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Post by Woody Williams on May 1, 2007 17:37:33 GMT -5
Ladies and gents,
Seat belts do make good sense no matter what anyone says.
I'm about as anti-government getting into things as the next guy but here is one area I don't compromise on.
Why would I want the government to say YOU HAVE to wear a seat belt? Because in a LOT of fatal accidents it is not the first impact that causes the fatality - it is the second or third.
For instance - say an unbelted driver is broadsided at a stop sign and the impact shoves him out from behind the wheel over into the passenger's side. From there he has absolutely no control over his vehicle any longer. He is going where ever it goes from the impact. That can very well be into the oncoming traffic lane where his vehicle will take out one or more additional cars. Crash, bam , boom! Someone is likely to die. That someone could be me or my family.
Now put a seat belt restraint on him. Chances are he will not move from behind the wheel and could possibly control the direction his vehicle takes.
Seat belts are proven life savers...
If a motorcyclist wants to go helmetless that can be his choice, but I would like to see a waiver requirement that the state (that is you and me) will not have to take care of him, his wife and kids and he is laying in a bed comatose forever.
Beltless drivers can and do affect us all,
Helmetless motorcyclists should only affect himself and the poor EMTs that have to scrape his brains off the blacktop.
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Post by JohnSmiles on May 1, 2007 18:55:12 GMT -5
OK, marking down who I will not be riding with. I do not wear one. I have been in two SERIOUS accidents, both of which drove the steering wheel back into the drivers seat. Now, I may be 'stupid', but I am still alive. I do not think it is your right to call me an idiot or even to imply it because I CHOOSE not to do so. I think it is extremely rude at best. And as I said earlier, it is all about MONEY, NOT SAFETY, which is driving this. It is just another restriction 'for your own good' to get everyone deeper in the new Amerika sheeple spirit. Several of you surprised me today, as I thought most of us were all about freedom of choice. Apparently not. Now of course, race car drivers, mountain climbers, sky divers, hogdoggers and a zillion others are just fine risking their lives for a thrill, but me going across town without a seat belt is simply 'stupid and thoughtless', even regarding my loved ones. Some of you really surprised me today. While wearing a seat belt will increase your odds IN MOST CASES, it has also cost lives. But, just like the guns that SAVE lives, you seldom here about those. While there are policeman who have never unbuckled a dead man, there are a great many others who have. To imply no one has ever unbuckled a dead man is incorrect at best. Thinking I SHOULD wear a belt is fine. Thinking you or anyone else has the RIGHT to INSIST I do so is garbage. This entire issue should have been stricken down years ago. But hey, MONEY . . . . . The key to a free nation is the understanding that everyone ALSO STILL has the RIGHT to make the wrong choice. There IS no freedom otherwise. . . Which seems to be OK, according to some. Unless you support completely outlawing all physical sports, racing, motorcycles, skydiving, snowboarding and several dozen other 'pc' ways to endanger yourself, claiming this is a good or just law is utter nonsense.
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Post by Woody Williams on May 1, 2007 19:09:15 GMT -5
Fisrt off I have not seen any "stupid" remarks directed at any one individual on here.
The context that I am taking that the remarks are generic.
If someone thinks that people not wearing seat belts is stupid that is their generic opinion, so don't take it personal. OK?
None of these will harm me in any way because I do not participate.If I did you can bet that I would have on every piece of personal protective equipment that was available.
Now, IF these items that you have mentioned could cause harm to me and my family, like the unbuckled driver flopping around in the passenger seat after a collision and his vehicle carreening into my lane, then I'd say we should look very seriosuly at curtailing them.
If someone want to hurt themselves or their family, have at it.
When it affects the safety of MY family then we need to talk.
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Post by tenring on May 1, 2007 19:15:58 GMT -5
I wore a seat belt religiously for years, then they made it a law and said that "you will wear a seat belt!" Very seldom wear it now, just because of that. Had a '77 Chevy PU once, couldn't get the seat belt to grab by jerking it with my hand. Took it to the dealer where I bought it, they said it would take an impact to get it to grab. Lo and behold, about a year later, while suffering a bout with the flu, I passed out while driving , off the road I went, took out a REMC power pole, wasted the steering wheel with my chest, head went into windshield, still have the scars from that. Realize that was an isolated incident, but I have this attitude to this day about seat belts and quality control from Detroit.
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Post by deerdude on May 1, 2007 19:19:06 GMT -5
guys,i rode bulls a couple of times,does that mean im stupid.my point in all of this i hate to see the gov.step in and say you have got to where them.im not against wearing the seat belt but i think it should be up to the person in the car whether they strap in or not.
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Post by JohnSmiles on May 1, 2007 19:51:46 GMT -5
Fisrt off I have not seen any "stupid" remarks directed at any one individual on here. The context that I am taking that the remarks are generic.If someone thinks that people not wearing seat belts is stupid that is their generic opinion, so don't take it personal. OK? Sure Woody. I will most certainly keep that in mind when others on here are doing what I consider 'stupid', and will no longer refrain from saying so, as I have previously done on many occasions. After all, its just my 'generic' remark towards anyone doing a thing, not 'just' the person posting. . . . None of these will harm me in any way because I do not participate.If I did you can bet that I would have on every piece of personal protective equipment that was available. Now, IF these items that you have mentioned could cause harm to me and my family, like the unbuckled driver flopping around in the passenger seat after a collision and his vehicle carreening into my lane, then I'd say we should look very seriosuly at curtailing them. If someone want to hurt themselves or their family, have at it. When it affects the safety of MY family then we need to talk. Yes, that 'unbuckled driver flopping around in the passenger seat after a collision and his vehicle carreening into my lane' is such a high risk factor out there on our roads today. . . . If you feel that my NOT wearing a belt is a serious risk to YOUR family, that is your problem, not mine. It is also paranoid. (Which is 'generic', as I think anyone who feels that way is 'paranoid'.) If this seriously worries you, I assume you already wear flame proof clothing while driving and have had a roll cage installed, and every other thing that MIGHT make you a little safer. And I can assure you a roll cage will up YOUR odds FAR MORE than me wearing a safety belt. I could claim you using a grill next door puts my family at risk of a fire, and therefore I should be able to insist you have no cook outs as my family is at somewhat higher risk. My carrying a gun seems to worry a great many, as they see it as a risk or threat to them and their familes. So, by your logic, since my guns could in some possible way be used in a crime somehow, they actually have valid grounds for banning them. Same exact thing, except you are on the other side of THAT example. Its a bad road Woody. It goes in one direction, and ends at one destination: POLICE STATE
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Post by hunter480 on May 1, 2007 20:14:52 GMT -5
Ladies and gents, Seat belts do make good sense no matter what anyone says. [ font=Verdana]Matter of personal opinion.[/font][/color] Seat belts are proven life savers... Many, many instances of seatbelts causing death, or, not wearing one resulting in surviving-again, personal opinion. [/quote] Again-government insrusion into personal life-not acceptable, not appropriate, not happening.
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Post by ActionPoint on May 1, 2007 20:27:37 GMT -5
"Now, IF these items that you have mentioned could cause harm to me and my family, like the unbuckled driver flopping around in the passenger seat after a collision and his vehicle carreening into my lane, then I'd say we should look very seriosuly at curtailing them."
There are hundreds of possible accident scenarios. Why not go back to prohibition in an attempt to completely eliminate accidents caused by drunk drivers? Seriously, what is more important, beer or human lives? How about we revoke the drivers licenses of all individuals who are at high risk for a heart attack or stroke? Let's start by yanking the licenses of anyone over the age of 55 or those individuals that could be considered obese. Plenty of cars being driven by belted drivers careen into opposite lanes or oncoming traffic. Once you start, there is no end. I can support something that is being done for the well-being of the people, but I refuse to buy into the smokescreen that is being used in this case. It IS all about the money.
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Post by RiverJim on May 1, 2007 22:17:52 GMT -5
My sister and nephew both died wearing seat belts. The nephew also had 2 air bags go off! And I just seen somewhere (news or net?) where a guy was thrown from his car, then the car kept going and ran over him!
So I wear one 1/3 the time. ;D
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Post by bsutravis on May 1, 2007 22:25:40 GMT -5
Ya know.... I've seen threads like this before, and they always end up on the path that this one is taking. Seems like some folks are scared to death about someone "trying to force me to do something...yada yada yada." Ever think for a second that maybe...just MAYBE, someone might REALLY be trying to HELP you and save your life? Everyone thinks that BIG GOVERNMENT is out to get them..... gimme a break. I suppose BIG GOVERNMENT telling me that I can't down a bottle of Jack and then go drive is all about money and corruption! Truth is... if you exercise your personal right to not buckle up, or go ahead and drink and drive, or any of the laws that are in place to try to prevent death....than go ahead... the gene pool needs filtering every now and then anyway. You guys are so stubborn and hard headed to even consider that someone might actually love you and want you around, even if that means you have to buckle up for THEIR sake.
If anything.....some of these posts makes for some funny reading. Someone should be compiling them for a comedy book.
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Post by indianahick on May 1, 2007 22:51:52 GMT -5
If you want to ride with me you will wear a seat belt. It is like not smoking in my truck. It is my rule. As of now anyway. No I do not like the government telling me you have to buckle up for safety. Click it or ticket sucks. But at 18 I seen what could happen at a high speed accident if you do not wear seat belts. When I was 18 there was no such thing as seat belts okay. If you have ever tramped thru a weedy, grass field in the dark looking for the driver and passengers out of a car. And then finding someone whose body is going in to many different directions to healthy for them, course it does not matter because they are not moving and are past feeling. But it took a few more years even after seat belts became an integral part of an auto for it to finally sink in and for me to start using them. But as for them aiding in the keeping of a vehicle under control. Nope do not believe that one. On this one they are feeding us a line of bs. Because once the steering wheel is wrenched from your hands you are not going to regain control, Unfortunately it is about money. Taxes, or fines.
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Post by duff on May 1, 2007 22:58:39 GMT -5
I agree, good reading.
I hardly ever wore a seatbelt until I had my first kid. Sure some people die while wearing seatbelts and some people don't die without seatbelts. It is a matter of statistics, you have outliers in each direction and then you have the average. I would venture to guess the average accident with everyone wearing seat belts have a higher survival rate as compaired to those who are not wearing seatbelts.
Eiter way I don't care if it is law or not. I try to wear mine always.
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Post by RiverJim on May 2, 2007 1:40:10 GMT -5
Ya'll are WAY to bent out of shape over something that's out of your control.
Wear one or don't ..........who cares?..........no sweat off of mine!
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Post by dbd870 on May 2, 2007 4:10:27 GMT -5
But it's not out of our control; we elected those who made that law. Look beyond this one example, it's the ever encroaching government that is the concern being expressed by some here.
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Post by cambygsp on May 2, 2007 4:57:37 GMT -5
It's not the goverment, it's the insurance companies!
Insurance companies have pushed the seatbelt law, they pay the govenment to enact the seatbelt law. By-passing 16 million dollars would be very irresponsible if you were an elected official.
Operating a motor vehicle is NOT A RIGHT....it's a privilage issued by your goverment.....they make the rules, you follow them or pay a fine, thats the way it is!
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Post by weasel1134 on May 2, 2007 6:36:03 GMT -5
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Post by hornharvester on May 2, 2007 7:24:11 GMT -5
I think some of you like to argue just for the sake of arguing!
I read in my local paper every once in a while where the driver of a vehicle was ejected and killed. Thats one family that has to deal with the loss of a loved one that wouldn't have if they had seat belts on.
If you don't want to use belts, then just pay the fine when you get caught, besides the government can use the extra money. h.h.
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Post by duff on May 2, 2007 9:52:38 GMT -5
I think some of you like to argue just for the sake of arguing! Say it ain't so, No way, we don't like to argue. I can't believe you would say that ;D
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Post by dbd870 on May 2, 2007 9:57:29 GMT -5
I'm shocked as well.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on May 2, 2007 14:48:24 GMT -5
Mandatory seatbelts & helmets for myself and passengers / riders. ALWAYS!!!!!!!
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