I often wondered why Thais do not wear seatbelts. It just takes a few seconds to put them on. I had never been in an accident until last week, despite having driven since 1968. Lucky, my Thai wife adjusted to the law over here (OZ), and I guess it saved our lives. A car went right through a stop sign and hit us head-on. The car (ours) was a write-off, but the seatbelts saved us from going through the windscreen. Why do Thais not understand that? Every time I am in LOS, I am the only one who wears a seatbelt and my wife. So why can't Thais wear a seatbelt?

born in 57 in the usa.  Early cars my parents drove had no seat belts.  When I was about 14 I often rode with my neighbors in their car and they all used seat belts.  So I started using them then.  Their Dad was in the army reserves and maybe such things were required or expected.  Anyway of course it is a great idea and glad I learned.  I have been in two accidents, not my fault, and the seat belt saved me a lot of injury.  Actually the seat and shoulder belt was the best.  Thais... well, they are not taught much in driving school class if they even go to one.  I remember my driver education class when I was nearing 16.  seeing photos of heads smashed into windshields, bloody messes from accidents being shown.  I doubt they show such things in education classes now.

1 minute ago, gk10012001 said:

born in 57 in the usa.  Early cars my parents drove had no seat belts.  When I was about 14 I often rode with my neighbors in their car and they all used seat belts.  So I started using them then.  Their Dad was in the army reserves and maybe such things were required or expected.  Anyway of course it is a great idea and glad I learned.  I have been in two accidents, not my fault, and the seat belt saved me a lot of injury.  Actually the seat and shoulder belt was the best.  Thais... well, they are not taught much in driving school class if they even go to one.  I remember my driver education class when I was nearing 16.  seeing photos of heads smashed into windshields, bloody messes from accidents being shown.  I doubt they show such things in education classes now.

Yes, I have never seen them in Thailand 

28 minutes ago, still kicking said:

I often wondered why Thais do not wear seatbelts. It just takes a few seconds to put them on. I had never been in an accident until last week, despite having driven since 1968. Lucky, my Thai wife adjusted to the law over here (OZ), and I guess it saved our lives. A car went right through a stop sign and hit us head-on. The car (ours) was a write-off, but the seatbelts saved us from going through the windscreen. Why do Thais not understand that? Every time I am in LOS, I am the only one who wears a seatbelt and my wife. So why can't Thais wear a seatbelt?

You got no idea.

Just now, Harrisfan said:

You got no idea.

But you have 

18 minutes ago, still kicking said:

But you have 

Like you would know. 70m Thais never seen them 

3 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Like you would know. 70m Thais never seen them 

That's why 20.000 people die on the road 

2 minutes ago, still kicking said:

That's why 20.000 people die on the road 

Most deaths are motorbike riders.

6 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Most deaths are motorbike riders.

I am not surprised yoy have 10.000 posts in 8 months 

22 minutes ago, still kicking said:

I am not surprised yoy have 10.000 posts in 8 months 

Yoy

37 minutes ago, still kicking said:

That's why 20.000 people die on the road 

 

no seatbelts on motorbikes, helmets though...

Why do leftists care so much about what other people do? 

 

I wear seatbelts, I make the people that ride with me wear seatbelts, but I do not give a rat’s if others do.

I only wear a seatbelt, because it's the law.  

 

I do use a clip, to restrict the tension, so that I don't feel the seat belt at all against my body.   In a crash, it would be useless, as I'd hit the airbag, way before the seatbelt stopped my inertial movement.

 

May keep me from getting ejected from the car, if hit hard enough to open the door, but that's about it.  50+ years of driving, and yet to need a seatbelt, and with airbags, a bit redundant & useless IMHO.

seat belts are over rated. I refuse tom use them.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

50+ years of driving, and yet to need a seatbelt,

 

Isn't that a bit like saying 50+ years of riding a motorcycle without a helmet. To quote you from a different thread

Quote

The stats prove helmet use saves lives. 

 

I think you will find that "The stats prove seatbelt use saves lives". 

 

As a teenager my dream car aspirations were based on by Rallying. The first car I bought for myself - because it had a rallying heritage -  had 3-point seatbelts a full 14 years before seatbelt use was mandatory. 

I've always worn seatbelts since. I feel naked without. Airbags won't be of much use if you are upside down in a ditch.  (Been there at least twice 🥰).  

I started wearing them because it was 😎. Now it is habit. 

 

And yes I always wear a helmet on a motorcycle. (Phraseology chosen carefully 😇)

 

 

@still kicking Glad you are still here and hopefully both you and your wife got away with it without any injuries.

6 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Isn't that a bit like saying 50+ years of riding a motorcycle without a helmet. To quote you from a different thread

 

I think you will find that "The stats prove seatbelt use saves lives". 

 

As a teenager my dream car aspirations were based on by Rallying. The first car I bought for myself - because it had a rallying heritage -  had 3-point seatbelts a full 14 years before seatbelt use was mandatory. 

I've always worn seatbelts since. I feel naked without. Airbags won't be of much use if you are upside down in a ditch.  (Been there at least twice 🥰).  

I started wearing them because it was 😎. Now it is habit. 

 

And yes I always wear a helmet on a motorcycle. (Phraseology chosen carefully 😇)

 

 

Seat belts save lives, especially pre air bag days.  No argument there, but useless now.  You have to be in a horrific crash for the seatbelt to be useful, as cars today are so much safer than in the past.   So I roll the dice on that one.

 

Also wear a helmet, even if taking the dog down to the wat for a walk, and that's village driving, about 500m.   Lived in Pennsylvania, having helmet law, and use to drive along the Brandywine Valley, river area, which crosses over into Delaware, with no helmet laws, and it amazed me how many idiots took their helmets off.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I only wear a seatbelt, because it's the law.  

 

I do use a clip, to restrict the tension, so that I don't feel the seat belt at all against my body.   In a crash, it would be useless, as I'd hit the airbag, way before the seatbelt stopped my inertial movement.

 

May keep me from getting ejected from the car, if hit hard enough to open the door, but that's about it.  50+ years of driving, and yet to need a seatbelt, and with airbags, a bit redundant & useless IMHO.

Seat belts are NOT redundant with airbags, they are complementary.

 

If you rely on airbags without the seatbelts restraining you as well, you are going to end up injured.

 

Quote:

 

"Airbags deploy with incredible force. An airbag inflates in a fraction of a second at speeds up to 200 mph. If you are not restrained by a seatbelt, your body will be thrown forward at the moment of impact and collide with the rapidly deploying airbag. This can cause a number of severe injuries, including head and neck trauma, broken bones, and internal organ damage."

 

Source Gemini.

 

Perhaps you should buy a lottery ticket, you are incredibly lucky.

 

 

10 hours ago, still kicking said:

I often wondered why Thais do not wear seatbelts. It just takes a few seconds to put them on. I had never been in an accident until last week, despite having driven since 1968. Lucky, my Thai wife adjusted to the law over here (OZ), and I guess it saved our lives. A car went right through a stop sign and hit us head-on. The car (ours) was a write-off, but the seatbelts saved us from going through the windscreen. Why do Thais not understand that? Every time I am in LOS, I am the only one who wears a seatbelt and my wife. So why can't Thais wear a seatbelt?

 

The airbags didn't deploy?

2 minutes ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

 

The airbags didn't deploy?

Not all cars have airbags, depends on vehicle age.

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

seat belts are over rated. I refuse tom use them.

If you hit your head on the windscreen, I'm pretty sure there won't be any brain damage.

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I only wear a seatbelt, because it's the law.  

 

I do use a clip, to restrict the tension, so that I don't feel the seat belt at all against my body.  .... 50+ years of driving, and yet to need a seatbelt, and with airbags, a bit redundant & useless IMHO.

Kind of puts in perspective most of your other posts #muppet

10 hours ago, still kicking said:

often wondered why Thais do not wear seatbelts. It just takes a few seconds to put them on

You may want to exit the vehicle quickly 

 

Luckygirl, could have been crushed in that wreckage. 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, mogandave said:

Why do leftists care so much about what other people do? 

 

I wear seatbelts, I make the people that ride with me wear seatbelts, but I do not give a rat’s if others do.

You cant tell from outside

Not wanting to wear a seat belt comes from rebellion. They aren't uncomfortable, as you forget you're wearing one soon after you put it on.

 

I didn't wear one for years in the US until they made it a law in Texas. I got a ticket from a state trooper at night who said I wasn't wearing one after I got out of the car at night and approached his vehicle. he came from behind me for a speeding violation. I wasn't speeding and wasn't wearing a seat belt, but he couldn't have seen it from behind at night. He also asked me if I was wearing contacts, as my license said glasses. I said yes, and he asked me to take them from my eyes to prove it to him. I said no. I argued about the tickets and he said I could pick which one I needed to pay (he couldn't prove on either one), so I picked the seat belt, as I knew I would lose in court, his word, along with the other trooper he was with, against mine.

 

From that point on, I started wearing my seat belt. I realized it was a smart idea, as accidents happen, and a seat belt protects you in any event, especially if the car overturns. It's just plain smart to wear one, as you never know what can happen, especially here with so many incompetent drivers. One time you're hit from the side and your car overturns, you don't want to leave the vehicle and be crushed underneath. 

17 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

You may want to exit the vehicle quickly 

 

Luckygirl, could have been crushed in that wreckage. 

 

 

 

 

75% of people who are ejected from their vehicle die of their injuries. She beat the odds.

4 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Not wanting to wear a seat belt comes from rebellion. They aren't uncomfortable, as you forget you're wearing one soon after you put it on.

 

I didn't wear one for years in the US until they made it a law in Texas. I got a ticket from a state trooper at night who said I wasn't wearing one after I got out of the car at night and approached his vehicle. he came from behind me for a speeding violation. I wasn't speeding and wasn't wearing a seat belt, but he couldn't have seen it from behind at night. He also asked me if I was wearing contacts, as my license said glasses. I said yes, and he asked me to take them from my eyes to prove it to him. I said no. I argued about the tickets and he said I could pick which one I needed to pay (he couldn't prove on either one), so I picked the seat belt, as I knew I would lose in court, his word, along with the other trooper he was with, against mine.

 

From that point on, I started wearing my seat belt. I realized it was a smart idea, as accidents happen, and a seat belt protects you in any event, especially if the car overturns. It's just plain smart to wear one, as you never know what can happen, especially here with so many incompetent drivers. One time you're hit from the side and your car overturns, you don't want to leave the vehicle and be crushed underneath. 

Australia was a world leader in making seat belts mandatory. 1970. Many other countries followed suit, when they saw the significant and immediate reduction in accident deaths and injuries.

 

Putting on a seat belt is an automatic action for me, I would feel naked without it.

50 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If you hit your head on the windscreen, I'm pretty sure there won't be any brain damage.

steering wheel will get me irst.

43 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

If you hit your head on the windscreen, I'm pretty sure there won't be any brain damage.

steering wheel will get me irst.

 

Ah, ok. So you're counting on the crushed rib cage and massive heart trauma to do you in first.

12 hours ago, still kicking said:

I often wondered why Thais do not wear seatbelts. It just takes a few seconds to put them on. I had never been in an accident until last week, despite having driven since 1968. Lucky, my Thai wife adjusted to the law over here (OZ), and I guess it saved our lives. A car went right through a stop sign and hit us head-on. The car (ours) was a write-off, but the seatbelts saved us from going through the windscreen. Why do Thais not understand that? Every time I am in LOS, I am the only one who wears a seatbelt and my wife. So why can't Thais wear a seatbelt?

After a long conversation with  Thai Teenager   ( who spoke English) on road Safety , Minibus Drivers,  No Lights on Bikes at Night,   Seatbelts,  etc.. his response was " Farang scared to die, Thai's not scared", how to help people with that kind of thinking......you can't