Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site charm.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!floyd!whuxle!pyuxll!abnjh!u1100a!pyuxn!pyuxww!mhuxm!mhuxl!mhuxj!mhuxi!charm!mam From: mam@charm.UUCP Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: mandatory seatbelt laws Message-ID: <235@charm.UUCP> Date: Fri, 27-Jan-84 13:52:38 EST Article-I.D.: charm.235 Posted: Fri Jan 27 13:52:38 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 31-Jan-84 02:31:49 EST References: <3438@tekecs.UUCP>, <525@ihuxn.UUCP> Organization: Physics Research - AT&T Bell Labs MH Lines: 31 A few points about those $%%$%# seatbelts: 1) I wear my seatbelt whenever driving, and whenever practical as a passenger. However, in my car, I don't wear the shoulder belt. Why? Because said belt cuts me across the throat when I do wear it, and it would decapitate me should an accident happen. Do I really want a cop pulling me over because I was not wearing a dangerous "safety" misfeature? I know a woman who won't wear seatbelts at all, because she was in an accident in which she would have got killed had she worn the thing. I don't agree with this as a reason for not wearing the belts at all, but that's HER problem. 2) If we make laws on the basis of "If you don't do what I KNOW is right for you, then others will have to shoulder the burden of your mistake.", where will it end? Manditory physical exams each year? Censorship of material felt to be harmful to the psyche? The banning of anything which has ever been shown to cause cancer in mice? For a look at where this line of thought can go if taken to the limit, read Jack Williamson's "Huminoid" series. In it, a race of robots is invented whose stated goal is to keep man (singular and collective) SAFE. It got to the point where people were not allowed to handle sharp objects or things with electricity - a robot had to be told to do it for them. The inventor of these robots finally saw the danger, so the robots gave him a brain operation. He was very happy thereafter... It turned out that the robot's real purpose was to make sure than Man could not be a threat to the nice, clean, ordered galaxy. Read these books and then think about helmet laws! 3) Any flames about spelling, grammar, typography, etc. will be copied over 100 times and mailed several times to the poster. Or maybe not; I might think of something nastier. Cheers! {BTL}!charm!mam