Citation for failure to wear the seat belt

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm okay with people not wanting to be told how to live their lives.

As long as they agree to pay higher insurance premiums for their car and health care to compensate for the higher risks, or waive any insurance payments in the event of an accident made worse because they werent wearing a seatbelt or a helmet. Plus they automatically get low priority in the emergency room vs patients who took adequate measures to avoid senseless injuries.

I've found a lot of the "freebird" types lose interest pretty quick when they dont get the dual benefit of doing what they want AND not paying for the consequences.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Also, it's already the law. It applies to everyone. Sam said he broke it and got caught. Suck it up and take your lumps.

 

[Rustic23]

I'm okay with people not wanting to be told how to live their lives.

As long as they agree to pay higher insurance premiums for their car and health care to compensate for the higher risks, or waive any insurance payments in the event of an accident made worse because they werent wearing a seatbelt or a helmet. Plus they automatically get low priority in the emergency room vs patients who took adequate measures to avoid senseless injuries.

I've found a lot of the "freebird" types lose interest pretty quick when they dont get the dual benefit of doing what they want AND not paying for the consequences.

It may suprise you, but I agree. In a free country you should have the right to do stupid stuff, and you should have the right to pay for it.

 

[OAG]

Besides, let's face it. Most men who refuse to wear seatbelts are old, old, OLD - - older than Methuselah.

I beg your pardon! The correct term is "older than dirt". But that is not me because I ALWAYS wear a seat belt and now that you said that; I will continue to do so!

 

[Texas Proud]

As long as they agree to pay higher insurance premiums for their car and health care to compensate for the higher risks, or waive any insurance payments in the event of an accident made worse because they werent wearing a seatbelt or a helmet. Plus they automatically get low priority in the emergency room vs patients who took adequate measures to avoid senseless injuries.

The problem with that is who is to know? My sister rolled her truck and on one of the rollovers the cab was pushed over to the right a LOT... so her head hit the road on the next rollover... fortunately she survived with no long term damage... but had a bad gash, a broken neck and other injuries.... every doctor she saw asked her about wearing a seat belt... and she WAS... they just could not believe her injuries while wearing one... once you saw the truck, it became apparent how...

 

[W2R]

I beg your pardon! The correct term is "older than dirt". But that is not me because I ALWAYS wear a seat belt and now that you said that; I will continue to do so!

Good for you!! Obviously you are neither older than dirt, nor older than Methuselah.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

The problem with that is who is to know? My sister rolled her truck and on one of the rollovers the cab was pushed over to the right a LOT... so her head hit the road on the next rollover... fortunately she survived with no long term damage... but had a bad gash, a broken neck and other injuries.... every doctor she saw asked her about wearing a seat belt... and she WAS... they just could not believe her injuries while wearing one... once you saw the truck, it became apparent how...

Thats why its an unworkable option, and why the laws were signed into effect.

The insurance companies said they'd like to raise rates on cars and motorcycles through the roof because seat belt and helmet compliance was lousy. The lawmakers put in a law requiring seat belts and helmets to avoid the rate hikes. Everybody likes cheaper insurance. Most people I know enjoy having their head in one piece.

Good news is if you wanna be "free and easy", go ahead. You'll probably only get caught once every couple of years and the ticket price is probably close to the insurance savings.

 

[eridanus]

Good news is if you wanna be "free and easy", go ahead.

All freebirds should let their views be known and go without seatbelts.

Fight the Man!

 

[TromboneAl]

I could no more forget to put on my seatbelt than to put on my pants.

[looks down] Oops.

 

[Texarkandy]

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny
I'm okay with people not wanting to be told how to live their lives.

As long as they agree to pay higher insurance premiums for their car and health care to compensate for the higher risks, or waive any insurance payments in the event of an accident made worse because they werent wearing a seatbelt or a helmet. Plus they automatically get low priority in the emergency room vs patients who took adequate measures to avoid senseless injuries.

I've found a lot of the "freebird" types lose interest pretty quick when they dont get the dual benefit of doing what they want AND not paying for the consequences.

It may suprise you, but I agree. In a free country you should have the right to do stupid stuff, and you should have the right to pay for it.

Well, I can't hear CFB myself - only his/her echo when quoted - but:

the amount of insurance premium I agree to pay is between my & my insurance company, not you or CFB & only to a small degree, the govt -

and as long as we are advocating giving certain people priority in emergency rooms, how about we give priority to those who can immediately demonstrate evidence that the ER will actually recieve reimbursement for services rendered? Would that be OK?

Are either of you wearing those helmets yet when driving your cars? Perhaps you we give priority ER treatment & discounted insurance to those who do. In fact, there should be a govt mandate.

(Ouch - I bit my tounge again - had it in my cheek )

 

[bbbamI]

Sometimes I wear my helmet in my house.

 

[socca]

Consider wearing a seatbelt as part of your grooming ritual and at least a small effort to present yourself positively to the opposite sex.

Are human sperm carriers really so desperate that they'd buckle up just to make themselves more attractive to human egg carriers?

 

[calmloki]

Are human sperm carriers really so desperate that they'd buckle up just to make themselves more attractive to human egg carriers?

ok, just aside from anything else, let me be the first to say, "Well duh"!

 

[Marquette]

Are human sperm carriers really so desperate that they'd buckle up just to make themselves more attractive to human egg carriers?

I'd tie it in a bow if that'd help.

 

[mews]

I think the "low priority in the ER" part is, as pointed out, draconian and unfair. But, I would support "you must have checked off the organ donation box on your license."

Then sure, pay some extra insurance, and ride that motorcycle without the helmet ... you get some fun, and society gains some donors. what's not to like?

I suspect it is the human sperm carriers who would tend towards this infelcitous behavior, reducing the pool of available carriers competing for human egg carriers.

.... hmmmm - oh, yeah, Darwin was that guy's name....

ta,
mews

 

[RetiredGypsy]

I think the "low priority in the ER" part is, as pointed out, draconian and unfair. But, I would support "you must have checked off the organ donation box on your license."

Then sure, pay some extra insurance, and ride that motorcycle without the helmet ... you get some fun, and society gains some donors. what's not to like?

I suspect it is the human sperm carriers who would tend towards this infelcitous behavior, reducing the pool of available carriers competing for human egg carriers.

.... hmmmm - oh, yeah, Darwin was that guy's name....

ta,
mews

It's as prevalent from one gender to the other.

One thing about motorcycle helmet laws that make no sense is they don't define the kind of helmet you should be wearing. I mean, a seatbelt is a seatbelt, but I can think of four different kinds of helmets off the top of my head, all DOT approved. Only one's really good, but no one's pushing for it, they're just happy to have "a helmet" law. Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Then again, injuries prevented from wearing a helmet is dwarfed by injuries prevented by wearing actual protective gear, yet try to find a law against going out in shorts and sandals instead of riding pants and boots.

 

[mews]

RetiredGypsy wrote: yet try to find a law against going out in shorts and sandals instead of riding pants and boots.


True! I have a friend who was a nurse for many years. The first signs of spring: Broken wrists from rollerbladers, and road-rash from the motorcyclists.

dimbulbs!

ta,
mews

 

[Sam]

An update:

I know this is a controversial issue. So I'll just provide an update sans comments.

I decided to pay $75 to a local lawyer to take care of the ticket. There was no guarantee whatsoever from him. He would not give me any details on how he plan to "save" me. But he knew that I have to appear in court, and that based on past cases, I have a 75% plus chance of getting the ticket dismissed.

Well, my case came up two weeks ago, and was dismissed because the ticketing officer was not present. There were many people there with seatbelt tickets, most were dismissed. The few that were not were offered probation or reduced fines or probation or traffic school.

Sam

 

[Rustic23]

I know of a lawyer that has used this trick. The lawyer goes in and ask for a different time to appear preferably short notice. The cop does not get notified, or does not show, ticket dismissed.

 

[REWahoo]

Congratulations Sam. You were fortunate to get good results for your $75.
Hundreds of folks in this neck of the woods had an entirely different outcome.

"Attorney Diana Minella was supposed to take care of her clients' traffic tickets. Instead, she left hundreds of motorists stranded and her owing more than $600,000 in fees those clients paid her."

Traffic ticket lawyer in bankruptcy court

 

[Leonidas]

I know of a lawyer that has used this trick. The lawyer goes in and ask for a different time to appear preferably short notice. The cop does not get notified, or does not show, ticket dismissed.

All traffic court attorneys know this one, and a few others. Of course, you can do it as well, and save yourself $75.

The question to Sam is - do you wear your seat belt now? Or, do you at least pay attention to the publicized crackdowns? Here's the newest one:

Police Chief Harold Hurtt will discuss the next phase of the Fatality Crash Reduction campaign today. The department is trying to reduce traffic deaths by targeting dangerous behavior. Starting today, officers will focus on aggressive driving and car seats. They have already increased enforcement of drunk driving laws.

 

[Rustic23]

I think not wearing a seat belt is just stupid. However, I am strongly opposed to the mandatory seat belt law, as I have stated elsewhere on here. I don't think you will find many pilots that don't wear a seat belt. Now I don't always wear a helmet on my scooter or bike.

The other on I heard of is to pay the $10 for a new license plate every 6 months or so to make it more difficult to figure out a repeat offender for parking tickets. Not sure how that worked.

 

[harley]

Police Chief Harold Hurtt will discuss the next phase of the Fatality Crash Reduction campaign today. The department is trying to reduce traffic deaths by targeting dangerous behavior. Starting today, officers will focus on aggressive driving and car seats. They have already increased enforcement of drunk driving laws.

I've heard this so many times. Not the drunk driving part, but the aggressive driving part. They say it, but don't follow up. Here in the DC area they put up many $100Ks worth of signs about "Aggressive Driving Imaging". I read something a couple years later that not a single ticket had been issued. I (an admittedly aggressive driver who has slowed down a bit with age) have never seen an imaging-mobile, although I've driven hundreds of thousands of beltway miles. I think it's a version of the security system signs without the system. I also think it's something that is very difficult to prove and prosecute, unless you can lead it with a speeding ticket. Personally, I think they should just pass the "driving while stupid" law and get all those other people offa my road!

 

[SarahW]

Just pay the ticket. At least it isn't a moving violation.

OK, nevermind. That's what I get for posting without reading the entire thread.

 

[Koolau]

Hawaii (or at least Oahu) had a Federally supported Click It or Ticket emphasis a few months back. This means the Feds give the state bucket loads of money and the state puts up a bunch of flashing signs and LE then pulls over a few drivers. I say a few 'cause Hawaii already has a 98% SB compliance. If the Feds wanted to save a couple of Hawaiian lives, they'd give us money to put up cross walk signals where pedestrians now cross 6 lanes of traffic.