Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site minn-ua.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!stolaf!umn-cs!minn-ua!sew From: sew@minn-ua.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: Seatbelt discussion -- new twist - (nf) Message-ID: <939@minn-ua.UUCP> Date: Thu, 2-Feb-84 21:25:59 EST Article-I.D.: minn-ua.939 Posted: Thu Feb 2 21:25:59 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 05:46:44 EST Sender: notes@minn-ua.UUCP Organization: Univ. of Minn. Computer Center, Minneapolis Lines: 33 #R:whuxj:-9300:minn-ua:3100001:000:1839 minn-ua!sew Feb 2 11:40:00 1984 Seatbelts can be dangerous to your person and property. I once found nicely polished ice just before a sharp turn on a country road. I was doing 40 at the time, and couldn't change that fact before the turn started. The road went west, I went northwest. Fortunately, before I left the road I was able to bounce the car off the snowbanks by the side of the road and go off-road at an angle which slowed me down quickly. The car and I stopped not too far off the road, and a plentiful two inches ahead of the tree. But while I was ruddering through the snow I got a bruise on my hip where the seat belt held me in place! Two years ago I rearended someone on an icy street (I don't care for ice much, but we have a bit of it here in Minneapolis). I was doing 30 and the other fellow was doing zero (his front end was a bit wrinkled already by the bumper of the pickup ahead of him). I had a good two seconds of warning before hitting (the roads were VERY icy..couldn't slow at all), so my wife and I braced ourselves. I had a nice solid steering wheel to hold on to. When we hit, my glasses went flying and my flailing arms almost broke them. If my seat harness had not been fastened, any possible damage to my glasses could have been avoided because they would have remained cradled on my nose and when they reached the steering column they would have been protected by my nice soft face cradling them. {net.lang fans need to correct me -- I said I braced myself with plenty of time, and I said that my arms waved around. That is what I meant. I did not say that I made my arms move.} Oh, I should also mention the bruise which my brother got on his head. He rolled a pickup in our driveway, and when he released the seatbelt he fell to the roof of the cab. Without the belt, he wouldn't have had to worry about that bruise.