They have this big campaign in Virginia right now to catch people not wearing their seatbelts, pull them over, and ticket them. I didn't get pulled over, but I got to thinking how amazingly ridiculous this is. We live in a free country, yet we have a law that will punish you if you do not wear your seatbelt. I choose to wear my seatbelt because of my concern for my own safety. If you choose not to wear your seatbelt, you are not affecting, or hurting anyone but yourself...so why the law?? Most laws have to do with morals and forcing people to do what is right. If the law for seatbelts is there to force safety and save lives, then why isn't it illegal to smoke cigarettes for everybody? It is ridiculous. If I don't want to wear my seatbelt, then I shouldn't have to and I shouldn't get in trouble for not doing it. I can understand the whole thing with proper restraints for children, but if you are an adult...you should be able to make your own choice. The only reason for this law (and it is ridiculous) that I can think of is to keep insurance premiums down...and if that is the only reason...than shit is out of control!!

Maybe it is just me, but I feel that this law infringes on my freedoms that I have fought for and continue to fight for (for another 7 months then I am done!!)

Well, if you're a parent, you are endangering the welfare of your child if you are killed or crippled because you don't wear your seatbelt. That alone is reason enough to enforce the seatbelt laws.

Well as a taxpayer in a province whos healthcare system is pushed to the max I am happy that my tax dollars does not go your 14 months rehab because you stuck your face through the windshield cutting off your left ear breaking both your cheekbones. all thanks to a strap that takes 4 seconds to put on. why not?

Ok, good point...but I still don't think enough reason to make it a law! There are plenty of dangerous things that parents do every day that are legal.

I always understood it to be a law because of the safety factor (tyring to keep you alive if you're too stupid to otherwise take care of yourself), similar to wearing your helmet if you're on a bike or a motorcycle.

Plus, I thought it was a financial thing -- it costs the government an awful lot of money to scrape you off the road.

I don't have a problem with enforcing laws that promote health and safety as long as they're not too rediculus. Those same laws also punish drunk drivers to the max.

Now, with that being said, laws like this (if it passes) are just way too out of control:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/05/13/oreo.suit.reut/index.html

I agree with her....

Taken from http://www.idsnews.com

Right to be stupid

By Cherry Blattert
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Published Monday, June 3, 2002
Updated 03:23PM Thursday, July 25, 2002
What's next on this highway of government protection? Since the government is taking great lengths to ensure safety, they should have highway checkpoints testing blood and urine samples to see if we're all taking our vitamins. If I don't sit with good posture, I might have back problems, and consequently, chiropractor visits. Better make house calls, in that case. The feds need to raid my pantry -- some of my snacks may be too high in fat. We must have all these measures to keep insurance rates low.

I hope this satire illustrates the absurdity of the new seatbelt laws. The "Click It or Ticket" program began with good intentions, I'm sure. The way the idea became popular was by promising low insurance premiums if seatbelt laws are in the books.

It's one thing for legislation to prohibit harmful actions from one person to another, although the government has gone overboard in legislating these types of laws. It's an entirely different situation, though, when personal actions are prohibited because Father Government knows what's best for us. Seatbelt restraints only help individuals. If I don't wear my seatbelt, you won't be harmed in any way.

The only exception is when parents fail to buckle up their children. This is a different issue, and I am in favor of the government enforcing laws requiring parents to buckle up their children. This legislation would prevent harm to children dependent upon their parents for safety.

I hope we all see the lunacy in allowing overzealous police officers to hold up traffic so they can pass out fines to those who aren't buckled up. That's the nuts and bolts of the argument: fines. Since not wearing your seatbelt has no affect on anyone other than you, the only real reason the government has for enforcing such a law is the revenue profited by such a measure. If we were to distribute all the revenue from seatbelt laws back to the people before it reaches the hands of the greedy government, the officers would not be so earnest in ticketing. They would not be so eager to pull everyone over during rush hour either. These officers want money and overtime.

While these police officers are standing in the streets hassling little old ladies, clergymen and other innocent citizens, you can rest assured that the thieves, rapists and murderers are not twiddling their thumbs waiting for the police to resume their real duties before these criminals commit their crimes.

Just remember, no matter how much the government tries to make you think otherwise, you still have a right to be stupid in this country. If you don't wear your seatbelt (you should), you and only you, will pay the price. Your family members may be upset, but perhaps they can persuade you to buckle up. If they can't persuade you to click it, neither can a ticket. Let's wait in anticipation then for the next round of enforcement: Click it or jail time. Then, perhaps: Click it or death penalty. Don't let these feds take away your rights.

It is true: Give them an inch, they'll take a mile. Seat belt laws seem harmless, but they are unnecessary and encroach upon your rights. Take a stand now, or it may be more than a ticket next time.

Well ... tobacco companies give millions of dollars to politicians campaign coffers. They also employ many thousands of people. That will never become illegal.

Seat belts on the other hand have a dual purpose. Insurance companies lobbied for the legislation plus the real zinger is .... it generates revenue for local municipalities by police giving out tickets. The tickets aren't cheap here in NY either. I think $50 the first time.

Cell phone usage while driving is next for most areas. We have it here . I think that is $100 for the first time and $250 for the second offense.

Bullshit Brent. If I wear my belt its my choice. Do I make my daughter wear hers? Yes, all the time.

Seat belt laws are just another intrusion into personal rights. Why? Because folks who wont take responsibility for their own actions (not wearing a belt, eating junk food, smoking) cause grief for those of us that do by starting all kinds of dumb-ass lawsuits.

I pay taxes and I believe I have earned and payed for the right to have the government scrape me off the road!!

You see, this quote says it all. It is not true, because of the extra taxpayer costs involved with ambulance , hospital, insurance, etc etc etc. We ALL get hit with the costs. It should be right up there with stopping at stop signs, street lights, and having your car inspected every two years. If you dont want to wear a seatbelt fine, but pay for your extraction and rehabilitation (if you live) yourself.

Good point, but I don't think you could argue the point that our healthcare system and our insurance situation is pretty screwed up! Because of this problem, we are forced to infringe on personal freedoms and create stupid laws to solve everything!

Waaaaah!

Infringing on personal rights? Bullshit.

Driving itself is NOT a right. Get over it.

How is driving not a right? You mean to tell me that driving is a privelage???????

Here is another point.
Air bags in the US are designed to stop a 200lb? man NOT wearing a seatbelt. As a result, the force of an air bag going off can cause injury to children and small adults.
In Australia where it is mandatory to wear seat belts and has been for 30 years, the force of the airbag is less than the US. As a result, there are few injuries to children because of airbag deployment.

I am also a believer in natural selection and not paying for other people's insurance. So I think the airbags should only deploy if the seatbelt is on, a funeral is much cheaper than rehab.

Richard

I believe that California was the first state to have a mandatory seatbelt law. When they first initiated it , the policy was that they could not pull you over solely for a seatbelt violation but you would be cited if you were pulled over for another reason and were not wearing your seatbelt.

I have a brother who used to be a cop and now he's a fireman and he tells me that there is close to 100% compliance statewide here in California. Once you get over the initial annoyance of it all it becomes routine. I don't think that states are expecting huge revenue from this over the long term since 100% compliance is the ultimate goal.

If wearing seatbelts cuts down on the severity of injuries in auto accidents and 30% of the population doesn't have medical insurance and auto insurance premiums keep creeping up , why does it not make sense to wear one?

This attitude of I can allways do what I want because I'm a free man to make my own choices is bullshit. Great, do what you want. But at the same time don't carry auto insurance and cover your own ass. Because when people crash their cars and it becomes statistically more expensive for insurance companies to cover the medical and repair cost, they raise my rates.

30% of Americans don't have medical insurance so somehow , smome way , we are all footing the bill when they don't have the means to pay for their care.

When do people figure out that freedom doesn't mean doing what you want with no regard for the outcome and who it affects?

Damn Skippy it is!

That's why you have to take classes before you're allowed to take contol of such a dangerous object.

What about all the tax dollars and resources spent on enforcing this law when the majority of people know that it is wise to wear your seatbelts? Couldn't that money and time be better spent hunting down rapists, sex offenders, murderers, and the likes? Some states have thier seatbelt enforcement program as a top budget item. I wear mine all the time, but I wear it because I choose to do so. It is definately the right thing to do (wear your seatbelt), but I do not think we should be forced to do it.

Do the math, I am sure the cost per ticket (include cost to pay the police, the paperwork, the judge, minus the revenue from the fine) for not wearing seat belts is MUCH lower than the cost per ambulance, hospital stay, morgue, funeral, and then lost wages of a former contributing member of society.

I once did an accident analysis in school. We made some changes to some high accident intersections in town and theoretically changed the interesection to reduce accidents. We had to do a benefit cost analysis and conclude the changes to be more beneficial, less beneficial, or draw. For each death, we assumed that the cost to bury them, process them, insuranc settlements, and the lost production from that person was to be $2.5M dollars over the supposed lifetime of that one person. (assuming that person was to live a normal lifespan)

That is $2.5M lost per death from an accident.

Do the math, its more economical to have this law and its safer too. Stop your whining, you loose.

Driving is absolutely a privilege. Thats why you need a license to do it.

I've always grouped the people who don't wear seat belts with the people who don't wear helmets when on a motorcycle: stupid.

:rolleyes:

As for acquiring a license for driving a vehicle, it clearly states in the pamlet for attaining a Massachusetts drivers license: "Driving in Massachusetts is a privilege, not a right"

mbflyerfan - Yeah, you are right. I was wrong.

What are some good excuses you have heard for not wearing a seatbelt. Here are some that I have heard.

-"it will wrinkle my clothes"
-"its hard to lean over to get into my glovebox."
-"I dont like the way it rubs on my neck, lap, arms, etc."

and my personal favorite.
-"It will trap me in the car if I am in a really bad accident and the car is on fire."

Shouldn't this be in the ALR?

Airbags are designed to stop an adult wearing a seatbelt not one without. Read you manual it says it right there if you do not believe me.

If you have ever seen one explode you would know why