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From: ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.auto
Subject: Re: Massachusetts seat belt law
Message-ID: <4721@alice.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Dec-85 16:56:48 EST
Article-I.D.: alice.4721
Posted: Thu Dec 19 16:56:48 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 05:48:48 EST
References: <294@frog.UUCP> <408@gcc-milo.ARPA>, <272@encore.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 12
Keywords: seatbelts, airbags, libertarians
Xref: watmath net.politics:12578 net.auto:8851

> Seat belt laws are not simply a matter of somebody's right to be suicidal.
> The increased medical costs incurred by un-seatbelted
> accident victims are social costs.  Even if these costs are not re-imbursed
> through taxes, insurance, or other collective means, they represent
> an opportunity cost to the economy.  Since enforcement under the Mass.
> law is rather unobtrusive, I don't see any grave threat to liberty
> here.

In other words: the government has decreed that if you are injured,
I must pick up part of your expenses.  It then uses that as a justification
for forcing you to take measures to avoid injury.  This would be funny
if it weren't so scary.