seatbelts

[baller9409]

just feel like it should be shared, its of my two friends that died last year on christmas

[Air and water do mix]

I'm really sorry you lost friends that way.

Here's my story on the subject.

When I was a young kid, I bought my first car. A '66 Beetle (surprise!). I had a hard time getting it running correctly, so I drove it down to my brother's house. He was a couple of towns away down a state highway (winding and twisting would describe it) and he figured out what was wrong with it, explained it to me and how to diagnose it and I called dad to come and get me so that we could get it running correctly the next day with tune-up parts.

After getting it running really well, I was sitting in it with the engine running and he leaned on the door and said: "Don't you feel kinda naked?" I said: "What do you mean?" "You're not wearing your seat belt." "Oh, those are in the trunk" I said. He came back with "Well, let's install them and you can wear them on the way home." You can't really win an argument with him, so I did so. I rolled the car on the way home. Since dad was just 5 minutes behind me, we got it pushed off of the road and he gave me a ride back down there so that I could shake his hand and thank him for saving my life.

Two weeks or so later, a friend of his rolled a Pontiac in a similar fashion and was partially ejected. The car pretty much broke him in half. Needless to say, I've been an avid seat belt fan ever since.

[compy222]

everyone thinks, with a bit of false logic, that a seatbelt saves them by keeping them from flying out of the car or playing ping pong inside the car.

the point of a belt is to keep you in front of the controls. you can't avoid an accident at speed without being attached to your seat. if you swerve and suddenly you're sitting in the passenger seat...you're just going to get into a secondary accident just as bad. as cars have gotten faster and handling has improved, this problem is even bigger.

[Ilsa Lund]

I always wear a seat belt and make my friends wear them in my car. I try in other people's cars but some just refuse to wear them because they're "uncomfortable" so I just let it go.

[Air-over-water]

I do not know anyone stupid enough to ride/drive without a seat belt.

*edit*
If the vehicle is equipped with seat belts.

[freedo84gti]

I do not know anyone stupid enough to ride/drive without a seat belt.

*edit*
If the vehicle is equipped with seat belts.

my corvair didnt come with seat belts, im going to be drilling holes in the floor of the vair for anchor bolts to put in atleast a lap belt for the front seat

[Air and water do mix]

I always wear a seat belt and make my friends wear them in my car. I try in other people's cars but some just refuse to wear them because they're "uncomfortable" so I just let it go.

They can squish you in an accident if they're unbelted. Imagine pulling a mere 10 Gs in an accident (around 30 will kill you, seat belt or not). That means that if your friend weighs about 150 lb., that's 1500 lb. of force hitting you. Sounds fun, eh?

[Shmi]

One of my friends drove a Scion TC for a few years. He would never wear his seatbelt, and we gave him **** for it. He flipped his car one day, flew out of the sunroof and the car landed on top of him. Wear seatbelts, damn it.

[Ilsa Lund]

They can squish you in an accident if they're unbelted. Imagine pulling a mere 10 Gs in an accident (around 30 will kill you, seat belt or not). That means that if your friend weighs about 150 lb., that's 1500 lb. of force hitting you. Sounds fun, eh?

I had to read this twice before realizing you meant they can fly out of their seats. At first read it as "the seat belts can crush them." Good point!

[Air and water do mix]

everyone thinks, with a bit of false logic, that a seatbelt saves them by keeping them from flying out of the car or playing ping pong inside the car.

the point of a belt is to keep you in front of the controls. you can't avoid an accident at speed without being attached to your seat. if you swerve and suddenly you're sitting in the passenger seat...you're just going to get into a secondary accident just as bad. as cars have gotten faster and handling has improved, this problem is even bigger.

You're certainly right about your second point, it does indeed do both. It's primary job is to keep you in your seat in an accident. That's the reason why I'm still here.

I would argue against one point, however. The problem of winding up in the passenger seat is much less than in the days of vinyl bench seats! As evidence I suggest watching "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. (Especially when Dick Shawn is driving the red Dodge. He's all over the place!

[Diamond Dave]

Dad charged us a quarter every time we weren't wearing seatbelts by the time he started the car. Not only do I wear a belt every time I drive, no one rides in my car without one.

[unimogken]

I was waiting to put some in my '65 truck once I get my roll cage but i really should just slap some in there for the time being since it'd be better than nothing.

The other day I was watching some old episodes of Shark Tank and they had this on........... pretty cool for the newer cars!

[Shmi]

I was waiting to put some in my '65 truck once I get my roll cage but i really should just slap some in there for the time being since it'd be better than nothing.

I know its not what you're doing but I don't even want to imagine the bodily damage that would be experienced in a rollover accident with a roll cage and no seatbelts.