Should Take A Brake From Driving

(Whenever we have a child that seems to be too short to ride the go-karts, we tell the parents we need to size them on one of the karts. Doing so with her mother watching over my shoulder, this little girl is barely too short to press the brake pedal hard enough.)

Me: “I’m sorry. She’s not quite tall enough. She can reach the gas, but can’t press the brakes hard enough.”

Mother: “So…?”

Me: “I can’t let her ride.”

Mother: “But she can press the pedals. Yes?”

Me: “Yes, but she can’t press the brake pedal hard enough to engage it. It takes a bit of pressure.”

Mother: “So why can’t she go? If she can press the pedals, then she can make the kart go.”

Me: “Yes… but she couldn’t get the brakes to work.”

Mother: “But she can go! So what if she doesn’t press the brakes enough?”

Me: “…she won’t be able to slow or stop without them.”

Mother: “Oh! That’s what that does?”