Jalopnik: kids

Miami-Dade School Bus Drivers May Be Banned From Texting While Driving

Sam Smith — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Wait — "may?" You mean... they can do this... now?

According to a report in the Miami Herald, school bus drivers in Dade County may soon be banned from texting while driving. A member of the Miami-Dade school board proposed the new rule because, as he puts it, "people don't understand how serious of an issue this is. It's really dangerous."

We'd make a joke here, but frankly, we're still drowning in our own disbelief. (Really? This is legal?)

[Miami Herald]

Photo Credit: Getty Images

UK Driver Speeds Through Puddle, Drenches Kids, May Face Prosecution

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EDT

British driver and terrible person Kerry Callard is facing prosecution after this video surfaced on YouTube, showing her purposely driving through a huge puddle and drenching kids waiting at a bus stop while her passenger provides excited commentary.

We're not going to ignore the fact that there is an element of humor to the video, but it's balanced by a considerably larger helping of the pair just being plain mean. After apparently feeling some form of guilt, Kerry contact the police herself about the video. The police now say she might be prosecuted and fined under Britain's Road Traffic Act for offenses of "careless, and inconsiderate, driving." [Telegraph]

Volkswagen Uses Breakdancers, Child Labor To Show Off New Car

Matt Hardigree — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:45:00 EST

The reveal for the Volkswagen Bluesport included the vehicle surrounded by back-flipping breakdancers. And then, like a scene from The Wall, came the kids.

It isn't unusual for automakers to utilize performers or models to provide a visual kick for their press conference. In fact, we're fairly sure this isn't the first time we've seen flipping breakdancers. Though it made taking pictures of the car quiet difficult (the smoke didn't help either), it was at least entertaining.

The real surprise didn't come until the point where, most assumed, the dancers would move and we'd get to take a picture of the car. Instead, at least 20 pre-teens in black outfits with orange baseball lids came running out from behind the car. The purpose? To deliver orange carnations to the assembled press. There was no real explanation for either the dancers or the kids with flowers, but we assume it's either a German thing or the Germans think, after seeing a few Anne Geddes portraits, cute kids is our thing.

Whatever the reason, we laid our flower out in front of the Hummer display as a sign of respect.

Kid Has Bright Future As Stunt Driver

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

With the drive to push children to define their life goals while still infants, we think the direction this kid is being pushed by his helicopter parents is at least as awesome as the future mapped out for the Powerwheels kid. This little tyke looks to be a bit younger, but possessing parking skills any urbanite would envy. Give him a couple years and he'll be doing donuts into parking spaces and pulling stoppies with Bobcats. [Metacafe]

Ferrari Pedal Car Fuels Pre-Tween Envy

Travis Hudson — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:20:00 EST

Our experience with the ad-hoc Adventures in Branding series have been so positive that we've decided to rebrand the whole idea. Henceforth, "Auto Branding Adventures." Look for it, and away we go. Unless you're a kid whose father is a pretentious Ferrari owner, there's no reason to own a toy like this one. Ferrari has decided to go really, really green with this Ferrari pedal car by ditching gasoline and the motor entirely for good old fashion human power. Obviously, Ferrari cut no corners during production.

It includes a seven-speed transmissions, on-board computer, disc brakes, slicks, Enzo-inspired hubcaps and a racing harness to keep the kiddos safe at the sort of high speeds frantically pedaling children typically produce. The bucket seat, leather steering wheel and aero kit are only available on the "exclusive" model, which fetches $2,200 compared to the $730 for the standard model. Yep, that sounds about right for the Stallion—tripling the price for a couple extra accessories. [Ferrari Pedal Car]

Facts About Cars, By Kevin

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:45:00 EST

Remember when you first started forming opinions about cars? When you were just worldly enough to be dangerous? We remember thinking we were absolute geniuses when we decided attaching generators to all the turning shafts of a car would create a self sustaining electric car. Or when we thought more spoilers meant higher speeds (some never get over that one). Well Cracked has amusingly recaptured that moment in time with a piece titled "Automobile Facts, By Kevin D. (Age 7)" and we admire their ability to adopt that imagination which made being a child car dork fun.

Kustoms for Kids: The Roddler!

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:15:00 EDT

Today's moms don't subscribe to the same, tired prestige products to which their moms did. They go for crossovers over minivans, Dexedrine over cocaine and custom made over off-the-rack. For their kids' strollers, a snooty Peg-Perego or McLaren simply will not do. For these moms, there's the Roddler. It combines traditional hot-rodding tropes like over-the-hub fenders and pearlescent paint with a monocoque chassis and up-class materials like ostritch, stingray, alligator and alcantara, which despite its latinate appearance, is not a member of the animal kingdom. Buyers can customize their Roddlers with pinstripes and AV gear like a DVD player and iPod dock. The Roddler starts at $2,500 [Kid Kustoms via Serious Wheels]

Press Release:

"THE RODDLER " tm (Patents pending)

Pinstripe Prep collaborates with Iacono designs to breathe new life into the juvenile product market. In dealing with product category as mundane as strollers, two creative minds are joining forces to create a completely customizable stroller Targeted to affluent and tasteful parental units, your kids will boast the coolest wheels on the boardwalk. Born and bred in California, each model based on "the Roddler" model platform and can either be ordered as stock, or with a short lead time is tailored to be as individual as the owner. See our host of lavish features, build one out and contact your local dealer today. Visit our website at www.kidkustoms.com

Pricing starts at $2500 and orders are already being fulfilled. Did we mention we are avid supporters of 1% for the Planet www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

Production Model Options

Aircraft-inspired, Lightweight monocoque chassis construction

Custom Pearl Paint Jobs with Pinstripes

Custom Seat and Tops (supple ostrich, stingray, alligator, cow hide or alcantra surfaces available in a host of colors and stitch combinations)

Retro Inspired Kustom Fenders w/Lights (50's Kustoms, Buicks, Cadi's, Merc's, Old's, Vicky's and more) Now you can have the vintage tins and fins for your tots)

DVD Screen, i-Pod Dock

Kustom Leaf spring design with Hot Rod Hairpins

Surprisingly Sober Dad Locks Kids In Car Trunk For Vacation

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:00:00 EDT

Not content to let the Australians beat us in the category of "worst parents," an Oregon man was arrested yesterday for locking two of his kids in his car's trunk for the family vacation. The small car he was driving didn't have room for himself, his fiancee and his four kids so he did the reasonable thing and stowed two away in the back. We say reasonable because taking two cars would be horrible for the environment and letting them ride in their siblings' laps would be uncomfortable. Of course, if dad had just rented a Family Truckster he could have avoided being charged with two counts of reckless endangerment. "Spring Break 2007, WHOOO!" – Matt Hardigree

Autorama Cleanout: Kids, Parents Mob "Cars"

bwojdyla — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:35:57 EDT

The radio was touting it all week in the ads. You knew it had to happen, but wow there were munchkins everywhere around the full-sized versions of Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen. I think one of them may have tried to chew through my leg to get around me. Sadly, I wasn't able to catch the flash mob that almost cost me an appendage (would you be taking pics or fighting them off?), so you'll have to settle for these relatively tame specimens. When reached for comment on the day, McQueen only managed to belch a whiskey tainted "I USED TO BE A STAR!" through his grill before passing out in a puddle of his own oil. The plight of the one-hit wonder strikes again. One more picture after the jump. – Ben Wojdyla

Related:
Flip the Bonnet of 'Cars' [internal]

Mommy! Daddy! Tell Logan He's A Prick!

Ray Wert — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:50:13 EDT

Since today is Friday, and folks are looking to hit the road on a gorgeous summer day, here's something for all of your vacationers. So no, that's not the formula for determination of FoMoCo's sales or how much money DaimlerChrysler's spent on the "Dr Z" ad campaign. Rather, it's a formula created by the folks at Leapfrog, the interactive kiddie ~~porn~~ education software/hardware company. Devised by one of the company's well travelled management consultants, who's raising two sets of twins, the formula combines key travel factors, personal experience and expertise to equate the following:

Y = the perfect road trip this summer
M = the total miles to be driven
C1 = the total number of children aged 0-3
C2= the total number of children aged 4-6
C3= the total number of children aged 7-11
B = the number of planned breaks, over and above the RAC recommended amount
A = the number of planned activities

While we normally would be more likely to strap the little annoyingly loud, fleshy things to the roof of our vehicular transport, mostly because we remember what little shits we were during summer trips in our dad's minivan. However, for those of you actually curious enough to find out what your score means, we've got the different journey values after the jump.

30+
Should have stayed at home

20 - 30
Little Timmy kicks the shit out of Bobbie Sue, and "vacation" becomes synonymous with "hospital"

6 - 20
Are we there yet?

3 - 6
Just Cruising

0 - 3
Holiday ro-o-o-oad, Holiday ro-o-o-o-o-o-oad....

BMW Builds 6-Series Convertible for Kids

Mike Spinelli — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 10:57:10 EDT

BMW launched a new version of its 6-Series convertible that's, er, a bit smaller than the current model. The new version offers a reductive take on the 2006 6-Series, including a single forward gear plus reverse, a hand brake and foot brake, and "real" electric horn. Two powerplants are offered, including an electric motor — with indicator light and 90-minute range — with a top speed of two to five miles per hour (faster downhill), or a more economical leg-powered pedal-drive version. An assortment of signs and cones are available, with which which drivers can make and enforce their own traffic laws. The new model carries an MSRP of $425 for the electric-powered version and $250 for pedal-drive. No word on the release of an M version. (Purchase details at www.bmw-online.com.)

Related:
RC Car Records Audio, Video [internal]