Should in-laws sit in front seat or backseat of car?

we did not used to follow the wife sits in front protocol in India, btu in countries abroad, it is sort of a protocol, in US as well as Singapore I have seen. It is considered to rude to take the seat in front which is to be occupied by the spouse. Not even kids get to sit in front. In one of the incidents I remember the wife got really mad at mother-in-law for always jumping and sitting in the front seat. Wife was American and guy was Indian. She considered it to be disrespectful. The Mil and wife do not get along though this is not the only factor.

My Mil lives abroad as well and always follow this protocol and advises visitors from India since otherwise it is considered rude.

 

I don't know that kids not sitting in the front in the US has anything to do with car ride etiquette rules(if there is one!!). It has more to do with the safety aspect of not being able to place the car seat/booster in the front. Isn't it required by law for kids until a certain age or height to only sit in the back?

 

I haven't given it much thought but I always sit with DH when my parents come to visit. I have offered the front seat to both Mom and Dad but they always refuse saying you and DH should be together. When IL's are here MIL always gets front seat since she is very large and wants leg room. I hate sitting in the back and with DS's car seat FIL and I have to squeeze in next to each other which makes both of us uncomfortable so I end up driving everywhere and DH and FIL squeeze in the back seat. When we go to India, MIL is always in the front seat so same thing happens(except since I don't drive I sit in the back seat and DS is squeezed in the middle). When we visit family in India, they always give me the front seat since according to them I am not used to squeezing into small car seats. But I have to say why do men have to sit together in front and women in the back if there is a gentleman present. I always thought the front seat next to whoever is driving belongs to the spouse unless they give it up themselves or if no spouse is present then it goes according to age, weight, or luck?! Am I mistaken?

 

In western countries, men give preference to girls, i went to U.S and I saw it many times, they consider it as'being a gentleman' thing that is not happening here. So they reserve the front seat for the wife or the MIL.

 

I don't know if it really matters sittinn in front seat. For me, if we are with ILs and my DH is driving then my FIL sit in front seat, if my family is there then my father or brother sit in front seat. I mostly prefer to sit in back seat and chat with other (friends or family) without any fuss. Even if we go on outing with friends I always prefer to offer front seat to friend (male) and so that me and friends wife can have good shat in back seat and my DH an have with his friend..

 

you have done the right thing dear....its really so strange how people can make issue of small things and make it a part of their power politics...it is then that you do not feel like making adjustments with them...am curious to know your mil's reaction when you put your foot down finally ...

similar things happened with me, when i was pregnant and on bed rest cause of some complication, my mil was busy taking care of my sil's kid and fil once told me very authoritatively "first priority is the kid (sil's kid) everything else comes absolutely second"... though i have no problem with a mere kid, but it was the point from when, even i don't know how, the kid became secondary in my priority list...

 

I agree with both of you.. I saw some people saying we are fighting over a seat and thats mean.. But i dont think so. Even i do not mind sitting behind as long as they do not feel i SHOULD sit behind only. We leave our seat as we respect/love them. People who do not consider us a part of their family, do not deserve our respect.
IMO unwillingly we should not do anything. Even if it is silly thing like seats, nobody can or should force us to do something like this.

 

i will conider all the above posts . today i learned something new ............. :biggrin2:

@Rihanna -- What an idea Madam ji :crazy

 

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Aalam yeh hai ghalib ki hamein saans lene ki bhi jagah nahi hai!

 

wah...! ji wah,...! kamal kardhiya .. kneesmiley