Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unmvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!lanl!unmvax!cliff From: cliff@unmvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Seat-belt laws Message-ID: <630@unmvax.UUCP> Date: Thu, 31-Jan-85 22:55:12 EST Article-I.D.: unmvax.630 Posted: Thu Jan 31 22:55:12 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Feb-85 01:03:13 EST References: <321@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque Lines: 28 > Cliff Matthews writes: > > I consistently "scream" at my "representatives" when they try to pass > > motorcycle helmet or auto seatbelt laws. Not only are they taking away > > freedom, but they are encouraging people to be dependent on the state > > for guidance away from safe practices.... > As I understand it, the purpose of seat-belt laws is not Big Brotherism but > to reduce medical costs for third parties (insurers and taxpayers). > > Richard Carnes Great! Force people to pay for other people's medical expenses and then use that as an excuse to force more restrictions on everybody. Now if medical or insurance expenses were really the excuse, wouldn't there be an effort to prohibit smoking? How many costly cancer battles are subsidized by the tax- payers when people decide to chain smoke. Why should I subsidize such an obviously harmful practice much less more subtle things like illness due to a poor diet, etc? BTW, if an insurance company wants to give discount premiums for wearing a seatbelt there should be no regulations preventing it. It would be easy to "enforce" ... if someone claimed he was a seatbelt wearer and he died in a crash w/o a seatbelt on he forfeits his claim. Want to reduce medical costs for everybody? Get rid of medicare and deregulate the medical industry. --Cliff