Harrassed about no seatbelts.

[Dawie]

Was recently stopped by a youngish speedcop. First he started filling in the registration number on the ticket, then told me to fasten my seat belt. Then he saw that there was none,and wanted to write another ticket for no seat belts in car. Eventually he was unsure if older vehicles needs to have seatbelts retro-fitted.

Explained to me that once he had started to fill in a ticket, he was not allowed to cancel it. So he tested the car,checked lights, reflectors,tyres,hooter,looked for oil leaks,steering play,etc, found no fault.Nothing to complete the ticket form.

Then he found something: Warned me that i had committed an offence by sticking the licence disc in the wrong position on the windscreen.It should be on the left hand lower side of the window and not in the middle at the top. Let me off with a warning.

Anybody had problems with speedcops about your older vehicles?

Apparently on a Sunday morning there was a guy on his way to a show in his early model T Ford. Got stopped by a newish affirmative speedcop and asked: When did you build this illegal kit car?

[Dutch_Diver]

Funny!

[hitlers revenge]

A biker cop pulled up next to me yesterday while in the buggy. I just sat there waiting for him to ask me where my seat belt was. ( no belts in early buggies). Then realised it was one of my neighbours and he left me alone. Even with the KFM news blaring out the 6 x9's

[SFDT]

As a matter of interest. What is the law with seat belts?

[hitlers revenge]

All cars after mid 80's to have belts as far as I know.

[Dutch_Diver]

I thought only factory fitted was the law!

[fig]

All passenger vehicles built from 1964 and all commercial vehicles built from 1978 are required to have front seatbelts. Rear seatbelts only became law in the 1990s.

[hitlers revenge]

Ok. I was thinking of the rears belts then.

[Dutch_Diver]

Fig, So MO should have belts even though it wasn't standard and there are no fitting area?

[fig]

I think MO may be defined as a commercial vehicle, but that's how the law reads IIRC.

[SFDT]

The first car I drove was a 64 beetle that had seatbelts. crazy things, they only went over your shoulder. No lapstrap. My Dad's 1969 20M had a lapstrap only. Both were factory fitted.

[Barry]

My '64 Valiant doesn't have factory fitted belts.
I will be fitting some though - although only lap belts as there is no reinforcement in the B & C-pillars.

Face it guys, whether or not the car came with them originally, do you REALLY want to be driving around without a seatbelt?
If you need convincing, visit a few trauma wards.........


Now how long before someone posts about how they will never again where a seatbelt because one time their (fill in your choice of uncle, cousin, brother's aunty) had their car catch fire and they couldn't get out????

[buggyfan]

18 MINUTES


i know this guy that survived a multi car pile-up just because he wasnt wearing a seatbelt ,i swear this is the truth .

[Barry]

Not bad for 5:00am - since most normal people would still be sleeping.

Thing is seatbelts SAVE way more lives than they claim, and also greatly reduce serious injuries. Yes there are some injuries caused by them, but I think I'd go for cracked ribs, sternum, whatever, over cracked skull & brain damage (too late already? ) most days of the week

Or to put it another way - he probably wouldn't walk away from the next one!

......and if you ever have kids with you in the car..........

[Tony Z]

......and if you ever have kids with you in the car..........

Put them on the back seat with the seat belts on!!! This crap of kids standing on the passenger seat or between the two seats needs to stop!!!