Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site eisx.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!harpo!whuxlm!spuxll!eisx!jeb
From: jeb@eisx.UUCP (Jim Beckman)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Bags and Belts
Message-ID: <911@eisx.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Apr-85 09:01:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: eisx.911
Posted: Mon Apr 29 09:01:55 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 2-May-85 05:53:05 EDT
Organization: AT&T Info. Sys. Labs, South Plainfield NJ
Lines: 41

<>

Stipulated:  I always wear my seatbelts.  People who don't
wear seatbelts are stupid.  Stupidity is no crime.  I believe
the government should let individuals go to hell in their
own handbaskets if that is what they want.

The issue of what laws the government should (or shouldn't) pass
to protect us from ourselves is a bigger issue than just
seatbelts.  We can argue the larger question, but Uncle
has so far been unshakeable in the position that the people
WILL BE PROTECTED.  The only choice that we have any hope
of making for ourselves is HOW.  The options:  seatbelts
or airbags.

The advantages of seatbelts are much better protection at
much lower cost.  Airbags have the advantage that they
offer limited protection even for comatose drivers.  My
problem is that I don't want to be forced to pay several
hundred dollars extra for a car for the privilege of having
an explosive device behind the dashboard that will probably
be an actual detriment to my safety in the event of a crash
(given that I will be wearing the lap and shoulder belts
when it happens).

Advertising for Mercedes implies that airbags are available
(as options?) in some of their models.  However, all their
ads carefully refer to the bags as SUPPLEMENTAL restraint
systems.  The people are assumed to be wearing a lap belt
at all times.

My question is how to let the lazy, thoughtless, or just
plain stupid drivers escape the confines of seatbelts for
the joys of airbag ownership, while letting me keep the
protection I want without paying for other people's
choices.  Or should we actually be fighting over the
larger question?

Jim Beckman    AT&T-ISL, South Plainfield, NJ   eisx!jeb