Seatbelt Laws...

[NeedleBender]

i take responsibility for my own life, if i choose not to wear a seatbelt then no one should feel bad for me if i die. i let my passengers do the same. if they are old enough that they can go without and me not get a ticket then i let them take responsibility for what happens to them if i crash and burn

[Fat0eknee]

i agree with him and never wear my belt ...i only have a lap belt - no shoulder, so i cant really get caught for not wearing a belt. even if i were to crash and i did have my belt on my face would be in my dash anyways

unlike needlebender though i make the occupants that ride with me wear their belt because i would feel guilty if anything happened to my friends - since im the driver i am responsible for the lives of everybody else in my car and if anybody i knew got hurt ...i couldnt have that hangin over my head

[NeedleBender]

i suppose that if i ever did have an accident and someone else in my car was hurt then i would feel differently and want all passengers to strap up. but as i am still young i am destined to find out the hard way

[Mr 5 0]

Originally Posted by NeedleBender

i suppose that if i ever did have an accident and someone else in my car was hurt then i would feel differently and want all passengers to strap up. but as i am still young i am destined to find out the hard way

Well, at least you're aware of your own youthful hubris and it's possible consequences. None of that will save you in a serious wreck but you'll know that if a passenger in your car were injured or killed because they didn't wear a seatbelt - and you casually allowed them to go 'beltless' - it was at least partially your fault and you can then live with that knowledge for the rest of your life. Hey, lemme guess...no one tells YOU what to do, right? I thought so.

[Capri306]

I've had my own ass saved by seat belts more times than I care to count. Wearing one is, as Mr 5.0 said, as natural as breathing now. I've been hit by drunks, deer, and Christmas trees (yes you read that correctly), and each time I have my belt to thank for not being ejected through the windshield or at least being torn up pretty bad. Never (knock on wood) has any accident I've been in been my fault, or even close to it. I look at the seat belt as a way to keep me alive, and let all the dumbarses out there be killed. Social Darwinism at its best, from a sadistic point of view.

Either way people look at the laws regarding belt usage, you can't argue with the fact that they just plain work in the vast majority of traffic collisions to prevent death. It's just the government(s) trying to save people from their own stupidity and/or premature death and injury, which is a good thing. Think of it as a way to keep the speed limits from decreasing further. Just imagine how fast we could go if our cars could be nearly 100% safe in collisions.

[Fat0eknee]

a christmas tree eh?

[NeedleBender]

I seem to have been misinterpreted. i wear my seatbelt and encourage my passengers to do so as well. if they choose not to then thats their choice. thats what i meant. i didn't mean that i didn't care if they got hurt.

[RIDETHEWALRUS]

I agree with his arguments, but I do not agree with his choice. It is a shame that his desire to spite the government and do as he pleased resulted as it did. Today I will finally be installing seatbelts into my 69 mustang despite the fact they harm the aesthetics. I do not believe it is the government's job to tell us we must wear our seatbelts, I believe that it is our own common sense that should require this. What is worse, a $50 fine or your life? That is the argument that should exist.

For Derek's sake I truly hope he believed in what he wrote and is at peace with the results of his decisions.

Furthermore I am truly dissapointed about the loss to society with the death of this man who was obviously political in nature and willing to stand up for what he believed in.

[2001GTPEWTER]

I used to think they were an April quota excuse, the last of 17 seatbelt violations in the last 6 years just came off my record...this is the reason I'm still not a FedEx driver. But I'm on the side of the law..If they had ticketed my uncle three years ago he'd probably still be alive...on the other hand the seatbelt took off his wife's arm in the same accident...Maybe what they should do is rethink the design.

[DeltaMustang65]

Oh god, I hate this subject...I can't even believe I'm posting on this thread...

Anyway, is anyone else here sick of these people that think they should be able to rebel against everything and do whatever they want, regardless of consequences to themselves and others and the "big picture" (be it car insurance, medical insurance, etc)? This guy sounds like some spoiled college kid (no offense to anyone in college, I'm a college student too. Just not spoiled) that thinks the world revolves around him or something, and who got all upset when he got a ticket for something "he didn't feel like" doing.

"If one is doing the math, that is more than $138 million spent on seat belt laws. But the kicker is this: It is estimated, by researchers for Congress, that ---->ONLY 6,100 LIVES <---- are saved per year because of new seat belt wearers. Moreover, the increase in the percentage of those who wear seat belts has leveled off."

You sir, are a ******-bag.

You also unwittingly kill your own argument by saying this...

"I’m from the school of thought where everyone should have the right to do as they please as long as they are not infringing on the rights of other people. This comes from the political philosophy that inspired our founders and freedoms."

He apparently didn't realize that he IS infringing on the rights of other in the case that the unthinkable happens. But that's common sense, or so I thought.

I'd like to raise a few arguments against this moron, but it looks like you guys did a good job already. Since I work part time as a hospital orderly, the only things I WILL say are:

1) 6,100 lives saved translates to trillions of dollars saved in medical bills per year, I'd wager. This guy can appreciate $$$, even if he can't appreciate a human life.

2) Maybe WE should have a choice in who WE help at the hospitals, HUH??? How would you like that? Maybe we should deny treatment to anyone who didn't wear their seatbelt? NOTE: This is sarcasm. This would not only be incredibly inhumane, but would kill the economy. Think big picture here.

3) This guy's arguments are proof that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

P.S. I know there are things that the government gets wrong, but that's a poor argument for not having to wear your seat belt.

[Unit 5302]

Originally Posted by mattgoveiagt

...
I'd like to raise a few arguments against this moron, but it looks like you guys did a good job already. Since I work part time as a hospital orderly, the only things I WILL say are:

1) 6,100 lives saved translates to trillions of dollars saved in medical bills per year, I'd wager. This guy can appreciate $$$, even if he can't appreciate a human life.

2) Maybe WE should have a choice in who WE help at the hospitals, HUH??? How would you like that? Maybe we should deny treatment to anyone who didn't wear their seatbelt? NOTE: This is sarcasm. This would not only be incredibly inhumane, but would kill the economy. Think big picture here.

3) This guy's arguments are proof that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

P.S. I know there are things that the government gets wrong, but that's a poor argument for not having to wear your seat belt.

Considering he's dead from an auto accident most likely because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, he's probably not going to debate you on the subject.

[DeltaMustang65]

Aw man...and I was soooo looking forward to debating with this genius, gosh golly-gee darn CRAP!

I know the guy isn't around anymore, but thank you.

[2001GTPEWTER]

Wow, somebody more obnoxious than I can be..thats a rarity.

[DeltaMustang65]

Hmmm...maybe I should have listened to my gut and not posted on this thread.

[2001GTPEWTER]

Safety first.