From: utzoo!decvax!genradbo!stuart
Newsgroups: net.auto
Title: seatbelts and freedom
Article-I.D.: genradbo.455
Posted: Fri Aug 13 08:17:28 1982
Received: Tue Aug 17 06:27:14 1982


Of course, using a seatbelt tremendously improves your probable condition
following a collision.  Its excellent insurance at a very low price.
BUT SOME PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO BUY THE SEATBELT INSURANCE, even at its low
price.  The choice is clear and many, many people would prefer to take
the risk rather than pay the price of reaching over to fasten their seat
belt.  That's their choice, and in a 'free country' people are free to
take risks, despite the apparent foolishness of such behavior.  Individuals
are FREE TO FAIL, free to do (apparently) foolish or stupid things.
(And what about the few people who survive because they are thrown from 
 their car, because they did NOT use their seat belts?)

The desire of millions of purchasers of automobile to NOT purchase the
non-optional seatbelts is clear.  Millions are being forced to purchase
things which they do not want and will not use even after being forced
to buy them.

The more consistent advocates of using such force claim that we ALL suffer.
I leave the argument against that claim as an exercise in understanding
how freedom means a right to act, not a right to some *thing*.  
(HOW do we 'all' suffer?)