<VV> government requirements, was: So how come you don't wear seat belts?

[airvair at earthlink.net]

Concerning that subject, I don't have any objection to others not wearing
seat belts (or motorcycle riders without helmets). But like one writer (in
Car & Driver, I think) once said, you may have that right, but you're a
damn fool if you don't.

BUT I DO have a BIG objection to having to pay more for my insurance
because of such ninnies. And regardless of what anyone might think, that's
exactly what happens in the insurance pool. We are all forced to pay the
higher medical benefits (and maybe insured funeral expenses) for those who
are so neglegant as to not wear such safety devices. If those who insist on
being such an idiot were held responsible for their contributory
negligence, and either had their premiums appropriately hiked or benefits
porportionately slashed, THEN I'd gladly grant them that freedom of choice.
Until then, requiring their usage is only fair -  since I have to help foot
their extra expenses. And there is historic precidence for allowing
contributory negligence to cut benefits.

As for the "being thrown clear" arguement, that's pure rubbish! What they
don't realize is that when someone is thrown out of a vehicle, both he and
the vehicle are traveling in the same direction. The laws of physics pretty
much states that. And statistics indicate that victims that are thrown out
of a car are most likely going to have the car roll over top of them as an
added bonus. Had a friend killed for that very reason. He had accompanied
me to the second CORSA convention back in '72 (required Corvair content).

Same goes for the "can't get out" excuse. You're more likely to be
unconsious without the belt, and not be able to be awake enough to realize
your danger. And belts are rediculously reliable. Most people who have
trouble with them are too panicked to do anything right, let alone know how
to escape a sinking/burning car. It's simply not the fault of the belt.

-Mark


> [Original Message]
> Subject: <VV> So how come you don't wear seat belts?
>
> However, as good as they are, I think the reason that some of us Americans
> don't use em is our dislike of being told by the Gubament that we "HAVE TO
> HAVE EM AND USE EM"  We like the illusion of independence.
>
> I think that if the government told us we 'HAVE TO" take free money, we'd
> complain about that.
>
> It's the HAVE TO we hate.  So we make up silly reasons for not wearing the
> belts.  Haven't we all heard the "...I'd rather be thrown free of the car"
> argument.  Or the "what if the car goes underwater and I can't get out"
> line.
>
> Mike in Michigan  (currently here in San Francisco wishing there was a
vair
> event somewhere close by)
>