Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site eneevax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!ut-sally!seismo!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu From: hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.auto Subject: Re: airbags Message-ID: <473@eneevax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 4-Jan-86 02:02:50 EST Article-I.D.: eneevax.473 Posted: Sat Jan 4 02:02:50 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 5-Jan-86 02:15:24 EST References: <294@frog.UUCP> <408@gcc-milo.ARPA> <761@unc.unc.UUCP> <1163@mtx5a.UUCP> <472@eneevax.UUCP> <419@gcc-milo.ARPA> Reply-To: hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) Distribution: net Organization: Imperial Widget Research Center, Kingdom of Maryland Lines: 43 Keywords: belts 'n bags. Xref: watmath net.politics:12783 net.auto:8965 In article <419@gcc-milo.ARPA> john@gcc-milo.UUCP (John Allred) writes: >In article <472@eneevax.UUCP> hsu@eneevax.UUCP I write: >>Ah, here we disagree. I really can't think of any skills I'd need in >>the middle of a collision other than the need to make sure I haven't >>reflexively locked my limbs, waiting for quadruple compound impact fractures. >>It would be nice to know that something collapsible besides my arms is waiting >>to cushion me. > >I must disagree with you. The last thing I need in the middle of an accident, >while trying to maneuver to avoid other cars/guardrails/etc, is this silly bag >obscuring my vision and distracting me. As for something to keep my head >from going into the windshield, that's what a 3-point harness is for. >-- >John Allred I suppose I shouldn't prolong this discussion, but anyhow: The point of airbags is that even with a three-point harness, in a severe impact you WILL be thrown forwards, probably not into your windshield, but possibly into your steering wheel, or whatever happens to be flying around your passenger compartment at the time (coins, keys, Escort, etc.) If you've been hit hard enough to throw you against the front of your dash, I don't care if you're Steve Austin...you're not going to be maneuvering anywhere until you've recovered. And by that time, the bag has long since deflated. Airbags aren't telepathic, they won't inflate because you think an collision may occur, they inflate WHEN you collide. And no, even if they mandate airbags you'd better believe I'm still going to rely on my harness, but I'm not disabling the bags. On the flip side, we should hope that if a mandatory airbag law comes into effect, it shouldn't require the airbag to detonate for some ridiculously small impact, where a belted person wouldn't lose control (even if it would help some unbelted driver towards his early extinction). In this case, you may have a point say, if you are clipped by another car. But by then, you've been hit, haven't you? apologies for the long posting, -dave -- David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 hsu@eneevax.umd.edu {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu CF522@UMDD.BITNET And then there were none.