Ok then, they might as well make it so the car does not start when you turn the key. That way nobody would ever be at risk if they're not out driving.

They can't do everything for us, and the more they try the less accountability drivers feel for their actions. That scares me.

 

Re-reading the post, I must clarify. Seatbelts were mandated in 1967, AFAIK. Seatbelt buzzers probably haven't been mandated ever, as it's possible to disable them in some vehicles.

And speaking of seatbelts: I was going through the gate at the military installation in which I work about two years ago. The gate guard asked me to pull over to the side so that he can search my vehicle. I said sure, but what exactly are you going to "search." He just shrugged his shoulders and said that they were doing a mandatory random vehicle search. They were searching every third vehicle through the gate and I was the third vehicle. After telling him searching every THIRD vehicle wasn't RANDOM, he got short with me and told me to pull over to the side. While over there, he actually asked if I had my seatbelt fastened, as it was on his checklist of the things to check! Again, he wasn't happy with me after informing him that motorcycles don't have seatbelts.

 

Lemme take my shot first saying I wear my seatbelt when it could save my life. All the time. Period.

What I am tired of is the 10 minute commute on the errand trail, or the night beach drive - neither of which do I ever exceed 25 MPH as that's impossible - with bells ringing and sirens blaring from the inside of a car. When no other driver could possibly deliver serious injury or death to me and when I can claim the same for my own driving, I'd rather not wear a seatbelt.

And I owe the honesty of saying it's because I freakin hate em and they inhibit my bad posture, slouching, left leg on the dash, reaching for a CD, pulling the wallet out of the glove box, movement of any kind, etc. onandonandon...

And I've never been injured in a vehicle.

 

I can't think of one. I, too, live on a farm. I buckle up to drive to the mail box. Why? It so happens that one CAN get into an accident on that 1/2 mile down the dirt road. Deer in my area are plentiful and if I am in a head on with one of them, even at 15 mph, I want that belt securely on me, my kids, and my passengers.

Before the car is on, the belt is buckled. It's a habit, a GOOD habit, one I have taught my eight year old kids and one we enforce without exception.

 

"Think outside the box." It's not just about "what's good for you is good for everybody." You may think it's important for your own safety and piece of mind, but for someone else, they may not want to strap on a belt to drive 15 MPH on a clear farm road, with crops that only get a foot or two high, and no chance a two foot tall deer is going to jump out behind of a pumpkin and smash in the front end of your 3500 pound vehicle. So, this point is moot.

For some, the buzzer is a helpful idiot gauge. For others, just an annoyance for the occasional beltless drive.

Not all cases fit everybody. Be open minded enough to see this.

BTW, I only bring this up to show there are circumstances which allow the use of a vehicle without the safety belts. I don't drive without my belt. It's such an ingrain habit, that I've put on my belt just to back my car out of my garage so I have more room to work on my motorcycle! Like I'm going to need to be belted (for a frontal impact, nonetheless) when my vehicle is moving less than 5 mph, for 15 feet, and going in reverse...

 

Sorry, we'll have to agree to disagree.

20 years ago wearing seat belts was thinking "out of the box."

 

Finally! You see my point. Not everyone is going to agree with you. What's good for you may not be what's good for someone else.

 

You may want to consider if disabling the buzzy thing (which I do agree is pretty bloody annoying) would have any adverse affects w/ the car/health insurance thing? No, I've never seen a line that says "payable only if the buzzy thing is active", but I can imagine a situation where an insurance company refuses to pay out because of it. Just a thought.

And let's all remember that seatbelt laws are not about saving lives - they are about reducing public healthcare costs (no, I have no idea as to whether or not this has any appreciable effect on my taxes). So it's not so much about restricting your decision to risk greater injury per se, it's kinda about restricting your decision to increase the risk of all of us footing a larger medical bill for you.

 

NOT Wearing my seatbelt saved my life. I rarely wear my seatbelt after that accident.

I too would like to know how to turn off the warning. I know that its a good thing for the manufacturer to have, for "safety" reasons, but if I knowingly turn it off there is no way that I could take suit against HONDA for an accident that I was not wearing my belt in.

In most cars that I know of, there is a way, I have yet to find it for ours.

 

I'm going to lock the thread before this detereorates further.

The best way would probably be to unplug the sensor under the seat. Your SRS light will go on but thats not realy a bad thing. If you just plug the belt in or get a spare clip to plug in from a junk yard the car will think you are wearing a belt and may or may not do nasty things with the airbag inflation rates.

I would think removing the plug to the sensor would be the "safest" alternative but I would personaly just wear mine instead of guessing how the car is going to react in an accident.

I personaly wear my seatbelt all the time. I don't have problems with it and I think its silly not to wear it but there are others that disagree. I can live with that.

If anyone objects to me closing this thread please PM and I will consider unlocking it.