CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Question of the day – Seat belts

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Dinged — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:35:17 -0000

Really glad you're OK. That's scary stuff--AND a bummer about the concert.

My dad--despite referring to helmet-less motorcyclists as "organ donors"--used to go without a seatbelt regularly. He finds it uncomfortable. Now, he'll buckle up to stop the nagging of the "ding ding ding" in his truck. (I gave up the harassment after high school, so he has only the dashboard to glare at now.)

I get nervous if there's not a belt for me to use (e.g., in taxis and buses). A bunch of my friends were in an incredibly scary accident many years ago after a blowout on the Poplar St. Bridge (to StL). Those who'd been in the backseat and weren't buckled in--well, they didn't stay in the backseat long. They did, however, stay in the hospital for a long and frightening time.

Again--really glad you're OK.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Skeeter — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:32:40 -0000

Not to digress too far --

But it is unfortunate that more of the safety features in open wheel race cars are not incorporated into passenger cars. Seeing Kubica hit the wall head on in Canada and walk away with a minor headache, or seeing any of Dario Franchitti's flips this year (he had at least two and teammate Marco Andretti went over a few times also) and both didn't even miss a race tells you that real safety is a possibility.

Also, at risk of getting too far off the subject -- between BMW's I owned a Mercedes C230. NOT recommended for snow or ice. If you are going German, stick to the Ultimate Driving Machine.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Burrito — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:15:23 -0000

I always wear my seatbelt, but the one time I was not wearing my seatbelt I was a passenger in the backseat of a car that was in an accident. I was ejected out the back windshield of the car, but came away unscathed without even a scratch. My buddy next to me had his belt on and ended up with a broken collar bone and collapsed young. I had just taken my belt off to get something out of my pocket just before the accident occurred. Bottom line I was very lucky just like RM, word to the wise always buckle up!

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Former Ottawan — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:42:38 -0000

I always use a seat belt. Ironically, when I was in drivers' ed, Mom and I got into a fender bender the day we had watched crash footage in class. I had just been telling her (okay, maybe lecturing) that she should always wear a seat belt, then BANG! So I never go anywhere without a seatbelt. As for driving in bad weather, sometimes we have no choice - I had to drive from Rochelle to Galesburg once to get back to school from a speech meet I was judging. It started snowing, and I left as soon as the weather started deteriorating. If the Tollway Authority did their job and plowed 88 better, it wouldn't have been a three-hour white-knuckle ride. 74 from outside the Quad Cities to Galesburg was perfect.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

jlp — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:56:00 -0000

I wear a seat belt ALWAYS. And I am, like you, alive because of that. I had a very similar accident (my car was sideswiped on the Kennedy Expressway, and flipped over). I walked away with bruises and sore muscles. Without the seatbelt? I probably wouldn't be here to write this.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

flexibility — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:40:06 -0000

I had pretty much the same reaction as "Highway Man - Wednesday, Dec 5, 07 @ 9:47 pm". Once they have planned some totally discretionary travel, too many people will stick to their plans when the forecast deteriorate.

Use Public Transportation

Just Stay Home.

The emergency workers and hospital staff in the towns along I-55, I-57, I-80, I-72 etc will thank you.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

archpundit — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:08:13 -0000

What I find most odd about these arguments about personal freedom is that if you are hit by someone else, a seat belt keeps you behind the wheel of the car and often helps you maintain control of the car. It's not just about you. It's about the other people on the road.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Former Illinois resident — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:01:00 -0000

Robbie, if you don't wear a helmet on a bike, you might as well sign your donor card & just lay down & get ready to be harvested! NO helmet &/or no seatbelt is the dumbest thing ever!

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Bookworm — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:29:52 -0000

Princeville and other central Illinois bloggers who remember the late, great Rick Baker of the Peoria Journal Star may recall that he died in an accident on I-74 in which his vehicle rolled over and he was not wearing his seat belt. His infant son was with him at the time, but was strapped into a car seat and survived without a scratch. We're glad you were more careful and fortunate, Rich!

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Highway Man — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:47:11 -0000

After working for my dad towing cars for his auto shop for 6 years and then running an IDOT maintenance yard for 3 winters all I can say is STAY OFF THE ROADS DURING BAD WEATHER!!! Was Amtrack running Saturday? Could you have driven up Friday? My wife was suppose to fly into Midway Saturday afternoon from Vegas but I called her Friday afternoon and she changed her flight, I picked her up at 2AM Saturday morning, we arrived home at 5AM - it was well worth losing the sleep.

I am glad to hear you are OK, and I don't want to nag, but after having to send three snowplows out during the new year day's blizzard a few years back to try and reach a stranded family of four because they were going 'shopping' in Bloomington - I have to ask "what are you people thinking?"

Sorry Rich, this topic touches a nerve.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

A Citizen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:46:49 -0000

AA-
Thanks for the advice but I think I'll stick with my '31 Essex Coupe - more my speed!

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:43:07 -0000

A, if you go to their driving school you would like the Boxster a lot more. At least that's what I've heard from my wealthy friends who have them. ;0) It's definitely a fair-weather rig, though. There's a guy in the 'patch who drives his year-round-switches wheels/tires in the fall; says he does fine unless snow is heavy.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Repub — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:37:10 -0000

Happy to hear that you're alright Rich.
Personally I don't think its the right of the government to regulate whether someone wears a seat belt. I usually wear a seat belt out of habit while I'm driving. However, when I'm a passenger I don't always put one on.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Laura — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:09:52 -0000

Rich,

so happy to hear you and your wife are OK. We're on our way back from a road trip to CA with the family so I have a renewed appreciation for how crazy interstate driving can be! Seatbelts are a must.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

NI80 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:04:02 -0000

I will NOT go belt-less. My mom always made a major point of it when I was growing up, so it's just a habit now, and anyone that rides in my vehicle must wear one as well. I also started wearing the seat belt while in the back seat, too, after an accident about two years ago. I was in the back seat and just happened to wear my seatbelt, for absolutely no reason, and a drunk driver plowed into the side of the car. I would have been all over the vehicle had I not been wearing one. I think it's selfish not to wear a seat belt-it's not a "right," it's common sense.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Bookworm — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:22 -0000

I have always worn a seat belt, can't remember a time when I didn't. My mom and brother always buckled up too, but my dad wouldn't -- he never said why, he just wouldn't do it.
I think he was either being stubborn, thought he was indestructible (he did survive the Battle of the Bulge and several other incidents that could have killed him) or maybe he had some crazy idea that safety precautions weren't "manly." He's 84 years old and in a nursing home now, so his driving days are probably over. My mom has always said, only partly in jest, that his guardian angel worked overtime :)

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

A Citizen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:18:13 -0000

Wifey had a Boxster for a few years, it had really serious looking tires on it, faster than my guardian angel could fly (I refused to drive the P.O.S.! With 1/10th inch of snow you couldn't steer the damn thing - most over rated car ever. If it isn't all weather I don't want to drive it. Safety and handling are too important as well as Defensive driving habits.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:46:10 -0000

Rich-glad you and Mrs. are ok. The AA's will say a prayer for our AFSCME colleague. Especially glad you're ok 'cuz someone has to referee the Holiday Party, right Bill?

AA's parents were both extraordinarily good drivers who needed a lot of coaxing to get into a seatbelt in their later years, but once it took, they never stopped. I've always had a fast car and never roll unbelted.

With the kids,I borrowed the approach my older brother, a (retired) Naval Aviator used with his kids. He essentially taught a simple auto equivalent of the "before-start checklist" pilots of Beeches to Boeings use before they turn 'er over. About 4-5 steps, with step 4 Fasten Seatbelt and Step 5 turn the key. Like any other rote or drill, if they learn it from the git-go, it sticks with them.

My daughter took the front end off her car two month after she got her license; the car's impact-absorbing design took most of the impact, with the seatbelts taking the rest. No airbag deployment. She and her passenger were uninjured. Had they been unbelted, the airbags would have deployed at full speed, with good bruises at a minimum, and a good possibility of broken bones or airbag burns.

Her first boyfriend rolled his car late last year on a rural road. He was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the car and was killed instantly.

Moot that, Anon.

A bit off-topic, but relevant to the season-I don't think a number of automakers are doing their customers any favors with the wheel/tire combinations that are getting fitted to more and more cars/SUVs. With Rich's Z3 and my little er, Volkswagen, we knew when we bought those cars that they came with "summer tires" that would be useless in snow or on ice. On the other hand, I see Buicks with 19" summer tires, 'Slades with 22's (I like bling as much as the next guy, but that setup could flip on dry ground) and Nissan rentals with biiig wide 18's..sitting in the median of I-55. Seat belts, Air bags, Traction Control, ABS, ESP...none of it is any good if you have no grip. I just looked at an AWD German Sedan with every safety gadget known to man and a set of tires made for a racetrack. Caveat emptor.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

North of I-80 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:46:05 -0000

If front sensors had hit ground or the impact was hard enough, airbags would have deployed [and raised insurance/repair bill by @ $2000+]. The point of seatbelts is that you have no idea when a DUI is going to blow a red light or stop sign; when 6 deer are going to hop the fence on the interstate and see if they can cross I57; when a sleepy or medicated driver is going to cross the median and hit you head on; when a black horse is going to get loose and surprise you some night; when someone 10 cars ahead of you is going to do something stupid and you are one of 6 vehicles going 65mph attempting to stop in 30'. No race car driver or fighter pilot would move without being strapped into place for good reason(s)... considering that it is safer to drive in a race than on the streets, buckling up is a no-brainer. For illustration of "no-brainer", review CBS2 Chicago video coverage tailing Gov B around.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

with liberty for all..... — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:32:34 -0000

Rich, for further evidence as to why you should wear your seatbelt try to find the news broadcast from Minneapolis titled "Room to Live". The basics of it are that vehicles are designed to protect the passenger compartment and give the occupants room to live, that is, if they wear their seat belts and stay inside the protective cage. If you don't wear your seat belt now, this short segment will change your mind.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Conehead — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:35:59 -0000

Becoming a Parental Unit made me vigilant about seat belts for the kids but I forgot to buckle myself sometimes in town till I got a ticket two blocks from home. What a conehead. always wear it now.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Anon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:26:35 -0000

Got my driver's license in 1967.
Almost never use my seatbelt. Have acquiesced to my daughters's insistance that I wear one on the Interstate. Chalk it up to a combination of:
1) Habit, didn't have to use one when I started.
2) Personal Freedom, my RIGHT to chose (same as smoker's argument).
3) Big Brother, The State has its nose in enough of my business.
Personally, I'm glad my daughters took Driver's Ed., and were 'indoctrinated' into buckling up, without giving it a thought.
And I probably should know better. The first summer of driving, I 'cart-wheeled' my step-dad's car. Fortunately, it was just after a heavy rain, and the ground was soggy enough to cushion the effect. But I still remember, feeling like being in a clothes dryer.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Jake From Elwood — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:06:09 -0000

I wear the belt. Just ingrained, I guess.
Plus the car makes an annoying beeping sound if I don't fasten.
Rich, bring on some more Albanian stories. That little snippet was facinating.

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

Rich Miller — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:49:32 -0000

===But on a lighter note, itâ€™s a bummer you missed the concert.===

That's what was going through my mind as we were sliding on our side. lol

Re: Question of the day – Seat belts

curious george — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:38:45 -0000

In 25 years of EMS response there were only 27 people that I encountered that died wearing seat belt in a crash... subtract the 17 in aircraft and racing accidents, the 2 suicide by car, that leaves 6! Those six would have died no matter what because of the severity of the crash. I remember countless scenes where a senseless death occured because the driver/parent/responsible party did not require their passengers to:
BUCKLE UP.

Keep the message moving.... Buckle up .... Seatbelts save lives!