Driving small kids in a Ferrari?

I don't know specifically about the 360, but my understanding is that federal law requires all 2 seat vehicles to have an airbag disable switch, its usually operated with the ignition key. Im sure an owner will chime in. Its also probably in the owners manual. I certainly wouldn't put her in the car until its solved.

You might try a search in the 360 section.

Edit: Maybe I was wrong...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/31640-pass-airbag-shutoff-switch-355-360-a.html

 

Your wife always stays below 20 mph??? And you're the best lover in the world? ;>)

 

My three kids - currently ages 4, 8, and 10 - all ride in the passenger seat of my 360 spider, and my 10 year old has even been on the track. My wife and I have researched this extensively and came to the conclusion that a couple of conditions were required:

1) Passenger seat all the way back to distance from airbag. I have the carbon fiber sport seats, which are thin and allow you to be fairly far from the airbag, and we keep the passenger seat all the way back anyway.

2) Booster seat in use to ensure proper seat belt positioning. We experimented with a handful of car seats to see what would work in the relatively narrow base, and found a couple of models of boosters which fit the kids well. We use them religiously.

Unfortunately, the 360 does not have an airbag turnof switch or seat sensor to do this if there is not enough weight in the passenger seat. Some marques like Porsche have it built into a seatbelt connector, but not Ferrari. Those technologies came out after the 360 design. I have found that there is a retrofit kit available for around $7000 or more, but we decided that was silly when proper seat positioning gave a good distance and safe use of the belt.

FYI, my wife, is a car seat safety fanatic who posts on car seat bulletin boards every day (yes, they exist) and has debated this very topic online there as well.

 

All the pediatricians in my family say to keep them out of the front seat until age 12.

I wish I could take my 4 year old daughter somewhere outside of my driveway in the 360, because she would love it with the top down. Alas, I've got too many eyes on me to make it possible. So, sadly, we're gonna wait.

Edit: I have Daytona seats in my car, and I'm afraid there is no way I can conclusively prove in all circumstances that an airbag deployment in the pass. seat won't hurt my daughter. Therefore, with that risk picture, it's not worth it to me to try. If it's my own ass, fine, but I won't take the risk with her.

 

The looks I get from the elementary school teachers and school admins when I pic up my kid in rallycar and he climbs over rollcage doorbar and buckles the racing harnesses like everyone should know.

 

Once forward facing, as long as the child is properly secured the airbag isn't a danger (at least according to the NHTSA). Make sure the seat is all the way back and they're in the proper child seat for their age with the restraints properly installed and they'll be fine.

 

That is epic. Pics?

 

bubble wrap for everyone!!!

 

I don't take pics dropping or picking him up from school. His 3rd grade teacher knows he just went for a ride on the track because he wrote about it in class last week. "I thought I was going to vomit". Won't be long till social services knocks on my door.

The extended family are at track most weekends. All the kids kart, nephews drift, we roadrace and time attack, rally and hillclimb. My kid is a trackbrat and half the wardrobe he wears to school is racing oriented.

 

Love it

 

We can all try and justify to ourselves that it's ok to have kids under 12 in the front seat, but I never met a pediatrician who said it is safe. The most common and deadly collisions are front on and a smaller child, booster or otherwise are far more likely to be harmed. Not to mention that in many states it is illegal.

 

I let her ride all the rides she wants to at the fair! I am not as nervous when she is in the 458. By the way, she is 5yr old also.
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Do any of the 2 seat F cars (with airbags obviously) have an airbag kill switch? I swear I thought it was required on a 2 seat car. My Dodge Ram regular cab had one, and my friends Corvette has one.

 

On page 55 of the F12 manual it states "Since the airbag system cannot be deactivated, rear facing child seats must not be installed. When transporting children who are less than 1.5m tall contact the Ferrari Service Network."

 

I know you all are talking about cars with airbags but I routinely take my children for cruises in the 308, including a trip for each just today. My wife said they had to be at least four and she picked out the booster. Her approval is all I sought, although we've been to the Fire Station several times in the car and routinely pull up next to police officers who return my kid's smiles and waves.

 

That just seems nuts to me. Airbag disable for passenger seat is commonplace. Im really shocked that these cars don't have it.

I guess the solution is to buy a Mondial/456/612/FF...

 

My 2014 ram 3500 does not have a passenger airbag disable switch.

Only way to do it in a 360 or anything with a passenger bag would be yank that airbag harness so it's not connected or pull it all the way out.

 

Yet a ride at the fair is assembled in much the same way as a car or an airplane, lots of cotter pins hold things together! It's just nuts, bolts and cotter pins!

 

My 07 f430 has an airbag deactivation switch. Have not used it or looked in the manual to check on operation but it looks like you turn it off with a standard screwdriver. Will check later if no one else chimes in on how to use it.

 

I would think that any pre-airbag car is as safe for driver as it is for passenger. The key (in my mind) is the slightest front end collision that sets off the airbags can seriously injure or kill a child who would otherwise have maybe been ok. I know I have seen a Lambo (Aventador I think) from L of Houston at a show and they had a baby seat in the passenger seat. I hope it has an airbag disable switch.

 

Well to be fair most pediatricians are just echoing what they've heard about airbags. I'll bet 99% couldn't tell you travel distance or describe how the system works. Just saying they are safe at 12 is BS. So at 11 1/2 it's deadly but 6 months later it's OK. I would imagine it is based more on height and weight.

 

Is your truck regular cab? My understanding (and its been a while since I was in the car business) was that cars with no back seat had to have an airbag disable for the passenger seat, cars with a back seat aren't allowed to turn off the passenger airbag because there is a backseat as option. My truck was regular cab, ie no rear seat.

 

agree, 5 feet and 100 pounds