We had a long term customer shopping for pricing for a new boiler, indirect water heaters, oil tank and extras. They were shopping for the lowest bid, so we didn't give them an estimate. About a month later, they called the installers since they had no heat, hot water and frozen pipes, but the installers didn't return their phone calls. Turned out that the installers didn't perform emergency service, nor warranty work, plus they were too small and too busy to service what they sell. They called about 5 service outfits, but they were too busy to respond immediately, or didn't return calls. Upon arriving we discovered that the boiler was Triple Oversized, had no Low Water Cutoff, no Back-Flow Preventer, no isolation valves, no purge valves and too many other code violations and shoddy workmanship issues to list. Since they had no way of isolating the system from the domestic water, the antifreeze and chemicals mixed with the domestic water and or leaked out of the old fittings and valves. The installers also pumped contaminated oil into the new tank which plugged the fuel line, filter, pump strainer and nozzle. In addition, they failed to replace the rotted copper oil lines buried in concrete, plus had no FiroMatic valves on the tank or at the burner. They re-used a decades old oil filter with a leaking housing as well. The installers also re-used the old near-boiler piping, fittings, valves, circulators, air-scoop, expansion tank etc. Since they didn't install flo-check valves and heat traps, ghost flow from the boiler and indirect water heaters were heating zones even though they weren't calling for heat. The installers also re-used the old vent pipe and chimney thimble which rotted and fell on the floor a couple weeks later. They didn't remove the jacket from the boiler, so they crushed it and scratched it while moving it into the basement. The customer told me the installer's helper was pinned at the bottom of the basement stairs since the installer lost control of the boiler when a step broke. When I ran a combustion test, my smoke spot tester paper was charcoal black. For some reason, the installer lowered the pump pressure by 40 pounds, doubled the size of the electrode gap, pulled back the Z dimension and installed a much lager nozzle with a wider spray pattern. The customer told me the installer's helper tuned the system, but he tuned the system by sight and sound since he didn't have a pump tester, electrode gauge, wet kit or electronic combustion tester. He told the customer he'd been tuning systems by ear for over 25 years. The system was also installed without plans, permits and inspections. The burner was located 3 feet from the oil tank which is illegal, plus the installer reused a 1 inch oil tank vent pipe which is illegal as well. This customer also paid the installers in cash, so they had no receipts or documentation. To add insult to injury, the installers charged the customer about $800 additional in extras above their verbal quote. The $800 in extras brought the installation price within about $500 of what we would have charged them for a much better and much more efficient high quality installation.

Certainly, the posters who say that for safety the child ought to be in the back seat are correct. And just as certainly, the posters who comment that the real issue here doesn't seem to be child safety, but the competition between the stepmother and the stepdaughter, are just as correct. The OP posted this on the Stepfamily forum, not a child safety forum, and her post does indeed seem to indicate that her concern is about family issues. She didn't even mention safety. What she DID say: "I feel that this is her way of letting me know that she's insecure in the re[la]tionship. But what bothers me is that it makes me feel like I'm being put on the same level as a child ...." THAT'S what the post is about, and it's no answer to say that because children belong in the back, period, there is no issue. Moving the girl to the back seat isn't going to solve the problem of competition for "front place" in Dad/Husband's life. If readers can't get past the diversion of the safety issue, then recast the question to remove the safety issue. Imagine that the poster were driving, and her husband sat in the back with his daughter, or the question were about who sits where at a dinner table or something. I think that both the OP and the daughter have very legitimate feelings here. The little girl had her Daddy, when she did have him, all to herself before. Now she has been moved to the back -- literally. But Dad is entitled to happiness, too, and so is the OP, and certainly she is entitled to feel like she is being treated as an adult. Without the blended family, I suppose the answer is usually, "Kids in back, adults in front; tough luck!" But to do that here, even masking it with the safety concern, just papers over the girl's and woman's very legitimate feelings. She's a kid; she has to ride in back for safety. But I would try to find some other way to shore up her feelings of security in her dad's heart. This will play itself out in other areas of life where they won't be able to play the "safety" trump card. Finally, don't assume this is all due to the remarriage. Even without a blended family, sometimes spouses come first, sometimes children do. That's life. You don't always get your first choice, but you adjust, and it is a lot easier if there is good will and understanding all around. It may not always seem fair to the OP any more than to the child; but she is the adult, and as a stepparent, is also partly responsible for the little girl's emotional growth and well-being now. Maybe sometimes the OP could ride in back with the little girl? Then they have their own bond to share rather than only ever competing for the place by Dad/Husband's side.

Someone ran into me back in Nov and totaled my 2008 ES 350 Lexus, and I purchased the the 2016, same model, shortly afterwards. I didn't test drive any other car! I love the way it sits, not too high or too low, as with many of the new models. It has every option known to man, a very generous trunk, and spacious back seat. I've had a couple of 'altercations' with heavy truck treads on the road, which caused absolutely no damage to the under carriage. DD has a Kia and had the same thing happen,and did cause damage and a part needs replacing. It also feels heavier than most cars I have ridden in as a passanger. Also free car wash any time I need/want. ;)

Cattyles, yes I'd be very interested in hearing more of what she thinks and perceived too. I had a feeling she would see the protective gestures and so comment. I hope she talks about it more in the future. I'd really like to know what she thinks about when he was dragging him through the water. As I recall, he ran off with the boy when the commotion ranked up. I noticed the same thing in the linked Jambo tape. Jambo was nurturing the child but when the boy's mother started screaming hysterically at the top of her lungs a young male ran onto the scene. The zookeepers had some difficulty managing him but luckily were able to keep him at bay and under control without anyone getting hurt. In the tiger incident with Siegfried & Roy, they also thought the tiger was actually being protective, although Roy was hurt in the process. They were very close. I think he had raised him from a cub, not positive.