Rollover Blues
 

http://comp.uark.edu/~dmorton/images/misc/seat_belt.jpg

From Yahoo:<blockquote><i>Four teens were in the vehicle during the crash. Two passengers in the rear seat were not wearing seatbelts and ejected in the rollover. One was killed and the other suffered serious injuries. The two front seat passengers both wore seatbelts and received minor injuries. </i></blockquote>

Yet another crash from a rollover-mobile. Er, I mean, an SUV. Do you wear your seat belt?

My car has automatic shoulder harnesses that forcibly strap you in. But I always wear the lap belt too.

As a child I didn't wear them...and they didn't become mandatory in Missouri until the late 80s. But ever since I started driving, I've always worn one. It hasn't saved me yet, but it certainly could some day.

Charming composition, with the rollover in the background and the seatbelt sign in the foreground. I wonder if the photographer had to rip the sign out of the ground somewhere else to get the shot ...

I come from a family that originally did not believe in seatbelts ... the 'they mess your clothes and are uncomfortable" kind of people.

I had to UNTIE the knots in the belts when I went to take my driver's test, and was complimented because I insisted the trooper secure his before I began my test (once upon a time they were NOT mandatory).

Anyway, I came to appreciate seatbelts when I was a frequent passenger in a car that had malfunctioning door latches. The seatbelts were all the stood between us and 202 at high speeds.

I've never needed a seat belt. Never had a single problem. But I wear one every time I get into a car.

I'd rather walk down Main Street in Norristown naked than not wear a seat belt.

Nobody in my family ever wore a seat belt when I was growing up. I exhibited some interest in using them of the typical curious little kid "gee what are these funny things for" variety for about a week. In fact my parents once owned a Ford LTD that they bought from a neighbor, who had completely disabled the seat belt warning system. (According to the car's manual, the alarm would go off if you had a heavy package in the passenger seat. The suggested remedy was to fasten the belt around the package.) But then when I was about 15 or so NC passed mandatory seat belt laws and we all started wearing them.

As to needing the belts--you may recall my encounter with a deer on I-81 in Virginia last summer. I also had a run-in in 1997 with a guy who made a left turn in front of me when he shouldn't have, which resulted in me hitting the front passenger's side of his car. In both cases I would have almost certainly slammed into the steering wheel, and in 1997 probably the windshield, without the seatbelts.

Good idea. The shoulder belt without the lap belt WILL KILL you, guaranteed.:(

Always wear mine. Always have. Parents beat it into me as a kid. It's instinct now, and I don't even think about it.

Do the same with your kid. They really do save a lot of lives.

I encounter so many people on the road that make me wish they would NOT wear theirs;)

Hey dude, no shit. I had to slam my brakes at ~70mph today because a dumb mother fucker on a truck pulled right out in front of me. Makes me wish there was an enforcer around. :)

(People speeding aren't the problem; people doing <b>unpredictable things</b> are the problem.)

That's supposed to be one word.

domofo, i love it!

Apple Blossom festival in Wenatchee, WA, May something, 1990. I'm cruising and talkin' to girls, then I decide to head over to my friends place in East Wenatchee. Because I, Mr. Dumfuck, haven't slept in 48 hours, I fell asleep and woke up wrapped around a telephone pole.

Injuries: None.

I cut the pole in half at the ground, and the engine was still running. I had to shut the damn thing off! They don't make Toyota Celicas like they used to. Somewhere in East Wenatchee there is a police evidence photo of me still seat-belted into the car before I opened the door and stepped out. I have the biggest, stupidest grin on my face.

Wenatchee, Washington
 

A damn fine place to live until Uryoces shows up...

<img src="http://www.newzucanuze.com/images/Wenatchee.jpg">

My Wenatchee Indian name is "Sleepy Destroyer of Wooden Poles"! Heh!

That's a picture from the southish side of the Wenatchee Valley. The Columbia River is on the left/center and the Wenatchee River forks into it on the right. The right side of the image is Wenatchee proper, and on the left is East Wenatchee. That small valley on the right leads up to Mission Ridge, roughly 12 miles away as the crow flies. NBN, I wanna say you're photoing that from the Sunnyslope area.

Correctamundo, my friend
 

It's where Lin went to elementary school.

<img src="http://www.newzucanuze.com/images/Sunnyslope.jpg">

Don't you just love the Cellar?

I've used my seat belt twice (in the sense of having it prevent serious injury), but I still don't wear it all the time. Yeah, I'm a hardhead.

For the record, I do not and would not walk down Main Street in Norristown (or even Manayunk) naked.