I wonder if Derrick Thomas wishes that someone had made him buckel his seat belt?

ck_IN is absolutely right.

The idea that laws restricting freedom can be based on vague financial concerns is ridiculous. It is assumed that seat belts could have save 9000 lives last year (how in hell this was calculated I don't know) This leaves 'not wearing a seat belt'... well off the top 10 list for causes of death in the U.S.

Liver disease fatalities were well above this figure. So based on this logic... beer is next. If you have a problem paying other peoples medical bills... address the issues with medical coverage... but don't steal my rights to pay your bills.

--Kyle

(Lobbying for a "running with scissors law")

Well, at least this isn't New Zealand...

When Missouri first passed this law, it was voluntary. Then we were told that the officer could not stop someone just because he was not wearing a seatbelt - he had to be stopped for some other violation.
Now they are specificly going after people who aren't wearing seatbelts. Like anything else the government touches, the rights of individuals get stomped in the process. I abhore the seat belt law. It's another law passed by our friends in the government to pull in a little more cash for themselves. If you think they really care if you get hurt in a car crash, then I've got some ocean-front property in Missouri to sell you. :rolleyes:

Thank God some of you feel like I do on this issue.
I have been ranting about this for years... and I rarely get anyone who agrees with me on this... or those that do agree don't seem to think that it matters...

--Kyle
(waiting for people to start caring again...)

Now the next question is... how do I make a difference?

I would love to see a shift in public consciousness on this. What ever happened to the healthy paranoia that has kept America from becoming as personally intrusive as Europe.

Any ideas?

--Kyle

Random thoughts on this subject:

1. I always wear my seatbelts. I wore them about 90% of the time before DT died. Now it's up to 100%.

2. IMHO, with apologies to those of you who do not wish to wear your seatbelts, I think its kind of dumb not to.

3. However, it's not my place (or the government's) to force you to do it. If you want to live dangerously, that's your business. No skin off my nose if your head goes through the windshield, and foolish or imprudent behavior that harms no one but yourself should not be against the law. It's your life, your safety, and your business.

4. If I'm not wearing my seatbelt, and get a ticket for it, somehow I don't think the ticketing cop has my personal well-being in mind. He's simply after my money. That's all these enforcement laws are about, in my view. I liken getting a traffic ticket from a cop to getting robbed by a gangmember.

5. Ditto for the insurance companies. If it was in the best interest of these thieving whores' bottom line for all of us to drop dead, you could bet they'd be dumping arsenic into the water supply by the tanker load.

6. I'll continue to wear my seatbelt because it's simply the right thing to do. Don't care what the government or anyone else things about it.

Another long post for Tommykat to stress over... :D

Actually frazod,

I don't think anyone here was advocating NOT wearing a seat belt... just against it being the LAW.

It is the smart thing to do... so I do it... but I find myself feeling "tainted" everytime that I put one on... The idea of putting one on because Mother Government told me to...makes me sick.

--Kyle

Here in the Land of Stinkin, cops can not (yet, anyway) pull you over simply for not wearing a seatbelt - they can, however, gig you for it if they pull you over for anything else.

If I didn't want to wear one, I simply wouldn't - government be damned. Personally I look on it as a win/win situation - I'm safer in my car, and if I get ticketed, it's less money for the Nazis to steal from me.

IMO, you shouldn't feel tainted for doing something smart, Kyle.

And I do know of one case where a friend of mine would have died had he worn his seatbelt (his head would have been crushed when his crappy little Dodge Colt flipped over). But that's the only instance involving anyone I've ever known. I know many more people who owe their lives to seatbelts.

Austin,

Probably a good thing you're not in the military then. It's been manditory to wear seatbelts since 1985, both on and off post. Only exception was for troops riding inside an APC or inside the back of a cargo truck that I know of

Course, the Big Green has been notorious for "watching after the youngsters".... even when they're in their 40s. :)

Actually for me it is academic... I live in Spain (no car) and when I'm in the USA I have a '66 Impala convertible (only a lapbelt) so if I was in an accident... I would be pulling my steering column out of my chest.


--Kyle

'66 Impala convertible? You lucky bastard! That's worth the risk, IMO. Great car.