I also hate air bags. A good friend of mine - a 5’4” woman - got burned horribly when she was in an accident at the wheel of her car. No one mentions how hot those bags are.
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I’ve seen where you should allow something like 11” between you & the steering wheel so when they explode out, your chance of getting hurt is less. When I’m that far back, I’m not very comfortable with reaching the accelerator/brake pedals. I know they save lives, but they’re not the “marshmallow/pillow” experience a lot of folks probably think they are. Also, you can get hurt pretty bad when you hit the seatbelt, too.
I did see another comment where you can disable the passenger side airbag, but that won’t eliminate the law(s) about kids riding in the front. We have a local DJ, just heard him this morning on the subject of kids left in cars - he calls it “Baby Baking Season” and acknowledges that many folks find that description offensive; however, he’s not buying the excuse of people “just forgetting”. I think his opinion is colored by a good snootful of having to deal with folks in his previous profession as a police officer.
Cops and ex-cops are completely cynical and suspicious about everything. No one can make a mistake - it’s always a crime.
I’m short so I have to be very close to the steering wheel. Driving is dangerous as is life. We can’t always be protected. Personally, I don’t like protection - I grew up with a smothering mother - give me freedom.
My old momma was in a water rehab class with a bunch of other old ladies. One day an 85 year old gal said to the class, guess what I have? Black boobies. She pulled aside her swimsuit and had a horrible bruise from neck to navel from her Caddy airbag.