Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site floyd.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!wgg
From: wgg@floyd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Make mine seatbelts.
Message-ID: <1711@floyd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Jul-83 10:36:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: floyd.1711
Posted: Fri Jul  1 10:36:00 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Jul-83 04:47:51 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Whippany, NJ
Lines: 23

Back in the bad old days when you could to 65 on an interstate,
(I81 south of Binghamton, NY), I had an incident that made up
my mind about air bags.   The road is divided there, with the
southbound lanes some distance from the northbound lanes, which
I was traveling.  I was doing 65 in the right lane, and was being
passed by a car going maybe 1-2 mph faster, when a deer jumped out
in front of him from the center divider, and he hit it.  His hood
flew up and parted company from the car.  I didn't see where the
deer landed.  Everybody stood on the brakes, and he stayed on the
road.  What's the point?  If he had had an air bag, it would
have almost certainly deployed, with him still going over the
present 55 mph limit.  So he would have been stunned, blinded
(those bags aren't transparent), and in bad trouble.   About the
time he went off the road, the bag would be deflating, just about
when it would have been really needed.  The upshot?  I'll take it
if big brother says I have to, but I will insist on lap AND shoulder
belts as well.  I've used them since 19 ought 59, when you had to
install them yourself.  Incidentally, the man who hit the deer 
WAS wearing a belt.

Laura Creighton brings up a nasty side effect... Will rental cars
still have belts?  They will or I don't rent!
Bill Graves floyd!wgg