Pianoman's Seatbelt Poll

[krothnbrg]

<snip>...getting into a vehicle with four wheels gives one a false sense of security.</snip>

Interestingly I noticed exactly the opposite. After almost exclusively riding instead of using my car, I had to go and pick up some stuff over the weekend and it required use of the car.

I actually felt less secure in the car. One reason is blind-spots. On the bike I have greater visibility of everything around me than I do in the car. I was more tense and more on-the-look-out while in the car.

 

[Pig9r]

I refuse to wear one unless I'm in a passenger someone else's car. I won't be responsible for them getting ticketed. The Police in The People's Republic of Streamwood can (and do) ticket me all they want. I've been in a couple of accidents while not wearing my seat belt and I was the only one to walk away. I know that may not be representative of all accident scenarios, but neither is the pro-seatbelt propaganda. The government shouldn't be telling me I have to wear one any more than they should be telling me I have to wear a helmet. Not that I want helmet laws in IL, but the hipocrisy of having absolutely NO helmet requirements but having a seat belt law baffles me. Well, I guess it doesn't really baffle me - it's all about $$$.

Nothing about the pros of wearing a seatbelt is propaganda. Of the many accidents I have worked the only ones that it wouldn't have made a difference is a few bad side impact collisions on older cars.

When I was a kid car seats weren't used. I used to ride on the center console of my dad's Bronco. Nothing happened to me. Why not apply the same logic to my own kid?

You are right the government shouldn't have to tell you to wear a seatbelt. But when the government does have to clean you up off of the pavement and a member of that government has to knock on your family's door and.....

The difference between helmet laws and seatbelt laws, there are not groups of voters opposed to seatbelt laws, but thanks to AMA and what not there are groups opposed to helmet laws. That is the irony and hypocrisy.

It would be pretty ironic that the one thing that could save your life was hanging, unused, inches from you because out of principle you did use it. I'll step away from the soapbox now.

 

[TxRIIIRider]

Also, especially on the Rocket, if I see a situation developing, I can get out of the immediate area much quicker than I can in the car. That, combined with the greater visibility, I actually feel safer running around Loop 410 here in San Antonio on the Rocket than I do in the car, or even in my F350. Well, I do feel safe in my F350, but I can't escape developing situations nearly as quickly.

<snip>...getting into a vehicle with four wheels gives one a false sense of security.</snip>

Interestingly I noticed exactly the opposite. After almost exclusively riding instead of using my car, I had to go and pick up some stuff over the weekend and it required use of the car.

I actually felt less secure in the car. One reason is blind-spots. On the bike I have greater visibility of everything around me than I do in the car. I was more tense and more on-the-look-out while in the car.

 

[TxRIIIRider]

I have a half dollar size dent on my head and four wires in my face that hold my upper jaw to my skull because of only wearing a lap belt ('73 Dodge Charger). It's not as ugly as it sounds, I was just as ugly before the accident.. . I don't use that as the reason I wear a seat belt though, i just do out of habit anymore and it's not anything that bothers me and I just feel strapped in and ready to roll..

Kind of like the reason I most always wear a helmet. I don't necessarily wear it to protect my head. I wear a 3/4 helmet or better most of the time because I can't handle the direct wind noise in my ears except for short distances!

 

[Xchoppers]

I started riding in 1960 at 12 years old. I started wearing helmets while in high school in 1965 before it was the law. We used to emulate road racers back in those days. My heros were guys like Mike Hailwood. They wore helmets and they were cool so I (and my friends) wore helmets as well. I'm glad I adopted that thinking because wearing my helmet was all that saved me from certain death in a bad accident at 17.
No, I don't think it should be law to either wear a seatbelt or a DOT helmet but I agree it should be a law to post a large bond to support yourself if you become brain dead or paralyzed in an accident which resulted from "exercising your freedoms". A persons lack of judgment should not constitute a valid reason for the public to support someone for the rest of their miserable existence ...

Here's a photo of me doing my Mike Hailwood imitation on my 305cc Honda Superhawk in 1968. I was 20 years old.
Sorry for the poor photo quality - no digital cameras back then...

 

[Molinoman]

Xchopper, i knew we had something in common...my first two motorcycles were Honda 305 Superhawks.
Dennis

 

[Xchoppers]

Xchopper, i knew we had something in common...my first two motorcycles were Honda 305 Superhawks.
Dennis

We were some "big dudes" on our Superhawks back then

 

[cktire]

I have worn a seat belt ever since the day my 5 year old daughter's (30 years ago) head cracked the windshield on a panic brake. We did't even hit anything. Three of use were riding in the front seat of a pickup truck. I got my arm in front of the kid in the middle but couldn't reach the one by the passenger widow. We decide that day as a family we would always wear seat belts. It all happens really fast......

 

[Molinoman]

Xchoppeers, quite true till those dang Kawasaki 500's came along.
Dennis

 

[Tbucket]

I reluctantly admit that I can testify that a seat belt and shoulder harness can come in handy while clipping along through the parking of the local grocery store and a hot babe entering the store happens to distract your focus on what is coming up. I can tell you from experience that those round concrete barriers around the base of those light poles do not give much. I sent a Ford Escort to its grave that day. But I went home with only a bruised ego.