cliffyk

Defensive driving is all about "expecting" what happens next. What we have done is build bumper cars and exonerated the drivers of their responsibilities.

I am quite amused by your throwing out the arbitrary allegation of "ignorant thinking"--I have a right to think whatever way I may care as it affects only MY existence.

That is a classic elitist liberal defense for usurping individual rights for the general "good"--you've been assimilated into the collective and don't even know it...

H0SS302

Dude I work in accident reconstruction.. I see what happens when airbags are not present and people dont wear seatbelts. It has nothing to do with the government....

It is foolish to think that defensive driving is going to save you in every situation. It only takes 1 idiot or part failure to cause an accident.. I could show you hundreds of cases we have dealing in product liability part faliures alone that killed and damn near killed people. Then I could show you about 10x the amount of idiots that hit some other guy minding his own business and killed them.

The government conspiracy theory your trying to throw out has nothing to do with the fact that an airbag is a very valid live saving technology.

cliffyk

I wish you hadn't pushed this...

What you describe are not "accidents", they are fùck-ups and cluster fùck-ups, caused by "people" that shouldn't have a driver's license in the first because they don't have brains enough;

Like this one (this is my step-daughter--BTW she was wearing her seat belt and the silly passenger side air bag exploded and broke her neck):


His wife told us...

"You don't understand, if Bobbie had stopped [for the police] he would have gone to jail..."

I see so much ****-poor driving every day it make me want to puke--I seem to have forgotten more about safe driving than most of those out there (including "law enforcement officers") will ever know--just slow down and let the ******** battle it out, you'll be OK...

H0SS302

I know of your situation, and im sorry for it. But that doesnt change my opinion on having an airbag over not having one. My job is to scientifically construct accidents(not just what the police do, more along the lines of an engineering standpoint. We do a lot of product failures also) , iv seen to much to not see the benefits of an airbag.

There is no way in hell I would take mine out without a 5point harness and a good racing seat, thats for sure. Until you do what I do, I dont think you can appreciate my viewpoint.

Mr Graystang

I have been into two big crashes and the only thing a airbag did for me was injure me more. First time it broke my finger and my nose and the second it broke my damn wrist. I do not like them or feel safe with them, plus when they implode they make a white powdery slow motion scenery which you think sh#t dude am I dead.

Cliff, Again my condolences man. I get mad as hell every time I see that so I can not imagine how your family feels.

cliffyk

Good Lord, I guess we differ on our approach to life...

On the public road I drape the seatbelt over my shoulder to make the seat-belt ***** happy, the air bag is gone as you know, and I took the headrests off over 3 years ago.

The ABS is disabled, and if I was ambitious I'd yank the hardware out to lighten the load...

Spilotro

Defensive driving should ALWAYS be #1, and I think that goes without saying. More emphasis should be placed on actually operating the vehicle in driving instruction, but alas, we mostly get loaded up with traffic law that we memorize for the big test, then forget most of. The science of piloting the car is dead to most. Ideally, students should be put on a road course with several different vehicle platforms and made to perform maneuvers in different weather conditions, but that of course isn't happening.

I will say what I said earlier, though; 3 point belts are far from adequate, and in my experience are best when supplemented with airbags. However, I still view this is very archaic. In all the studying I have done, I'm convinced that you can't beat a 4 or 5 point harness and sturdy frame design, if you just must crash. It keeps you in place better around corners, too.

@Cliffyk: I'm very sorry about your loss. I can't believe the nerve of that *******'s ******* wife's comment!!!

H0SS302

The airbag honestly I could do without, IF I had a 5pt harness and racing seat. The ABS I dont particularly care for though, I think it is more of a hindrance, just like traction control(which I feel is more dangerous than not having it on).

There are just certain things that I look at differently now. I would rather break my finger/nose and get powder burned from an airbag than bust my head open on the steering wheel. I would rather break my ribs from the seatbelt than fly through the windsheild, than not wear it.(which happens quite often anyways on rollovers).

I will never own a bike either. lol

I had a viewpoint quite like yours before starting this job Cliff. But from doing the calculations/reconstructing the accidents more times than not these modern government conspiracy down with conservatism and freedom of choice technologies save more lives than not.

cliffyk

See there's part of it--I've been riding bikes since I was 12 (a 165 Ducati)--got a "Suzie" 650 thumper now...

H0SS302

The only reason I wouldnt own a bike is because OTHER ppl. Bike riders are generally the safest on the road(except for those few with a death wish). Again, its the OTHER ppl that like to run red lights and pull out in front of you, or just plain run you over that worry me.