[nanduchitnis]

Child seats should also be made compulsory as is the norm in most countries.

In Pune we get fined Rs 200/- for not buckling seat belts in 4 wheelers but driving 2 wheelers without helmets is fine !

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I generally do not wear seat belts while driving in the city (as the speed is generally 20-30KMPH in office hours) .. only in highway drives I persuade myself (and the front passenger) to wear seat belts

This might be a bit harsh, but ... I used to wear seat belts since 2001 (and thus became the laughing stock of my family), nobody was laughing when I walked out of a serious crash - alive and fully functioning.

30 kmph is very close to the sprinting speed of an olympic 100m sprinter.

Why don't you sprint at that speed, and go straight into a steering wheel and see how that feels? Because if you crash at 30kmph, your chest & head will hit the steering wheel at 30kmph. Your death in that case is not inconceivable.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

This might be a bit harsh, but ... I used to wear seat belts since 2001 (and thus became the laughing stock of my family), nobody was laughing when I walked out of a serious crash - alive and fully functioning.

30 kmph is very close to the sprinting speed of an olympic 100m sprinter.

Why don't you sprint at that speed, and go straight into a steering wheel and see how that feels? Because if you crash at 30kmph, your chest & head will hit the steering wheel at 30kmph. Your death in that case is not inconceivable.

Thanks for the kind :P words . Practice wearing seat belts whenever I take out the car -- this became a belated new year resolution. I am determined not to let this one fail.

[shankar.balan]

Wearing seat belts is a good habit. Indeed all these modern cars keep hassling you by beeping consistently when you forget to wear your seat belt. Im sure there are also some vehicles which will simply stop or dig in their heels like the proverbial mule, in case of one's non compliance in terms of wearing the seat belt!
In the more modern cars the airbags and stuff simply wont kick in unless the seat belts are worn! Worth remembering this I think!

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

This might be a bit harsh, but ... I used to wear seat belts since 2001 (and thus became the laughing stock of my family), nobody was laughing when I walked out of a serious crash - alive and fully functioning.

30 kmph is very close to the sprinting speed of an olympic 100m sprinter.

Why don't you sprint at that speed, and go straight into a steering wheel and see how that feels? Because if you crash at 30kmph, your chest & head will hit the steering wheel at 30kmph. Your death in that case is not inconceivable.

[gd1418]

I find it a bit hard to believe that wearing seat-belts wasn't compulsory for a front co-passenger in B'lore all these years. Very very strange.

Here in Delhi/NCR people have been wearing seat-belts in the front for ages.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I generally do not wear seat belts while driving in the city (as the speed is generally 20-30KMPH in office hours) .. only in highway drives I persuade myself (and the front passenger) to wear seat belts

I've heard this before.

People try and persuade me to NOT wear the seat belt. Their argument? "You're barley going past 50 km/h, why would you need to wear a seat-belt". This is very similar to: "Yeah I'm not wearing my helmet. I'm not going for a long ride, it's just to the shop down the road, it doesn't matter!"

Such statements are akin to age-old myths like "A girl can't get pregnant on the first night"

Let me get this out of my system.

A seat-belt can save you even if you are doing 0 km/h. If you get rear ended while parked or at a traffic-junction, the seat-belt will hold you in place, instead of flinging your head/chest into the steering wheel. If you're waiting at the signal and a drunk driver ploughs straight into your car, seat-belts can STILL save you. (sorry for being a little graphic )

I urge everyone to buckle-up. What's the harm in it, really?

[superutp]

I remember the time when I was 14 and my bro was 16, we made our parents take our family Wagon R to the Maruti dealer to get rear seat belts fitted.

Always been a advocate of seat belts since sense developed in my brain (maybe even before that).

As everyone agrees, a rule is not enough, it should be enforced. Cops just see it as a way of making money rather than actually realising the safety benefits associated with it for motorists.

Take for example the helmet rule for 2 wheelers. Fine, nowadays you see a lot more riders wearing helmets but then again its just for the sake of wearing. 90% of times they dont have the straps on. Owing to this the whole idea of safety is lost. If you fall your helmet is going to come off and cause you more injury.

Seatbelts save your life not only at high speeds but even at as low as 20km/hr, and its not only about saving your life. At low speeds losing your life is not the issue, but something like a head injury could possibly make you feel that losing your life was better.

What the public requires is awareness, a rule will only make people do things when an enforcer is in the vicinity.

Coming to awareness, well there are a million things about driving properly/safely that people need to understand before they even strap on their seatbelt, but yes its a start!

[shankar.balan]

Some of the worst accidents happen at low speeds.
The combination of seat belts + active head restraints etc help in preventing painful things like whiplash etc.
I cannot understand why these laws cannot be a country wide phenomenon. Why one set of laws as GD said, for Delhi / NCR and a completely different set for Karnataka?
The two wheeler helmet rule used to be enforced very strongly in Madras 20 years ago, so why not in Bangalore in 2012?
These blasted states should get some of their autonomy removed and there should be a standard country wide fine for non compliance with rules pertaining to motor vehicles.
Suggested Fine: Rs 1000/- spot fine for not wearing Helmets/ Seat belts.
Three violations and License is revoked for a period of at least 1-2 years.
Only if we apply the "danda" in this country, to the stupid general public, will we get any result.
We are an indisciplined lot - and can only listen when we get beatings of this kind!
I remember in Delhi around 10 years back, the cab driver would simply drape his seatbelt over himself whenever he drove into a cop infested road. At other times they simply didnt used to bother. I observed the same thing in Calcutta around 2 years back.
What about Lorries and buses? Should they not also have similar rules enforced on them along with everything else?
We are a country of multi standards and terrible chaos on the roads.
Just making rules isnt going to change things - it is the enforcement that counts.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I've heard this before.

People try and persuade me to NOT wear the seat belt. Their argument? "You're barley going past 50 km/h, why would you need to wear a seat-belt". This is very similar to: "Yeah I'm not wearing my helmet. I'm not going for a long ride, it's just to the shop down the road, it doesn't matter!"

Such statements are akin to age-old myths like "A girl can't get pregnant on the first night"

Let me get this out of my system.

A seat-belt can save you even if you are doing 0 km/h. If you get rear ended while parked or at a traffic-junction, the seat-belt will hold you in place, instead of flinging your head/chest into the steering wheel. If you're waiting at the signal and a drunk driver ploughs straight into your car, seat-belts can STILL save you. (sorry for being a little graphic )

I urge everyone to buckle-up. What's the harm in it, really?

[condor]

Originally Posted by nawalsingal

.. why on earth it has to be through coercion? Why people are not bothered about safety & well being of themselves & their loved ones?

Rules are required because when people do not do it on their own accord. Needed to keep everyone oriented towards the common good. Why general public ? How many TBHP-ians dont wear belts - there's going to be many. And some TBHP-ians too, who say they dont need to in city, because they can never go fast in city.

Originally Posted by speedsatya

Wish "having OPEN mirrors on both sides " was also made compulsory .

+1

Originally Posted by sgiitk

When I wore out springs on my Esteem belts (c.2000) the dealer had a very tough time believing me and then getting a new belt. Nobody had even heard about a belt getting worn off

Had a similar situation when I got my seat-belt in my Sumo replaced under warranty. My SA was surprised, but he did it quickly. The belt did need a small repair later, but he again taken care of it.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Hope they catch and permanently incarcerate all erring Taxi Drivers.

I have seen them keep the belt hooked, and just flip the diagonal section over their chest when they get into the driver seat.

Originally Posted by n_aditya

IMO, a 3 point seat belt, a la rally style would do a fine job

3 point or Rally-style ? 3-point is what our cars have. But for auto's a rally style belt may be more suitable, because of the kind of seat they have.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Somehow I am not able to sit in a car without putting on the seatbelts.

+1

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

.. I have a sticker on the dash saying, "Buckle Up!". And by now, they've realized they are gonna have a piece of my mind if they don't do it voluntarily.

Fellow BHP-ian SajanDS has sticker for the co-driver seat that says something like"
" Sit in, Buckle up & Shut up " . Will ask him to post a pic of it here

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

... I used to wear seat belts since 2001 (and thus became the laughing stock of my family), nobody was laughing when I walked out of a serious crash - alive and fully functioning.

+1. Not a bad crash, but yes- walked out of my old car without a scratch.

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Why don't you sprint at that speed, and go straight into a steering wheel and see how that feels? Because if you crash at 30kmph, your chest & head will hit the steering wheel at 30kmph. Your death in that case is not inconceivable.

Good illustration !

[vinair]

Again, it will be the private cars that will be at the receiving end!! You will still find all goods carriers and cabs flouting this rule with utmost sincerity!on
Don't you think even tractors and auto rickshaws should have some kind of a seating harness?? As drivers are bound to be thrown out/off their vehicles in a uneventful situation..

[VMC]

Though this is a long awaited move by the cops I would also like to see two wheeler pillion riders wear Helmets.....as compulsory....as dictated by the Karnataka administration.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by vinair

Again, it will be the private cars that will be at the receiving end!! You will still find all goods carriers and cabs flouting this rule with utmost sincerity!on

How does this still put the private owners at the receiving end? You do understand that its a change for good and seat belts save lives.

And let me also tell you that when the rule first came in Delhi similar things were said. But people do adopt gradually. Now you will see most cabbies also following the rule and wearing there seat belts.

[14000rpm]

your safety is your responsibility. The cops are only doing their bit for awareness. Sensible people realize it all by themselves, some with the lack of it need to be told.

[rjstyles69]

Surprisingly the rule book states that driving without seat belts attracts a fine of 100 bucks. Source here and this has been updated in 2007 by the govt, took them 4 full years to realize this LOL.

Now I would like to see how many of those political bureaucrats, govt vehicles and the cops themselves would get penalized for driving without seat belts.

OT : I see the Home ministers(karnataka) convoy every single day and surprisingly none of the cops nor the ministers driver uses the seat belts.

[vinair]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

How does this still put the private owners at the receiving end? You do understand that its a change for good and seat belts save lives.

And let me also tell you that when the rule first came in Delhi similar things were said. But people do adopt gradually. Now you will see most cabbies also following the rule and wearing there seat belts.

Ahh! you got me wrong buddy! I said cops would now target the private cars to stash some cash (no offence to the honest officers!) and still let go the cabs and goods carriers!