[Speed Gibson,
Wednesday May 14, 2008 at 8:01am]
You Must Be This Tall to Ride
If our nanny-stater's at the State Capitol have the courage of their convictions, that children below age 8 or below 80 pounds must ride in booster seats in automobiles, surely the same restrictions should be imposed on public transit.
There are no seat belts or air bags on the MTC buses, let alone convertible seats like some newer cars feature. It's worse on light rail, where the brief stopping times wouldn't allow the time necessary to properly seat such children even if the train seats had such accommodations.
No, the risk is too great, and it falls disproportionately on the poor who must use public transit. Post signs that say "you must be this tall to ride the Hiawatha line."
There are no seat belts or air bags on the MTC buses, let alone convertible seats like some newer cars feature. It's worse on light rail, where the brief stopping times wouldn't allow the time necessary to properly seat such children even if the train seats had such accommodations.
No, the risk is too great, and it falls disproportionately on the poor who must use public transit. Post signs that say "you must be this tall to ride the Hiawatha line."