Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cepu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!bmcg!cepu!scw From: scw@cepu.UUCP Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: mandatory seatbelt laws Message-ID: <130@cepu.UUCP> Date: Tue, 31-Jan-84 09:49:06 EST Article-I.D.: cepu.130 Posted: Tue Jan 31 09:49:06 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 03:05:14 EST References: <895@uw-june>, <524@ihuxq.UUCP> Organization: VA Wadsworth Med. Center, LA CA Lines: 49 *<-dead bug Andy Kegel states: >Your wearing or not wearing a seatbelt is not simply your business. A >driver belted into place is more likely to regain control of a car than >one who is bouncing about the passenger compartment or a driver who is >thrown clear of the car. A driver who can regain control of a car is >less likely to hit, injure, or kill me. Therefore, I want every driver >to wear a seatbelt to protect me. I also want other bodies in the car >to be kept out of the driver's way, so perhaps others in the car should >be required to ride in the trunk or wear seatbelts. The problem with this is that you are assuming competence in the driver. I would suspect that 99+% of the drivers on the road that \don't/ wear seatbelts are incapable of controlling an automobile under anything except 'normal' conditions, this specificly includes when the car has been hit by (or has hit) anything on the road larger than a worm cast, or is required to avoid an object on the roadway (such as an accident). >Airbags are something that I tried to buy for my new car, but I would >not require you to buy them. Like helmets for motorcyclists, they >should be optional as they protect you, not me. Continuing that >thought, I believe that hospitals should be allowed to deny services to >those who do not protect themselves, and insurance companies should be >allowed to deny coverage (at any cost). Why should a nurse or doctor >be required to scrape that hash off the street and put it back in your >skull? Why should I have to pay for your stupidity through my >insurance pool? Airbags will lower the probability that you can take \ANY/ corrective action after a collision (p<0.000000000001), it is very difficult to steer/attempt to steer an automobile with a great huge bag between you and the steering wheel. RE: insurance, perhaps you should get into a different pool? >(I fully expect huge amounts of flaming as a result of this. If I had >any sense, I would stop this right now.) Actually I'm not flaming at all, this subject is *MUCH* to serious to allow flaming on/about/around it. "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary saftey deserve neither liberty nor saftey." -Benjamin Franklin (I *ALWAYS* wear mine, and my child is always strapped into her car-seat). -- Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology) uucp: ...{ hao, trw-unix, sdcsvax!bmcg}!cepu!scw ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-locus location: N 34 06'37" W 118 25'43"