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From: woods@hao.UUCP (Greg Woods)
Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.auto
Subject: Re: If you could save lives, would you?
Message-ID: <1748@hao.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Sep-85 00:14:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: hao.1748
Posted: Wed Sep 11 00:14:01 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Sep-85 12:13:48 EDT
References: <2778@harpo.UUCP>
Followup-To: net.auto
Organization: High Altitude Obs./NCAR, Boulder CO
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Xref: watmath net.consumers:2953 net.auto:8114

>   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. 

  Typically this flame comes up every six months or so in net.auto (where
it belongs, and all followups to this will go there only). I for one do NOT 
WANT to have safety regulations FORCED on me. The cost and breakability of cars 
is already at a ridiculously high level (unaffordable for many). Air bags are 
one more multi-hundred dollar option, with high technology that I probably 
cannot repair myself should it malfunction, that would help drive the price of 
that new car out of my reach should they be mandated by legislation. I know 
people are going to say it would save on insurance, and no doubt it would; but 
I have no doubt that the insurance companies would lag far behind in lowering 
rates, in terms of both time and the real cost saving. Another profit for
car manufacturers and insurance companies. I for one am willing to risk doing
without it. If you aren't, then order an airbag on YOUR car, but please do
not force your opinion onto others through legislation.

--Greg