Seatbelt Laws...

[6T5PONY]

I started wearing seat belts back when you had to go to the local airport to buy them, because car and parts dealers didn't have them. I ALWAYS have my seat belt buckled, in fact it is such a habit that it will be buckled if I back the car out of the garage for a wash!!

That said: the seat belt laws are the most asinine and ridiculous nanny laws on the books. It's nobody's d**n business but mine whether I'm buckled or not! And the idiotic comment that it costs somebody else if I'm injured is hogwash. I insure myself.

Seatbelt laws are, to use the military term, bravo sierra!

Another beef: the auto manufacturers, in an effort to save a couple of bucks a car, stopped installing inertia locks. Now the belt constantly digs into your neck and makes them much more uncomfortable than when you could lock them in a comfortable position. Only stupid - save a buck and make it less likely that the person will use the d**n safety device. The feds should correct that idiotic move, if they are going to do anything.

[thors_1]

well who pays for your doctor/s & medical bills if you aren't wearing your seatbelt? are you saying your going to refuse to let anyone but you pay for the bills? it's a really moot question.. untill your almost in the accident who really wants it on? those who see a car/truck coming at them head on at 60-70 mph, lets ask those people about seatbelts and if they want it on.

[6T5PONY]

Originally Posted by thors_1

. untill your almost in the accident who really wants it on? .

Who wants it on? I want it on. I've used them, as I have said, since before you could buy them for your car. I am very uncomfortable without a belt. (But the idiotic design of the newer ones that constantly dig into you, offsets part of it.)

Anyone who drives without a seatbelt is, in my opinion, acting like an idiot. And, yes, I have had at least two incidents where being secure in my seat helped me avoid a wreck. But it is still none of the government's business.

[drchallenger-94sho]

its fun to do thru a winshield, not

[thors_1]

Originally Posted by 6T5PONY

Who wants it on? I want it on. I've used them, as I have said, since before you could buy them for your car. I am very uncomfortable without a belt. (But the idiotic design of the newer ones that constantly dig into you, offsets part of it.)

Anyone who drives without a seatbelt is, in my opinion, acting like an idiot. And, yes, I have had at least two incidents where being secure in my seat helped me avoid a wreck. But it is still none of the government's business.

So we do agree then, it's uncomfortable to wear.. but it is something you want on just before you get out of your car.... head first.

[6T5PONY]

Originally Posted by thors_1

So we do agree then, it's uncomfortable to wear.. but it is something you want on just before you get out of your car.... head first.

Actually, the seatbelt in my Mustang is quite comfortable. '65 has lap belts only.

I think they should force the automakers to bring back the inertia locks that were on the 70s and 80s belts. Latch it and lean forward a bit, it locked and was snug in place without digging into your neck like the newer ones do. Obviously removed to save ... what? five bucks? - even on expensive cars. More comfortable belts would encourage their proper use. Having them constantly digging into you is ridiculous.

[mike894]

I wear mine all the time. The thing that tiks me off is people with there own personal cars have to obey the law and wear seat belts so do grey hound buses and any other vehicle, But school buses have no seat belts at all. School buses can get into wreches just like anybody else so why don't they have seat belts to protect the kids.

[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.

[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.

[RBatson]

It could have went either way. One of my cousins was in the exact situation but just the reverse happened. He was relatively unscathed while the driver and front passenger were killed. Being thrown from the car saved his life. I do not know if the two in the front were wearing seatbelts or not(before seatbelt laws) but from what I remember, the top of the car was crushed.

I think it should be a personal choice though I think wearing the belt reduces your chances of injury.