Author Topic: How Did We Survive?? (Read 816 times)

capt. apathy · « **Reply #30 on:** March 04, 2003, 10:53:35 AM »

no doubt seatbelts are a good idea. seat belt laws are not (except for children).

helmet laws are an even worse example. helmets actually impare your situational awarenes on a bike. (but thats a whole other rant)

I doubt you could find anyone of reasonable inteligence that would argue that you are safer or better off without a seatbelt on. the point is you should have the right to be stupid as long as it doesn't endanger the next guy. I really hate these kinds of laws and frankly tend to ignore them. most of us tend to ignore laws that we feel the gov't has no right in imposing.

I probably would have started wearing the seatbelt sooner where it not for the law sticking it's nose in where it didn't belong (kinda stuborn that way). the only reason I finally started wearing one is the day my son looked over and asked why I didn't have it on. I couldn't think of a good answer, and I find it a good policy to try not to look stupid in front of the kids.

lazs2 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 04, 2003, 10:57:56 AM »

iron... let me ask you this.... has the price of medical care gone gone down since seatbelt and helmet laws? can you point to any savings in taxes or any other way that we have because people are able to live longer by avoiding accidental death? I know 100's of motorcycle riders that rode before helmet laws and can't think of one example of the state paying long term medical bills because of a head injury any of them sustained.

also... isn't it illegal to drive without insurance in most states?
lazs

Steve · « **Reply #32 on:** March 04, 2003, 11:25:51 AM »

Where I grew up, there wasn't a single fence in the neighborhood, I didn't need a key to the house because the doors were never locked, we knew all our neighbors, as a teen I parked my car in front of the house and often just left the keys in it. When you got in a fight, you might have to worrry about getting thumped but no-one had guns or knives.
I watch my 3 nephews go through their lives. They don't play sports, might not even know one end of a baseball bat from the other, don't have a single friend as near as I can tell...they rush home after school to play video games on the X box. As much as I'd like to be a kid again.. I do not think I'd like to be one now. Yes, I grew up in a middle class all white neighborhood... so?
I played pretty much all the team sports from grade school on up and ran into blacks and mexican and became friends with some of them.. they had the same sort of life, if not the same standard of living. Things have changed for kids and, IMO, not for the better.

AKIron · « **Reply #33 on:** March 04, 2003, 11:27:01 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
also... isn't it illegal to drive without insurance in most states?
lazs

I hope it's illegal in every state. Of course insurance rates are tied to insurance company profits. When their costs increase so do ours. Seat belts do reduce injuries in accidents and therefore reduce (or should) insurance premiums.

Motocycle helmets are a bit different, your less likely to survive an accident without one so less hospital time.