Ed Stevens (ejstevens@EARTHLINK.NET) said on the date of 9/17/98 3:08 PM

>And as to AIRBAGS being useless, well most people (myself included) know
>someone who was helped, maybe even kept alive, by the deployment of an
>airbag.  This despite earlier listening to rantings by anti-airbag people.

     Actually the only person I know of who was in a serious accident
with and airbag was severely injured by it.  I guy I used to work with
was driving the company's brand new Dodge van cross country and fell
asleep (I didn't say it wasn't his fault).  He plowed into the back of a
towed camper with people in it going 60 or so.

     Fourtinately, no one was killed, but Todd (the driver) almost lost
the use of his left hand because of the injuries he sustained when the
airbag punched it through the window.

     Airbags, and those useless and dangerous automatic seatbelts are
with us for one reason:  American drivers are too stupid, and too
stubborn to take even the simplest precautions (wearing seatbelts,
helmets, etc.) when driving.  An airbag isn't going to do anything a
properly used seatbelt can't.

     I almost wish that they'd pass a bill that insurance companies
wouldn't have to pay claims on people who were injured when they weren't
wearing seatbelts or helmets, but I don't trust insurance companies
anywhere near that much.

_________________________________________________________

Bob O'Shaughnessy,         Columbus, OH
vanagon@columbus.rr.com
85GL with basic Westy interior
74 Bus (Dad's)
72 Wife, 94 Rabbit, 95 Cat, 96 cat, 98 Kid