RE: Euro bags

[Gary Bracken <gbracken@dimensional.com>]

     On 5/30, David Toppin wrote: "What about the dead kids?"

     The point of my earlier post was that air bags increase injury protection for
properly belted adults in most accidents, so why make them inoperable?
Obviously the NHTSA and auto/bag manufacturers did all of us a grave 
disservice by not warning of the dangers to small children.  Now that we know, 
wouldn't it be reasonable to buckle children in properly (in approved child seats
when appropriate) in the back seat?  If there is a compelling reason to have a
small child in the front, it would seem to make sense with current airbags to
render the passenger-side bag inoperable while a child occupies the passenger
front seat.  A logical move for NHTSA and the manufacturers might be to
mandate a switch to control the passenger-side airbag.  Is there a
concomitant reason to supply a switch for the driver's side?  If so, it escapes
me -- but I certainly remain open to further enlightenment.
     Regarding whether airbags should be required by the government, that
probably depends on your philosophy with respect to individual responsibility
and the responsibility of a representative government.  I happen to believe that
government has an enormous responsibility for ensuring public safety (e.g.
police, national defense, roadways, sewage systems, air pollution, air traffic
control -- to name a few), and that reasonable measures to reduce the carnage
in these potentially lethal earthbound missiles we call automobiles fall within
that responsibility.  Does that mean I believe that big brother should protect us
from ourselves?  No.  But helping us protect ourselves from others (the
lawless, drunk/stupid drivers, gross polluters, etc.) is a role that, in the U.S.A.
at least, government is in a unique position to play.  And fortunately, when the Congress goes too far, we can get them to change or throw the bastards out!
Remember years ago when you couldn't back your car out of the garage
without hooking up the seatbelt?
     Audi content?  I suspect most of us drive Audis in part because we believe
they are safer -- all things considered -- than most other vehicles, and more satisfying and fun as well.  So much for my 2-to-the-10th power cents worth.    

Cheers -

Gary Bracken, in Denver
87 5kcsq
92 300ZX
74 260Z V-8

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