[LUconn]

But I'm not forcing other to not wear their seatbelts. If I was spreading infectious diseases, there's no choice involved for those that catch it. If I die because of my failure to wear a seatbelt, it's not harming anybody else. Except maybe ff.com because you guys would be lost without me. And you'd probably cry.

[TIMSCAR20]

I know I would cry Luconn . You are my second favorite ff.com poster, next to, well, me

[RubberMallet]

only until recently, my DL said i was 165lb's...haha

then when i got me new one last fall she asked if it was correct and i was like, no i'm 225lb's now as i'm walking out i notice she put 255!!!....i think she was like "yeah whatever fatarse"

[4everfsu]

Sure someone can live not wearing a seatbelt and being ejected from a car. They may not be able to walk or suffer brain damage and be a vegetable. IF you want to call that living then go ahead.
One of the first students at LBC named Randy, I don't remember his last name was not wearing a seat belt when he the passenger got ejected from a car on a country road. Oh he survived, but he has the barb wired scars from his face all the way down to his feet where he was wrapped in the wire around his entire body. It was a gruesome sight when he would change clothes in the locker room.
He often said if he could go back in time he would wear a seatbelt

[PAmedic]

There are situations that if you get thrown from the car you don't get killed. Yes, you get injured, but you don't die. Sometimes being thrown kills you, but there are times when getting thrown can save your life.

• 1. urban legend. I've been on dozens of fatals from ejections, many where people were run over by their car or another, but NEVER had ONE where they were "ejected to safety", but a hear that malarky all the time. (yes, I said malarky- I feel its an underused term)
  
  2. I hate mandatory ANYTHING laws. The problem is- seatbelts and helmets are a PUBLIC SAFETY issue. Those who DON'T wear them are statistically at a higher risk of injury and death, which - in turn- drives up HEALTHCARE costs for EVERYONE.
  Increasing cases of multi-systems trauma, incl head injuries means increasing revenue shortfalls for pre-hospital and hospital providers to due insurance payment shortfalls, and increased costs to the consumer due to premium INCREASES across the board. Simply put- the more claims, the more we all pay.

so in the long run- wear your FREAKIN' seatbelt- you're costing ME money !

also, the minute your kids learn to talk they'll be on you INCESSANTLY from the back seat thanks to elementary school indoctrination. That, and the whole "save the earth/global warming" crap. Love the public school system

[PAmedic]

Get out of here. The government has no such responsibility. It shouldnt be any of their business how reckless I am, as long as I'm not endangering others. The only argument I could see, it that the government has to pay for those who are seriously injured and are uninsured, therefore to lessen the cost of that, seatbelts would be manditory. That makes sense, but I doubt the situation is enough of a factor to make it required of everyone.

sorry- didn't see this before I posted. You hit the nail on the head.

and its not the FREQUENCY- its the cost per incident. A normal advanced life support transport to the ED costs anywhere from $900 to $1200. A ride in a helicopter will go anywhere from $3500 up. A hospital ED stay is another 3-5 grand.

ICU or an extended stay- 50k or more.

serious bodily injury, surgury and rehab is HUNDREDS of thousands. Who pays that? YOU and ME, brah.

(and I didn't mention lawyers)

[SuperJon]

There are situations that if you get thrown from the car you don't get killed. Yes, you get injured, but you don't die. Sometimes being thrown kills you, but there are times when getting thrown can save your life.

• 1. urban legend. I've been on dozens of fatals from ejections, many where people were run over by their car or another, but NEVER had ONE where they were "ejected to safety", but a hear that malarky all the time. (yes, I said malarky- I feel its an underused term)

I guess my dad was making it up.

[PAmedic]

there was also the guy who fell out of an airplane at 30,000 feet and landed in trees but survived.

I wouldn't advocate that, either, genius.

it's called fate.

OR: Statistial probability vs @#$%^&*() LUCKY

[LUconn]

so basically because it drives health care up, it should be a law. Well, I guess I can look forward to future laws of us having to wear helmets all day long, along with kevlar vests and wrapping our entire bodies in bubble wrap.

[El Scorcho]

and its not the FREQUENCY- its the cost per incident. A normal advanced life support transport to the ED costs anywhere from $900 to $1200. A ride in a helicopter will go anywhere from $3500 up. A hospital ED stay is another 3-5 grand.

ICU or an extended stay- 50k or more.

serious bodily injury, surgury and rehab is HUNDREDS of thousands. Who pays that? YOU and ME, brah.

(and I didn't mention lawyers)

I wonder how much alcohol costs us every year? You know, the drunk drivers, the domestic violence indicents, etc. that require medical and police responses. Was prohibition was the right thing to do?

Sidenote: I don't think this is an argument about if people should wear their seatbelt, but rather whether or not it should be a law. At least for me it's not.

[LUconn]

by the way, this topic could easily be steered in the direction of medical costs being disgustingly overinflated due to frivolous lawsuits (move to a loser pays system!) and governmental interferance. but all that is

[RubberMallet]

If I die because of my failure to wear a seatbelt, it's not harming anybody else.

yeah your wife and daughter could probably care less.

[mrmacphisto]

Having an accident without wearing a seatbelt may not save your life, but there have been instances where seatbelts have resulted in death. This probably wasn't the most responsible thing to do, but my Drivers' Ed teacher passed around a newspaper article about an auto accident where both driver and passenger were cut off at the waist because of their seatbelts.

[RubberMallet]

Having an accident without wearing a seatbelt may not save your life, but there have been instances where seatbelts have resulted in death. This probably wasn't the most responsible thing to do, but my Drivers' Ed teacher passed around a newspaper article about an auto accident where both driver and passenger were cut off at the waist because of their seatbelts.

if that was truly the case then they'd of certainly died with their seatbelt off as well...

[Libertine]

Having an accident without wearing a seatbelt may not save your life, but there have been instances where seatbelts have resulted in death. This probably wasn't the most responsible thing to do, but my Drivers' Ed teacher passed around a newspaper article about an auto accident where both driver and passenger were cut off at the waist because of their seatbelts.

The lesson of course is "never substitute razor wire for the approved vinyl seat belts".

[Libertine]

Apparently, Paris Hilton did not buckle up while being driven away from jail this morning. She was immediately sentended to three more years and sent back in.

[LUconn]

I think most people missed the point of this thread.

Summary: The government has not business telling me to buckle my seatbelt.

[Sly Fox]

I think if you look back most of us got your point but we put it in a proper perspective.

[PAmedic]

I think most people missed the point of this thread.

Summary: The government has not business telling me to buckle my seatbelt.

YUTZ

[LUconn]

BOSTON, May 31 — New Hampshire will remain the only state without a law requiring adults to wear seat belts after the State Senate on Thursday rejected a bill mandating their use.

The Senate voted 8 to 16 against the measure, which would have allowed the authorities to stop a driver solely for not wearing a seat belt.

But the Senate, which Democrats control 14 to 10, did pass an amendment to another safety bill that sets up a commission to encourage seat belt use and study accident statistics.

Bills mandating seat belt use have long failed in New Hampshire, where many feel that buckling up is a personal choice, not an act that should be subject to government mandate.

“The citizens of New Hampshire don’t like to be told by anyone else what to do,” said Senator Robert E. Clegg Jr., a Hudson Republican who voted against the legislation. “It preserves New Hampshire’s way of not succumbing to the bribes of the federal government and New Hampshire’s belief that every adult can make his or her own choices in life.”

[mrmacphisto]

The government sticks its collective nose into a lot of areas it doesn't belong.

[mrmacphisto]

BOSTON, May 31 — New Hampshire will remain the only state without a law requiring adults to wear seat belts after the State Senate on Thursday rejected a bill mandating their use.

The Senate voted 8 to 16 against the measure, which would have allowed the authorities to stop a driver solely for not wearing a seat belt.

But the Senate, which Democrats control 14 to 10, did pass an amendment to another safety bill that sets up a commission to encourage seat belt use and study accident statistics.

Bills mandating seat belt use have long failed in New Hampshire, where many feel that buckling up is a personal choice, not an act that should be subject to government mandate.

“The citizens of New Hampshire don’t like to be told by anyone else what to do,” said Senator Robert E. Clegg Jr., a Hudson Republican who voted against the legislation. “It preserves New Hampshire’s way of not succumbing to the bribes of the federal government and New Hampshire’s belief that every adult can make his or her own choices in life.”

I have to say that's totally consistent with their state motto: Live Free Or Die.

[PAmedic]

how 'bout "Let 'em Live, Let 'em Work"

I've seen that one up there somewhere.

I always think- yeah, and "Let 'em Get Run the Heck Over if they walk out onto 495"

on second thought, maybe thats Massa-two ..... I mean, Massachusetts

[kel varson]

Just do it (buckle up) for the kids.

By the way, isn't suicide against the law as well?

[Libertine]

“The citizens of New Hampshire don’t like to be told by anyone else what to do,” said Senator Robert E. Clegg Jr., a Hudson Republican who voted against the legislation. “It preserves New Hampshire’s way of not succumbing to the bribes of the federal government and New Hampshire’s belief that every adult can make his or her own choices in life.”

That's a dumb argument. Do they not have speed limits in New Hampshire? How about tax laws? I'm pretty sure they have some sort of state-mandated prohibition against killing people.