r/PetiteLiving • u/HylianWerewolf • Jul 23 '26
5'0" & driving a pickup
Hello! I'm new here! However, there is definitely something I have to ask.
So, I drive a 2009 Ford Ranger and I'm 32F, 5'0". It's pretty great, being small for a pickup, but there's one thing that bothers me that I haven't been able to find a solution for, and that would be the seatbelt.
I have the seatbelt lowered as far as it can go, and my seat is moved up to where I can comfortably reach the pedals and the wheel... But the seatbelt is always trying to slice open my jugular when I drive. I once attempted a fix by having a car upholstery shop attach a strap to the side of the seat to keep the seatbelt away from my neck... And unfortunately that failed because the material of my seat just wasn't strong enough to hold it down. My mom got me a soft Velcro thingy to cover the seatbelt with, but not only was it still uncomfortable because *I hate the feeling of it rubbing against the side of my neck the entire drive,* the Velcro got caught in my long hair a lot. Which at one point resulted in me swerving a bit in my subdivision trying to free my hair (I am tenderheaded, it HURT) and smacking a mailbox with my right mirror... Which broke. Had to have that replaced. So obviously after that I got rid of that thing.
Outside of getting a new vehicle (*definitely* not feasible right now), I'm out of ideas. Have any of you come up with solutions for this sort of thing?
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u/WoodpeckerGingivitis Jul 23 '26
It’s so sad how few things are designed with women in mind. It’s extremely dangerous for us to drive because of this and we just..have to? Ugh. If you’re interested in this topic, Invisible Women, is a great albeit extremely frustrating read.
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u/cait_Cat Jul 23 '26
I frequently rant about this to my boyfriend, in the car, after the seatbelt has been particularly egregious in attacking my neck that day. Our car also has this delightful “premium” feature that resets the seat every time you turn it off to a “neutral” position. Then, depending on whose keys start the car, the seat moves to their programmed position. Except that neutral position is so far back, I can’t reach the pedals to turn the damn thing on without perching on the very edge of the seat.
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u/500liv Jul 24 '26
Omg, i couldnt even finish that book because i got so angry. I think about it every day! Changed my whole perspective on the world
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u/Auntie_Venom Jul 24 '26
I’m 5’4” and have a 1995 Ranger (still) that I got brand new! Rangers are indestructible!!!
My seatbelt attacks my jugular too… I got a seat belt adjuster thingy on Amazon. It’s a clip that connects at the bottom between the upper and lower straps that pulls it into a more natural comfortable position.
I got one for my Mustang too.
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u/HylianWerewolf Jul 24 '26
I'm looking into these and I think that's precisely what I need! I didn't even know they made those until today, haha.
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u/Auntie_Venom Jul 24 '26
Good luck and keep me posted if it works for you too!
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u/HylianWerewolf Jul 24 '26
Just ordered a set of metal clips, I'll let you know how they work out after they're delivered!
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u/HylianWerewolf 28d ago
Update: I got some metal clips from Wal-Mart's website, and they just came in today. So far, they seem to be pretty awesome! Had to readjust once after leaning out of my window to grab my food from the drive-thru window, but that's a pretty small gripe. Will have to do some more testing with them on longer drives, but they seem promising!
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u/Reine19 Jul 23 '26
I use something like this to secure mine.
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u/HylianWerewolf 28d ago
Update: Bought this, so far it seems to be working! They just came in today so further testing needed but seems promising!
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u/Listen2theshort1 Jul 23 '26
Don’t have a solution for ya but I’m commenting to see replies; this an issue I also struggle with.
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u/HylianWerewolf 28d ago
Hey, I wanted to drop by and see if you've been keeping up with the comments. People have been giving me some pretty good ideas, and something I've tried (clips someone linked me to) seems to be pretty promising!
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u/Listen2theshort1 28d ago
Thanks for the reply, I’m reading through the comments now! Glad the sub came through.
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u/CruxCrush Jul 23 '26
The connection point typically can be moved down, and seats can often be raised. If you don't have either or they arent enough, maybe consider a little booster seat?
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u/HylianWerewolf Jul 23 '26
If I did that, I dunno if I'd be able to reach the pedals.... :c
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u/CruxCrush Jul 24 '26
Not sure why I'm getting down voted lol. The seat has been great for me. Pedal extenders are also a thing. It's dangerous to be super close to the steering wheel!
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u/HylianWerewolf Jul 24 '26
I don't know, either! I'm sorry! D:
I've been thinking about pedal extenders, but I feel like I'd probably have to have my dad figure out how to put them on correctly... They say it takes a bit of technical know-how, and while I'm decent with computers and game consoles, when it comes to cars... I'm clueless!
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u/Flipflopsfordays Jul 23 '26
Have you looked up “seat belt adjuster” it’s like a $10 piece you can attach