AIBU for forcing this woman to wear a seatbelt?

[CGaus]

I was on a 14 seater minibus today on the way to the ski fields. We drove along one of Australia’s most dangerous, icy alpine roads. Before driving, the driver asked if everyone had a seatbelt on - most people said yes, but the driver didn’t get out and check each person’s seatbelt.

We got to a snow chain checkpoint, and I noticed that two women in their 20s or 30s weren’t wearing seatbelts.
This is in Australia, it’s illegal not to wear a seatbelt - though only the driver (not the passengers without seatbelts) would have been fined $564 or £321 and given 6 demerit points. Apart from that wearing a seatbelt is obviously important for safety.

I said to the women in a friendly tone “sorry but you’ve forgotten to put your seatbelt on!”. The response was “um no I’m fine”. I said that the driver could be fined if passengers weren’t wearing seatbelts, she said “okay” really slowly. I then added “it’s also really dangerous”...and this time she just looked away and didn’t say anything, I then heard the women speaking with each other about it. I let it go, and decided to bring it up to the driver when we arrived - it wasn’t possible to speak to him without shouting from where I was sitting at the back of the bus.

The bus pulled over again for a random breath test, again I asked the women to please put their belts on, much more assertively than before and loudly enough that the driver could hear. The driver heard me and checked that everyone was wearing belts, probably because there were coppas a metre away for the breath checks. Once we passed the checkpoint though one of the women took her belt off again! I was genuinely shocked and just said “seriously” in what I admit was a rude manner. So AIBU for asking an adult to wear a seatbelt?!

So AIBU for insisting a grown woman wear a seatbelt? And should I bother saying anything on the return journey? The driver can’t see the entire bus properly and his eyes need to be on the road!

OP YWNBU. Wearing a seatbelt or not can have consequences for any passengers and the driver. I was in an accident a few months ago but I always wear a seatbelt. If I hadn't I could have been more seriously injured.

@CGaus I know it's not the same as one impacts others safety and the other doesn't.

They are both idiotic though 🙈

Seriously, I hope there has been some resolution and you aren't in the bus with them again.

It's just so weird to me, I thought helmets and seatbelts were just really normal safety things that you wouldn't even think twice about!

Some people inhabit a magical little nothing-bad-will-ever-happen-to-me-they-only-happen-to-other-people bubble.

The other passengers have no right to say anything.

Bollocks. Your right to make your own idiotic decisions ends when it infringes upon my right to life.

Should have mentioned the recent bus crash on the mountain road in NZ going to a ski field.

I guess if something had happened you could be a witness they refused to wear it if the bus driver was in danger of a fine/prosecution

Great, @RoseTinted1 so what would you do if another person's actions were putting your life, or your children's lives, at risk? If your actions only endanger yourself, like not wearing a safety helmet, then no it isn't my business. But if they do put our lives at risk, then it is my business.

I wouldn't put my child in that position to begin with

Your child will never ride in a car/taxi/minibus ever?

I am an overweight, sweary ole trout with three spaniels and two murderous orange cats. I am predominantly happily married, though I have my moments.

I think OP behaved impeccably.

Of course they ride in various vehicles.
They always have their belts on but I wouldn't put them next to or in front of someone without a belt on. 🙄

It's the drivers job to make sure people wear belts.
OP should have spoken to the driver and then stayed out of it.

And how do you ensure that on vehicles with allocated seating?

What about when your children are older and without you there, would you not want them to feel they can stand up for their own safety and that of those around them?

I think @RoseTinted1 is basically just digging her heals in; she knows the other passengers in this scenario were being stupid, but she's determined not to back down on her statement that the OP is 'a prick'. So nothing anyone says will change her mind.

Apparently, no one is allowed to stand up for their own safety or others, if it means 'poking their noses in'. Ridiculous.

An unrestrained body in a minibus doesn't just go forward in an accident, it depends on the accident. If the minibus starts rolling, that body could go anywhere and hit anyone.

So yes, anyone in a minibus with seatbelts who chooses not to wear a seatbelt has the potential to impact on me and my family and I'd be speaking up, too.

OP- YDNBU.

The rest who say you were, clearly dont get the concept of collateral damage.

To those who dont get it - have a think. A bluddy good hard think.

And yes, im still fat. Married tho. With a dog and 2 cats. Those are my credentials. Never mind my brain cells.

Thanks for your comments Mumsnet - in the end I'm happy I spoke up. Honestly I think it was a good lesson for my children, even if the whole car had to listen to my child's "But Mummy WHY don't the ladies put their belts on", "Will the police take them to jail" and the lovely "If we crash will they be dead?". The women kept their seatbelts on and we made it back safely. When we arrived the driver actually thanked me for letting him know, and said that there's a surprising number of idiots who consciously don't wear seatbelts.

I don’t understand why anyone over the age of about four would be so fussed about wearing a seatbelt that they’d keep actively undoing it again after being repeatedly told to put it on.

Sounds like stubbornness for stubbornness’ sake and completely childish!

driver should have given one warning and then told them to leave the bus

No, drivers can't do that. Once told its the responsibility of the person to comply. Unless causing a nuisance or acting in a manner to cause offence can't order a person off

YANBU to tell the idiotic, selfish people to keep their seatbelts on - they are gambling with other peoples' lives & health

YABU if you told any adult to keep their ski helmet on - let them win a Darwin Award when it's only their own brain at risk of damage.

"slim, senior management and happily married for 35 years" is irrelevant to Newton's First Law:

"an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force"

this was Australia - is that the law there?

woman was breaking their law, seems strange she could not be kicked off.

Definitely should be wearing seatbelts. But I've never worn a helmet in all of my years of skiing.

I've never worn a helmet when skiing either. But then, I don't ski fast; I go down carefully with a lot of turns. I then see young children whizzing past me.

The bus driver should have told her that she either puts and keeps it on - or puts it on until the next stop where she'll get off. No argument.

I don't wear a seatbelt. I legally don't have to and when I'm on my own I never do. If I have people in the car with me, I do. Even though I don't have to because I don't want to kill them if we're thrown about in a crash.

Good for you OP.

"I don't wear a seatbelt. I legally don't have to"

Do you mind if I ask why? And how come you legally don't have to? Sorry to be so nosy.

You are right of course OP. Especially as driver will be fined.

However I am massively claustrophobic and admit I find it hard on coaches. In Crete recently I was on one (a Mercedes van so many super German efficiency) whether the seat belt was so tight uou could barely move. I did wear it as I'm not a dick but it was a struggle.

That said these two sound bloody minded rather than claustrophobic at a guess!

i never knew Australia has dangerous icy alpine roads and skiing ?
do you mean Austria ??? lol

• i never knew Australia has dangerous icy alpine roads and skiing ? do you mean Austria ??? lol*

Google is your friend here before you make any more stupid comments about basic knowledge and geography.

Not wearing a seatbelt endangers others in the case of an accident and most probably invalidates the insurance besides jeopardising the driver's job.

I suggest the moment they refuse to put their belts on they are ejected from the bus.

Three cheers for the brave OP who made a fuss. The other passengers are cowards.