.
I just pray they are not in a crash while using them.

if you're throwing out carseats that are outdated or have
been in an accident, you should cut the straps so they can't
be used (at least not without some effort).

Good idea. I wish I'd done that. As it happened, I put them out with the
trash rather at the last minute (I just needed to get them out of the way,
and thought of it as I was headed out the door). It was only when I returned
and saw that the trash man hadn't come but the seats were gone that I
realized my error. But honestly, it didn't occur to me that people would be
foolish enough to think that someone would actually throw in the trash a
perfectly good car seat--I assumed the fact that it was in the garbage would
be sufficient indication that the seat was no longer any good.
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [a quarter to 2] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Custom fabracation" -- Auto body shop sign

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

In article XlZHb.92683$pY.52521@fed1read04, Circe says...

enigma wrote:
"Circe" wrote in
news:0NYHb.92458$pY.57405@fed1read04:

I will add, however, that the person who TOOK the two car
seats that had been in an accident and were 4+ years old
that I tried to throw away from my trash pile is an eejit.
I just pray they are not in a crash while using them.

if you're throwing out carseats that are outdated or have
been in an accident, you should cut the straps so they can't
be used (at least not without some effort).

Good idea. I wish I'd done that. As it happened, I put them out with the
trash rather at the last minute (I just needed to get them out of the way,
and thought of it as I was headed out the door). It was only when I returned
and saw that the trash man hadn't come but the seats were gone that I
realized my error. But honestly, it didn't occur to me that people would be
foolish enough to think that someone would actually throw in the trash a
perfectly good car seat--I assumed the fact that it was in the garbage would
be sufficient indication that the seat was no longer any good.


*They're* not foolish - their customers are stupid.

Barbara - there's a whole racket out there of resale of children's everything,
where folks with cash and pickup trucks pick up stuff from yard sales (these are
the early birds; the ones who snatch up anything good on a Saturday morning) and
anywhere else, then have "multifamily sales" and set up at flea markets.
They'll sell whatever, whatever the recall is, and tell you it's good as far as
they know, but caveat emptor. Around here they proudly call themselves
'scroungers' (they also hit the large-size town curb garbage pickups pretty
hard) and are right proud of their way to make a living.

Don't put broken children's stuff out for pretty much the same reasons you don't
advertise for free kittens - the folks who notice this kind of thing aren't
sweet little old ladies thinking of their grandkids.

Banty