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Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!eagle!alice!rabbit!jj
From: jj@rabbit.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Air bags are reckless endangerment of those who are responsible.
Message-ID: <1634@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 27-Jun-83 11:26:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: rabbit.1634
Posted: Mon Jun 27 11:26:49 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 27-Jun-83 23:13:17 EDT
Lines: 51


The way that I remember it was that you were just as safe in a vehicle that
had seatbelts, if you had both lap and shoulder belts, and you were wearing
them properly.  Furthermore, lap and shoulder belts protect you against many
kinds of crashes that aid bags don't, things like sideswipes, rolling impacts
that last more than .8 seconds, repeated collisions, etc.  In short, the 
removal of seatbelts and the addition of airbags constitutes a significant
(and government mandated) increase in hazard for any responsible individual.
Such constitutes a threat to my person.  
(I include automatic seat belts as well, as they don't include a lap
belt, and use instead a knee dislocator  panel to prevent the individual from sliding under the
shoulder strap.  In some impacts, the individual will slide forward
anyhow.  The position of the panel that I have titled "knee dislocator"
is such that it will result in crippling injury to the legs in any crash
over parking lot speeds.  It is, none the less, regarded as a superior
alternative by the court, apparantly.)


Effectively, the only excuse for air bags is that a lot of people
won't use their seatbelts.  Morally, requiring air bags is reckless
endangerment, since I won't be able (or permitted) to have a much
superior form of protection called seatbelts.  Anyone who supports
airbags is, as far as I'm concerned, guilty of assault on my person
in the case that my automobile is struck by another.  


While I will agree that automobiles could be constructed in a more
crashworthy manner, I disagree with any policy that results in a decrease
in safety, and air bags is such a policy.

I propose that the money that is being extorted from the public
for air-bags be instead used to create a uniform driving safety
school that provides instruction in self defense (proper and
continuous seatbelt use, defensive driving, collision
avoidance), proper etiquette, and the physics of rapidly moving
objects (in a graphic and highly visual manner).

I suspect that the amount of money that will be used to endanger the
public through the use of airbags would suffice to make such a driving
school available, over a 10 year period, to the entire population.


In addition, I propose that people injured in an accident because of,
or while they were, not wearing seat belts be held entirely liable
for their own injuries.  Furthermore, they should be held responsible
for any furthering of the accident that occurred because they were
thrown from the operator's position.


Enough already, the government should stop trying to kill me.