Tales From a “GREEN” Minivan

This morning I awoke to my usual CBC Radio One Information Morning show.  I hit the snooze button as I do every morning to steal that extra 9 minutes of sleep and as I woke the second time, the story jolted me from a dead sleep almost hauntingly. As I was listening it brought tears to my eyes.  An off duty RCMP officer and his 5 year old daughter and almost 3 year old son died in a collision with a bus on NB’s Highway 7 between Fredericton and Saint John. Later one of the bus passengers was interviewed and revealed the location of the crash and this is what hit me the hardest, it was the exact same stretch of road I had an accident on almost 20 years ago.

I don’t talk about the accident a lot, and have never really written about it until now.  It tore me up inside for a long time, as I was the driver and also the only one not physically injured. I say physically, as emotionally I was a mess for a long time.  I credit my mom, with being so supportive and urging me to get behind the wheel right away and not turning her back on me.  The accident left her in limbo for many years financially while lawsuits were pending.

So it all happened on Thanksgiving Weekend 1989.  My friends, J1, D and I  decided to drive up to Fredericton to watch our boyfriends play football.  We had a great time at the game, stopped and had dinner and decided to follow one of our teachers (and coach of the team) back to SJ.  We also picked up another passenger J2, who decided at the last minute to drive with us. We all hopped in our 88 Toyota Corolla and headed back.  In 1988 shoulder seatbelts in the rear seats were just starting to emerge.  The middle seat only had a lapbelt.  I vaguely remember J2 asking where her seatbelt was and telling her it was there in the middle.

It was a fairly uneventful drive back, we listened to some music, joked about the weekend and at one point J1 decided to sit in the back with the other two.  This left me alone in the front seat.  It soon became dark and I was watching the road extra close for deer and moose.  This highway is dangerous plain and simple.  It’s a two lane highway and the only highway that connects NB’s two major cities Saint John and the capital, Fredericton. In recent years there has been a push to have deer and moose fencing installed, but the road itself is dark, and very twisty. Back in 1989 there was a few passing lane stretches (3 lanes) that you could take advantage of (there’s many more now), this is where things started to turn for the worse for us.

The Coach took advantage of one of these passing lanes to overtake a car that was driving very slow.  The driver of this car was in the passing lane so Coach had to pass him on the right hand lane. All signage posted says “Keep right except to pass” when I was quickly approaching him I tried to also pass him on the right hand side but the third lane was ending soon so I had to let off.  Most of these 3 lane passing stretches are in uphill areas of the highway.  We continued driving for a few more minutes closely following this car.  I remember it clearly it was a Hyundai Stellar, and it had seen better days.  The trunk latch was loose and bouncing a little as he drove.

I soon was given another opportunity to pass, this time though it was a dotted line on my side.  The road was clear and I down shifted to 4th gear to overtake this car.  There was a slight downgrade to the road, but I was unable to pass him.  It was almost like he was speeding up.  I was about three quarters past him when my dotted passing lane ended and turned into a double solid line.  The next thing I knew there was head lights coming at me in the lane I was in.  My first reaction was that it was a Transport Truck and I swerved quickly into the right lane and when I did my passenger side wheel hit the dirt shoulder and lost control flipping end to end and estimated seven times landing on it’s wheels.

My first reaction was to reach to the back seat to see how everyone was doing and I was horrified when the backseat was completely empty. The three girls in the back were all thrown from the vehicle as no one was wearing any seatbelts.  I was and did not move and inch, it locked the way it was supposed to and kept me seated right in the drivers seat.  Some studies were done after the crash and the results were inconclusive. It was difficult to determine if injuries would have been diminished or worse.  One thing that did come out is that if the middle lapbelt was worn it could have had a worse result that it did.

I won’t get into all of the details of their injuries, but they were all severe and have had lasting impacts on their lives to this day.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of them all and have made it my personal mission to be as safe as I can while driving and this includes Child Passenger Safety (Car Seats included) and why I have tried to educate myself and others on keeping our kids safe as passengers.

I don’t know all the specifics of how these two little ones were restrained in their Toyota Corolla (yes the same make as I was driving), but I’m sure that it will hopefully make us all think twice when we buckle our kids in each day.

My heart goes out to this grieving mother and wife, I can only imagine what you are going through right now. See the CBC article on Constable Porter.

Now to the Government of NB it’s time to twin Highway 7.  How many more lives need to be lost? We deserve a 4 lane link between Fredericton and Saint John. Moose and deer fencing is not enough.  It’s time to bring our province into this millennium!

Yes, for the second time in 3 days my van is back on a tow truck!  Just as I was arriving at school to pick the kids up for an appointment Mackenzie had afterschool it died right in the parking lot.  Blocking people in at one of the busiest times at the school.  I got right on the phone and called the tow truck company I used a few days before, then asked the afterschool program if the could keep Liam for a few minutes until I got things sorted out.  I found Mackenzie and tried to call her a cab to get to her appt, but the doctor wouldn’t wait the extra 10 minutes!  GRRR! This is the third time we’ve had to reschedule this appt.

Next I called Andrew, he could hear the panic and frustration in my voice I’m sure.  He said he would pack up and head straight home to find a rental van. Phew. Then I realized that we would not all fit into the tow truck!  I then called my friend Joanne and she came and picked up Liam and Mackenzie and brought them home in her van.  All I have to say thankfully the little boys were at Andrew’s mom, otherwise I think I would gave broken down and lost it right in the parking lot at the school!

I had it towed straight back to the mechanic (and I use this term loosely) who “fixed”  it just 3 days ago by selling me a new battery.  I knew it was the stinking alternator all along, but would anyone listen to me?? Luckily we did not have to rent a van (not that we could find one), as mom mom came through and let me use her car until the van was fixed 2 days later.

OK rant over!  Ideally I’d like to keep this van, it is environmentally the right thing to do, but where do you draw the line financially and time wise?  I’ve wasted a lot of my precious time dealing with van related problems in the past few months.  Andrew finally got a taste of it over the Holidays when we went in for a quick oil change with all 4 kids and didn’t get out of there for almost 4 hours. Then I had to go back a week later after another part had to be ordered and installed!  I deal with all of the vehicle related things as it has to be dealt with while he’s at work and I have the flexibility in my schedule, but logistically I’m tired of it.

So we’re going to hold onto this “green”minivan a little while longer but also watch for something that will fit our needs and I have a huge wishlist!  I’m not going to just settle, and lets just hope I can find one that’s green in colour too!

Here’s my wishlist:

• The most possible LATCH/UAS and top tether anchors
• 8 Pax capability
• Remote keyless Entry- Remote opener even better
• Rear AC
• Roof racks
• multiple 12 v  outlets
• 1-2 years old with low kms (or miles)
• Preferably a Toyota or Honda

So am I asking for too much?  We won’t buy new ever again, our Mazda was only 2 years old and had 30,000 km on it when we bought it.  I’d seriously look at a Mazda again, but they stopped making them in 2006 and replaced it with one of the ridiculous Crossover SUV’s the CX-9.  Good job Mazda, as you’ve just alienated any family with more than one car seat from buying one of your vehicles.  I had looked into their Mazda 5, but there just isn’t enough cargo space for a family of 6.

Let me know what you have and what you like about it.  I’m sure this is going to be a long drawn out process!

It seems that someone at CBC  has been reading my blog and when the time came to do a story on a recent study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety they contacted me!  Why me though?  My boys are not yet in booster seats.  I think the reporter was surprised at first when I told him my almost 6 year old was still in a 5pt harnessed car seat.  He was intrigued by this fact and asked if I’d be willing to talk to him about this on air…in one hour!  Nervously I agreed and secretly was happy that I actually put on a little makeup earlier!

We arrived at Liam’s school and  the reporter Chris Corday was waiting for us, he interviewed me and I like usual rambled on about car seat safety and my loathing of the 3-in-one seats (which I might add are some of the ones not recommended in the IIHS study).  I told him that Liam who is now just over 40lbs could be in a booster, but I choose to keep him in a harnessed seat, and used a line from our great moderator of CPO’s Car Seat Safety Board TamC  “A step up in restraint is a step down in safety!”   I also said yes he does complain sometimes that he’s still in a car seat, but I tell him that he’s just like a Race Car Driver as they wear 5 pt harnesses just like him to keep them safe!

I wish I had been able to grab the clip that was online to post here, but I was so busy the day after it was on, I didn’t get a chance to!  CBC only keeps their news casts online for 24 hours!

Here’s a couple of pics we took right after the taping:

In the pic above you can see Finn is still happily rear facing, and we borrowed Sarah’s The First Years True Fit seat to try out.  Very nice, I’m still thinking I may have to get one for that extra 5 pounds I can keep Finn rear facing.  Actually Ciaran could be rear facing in one still, he’s still only 33-34lbs at almost 4 years old!

Oh and you can probably see above in the pics the t-shirt on the seat.  This is also another great tip I stole from SarahNB.  It works great to keep your seats clean when you have a walking toddler that’s rear facing.  When the shirt gets dirty,  you take it off and wash it. So simple!

After our busy day in NYC yesterday we thought we’d do a slow paced day and do a little hiking and see some of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  The Delaware River runs between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Here’s a little something from the US National Park Service website:

“For 40 miles the Middle Delaware River passes between low forested mountains with barely a house in sight. Then the river cuts through the mountain ridge to form the famed “Water Gap.” Exiting the park, the river will run 200 miles more to Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean at Wilmington, Delaware”

We decided to stop into one of the Pennsylvania  Tourist Info Centres to get some kid friendly suggestions of where to hike.  The guide told us about an area an area close to Dingman Falls, called  Childs Park Recreation area.  We decided to have a picnic lunch then take a hike to see the many waterfalls that were in this particular area of the park.   Lunch was great, it was funny another minivan pulled up across from us with New Jersey plates.  Then a family started getting out.  I noticed right away, that a little girl no more than 2 years old hopped out quickly.  I thought that was odd as she would have to be in a car seat?  Then another little boy younger than Ciaran, then another and another.  I stopped counting when I hit 9 people in that Ford Windstar!  The cargo area was completely stuffed as was the roof.  Then about 10 minutes later I hear a cry.  There was an infant there too in an infant car seat carrier (thank goodness)!  10 people were in that van and only 2 of them adults and only one car seat. That made me really mad!

I’m so glad we decided on this area as it was gorgeous!  Here are a few shots:

The kids really enjoy hiking and the waterfalls were the icing on the cake.   After hiking we decided to cross the Delaware River at a place called Dingman’s Ferry.  In 1735, Andrew Dingman from New York State started this crossing at this spot on the River there has either been a Ferry crossing or a bridge in place for crossing over into New Jersey from Pennsylvania since that time.  It is currently privately run and operates as a toll bridge for $1 to cross.  We crossed here then followed the river back through on the NJ side.

It was a little shaky this bridge!  I found out later that each year after Labour Day the bridge closes
for more than a week to allow engineers to inspect the bridge from the tops of the trusses to the underwater foundations, and to perform any necessary maintenance and repairs. Yikes, it’s awfully close to Labor Day!

The kids enjoyed the drive along the river, the roads were very twisty and had what we like to call “Rollercoaster Bumps”!  I was surprised the speed limit was as high as it is.  When I’d see one of the “bumps” I’d speed up a little then let off the gas on the descent, so it would feel like a freefall.  There were lots of squeals coming from the back!

The next cool site we saw was a Self Serve unattended Farm Stand!  I was excited as I saw some fresh corn on the cob.  Of course we stopped and I picked up a dozen.  Was it ever good!  It’s been a long time since I’ve had corn that fresh.  I’m going to make a point to get back to our local farmer’s market when we get home.  I really want to start buying closer to home.

I hopped back in the van after grabbing my corn and we continued on our journey for about 10 minutes or so, then we came across a slight obstacle.

Yes that’s a tree right in the middle of the road!  We got out as did the occupants of the car ahead of us to observe.  We tried tugging at it for a minute or two and took a couple of photos and chuckled.   I accepted defeat and realized that just the 4 of us would not be able to budge this thing.  We took a look at our map and then discovered that this was the only way to go, or we’d have to retrace our steps and drive all the way back up to Dingman’s Ferry.  We decided to go give it a try, by now another vehicle arrived on the other side, and a man got out and started yanking at the debris.  Andrew and I pitched in and we got one side clear enough to pass and we were on our way again!

Just when we thought that was going to be the last strange site on the back country roads of New Jersey we came across this!

and this:

Yes that’s a traffic light right in the middle of no where!!  We burst out laughing but once we started driving we realized why it was there.  The “ONE LANE ROADWAY” was barely one lane, and right along very high cliffs next to the Delaware River.

What a great day, perhaps not as exciting as NYC or an amusement park, but I think it was one of my favorites thus far!

Yes, you read that right, not 4 kids, 5 kids! We also picked up another Nannie since my last post! Andrew’s mom decided to come with us as well, and our 5th kid is Mackenzie’s friend and our next-door neighbour Katelyn. Her mother and I conspired on the morning we were leaving and managed to get things pulled together in 4 hours to bring her with us! Mackenzie is just thrilled! Once the girls arrived home from school we broke the news to them then, and headed off to Maine shortly after to stay the night in Bangor.

Travelling with this many is no small feat, there are a lot of logistics that come into play. Car seats for one are very important to me. I knew we were going to be renting a van once we arrived, so I decided to take our own car seats on the plane with us. Finn had his own paid seat so I wouldn’t have to check any of the seats. Everyone was asking, “Why don’t you just check them with your luggage?” There are a few reasons for this, the number one is safety. Kids are much safer in a harnessed seat on the plane. The other reason was that airlines are notorious for not being so gentle with items. I have heard of car seats having a broken base, and I’ve seen things with my own eyes after working for an airline in the past, so checking my $300 car seats was just not an option for me. I had been looking at a special carrier made for car seats and travelling called the GoGo Babyz, but for over $100, I did not think it was a wise investment. Instead I went to a local luggage store and bought 2 rolling luggage racks from the clearance section for $7.99 each (regular $49.99). They worked great! Here’s a photo of me hauling 2 of the 3 carseats behind me outside the Bangor International Airport.

We had a great flight direct flight from Bangor, ME to Sanford (Orlando) FL on Allegiant Air. This is a newer airline servicing Bangor with great flight prices, especially booking a few days in advance. The staff in Bangor were really accommodating to our large group. (Lets hope the return goes as smoothly)

Finn was awake for the first part of the flight and just loved looking out the window, his seat was set-up rear facing so needed to be placed by the window, so he loved the view.

Liam and Ciaran happily sat in their seats for the most part, they were fairly easy to install, Liam was in his Sunshine Kids Radian which folds (the flight attendants that that was just great!), Ciaran was in his Britax Marathon. The only hitch was that I forgot to flip the seatbelt buckle over to make it easy to unbuckle. I panicked for a moment when we landed, that I was never going to get the seat unbuckled!

The girls sat directly in front of me, and drew pictures and read magazines. Here’s a shot of them i

We arrived into Sanford and picked up our rental cars, I love how they do it down here! You check in at the counter, then it’s a u-pick lot. They’ll tell you what rows you can pick from and you choose your vehicle. I choose a white Grand Caravan with the Flexfuel option (E85 ethanol blend). The van only has about 4500 miles on it, so I think it’s still in the “breaking-in phase”. The jury is still out whether I like it or not.

We stopped for supper before heading to our resort community called Windsor Palms in Kissimmee. We rented a 3bd/3ba townhouse for the week, in this little gated community about 3 miles from Disney’s main gates. Here’s a shot of the exterior. It has it own little private pool, and another large one on site.