I always wear my 3 point seatbelt. In the event that "shit happens" on 95,
would you prefer to fly out at 65 mph into a vehicle on the opposing traffic
side traveling at 65. That would be like hitting a brick wall at 130 mph.
It's the little things that you hit along the way which slow you down that
make getting "spit out" such a drag. I hate to bring it up again but IMHO if
the Princess was wearing a seatbelt she might still be alive today.
If something bad does happen, wearing a seatbelt can give you the support
you need to keep control of the car and possibly avoid a worse disaster.
It's hard to control your vehicle when your holding on to the steering wheel
not to steer but to stay in your seat. Having taken a short muddy trip
through the woods off a wet road in a Cougar I can tell you that while
bouncing over the pile of 12" diameter rocks someone put at the end of their
driveway, a seatbelt kept me put allowing me to pick the smaller trees to
bring my car to a stop against.
When comparing the lap vs. shoulder harness 3 point there is no question
that you should use a 3 point.
* this may be a little graphic for a few of you so pass over this part if
you need to.
Two of my highschool friends were speeding down a leaf covered wet road in
an old tank of a car (bonneville) with lap belts and lost control. The car
bounced 6 ft back off a huge oak tree. The driver who was wearing the lap
belt and lost most of his teeth. They were pushed root first out the front
of his gums as the steering wheel hit him in his mouth. Some of his lower
teeth were actually stuck in the steering wheel. At the age of 17 he had his
first set of dentures, damn lucky it didn't hit his face or jaw. A shoulder
harness would have left a big black and blue strap mark on his chest but the
damage would probably not been as bad. As for the passenger you may compare
the damage of a lap belt vs. no belt. He flew forward into the dash. Instead
of flying through the windshield his body compressed underneath the dash.
Broke his ankle in 7 places and required surgery to repair, will never be
normal. Broke vertibrae in his back too requiring a hospital stay. He can
never work in a job requiring manual labor as a result.
I know everybody has a story about someone who was thrown clear of a reck
and walked away without a scratch because they weren't wearing a seatbelt
but I believe they are the lucky few in very rare situations.
Always wear your seatbelt. It's the law in most states anyway.
Chris Reichle
----------
From: mgs-owner
To: Nina Barton
Cc: Misa; mgs
Subject: Re: LBC Safety
Date: Monday, September 08, 1997 1:04PM
Nina Barton wrote:
>
> At 2:04 PM 1/16/94 -0500, Misa wrote:
> >UM, does anyone drive a LBC WITHOUT a fire extinguisher???!!!
>
> And on a similar note, I hope that everyone wears a seatbelt when driving.
> Even if your car did not have one as standard for its year, I feel it is
an
> essential piece of safety equipment, and should not be frowned upon, even
> in a concours car!!
You know... I've always had mixed thoughts about wearing my seatbelt in
the B. Sometimes I do sometimes I don't.
If I'm sitting at a light and I see a (insert huge vehicle of choice,
here), bearing down in my rear view mirror, I think it would be a lot
easier to "bail" if I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. OTHO - if I'm
barreling down I-95 and "shit happens" am I better off riding it out
along with the car, or would I be better off getting "spit out" _before_
the car hits the tree?.
Just something to think about.
Bobby
--
Bob De Weese
Certified Professional Locksmith
bearlock@bigfoot.com
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