I understand that there have to be bad strollers in the world. I really do. The world is an imperfect place. There are people in the world who don’t take infant transportation seriously. They buy bad strollers. It’s even possible that not taking prams seriously is an acceptable stance at times. But I shudder when I see the poorest offerings of the USA baby industrial complex flooding markets elsewhere.
Graco, in the loving hands of Rubbermaid, is now selling strollers all over Europe. For example, you can buy this pushchair from Mothercare (it’s a Graco Mosaic):
Not that you’d want to, if you thought about it. Ever walk behind a used Graco in a shopping mall? Ever looked closely at the wheels? Check them out: Are they a little lopsided? What about the camber? Are the rear wheels tipping in toward each other? How’s the steering? And what about suspension? Does that ride look comfy? What about all the gratuitous plastic bits on the stroller itself? Are they starting to crack and break off?
Like those handles? I love it when stroller handles stick out at an angle that has nothing at all to do with the way I use my hands naturally. And take a gander at that basket access! That’s really user-friendly!
There was a time, particularly in England, but also in other parts of Europe, and in Scandinavia, too, when one saw legions of reasonably-well-crafted baby vehicles in parks and along causeways. There was even a time in England when a well-made pram was a source of pride and considered a household necessity, no matter how humble the abode. But that was a long, long time ago. Pre-Rubbermaid. Not to mention pre-Graco.
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