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To: Turbopilot

I don’t like them very much.

I REALLY don’t like being MOLESTED (violation of 4th Amend) for daring to NOT wear 1, much less being fined for it. What a scofflaw renegade I am! It’s not right. These do-gooder laws over something that has nothing to do with anyone else’s rights have made me resent belts even more. You bet.

I am an engineer. The chances of even being in an accident are very small. Small enough that to me the cost outweighs the benefit. I can turn around much better to see what’s behind me before I change lanes, etc., never mind just plain freedom.

I have decided that it’s more risky in bad weather, so I usually wear it when it’s raining/snowing, etc. But on good days, no.

My mother has claustrophobia - caused by doctors belting her in for surgery, in fact - and she doesn’t like them at all.


47 posted on 08/03/2007 12:55:49 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel
In the South, we have a saying for that kind of reasoning: "cutting off your nose to spite your face."

I don't like or agree with seatbelt laws either. (I also don't like laws that prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people who don't wear seatbelts.) But that doesn't mean I'm going to endanger myself and others just to spite them.

If you're an engineer, you should enjoy this exercise: Most any modern car can sustain steady-state lateral acceleration of at least .8g (maybe .7g for trucks and SUVs) and instantaneous acceleration even higher than that. Let's say a tire bounces in your lane and you swerve out of the way at just .5g lateral acceleration. How much force will you have to exert on the steering wheel just to keep from sliding out of your seat? Once you've done that, you will realize that you can't possibly keep control of your car at the same time as you're instinctively trying to keep yourself in your seat by tugging on the wheel. I don't mind people endangering themselves, but you put yourself in a situation where you're almost certainly going to lose control if you have to make any abrupt maneuver, and that endangers other drivers.

One more point:

I can turn around much better to see what’s behind me before I change lanes, etc.

Your mirrors are adjusted improperly. You should be able to see both adjacent lanes completely. And if you're actually turning around/sideways (i.e. no longer facing front) that sounds frighteningly dangerous. Feel free to look it up or Freepmail me if you don't know how to do this.

50 posted on 08/03/2007 1:28:20 PM PDT by Turbopilot (iumop ap!sdn w,I 'aw dlaH)
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