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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
onmyownneedtottalk · 02/05/2019 09:42

Dsis pulled hers off years and years ago after childminder taught her at age 2 or so ... parents having a screaming row on dual carriageway ... dad slammed on breaks to throw mum out the car - I vaguely remember both of them screaming as sister flew across the car and landed on dashboard sort of . Somehow she escaped without injury and doesn’t remember . I haven’t ever gone without a seatbelt where possible - even on short bus journeys .

Used to do a 10 mile round trip to school though and seatbelts weren’t provided - and no one really sat down at all ... double decker buses .. when I think of what could have been I feel quite sick to be honest , we used to sit on the parcel shelves, stairs and all sorts .

Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 02/05/2019 09:43

@jebsuschristchocolatebar you know your colleague drink drives? Have you been present when she’s done this? Why have you not shopped her?

I fucking loathe drink drivers

Bookworm4 · 02/05/2019 09:52

@damntheman
Good luck to the taxi driver stopped for a safety/licence check with the knife in his car. You are ridiculous and yes attacks on taxi drivers are fairly common.

Original poster
FunkyKingston · 02/05/2019 09:53

colleague drink drives? Have you been present when she’s done this? Why have you not shopped her?

I fucking loathe drink drivers

Me too.. I guess that iess you're able to tell the police gow mucg they've had and are able to detal when and where they're driving, then their linited in what they can do.

OP posts:
AhhhHereItGoes · 02/05/2019 09:54

My 3 and 6 year old tell anyone off who doesn't wear their seatbelt.

I ALWAYS where a seatbelt. Cannot think of a time in my 29 years of life I haven't if they are available.

It just adds unnecessary risk, especially to other passengers.

Damntheman · 02/05/2019 10:13

Are taxi drivers getting arrested for owning pen knives now bookworm? I don't think I'm the one being ridiculous here.

AhhhHereItGoes · 02/05/2019 10:14

No idea why post where instead of wear.
You get what I mean though Smile

Walnutwhipster · 02/05/2019 10:17

I don't because it's too painful. I have recently had major surgery (although that will improve) but also have a permanent line stitched into the left side of my abdomen. It lines up exactly with my seatbelt.

HelpAFattieOutHere · 02/05/2019 10:25

The only thing I can see that seat belts are a problem for is if the car were on fire and you couldn't get it undone. But the chances of that are very small

I have one of these in each front door pocket in case I ever need to heroically save a dog trapped in a hot car
Seat belt cutter and break glass hammer on the other end. Have used the smashy glass hammer once when I came across a car accident on a country road and both doors on the car were jammed shut.

www.amazon.co.uk/Emergency-Escape-Window-Hammer-Safety/dp/B00K63TG9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?s=gateway&crid=3PTX1DCR5M9YW&keywords=seatbelt+cutter+window+breaker&sprefix=seatbelt+cu&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1556789084&sr=8-3

adaline · 02/05/2019 10:27

I always wear one and refuse to drive off without everyone being buckled in. I drive on narrow country roads with loads of farm traffic/animals wandering about and often have to brake quickly to avoid a sheep in my path.

There's no way I would risk driving without one.

Aimily · 02/05/2019 10:28

My grandad is the only person I know that refuses, his reason is that not wearing a seal belt saved his life. He will however put it on if you ask him to.

outvoid · 02/05/2019 10:29

For most people it’s just an automatic reaction when they get into the car, it is for myself and everyone I know. I would never set off driving if I wasn’t sure everyone had their belt on.

My DF has a medical certificate that says he doesn’t need to wear one so he hasn’t for years which petrifies me thinking about it.

minniemoll · 02/05/2019 10:33

But how can it be selfish if you are the only passenger in your own car? If you take a risk on your own life, how is that selfish?

Presumably you're also going to pay the NHS back for the care you'll receive when you're seriously injured and spend weeks in hospital being cared for? In that case, rock on.

Re seatbelt cutters, I have a device which has an internal blade to cut the seatbelt should I get trapped (I once saw a police programme with a recording of a girl screaming that the car was on fire and she couldn't get out because her seatbelt was jammed, it was terrifying), it also has a hammer to beak a window, a torch and a red flashing beacon (it attaches to the car magnetically so if you break down it'll warn people). I keep it in the driver's pocket.

TheMuminator2 · 02/05/2019 10:37

Old Italian teacher never used to wear a seat belt when we went for a drive. many times tried to convince her it was safe but nope she knew best. No rational reason for not wearing one just habit.
Alos another neighbour who lived in South America for many years, on coming back to the UK never wore one again. just habit. He was lucky and never got in a crash.
I cant understand people who dont wear one, if it isnt on it feels like something is missing. It should be a natural reaction to wear one.

Bookworm4 · 02/05/2019 11:36

@damn
You aren't meant to carry any type of knife including a pen knife. The regulations regards a taxi licence are strict and more rigid then an ordinary licence. You maybe need to understand that your opinion isn't always the right one or everybody elses.

Damntheman · 02/05/2019 11:40

Bookworm then the taxi driver can carry one of those snazzy devices designed to cut seat belts instead. You're being rather obtuse focusing on this one, moveable point and I'm finding it ridiculous.

magpiecounter · 02/05/2019 11:42

One of the school mums works at the hospital and she had a family in yesterday who were in a crash and not one of the kids was wearing a seatbelt!

Provincialbelle · 02/05/2019 11:42

A number of people - most in fact - whom I shared black cabs with when I was first working in London didn’t. I always did and people commented on this. Why do they think cabs won’t have accidents?

My DF wouldn’t have tolerated us without seatbelts for a microsecond - there would never have been the slightest discussion - belt on or all hell would break loose. Consequently I have never ever been in a car and not worn one, and the same goes for my DCs as well.

Bookworm4 · 02/05/2019 11:44

@damn
It's your refusal to accept taxi drivers are exempt and have a valid reason to be. It's not your job to police the law.

Damntheman · 02/05/2019 11:47

They aren't exempt here Bookworm, so I consider the law outdated and unnecessary in the UK. Thus is my point, there are ways and means to protect taxi drivers without endangering them (or the public) by exempting them from wearing seatbelts. You seem weirdly obsessed about defending it.

Plaintree · 02/05/2019 11:48

I always wear mine, but they're so obviously designed by men. Someone needs to come up with better design that's better for women.

Junkmail · 02/05/2019 11:50

I’m another who got out of the habit of it after working on a farm. One of the (very old school!) workers claimed they were dangerous 😱 His logic was that a seatbelt caused injury during a crash although honestly would rather be injured by the seat belt than killed as a result of being thrown through the windscreen!

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 02/05/2019 12:09

I can’t imagine not wearing one, on the very odd occasion when I’ve not worn one - for example I moved the car in a car park the other day as they were having a skip or something delivered - I just feels odd.

Having said that, I really wish they’d start using female crash test dummies (there was a great article about male as default posted a few weeks ago) as seatbelts are uncomfortable. I’m big busted and not tall so it either rides over my boobs and rubs my neck or I have to consciously pull it under my boobs.

goose1964 · 02/05/2019 12:10

My MiL won't wear one, she's tiny and the strap cuts into her neck. I suggested she gets one of those things that pull the strap away. However she's really stubborn and in the early Stages of dementia.

Helenluvsrob · 02/05/2019 12:16

In the “ Olden days “ before child seats were compulsory or seatbelts were even a standard fitting there were less cars on roads that were not multi lane highways and the nature of the roads and the cars limited speeds to an extent too. My dad said with kids in the car you drove like you had eggs on the back seat.

Seat belts save lives. There are very vanishingly few medical reasons to be exempt as risk of death is always higher without