Wear your bloody seatbelt!

uranium_death · 26-12-2006, 11:09 PM

Hello.

Ok. For Years we've had the message, "Belt up or Suffer the Pain."

Could it be any clearer?

So on Christmas morning, a distant family friend's son went to a party and left late. I have no idea if he drank or not.

On the way home he lost control of his car and hit a tree.
He wasn't wearing his seatbelt.

Nobody can conquer physics. As a result, he went flying through the windscreen and consequently, lost his life.

That was on Christmas morning. As a result, the family had a completely sh!thouse Christmas. No reason to be happy.

The story is that he often didn't wear his seatbelt.

Finally, his good luck ran out.

The hint here is that seatbelts DO save lives. Don't think you can run good luck all your life, because like this case, it will run out eventually. And when your dead, you'll have friends and family who will feel like utter crap.

Wear your *** belt!

Van D · 26-12-2006, 11:25 PM

I feel strange driving without a deatbelt.. Always buckle up! (unless it's the chick in the passenger seat, giggity).

normxb · 26-12-2006, 11:37 PM

Hey , uranium_death

That's the reason I'm here typing today , "I wore a Seatbelt" , Very bad accident years ago and all I got was a bruised Knee , sore arms & seat belt bruising ......

But "walked away from the car , which was a write-off"

Even when my kids were little , they'd "yell" if we went to drive off and they didn't have their belts on .

Ralliart · 26-12-2006, 11:39 PM

i always wear a seltbelt no-matter what.

JC · 26-12-2006, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normxb

Even when my kids were little , they'd "yell" if we went to drive off and they didn't have their belts on .

Yeh, kids are great like that. I was reversing out the driveway today, and they told me to put it in - so i did. It was easier than explaining that it is legal to reverse without a seatbelt on.

I would say John Fahey's daughter also was not wearing a seatbelt.

How can people not wear them in this day and age? I just don't get it.

OT - but this is confusing me:
a distant family friend's son

If they're a friend, how could they be distant, except maybe by distance? Or is it a distant relative of yours, who has a friend, who no longer has a son?

**data_mine** · 26-12-2006, 11:49 PM

Good advice (as always).

Shame it had to be reinforced in such a fashion.

Hunter · 27-12-2006, 12:10 AM

Wearing a seatbelt is just like wearing clothes when out in public for me!

As others have said, I don't understand why people continually ignore reality... Not only does the seatbelt help save lives, it also prevents accidents by keeping you in control of the vehicle - when unrestrained its very hard to keep the car under control in an emergency/dangerous situation.

LTDHO · 27-12-2006, 12:14 AM

I always wear one.

I know of too many times where people had to be hosed of the inside of the windscreen from not wearing one.

XR8putts · 27-12-2006, 12:43 AM

If someones too dumb/ignorant/lazy/cool to wear a seatbelt, then they deserve to fly threw the windscreen.

Its not hard, not complicated, dosn't cost you anything and takes a second.

I have no sympathy for people who die in accidents whilst not wearing a seatbelt.

It's the families that they leave behind I feel sorry for.

WizBang · 27-12-2006, 12:57 AM

I paid for then so I use them ,but still funny when people think they aren't going far ..meh what could happern.....most car crashes happern least than 5 kays from home

LUXO_8 · 27-12-2006, 12:59 AM

mate thats pretty screwed up...sorry to hear it...

**Full Noise** · 27-12-2006, 01:04 AM

It’s sad to hear about your friend, however, with hitting a tree, there’s no guarantee that he would have survived even if he was wearing his seat belt.

I’m sorry for your loss.

mad machs · 27-12-2006, 01:08 AM

Thats really bad news :(

Is it compulsary to wear seat belts in Australia, like it is in the UK?

Gaz · 27-12-2006, 01:12 AM

yes it is.

it doesnt even take away from your driving time, i usualy do it while reversing or with 1 hand while putting the car in gear.

Yellow_Festiva · 27-12-2006, 01:14 AM

Some people have an attitude, that they dont like being told what to do. Dad is the same. We used to have an old Falcon (big tank thing, "Falcon 250" with longish tail lights that were made up of 3 squares) dont know the model however .....

Anyway, the belts in the falcon didnt retract, so each day he would just hang it over his shoulder and place the buckle NEXT to the bloody thing it plugs into. It used to drive me around the bend.....

He now drives an XF and uses the belt all the time. However he still refuses to use blinkers (unless he thinks they are necessary) but thats another story.. needless to say my dad and i ride in the same car no more than once or twice a year......

However i have also driven around a lot of European people, and i got the lecture of the century when i asked a French girl to buckle up. She couldnt believe how strict the law was enforced here, saying it was her right to choose to wear a belt or not...

So i think that the main reason why people dont wear belts is perhaps it makes them look like they are submitting to the Law, therefor making them uncool.... (or their just plain bloody stupid)....

As other have said, i feel naked without the belt on, its just a reflex now, get into the car, the arm automatically reaches up for the belt.....

Shame another life is lost, this will probably kill the parents for possibly being lax each time they saw him without the belt on ......

Hunter · 27-12-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Some people have an attitude, that they dont like being told what to do. Dad is the same. We used to have an old Falcon (big tank thing, "Falcon 250" with longish tail lights that were made up of 3 squares) dont know the model however .....

Anyway, the belts in the falcon didnt retract, so each day he would just hang it over his shoulder and place the buckle NEXT to the bloody thing it plugs into. It used to drive me around the bend.....

He now drives an XF and uses the belt all the time. However he still refuses to use blinkers (unless he thinks they are necessary) but thats another story.. needless to say my dad and i ride in the same car no more than once or twice a year......

However i have also driven around a lot of European people, and i got the lecture of the century when i asked a French girl to buckle up. She couldnt believe how strict the law was enforced here, saying it was her right to choose to wear a belt or not...

So i think that the main reason why people dont wear belts is perhaps it makes them look like they are submitting to the Law, therefor making them uncool.... (or their just plain bloody stupid)....

As other have said, i feel naked without the belt on, its just a reflex now, get into the car, the arm automatically reaches up for the belt.....

Shame another life is lost, this will probably kill the parents for possibly being lax each time they saw him without the belt on ......

I don't see it as being told what to do... they only made the laws to help prevent stupid people from dying. But hey if they don't want to 'do what they're told' then maybe they should not be provided with insurance cover in accidents...

I also like that American cars are designed to deal with unrestrained occupants in accidents because a lot of them either don't wear their belt or its not mandatory in their state. :rolleyes:

coupdy do · 27-12-2006, 10:32 AM

My Belt saved my life... i hit an old guy going through a stop sign in a 100km zone, my work dual cab triton (piece of Sh!t) flipped over the his car a slid down the road... i would have kissed the road when the car landed on the roof as it was i had no injuries at all. i actually pretension my belt in heavy traffic that is i make sure that it is tight over my hips.

**Polyal** · 27-12-2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

I feel strange driving without a deatbelt.. Always buckle up! (unless it's the chick in the passenger seat, giggity).

LOL...agreed though, you feel naked without one.

Falcon_Phill · 27-12-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaz

yes it is.

it doesnt even take away from your driving time, i usualy do it while reversing or with 1 hand while putting the car in gear.

Not with old cars. Unless they were fitted.

Jason[98.EL] · 27-12-2006, 10:43 AM

sorry to hear about the loss of your friend

i always wear my seatbelt and the kids dont let me drive anywhere untill they have their belts on my daughter screems till she has it on

thank goodness for that

my deapest sympathy to the family of this person

jason

GCFordChic · 27-12-2006, 10:43 AM

Although my older brother sustained terrible injuries from the lap-belt (centre seat, not three point belt, in old sh!tbox) he was wearing when involved in a head on (where his friend died) if he wasnt wearing it he wouldnt be here.

I dont make a conscious decision each time i get in the car to wear a seatbelt, it just goes on.

If you are stupid enough to 'go against the grain' and be a rebel by not wearing a seatbelt I will have no sympathy for you. Just your family.

LowEL2XR8 · 27-12-2006, 10:51 AM

Wearing a seatbelt is like a natural reaction when I get in the car. Even when I do a 500m drive I find I've put it on. I'm glad its natural reaction and not something I have to think about.
Without a seatbelt on it does feel wrong to drive. Just like if you've forgot your wallet. Its just not right.

Remember Agro's ad "Don't be a dummy belt up!"

XRchic · 27-12-2006, 11:34 AM

My partner was in that exact same situation last weekend. Only he had his seatbelt on. He fell asleep at the wheel, driving in the early hours of the morning to work in the country, and drove straight into a pole doing around 100kmh. The car is a write off.

The ambos and cops said that if he had not been wearing his seat belt, he would be dead. Also if he was driving a small car or had no airbags, he would be dead. He only sustained a very sore knee, seat belt bruising, very sore collarbone and ribs, a very sore nose (from airbag) and general aches and pains. He had climbed out of the car himself before they emergency services got there, and only spent two days in hospital.

If it werent for his seat belt and the airbags, and probably the big V8 block absorbing most of the shock of the impact, he wouldnt have been alive this Christmas and would have missed not ,

Just put your seatbelt on its that simple.

blueoval · 27-12-2006, 11:44 AM

Seatbelts save lives, NOT speed camera's.

But thats another debate I wont continue to mention. :P

Lumpen Proletariat · 27-12-2006, 12:22 PM

I'm the same as most 'young' drivers here, I feel strange without one, even If I'm just putting about the house yard. We had an sticker agro sticker on the dash of our old Landcruiser when I was young. Don't be a dummy, Belt Up or something like that. I guess staring at that all day, while passengering for weeks on end all over western Queensland really drilled the motto into me.

Dad however, has been driving since 1948, when travelling 30mph was a good clip and seatbelts weren't even heard of. He often forgets to put it on but when I'm travelling I refuse to let him put teh car in reverse until he does it up...It's gradullay working. At least when I'm in the car.

Lumpy

LUXO_8 · 27-12-2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRchic

My partner was in that exact same situation last weekend. Only he had his seatbelt on. He fell asleep at the wheel, driving in the early hours of the morning to work in the country, and drove straight into a pole doing around 100kmh. The car is a write off.

The ambos and cops said that if he had not been wearing his seat belt, he would be dead. Also if he was driving a small car or had no airbags, he would be dead. He only sustained a very sore knee, seat belt bruising, very sore collarbone and ribs, a very sore nose (from airbag) and general aches and pains. He had climbed out of the car himself before they emergency services got there, and only spent two days in hospital.

If it werent for his seat belt and the airbags, and probably the big V8 block absorbing most of the shock of the impact, he wouldnt have been alive this Christmas and would have missed not ,

Just put your seatbelt on its that simple.

jeebus!...i didnt know about that one jac....
glad to hear he's allright! that coulda been a whooole lot worse...

SVR73 · 27-12-2006, 02:19 PM

Geez I didn't know about his crash Jaq. So glad he is alive and well.
Honestly I do not know how anyone could drive without a belt. Every bump or turn you move around in the seat. It's just not right.

I really like putting the belt on and pulling it really tight.
That poor kid, I feel awful. The poor family must be going through hell.

red_october · 27-12-2006, 03:05 PM

I still don't get why people can't spend 2 seconds putting on their seatbelt. What is so bloody hard about it?

I'd rather use up my 2 seconds putting on a belt than spending 6 to 9 months in rehab, or worse still, putting my loved ones through hell forever.

Van D · 27-12-2006, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

LOL...agreed though, you feel naked without one.

I do or she does?

:

Ok, i'll stop

uranium_death · 28-12-2006, 12:10 AM

Good to see some real constructive conversation here (seriously -it's great).

Don't be sorry for me. I know the guy's uncle pretty well and he's in a pretty bad way. He's in his mid-50s. The person who died had no active father so his uncle was very close, and he's shattered.

But I hardly knew the guy. So it's not my loss per se.

If you wish to pray, pray for the family. It's a good family who is very close.
The deceased's older sister and his father spent Christmas day identifying his body at the morgue. Merry Christmas.

If you don't want your family doing that with your carcass indefinitely after a car accident, Belt Up, or Suffer the Pain.