Baby On Board refers to a five-inch sign intended to be placed in the back window of an automobile to deter tailgating. First marketed in September 1984 by Safety 1st Corporation, the sign became a ubiquitous fad, flourishing in 1985. Its use in the US rapidly declined by 1986 as parody imitations with lines like "Baby I'm Bored", "Pit Bull on Board", and "Mother-In-Law in Trunk" became popular, although its popularity continues in the United Kingdom (along with other versions such as "Princess on Board" and "Little Person on Board") and in Japan (usually saying Baby In Car) well into the 21st century, with the sign written in either English or Japanese script. The parent company diversified into infant and child care products. Nevertheless, the signs have entered the American lexicon. In 1993, the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" of the television program The Simpsons featured a barbershop quartet tune called "Baby On Board". The song crooned about how "each trip's a trip to paradise, with my baby on board", thanks to "the sign in my car's windowpane". An urban legend claims that the death of a baby led to the creation of the signs. According to snopes.com, there is no truth to this claim.[1] The founder of Safety 1st, Michael Lerner, claimed to have heard about similar signs in Europe, when in fact, he entered into a partnership with Patricia and Helen Bradley of Medford, Massachusetts, to market the signs. The Bradleys had been trying to market the signs since Patricia brought them back from Germany, where her husband was stationed. Lerner eventually bought PHOB, the company set up by the Bradleys, (for approximately US$150,000) and changed the name to Safety 1st. Comedian George Carlin considers Baby On Board to be "the three most puke-inducing words that man has yet come up with".[2]
References
- ^ Baby on Board. Urban Legends Reference Pages (2006-09-02). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ George Carlin: What Am I Doing in New Jersey?
