Is it safe to ride in a Rumble Seat?

[ford38v8]

I think my rumbleseat passengers in my avatar picture are about as safe as if riding a float in any parade. I would be very reluctant to allow them to ride there on the open road, however. I have ridden back there as an adult, and have have had serious thoughts of my mortality while so doing!

[millerliteliker]

Safe? No. I think the thing that worries me is the back rear window area and the metal shelf between the seat and that window. I think seat belts would be a big help - anything to keep from having your face meet up with the back window or that shelf.

BTW - when I was a kid my mom had a big 1976 Oldsmobile 98. My brother and I used to regularly ride in the trunk. We enjoyed it back there. We had a flashlight and had plenty of room to move around and play. I am sure we shocked more than a few people in our church parking lot or grocery store when my dad would park the care, turn it off, and routinely walk to the back and open the trunk and me and my brother would pop out.

[COE Dan]

Consider these stats - deaths in 2013 from:

Throwing yourself out of a perfectly good airplane at the ground and hoping you miss (aka skydiving) - 58
Lightning - 23 (historically, 11% of ligthning deaths are from fishing)
US Shark attacks - 2

Or consider this:

In January 1943, a U.S. Marine was killed in his sleep upon being struck in the head by a falling coconut near Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. He had survived four months of intense combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign and was scheduled to leave the island the following morning. (Ok, this came from wikipedia, so you know it's true...)

So, the risk of a rumble seat is relative. Just like beer - enjoy responsibly.

[epw1949]

I think a study should be taken just to see how many people died in rumble seat accidents,verses people that died in outhouse,[ backhouse ] accidents,over the last 85 years.I think this study should be the #1 study that the N.T.S.B. looks at in 2015.I wish everyone a safe,and happy holiday,which includes Christmas.E.P.Williams

[Seth Swoboda]

The question should be "are you smart enough to ride in a ruble seat." In my case yes I am more than qualified to ride in a rumble seat. I did as a child and I'm 34 years old now, I survived.

[37 Coupe]

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Originally Posted by epw1949

I think a study should be taken just to see how many people died in rumble seat accidents,verses people that died in outhouse,[ backhouse ] accidents,over the last 85 years.I think this study should be the #1 study that the N.T.S.B. looks at in 2015.I wish everyone a safe,and happy holiday,which includes Christmas.E.P.Williams

Well what if the study shows that in 2015 there will be only two deaths from a rear ender forcing the rumble seat lid closed with two little heads sticking out,what then? It will be someone else? I never thought much of the possibilities either 50 years ago. A gal I know of was sitting at red light last summer in Florida and was hit from behind,the guy was going 120. She is fortunate enough to have survived but is just now learning to walk again. You never know.

[Mike B]

I think common sense has to prevail here...just because folks road in the rumble seat 50+ years ago on their way to town, certainly doesn't mean it's safe now.

Not sure of other states, but riding in the bed of a PU truck has been illegal here in Ca., for many, many years...due to reports injuries, etc, of flying bodies in accidents.

Only difference I can see in a rumble seat or PU bed...is seat padding.

[mhsprecher]

A thought-provoking thread. There was one on the Model A forum that got me thinking, too.

I bought seat belts for my roadster, but have not installed them, but I have only had riders back there in a parade and around the block. I will be working on a latch to keep the lid upright in case of a crash. I also like the pool noodle idea. I doubt we will have too many riders back there, in any case.

Most accidents happen in the home, but it is important to exercise prudent behavior. What I do to myself is one thing. What I do to others is something else yet again. Younger drivers are more apt to get into rear end collisions. One of the most important things I do is keep a decent distance from the car in front of me. That is especially important in the roadster as its brakes are not the best.

[phoneman]

When I bought my model A coupe. A friend of the family ask if it had a rumble seat. She said she broke her nose as a kid riding in a rumble seat. a quick stop caused her to hit the back of passenger compartment. She said she was ready for another ride in one.

[Blownflatheaddeuce]

I would'nt be overly concerned with the rumble seats safety.....its the other clowns on the roads these days that could worry you even if you were in a Sherman tank. I look at it this way; "safety" is HUGE business and worth BILLIONS.

No prizes for guessing why all this safety BS was dreamed up in the first place. Yes its important in a relative sense, but so are many other aspects of life. The problem with "common sense" is that it just ain't common anymore.

I see morons on the road everyday with ZERO confidence in their driving ability, in brand new modern cars that I could safely lap, out corner, out brake and generally drive way more competently in my deuce roadster with rag tires, mech brakes (yes, mech brakes) etc. It does my head in seeing them take corners widely, out of their lanes, brake incessantly in easy corners at low speeds that I could go thru safely at 2x the speed in the roadster.

It ain't the rumble seat - its pathetic, distracted, ludicrously unskilled and dangerous to themselves and other driver types that would be my concern.


BFD

[raceron1120]

Sometimes one has to wonder how long it will be, before common sense and good judgement are made illegal? Anymore it seems that neither value applies especially with some of today's so-called 'drivers'. Some apparently think it's easier to blame others for what goes wrong, than to accept responsibility for their own actions.

I've ridden in rumble seats, open pickup boxes, and without seat belts, all many years ago. Would I do any of it again? Probably not on public roads but not because the vehicles are less safe than they were, but because simply being on the roads anymore isn't like it used to be.

[cmbrucew]

I tend to agree with BFD's post.
If people used their head they would not need the government to legislate laws to keep them safe.
Bruce

[VeryTangled]

Wow, great discussion Everyone!

(here comes a teacup of kerosene)

I recall three stories of members of the V8 Forum have had their cars hit. One was sitting still and was rear-ended, one was leading a caravan of old cars and someone pulled in front of them entering a highway that they were on, and a third one was clipped by a drunk coming the other direction while rounding a curve.

All we can really do is keep our eyes open, the car under control (including the ability to come to a halt and avoid obstacles), and try to anticipate what the other fools are about to do! Even then, as an earlier poster pointed out, there will always be ACCIDENTS.

As for rumbles, my experience is much like others here... In the late 60's, my Dad was so car crazy that my Mom's daily driver was a '31 Roadster. My brother and I, both under 10 years old, regularly used the rumble any time she took us out. Would any parent do that today, I doubt it. Even _I_ thought it was scary back then to ride in the bed of a pickup going down the interstate; and it was cold too.

But there are a bunch of things we did back then we wouldn't do today. Can you say "Trick or Treat?" I can not remember my parents ever following along. Try smacking your kid in the K-Mart and see what happens.

One last thought, I don't see very many young people with missing fingers. If you get in the right crowd of oldsters...

[Chisel]

This thread is down right depressing. Why worry life is to short, when it's your time it's your time and there is nothing you can do about it. My neighbor was a safety worry wort, would never do anything because he was afraid of getting hurt. He hired someone to do everything for him, wouldn't fix his roof cause he was afraid he would fall of, etc,etc. At age 34 he gets out of bed one morning and falls over dead. Rumble seats are fun to ride in--have fun!!!

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by raceron1120

Sometimes one has to wonder how long it will be, before common sense and good judgement are made illegal?...

Common sense and good judgement are not illegal, but simply redundant in the face of our paternalistic government. Why worry?

[hop2it]

The rumble seat seems a whole lot safer than when my son rode on the engine cover in my 66 econoline van.I guess that was when I was young and foolish,too soon old too late smart.
Doug