Seat belts!

[Mister Sin]

I just can't fully grasp the stuburness that makes people choose to not wear these. Back in December my 24 year old cousin was ejected from a car, hitting a tree and cutting his body into three parts. Killing him instantly. And last night a 19 year old kid that I've known for years and who actually worked for me for about a year was thrown out of the t-top of a trans am during an accident, the car landed on him and killed him.

I hear people say things like "you're just as likely to get trapped and die" or "it's too uncomfortable." Just anything to make it make work in their minds. We all have that choice obviously....but I don't understand it. It's like riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Sure, you can and you feel more free...but why risk it.

I was in an accident 2 days before my high school graduation. I was doing about 90 in my wicked sweet Shelby Daytona...I saw a car pulled over ahead of my and tried to slow down, well my brakes locked up, I lost control and the car flipped 3-4 times. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt and made it out with just one tiny little scratch that didn't even bleed. I've never drove a car without a belt since.

So I'm curious, how many of us wear them?

 

[Psycho_X]

Always, zero reason not to wear one. And I won't drive without everyone in my vehicle having theirs on either. Kids are stupid and don't have a grasp on the concept of their own mortality until they grow up so ignorance is bliss for them. I just don't understand when adults don't wear them.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Yeah....
I gotta pass two wood crosses everyday
We have this gnarley bend that the kids don't see coming and every 3 years or we'll have some teenager named Darryl, Taylor, or Lindsay end up dead
Buckle up freaks

 

[bnw]

I rarely wear one when I'm driving. When I do it is because the truck will be at such an angle (or possible rollover) as to slide me away from the steering wheel or if in someone else's car who wants me to wear it.

My problems with the seat belt range from they usually they do not fit me well or are a pain to operate (shoulder restraint, not lap belt) to who the fuck is the government to tell me how to live my life when the same government has no problem with motorcycles or scooters or entire school buses filled with children and not a fucking seat belt on the entire bus. And where is the government taking responsibility for those people forced to wear a seatbelt who are then killed as a result of wearing the seatbelt? I'm not endangering anyone else by not wearing a seatbelt. That alone should be enough for the government to stay out of it. I'm all for airbags and any other passive restraints to make the vehicle safer for passengers without making someone a criminal.

 

[LACHAMP46]

My problems with the seat belt range from they usually they do not fit me well or are a pain to operate (shoulder restraint, not lap belt) to who the freak is the government to tell me how to live my life when the same government has no problem with motorcycles or scooters or entire school buses filled with children and not a freaking seat belt on the entire bus. And where is the government taking responsibility for those people forced to wear a seatbelt who are then killed as a result of wearing the seatbelt?

I recently had an accident...and while it almost cut me in half....bruised ribs at the least...it did help save my life...

It should be up to you to wear a belt, but trust me, unless you are T-Boned from the side, it will probably help you live and see your family.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I've always wore it.
I'm actually not comfortable without it.

 

[snackdaddy]

Most times when I read someone died in a rollover, they weren't wearing seat belts and got ejected. Just the other day a car rolled over near me. A woman who wasn't wearing a seat belt was ejected and died on the scene. The other passengers were wearing theirs and only had minor injuries. That alone should tell you your chances are much better with them than without them. On top of that, I don't want to pay a fine for not wearing them.

 

[snackdaddy]

I've always wore it.
I'm actually not comfortable without it.

Me too. Lol, I'm so used to it sometimes when I'm in a movie theater I feel like I need to pull a seat belt over my shoulder.

 

[Mister Sin]

I've always wore it.
I'm actually not comfortable without it.

I'm the same damn way. I feel completely uncomfortable without it

 

[~lyser]

I actually wear mine out of habit - probably because I don't want a ticket. I could give a fuck if I die tomorrow in a fiery mess of twisted metal - sounds like a better-than-average way to go, plus I already did all the shit I wanna do.

 

[bnw]

I recently had an accident...and while it almost cut me in half....bruised ribs at the least...it did help save my life...

It should be up to you to wear a belt, but trust me, unless you are T-Boned from the side, it will probably help you live and see your family.

I understand and glad you emerged safe from the accident but you are overlooking the bigger issue, one of the nanny state declaring it knows best. People do die from seat belts in a crash. Others are maimed due to the seat belt malfunctioning. This is a list over a few year period of victims of seatbelt in the UK compiled by the group Choice In Personal Safety.

http://www.againstseatbeltcompulsion.org/victims.htm

Go to their homepage and read their statement.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I understand and glad you emerged safe from the accident but you are overlooking the bigger issue, one of the nanny state declaring it knows best. People do die from seat belts in a crash. Others are maimed due to the seat belt malfunctioning. This is a list over a few year period of victims of seatbelt in the UK compiled by the group Choice In Personal Safety.

http://www.againstseatbeltcompulsion.org/victims.htm

Go to their homepage and read their statement.

It's not about being a nanny state infringing on your liberties, it's about being a responsible state, reducing unnecessary cost and wasted time from needing to peel you from the street from an otherwise survivable collision. It's about not having our doctors spend all their time caring for patients who would otherwise be fine and out of care because they weren't wearing a seatbelt. It's about not having our law enforcement and first responders there for hours and pushing others in need to the backburner. It's also more economical, as those who don't wear seatbelts cost hospitals more than those who do.

I mean, don't wear your seatbelt, do wear your seatbelt, that's on you, but at least understand that the laws aren't there to keep you from living your life how you want it, it's to prevent you from preventing someone else from living theirs.

 

[A55VA6]

I always wear mine, it's the first thing I do when I get in my car.

 

[Selassie I]

Let's do our best to not turn this thread into a political debate please.

People can see seat belt laws in different ways depending on their view. There really isn't a correct answer. The true reason for these kinds of laws is the money... follow the money as they say. The money path has mutiple forks in the road as well... so again, there is no one reason money wise either.

Look at Florida...

A Seat Belt law is in place. Police are even able to pull you over just to give you a ticket for not wearing the belt when they think they see it not being worn (it didn't start out that way... they added this later). Many residents feel it is just a built-in excuss for every police officer to be able to "legally" pull you over.

There is absolutely no helmet law for motorcycle riders though. There used to be... but they did away with the law when other cities outside of Florida without helmet laws started competing with Daytona Beach's Bike Week. There was way more money to be made by maintaining the Huge spectacle that Bike Week provided. Now... Bike Week has allowed Daytona to make enough money that they have basically done completely away with Sping Break... that use to be the big cash cow... now it's mostly eliminated. They have added another Bike Week though (they call that one Bike-toberfest)... so now they have 2 weeks out of the year that jam the hotels, bars, and streets full of bikers for more than a 100 mile radius around the city of Daytona Beach. No helmets required now of course.

But you'll be given a ticket quicker than shit if you ride your bicycle without a helmet anywhere here in Florida. Hypocrisy at its finest.

It's about the money.


Now... do I wear my seat belt??? Honest answer... it depends on which vehicle of mine that I'm driving. My car will not stop alarming until your belt is fastened if you are sitting in either of the front seats. Not the case in my truck... it will just show a red light about the belt that is just so easy to completely ignore. So I wear it in the car, but not in the truck.

 

[fearsomefour]

Its silly not to.
Force of habit for me, on the rare occasion I forget to click it before I start moving I feel weird.
I get the nanny state stuff and the money argument, but, sometimes it is just common sense.
The money thing goes for limiting (hopefully) medical costs ect.

 

[bnw]

It's not about being a nanny state infringing on your liberties, it's about being a responsible state, reducing unnecessary cost and wasted time from needing to peel you from the street from an otherwise survivable collision. It's about not having our doctors spend all their time caring for patients who would otherwise be fine and out of care because they weren't wearing a seatbelt. It's about not having our law enforcement and first responders there for hours and pushing others in need to the backburner. It's also more economical, as those who don't wear seatbelts cost hospitals more than those who do.

I mean, don't wear your seatbelt, do wear your seatbelt, that's on you, but at least understand that the laws aren't there to keep you from living your life how you want it, it's to prevent you from preventing someone else from living theirs.

It is certainly about the nanny state since there is no limit to the "responsible state". Literally no limit. That works for the military life but not a freedom based civilian life. My not wearing a seatbelt doesn't effect anyone else. By your your logic government could ban sweets, BMI greater than 27, driving faster than 20 mph, swing sets, not exercising, unprotected sex, pre-marital sex, adultery, lawn mowers, gas grills, chain saws, tattoos, etc etc. Your "economical" rationale isn't borne out either since banning alcohol and tobacco alone would save far more money and lives than saved by seatbelts.

 

[RhodyRams]

I wear mine all the time, and have a seat belt clip for the dogs when they ride in the truck

 

[Mister Sin]

I will say I don't make passengers wear it unless they are behind me and all kids must wear it in my truck. My truck is a big ass snitch, it will beep every 5-10 seconds if anyone up front isn't wearing it.

 

[Mister Sin]

I would also agree that it should be a personal decision. While I may not agree with not wearing one, I don't see how that is the governments business.