The 10 year airbag "check".

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by mohrds
<<*wonders if Doug has another suit I could borrow*>>

You can use mine. it appears I'm not going to need it.

Y'know, I'm glad we don't need those damned fire suits. They're much too heavy. I've been impressed with the "adult" way in which we've handled disagreements since . . . well, for some time now. Kudos for the ability to keep egos in check and an ability to agree to disagree, when necessary.

Originally posted by mohrds
I much prefer the safety restraints from the old Sly Stallone movie where the car instantly fills with expanding foam...

My take on Airbags?

First let me remind everyone that I was working in an auto body shop when these things hit the streets so I saw first generation side effects.

Permanent hearing damage, windows blowing out from the pressure, failure to go off when someone runs straight into a tree, etc.

I think they are an OK idea, I still prefer to wear my lap and shoulder belt.

Why on earth don't the manufacturers make a 5 point harness that is as easy to use as a lap belt?

That's the way to go.

The airbag was a reaction to a problem.
Problem: people don't wear seatbelts. Solution: make auto shoulder belts.
Problem: people wear auto shoulder belt, but don't fasten lap belt, slide down seat in accident and decapitate themselves in an accident. Solution: Airbags.

Airbags: Forced into the market before they were ready. It took almost 10 additional years before they worked most of the bugs out. People died at the hands of airbags during this "Field Test"

No offense to anyone that's lost someone. I've lost some very close friends to auto accidents. But come on! How much hand holding should the government force auto makers to do?

You don't want to protect yourself? Maybe you shouldn't stay around long enough to pollute the gene pool.

Side Airbags: I agree that side airbags are a great supplement. They are smaller, need less explosives and protect you in the direction that your seatbelt doesn't. They are designed to help your seat belt, not to replace your seat belt like the front air bags were.

Doug (climbing into his flame suit)

DITTO!

Originally posted by Beav


Key words: invented, delayed, required

Don't forget Tucker and safety. Ditto for Malcolm Bricklin and his SV-1 (safety vehicle 1 - hence the absence of an ashtray, a real safety issue.)

Chevy/GM probably would have sold more but we'll never know as they only supplied x-number of them to the public, and didn't exactly advertise the fact that they were available. Remember, Detroit won't introduce safety on its own merits. They kinda leak it out, let someone like Nader fight for its introduction. That way if it blows up in their face they can blame it on the gov't. making them rush it to market before it was matured, thus avoiding expensive litigation.

Beav

Malcolm Bricklin, wasn't he the founder of SOA? I will have to verify, but for some reason that name sounds familiar.

[Beav]

...but he was also responsible for importing the Yugo. I seem to recall something about him and SOA, but my memory is foggy.

I recall a story about a dealer in Philly, I believe, that was offering a choice of a cell phone or a new Yugo with the purchase of a new car. The story told of only two people taking the Yugo option. I don't recall the fate of the first car but the second one came back under threat from the buyer's wife!

Beav