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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder who doesn't wear a seat belt and why!

180 replies

FunkyKingston · 02/05/2019 00:01

metro.co.uk/2019/04/30/seat-belt-laws-become-lot-tougher-9357163/

It seems ludicrous to me that not wearing a seat belt doesn't carry at least a three points or even six points when not doing so selfishly and recklesly endangers the lives of others. Thankfully i don't knlw anyone in real life who'd ve as daft to not use the seatbelts fitted.

However, even if they don't give a shit about other people what kind of idiot isn't interested in saving their own skin in the event of a crash, when the effectiveness of seat belts in preventing death and serious injury is beyond doubt?

Does anyone here not use seatbelts or know anyone who is militantly anti seatbelt and what rationale do they use?

OP posts:
RogersVideo · 02/05/2019 00:18

I used to work on a farm, and we did not wear seat belts because we were on private land, and constantly in and out of vehicles.

This lead to me often forgetting to put my seat belt on when driving in my private car, however it would beep to remind me once I started driving.

I had coworkers who did not wear seat belts even when we took farm vehicles onto public roads because "we wouldn't be going more than 30 mph. "

I think everyone wore seat belts on roads 30mph+

Charlottejade89 · 02/05/2019 07:10

I've just copied this link to send to my partner as I always have to tell him to put his seatbelt on! its annoys the life out of me because it literally takes less than 2 seconds to put a seatbelt on, and seeing as he drives for a living hes risking losing his job over it

Happyspud · 02/05/2019 07:15

Some people don’t I imagine because the vast majority of people actually never need one.

RottnestFerry · 02/05/2019 07:16

I occasionally drive without a seatbelt because one of my cars doesn't have any.

If the belts are there, I always wear them and always have going back to the 1960s, way before it was law to do so.

Paddington68 · 02/05/2019 07:16

Natural selection at work.

whifflesqueak · 02/05/2019 07:18

rogers I came on to say farm workers too. My dh has a sort of “dummy” seatbelt clasp that he uses to stop the truck from beeping at him. Frequently have to remind him to put his seatbelt on when we’re on roads.

ArgyMargy · 02/05/2019 07:34

Lots of people I know don't use them in the back seats. If you're driving and the person behind you isn't wearing a seat belt, they might well kill you if you crash. I don't drive anywhere until everyone is belted in. Also taxis - people seem to think they don't need to belt up in taxis.

Mesmeri · 02/05/2019 07:36

When I was very young (early 20s) I knew a lot of people who didn't wear seatbelts because they didn't like "being told what to do" and "it's just a money-spinner for the police". I think if you're young/inexperienced/fortunate/silly enough not to understand what can happen if you don't wear it, it doesn't feel like a big deal. I also knew a lot of much older people who didn't wear them because they hadn't grown up with them, so thought it didn't apply to them. These days, everyone I know wears them, I think because it's something everyone gets trained to do now (can't pass the driving test without it) and as pp mentioned, those beepers are in a lot of (most?) cars now.

RevRichardWayneGaryWayne · 02/05/2019 07:37

I once had a medical exemption due to a broken collar bone - when it was better I just forgot, it was habit to just jump in the car and go! Then I got a fine and that seemed to remind me, have always worn since (and before the break!)

RevRichardWayneGaryWayne · 02/05/2019 07:39

@mesmeri

Surely if it's a money spinner for the police, by not wearing and risking a fine you're playing into their hands?! Ha ha (I know it wasnt you saying that, I'm saying their logic is flawed!)

Isth · 02/05/2019 07:42

Farm excuse again. In and out all the time on private land at no great speeds so it’s easy to get into the habit of not wearing one. We’ve even disabled the ‘beeper’ which goes off in the truck when you’re not wearing your seatbelt because it did our heads in. Unfortunately it is a habit which carried over sometimes. It’s ridiculous, I know bloody better.
A good friend of ours was killed nearly two years ago, thrown from his tractor on a road, and he’d still be here now had he been wearing a seatbelt. That shook us up, it shook everyone up to be honest, and I’ve been better since and DH now never forgets.

flitwit99 · 02/05/2019 07:42

I am a bus escort on a bus for elderly people. The driver of the bus has his seatbelt plugged in all the time, even when he's not sitting down. Then when he sits down he just puts the cross body bit over his shoulder and sort of sits on top of the lap bit. So he has half a seatbelt on. He says it is much quicker with getting off and in the bus to lower the ramp etc and is always trying to get me to do the same. He laughs at me every time I put mine on properly.
My friend's dad (who is a farmer!) used to do the same years ago. I don't know if he still does

Mesmeri · 02/05/2019 07:43

I think the rationale was that that was the only reason why they cared/fined people for not wearing them, rather than it being a life or death safety issue. But yeah, it was not my philosophy, just something I used to hear a lot at that time.

Omzlas · 02/05/2019 07:46

My DH isn't from the UK and nobody (aside form forriners) wears a seatbelt where he's from. When his dad visited the UK, he kept forgetting to belt up and the car we had at the time didn't have a sensor. DH still forgets occasionally but the car we have now has sensors on all the seats, that came in handy when FIL last visited and insisted that he didn't need his belt on when either sitting as a passenger in the front OR back Hmm . I tried to explain 'killer in the backseat' but it was lost on him.

THEsonofaBITCH · 02/05/2019 07:48

I'm not comfortable without the belt on now but I'm also one of those 1:1,000,000 cases where if I had been wearing a seatbelt in an accident it would have killed me. Figure on the back of that the odds are if there were ever another accident it could only help! For the record I started driving when seatbelts were optional!

SlipperyLizard · 02/05/2019 07:58

A taxi driver from a company local to me doesn’t wear one. If I drove like he does, I’d definitely wear a belt!

A young man I knew was killed when he was thrown through the front windscreen of his car (no seatbelt) then hit/run over by his own car. It was not a high speed crash.

Some people seem to think if they crash at 30mph they don’t need a seatbelt. I hope physics never catches up with their stupidity.

Roussette · 02/05/2019 07:58

I occasionally drive without a seatbelt because one of my cars doesn't have any

Well... if you are in the UK, your car hasn't passed an MOT then. Unless it's a classic car pre 1960s???

canihaveacoffeeplease · 02/05/2019 08:01

My step mother (60) doesn't wear hers. No reason for it whatsoever! She's a high up nurse, has seen the effects of no seatbelts. She'll happily drive her car for MILES with it beeping at her because he doesn't have her seatbelt on, it drives me INSANE and I don't understand it at all. It's just idiotic to me not to wear seatbelts. My dad tells her to put it on when they're in the car together and she huffs and does it, but not willingly.

Reddedder · 02/05/2019 08:01

I’ve never seen a taxi driver wear one and I’ve been in lots of taxis

kalopali · 02/05/2019 08:02

Well... if you are in the UK, your car hasn't passed an MOT then. Unless it's a classic car pre 1960s???

I also have a 60’s car with no seatbelts. It’s an odd feeling.

DontVisitMe · 02/05/2019 08:06

I couldn't be with a man who drives for a living and doesn't put a seat belt on. How selfish.

A distant relative of mine once asked for a lift and sat behind me. He refused to put a seat belt on and I made him get out of the car. I'm not being killed because someone without a belt on squashes me from behind.

Bookworm4 · 02/05/2019 08:07

Taxi drivers are exempt from them but passengers must wear them; and under 12s must sit in the back. No obligation regards car seats, that's the customers choice if they bring one.

HelpAFattieOutHere · 02/05/2019 08:08

A taxi driver from a company local to me doesn’t wear one. If I drove like he does, I’d definitely wear a belt!

Taxi drivers are exempt

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 02/05/2019 08:08

One of my colleagues doesn’t wear one because it rubs her tan and makeup on her neck. Now for context she is more of the Katie Price or only way is Essex school of tanning and she has the brains to match. She also drinks and drives. She is in her late 20’s and I can’t even begin to understand her stupidity

Ifartglitterybaubles · 02/05/2019 08:11

I'm a HCP working in Trauma/Ortho. I've seen the aftermath. One particular case involving several children still gets to me years later, there was no good outcome for any of them that day. The driver who did wear a belt got away with no injuries. Seatbelts save lives.

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