Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83 SMI; site emacs.uucp Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!decvax!cca!emacs!pz From: pz@emacs.uucp (Paul Czarnecki) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: If you could save lives, would you? Message-ID: <149@emacs.uucp> Date: Fri, 6-Sep-85 10:05:31 EDT Article-I.D.: emacs.149 Posted: Fri Sep 6 10:05:31 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 8-Sep-85 04:29:00 EDT References: <2778@harpo.UUCP> Reply-To: pz@emacs.UUCP (Paul Czarnecki) Followup-To: net.auto Organization: CCA Uniworks, Wellesley, MA Lines: 91 Keywords: seatbelts air bags Summary: pro seatbelts and education Followups to net.auto, that is where this belongs. (If I did the headers wrong I apologize, somebody please tell me how to do that) In article <2778@harpo.UUCP> jad@harpo.UUCP (jad) writes: > > If you had the power to save lives, would you do it? You and I do have that > power. On this day and at this moment, people are being smashed to death > inside their cars when their lives could be preserved by air bags. oh give me a break... Lets make our highways safer through education not legislation. o Teach people to use the safety devices already in their cars. yes, I mean seatbelts. (Notice I said teach, not force) o Teach people to use alcohol in a responsible manner. Severly punish offenders. Vehicular is only an adjective in front of homicide. o Teach people how to drive. - proper use of brakes, accelerator, and steering for accident avoidance. - proper use of turn signals. - proper following distances. - proper use of headlights. o Teach people that absolute speed does not kill. Variations in speed, unexpected events (sudden accelerations, deccelerations), incapacitated drivers, and adverse weather conditions all contribute to highway deaths. o Teach people that 55mph on a major artery on a clear day is too slow. o Teach people that 55mph on a major artery on a rainy, or snowy day (or night) is too FAST. o Teach people that LEFT to PASS, makes sense. Not following this unfortunately forces some people to weave creating a hazardous situation. > We are deprived of air bags by the opposing efforts of the powerful > auto industry. If you want one so much why not go down to your local Mercedes dealer and buy a car equipped with one. What? you don't have $50,000? Neither do I, but the parts from the parts department and have them retro-fitted to your car. It shouldn't cost more than a couple of thousand dollars. If you think that these air-bags are so perfect why should be willing to spend a few thou to save your life. Just sell you VCR, stereo, and start eating hamburger helper. That is, of course, only if you think that your life is worth it. Use Free Marker Pressure. Write to GM, Ford, and Chrylser and say you want optional airbags in cars. *I* want OPTIONAL air bags in cars. I don't want one in my car. When I have been hit, I don't want an explosion in my face. I want control of my vehicle so I can try to prevent the next strike. WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS! > Safety experts claim that each year air bags would prevent thousands of > deaths and prevent hundreds of thousands of serious injuries. Shouldn't you have said "Some safety experts..." Some will disagree with you. Air bags only work in a limited number of accident situations. After being triggered in the accident that provide NO FURTHER PROTECTION during the accident. (If you have an accident on the highway, odds are you will bounce a long way) Witness Rick Mears' (professional race driver) accident last year when he hit a guardrail at ~200mph. He is racing again this year. He had a full 6 point racing harness on (fancy seatbelt). Witness Pat Bedard's horrible accident at Indy two races ago. His car flipped over several times and was completely shredded. He survived because of his seatbelt, he did not have an airbag. Pat suffered some minor brain damage in this accident. Minor in that he can still function normally, but he feels that his sense of balance is slightly off. He has decided not to race again for the safety of the other drivers. Witness Shirley Muldonney's (spelling?) accident years ago... Need I go on? None of these drivers had air bags. Seatbelts were sufficient in these ultra high speed accidents. Maybe I'm cruel and heartless, but I consider highway deaths in which seatbelts were not use to be suicides. -- Paul Czarnecki Uniworks decvax!{wanginst!infinet, cca}!emacs!pz 20 William Street emacs!pz@cca-unix.ARPA Wellesley, MA 02181 (617) 235-2600