Re: Air bags (again) (marginal Audi content) (and Long!)

[MSV96@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/24/97 "Shaun D. Mullen" <smullen@philly.infi.net>
writes:

<<The Clinton administration seems determined to give motorists the option
of switching off air bags.  Many folks, myself included, oppose such an
option<snip>It is my view that very few people are better off without an air
bag,
but try telling that to the parents of this 11-year-old,>>

I gather by your comments you don't have children...As a parent whose ex-wife
owns an air bag equipped Jetta I am terrified for my children's safety in
event she decides to allow one of our children in the front seat of her car
for a "harmless" trip around the corner...I have told her I will file child
endagerment charges if she ever were to do so. Knowing her, that may not stop
her from using common sense. The switch (or better yet NO f'ing airbag) would
help in her case.  

<<whose death can now be added to the following NHTSA stats:

Drivers saved by air bags: 2,191
Drivers killed by air bags: 34

Passengers saved by air bags: 314
Passengers killed by air bags: 46 children and three adults.>>

Care to modify these "stats" with a reality check please? How many of the
"Drivers Saved" and "Passengers Saved" were wearing seatbelts and may have
survived anyway? How many weren't wearing seatbelts and would have survived
with them instead? 46 children killed by a "safety mandate" shooved down our
throats is 46 children too many in my not so humble "hysterical parent"
opinion. 

I would like to see you and all other proponents of this "safety legislation"
to explain to these 46 parents face to face you truly believe that they don't
deserve the option to turn off the airbags that killed their children...rant
mode off...but geez, come on. The choice of airbag use should be optional
based on whether or not you feel you or your loved ones should have a bomb
going off in your face or not. Seatbelts are an entirely different
matter...they saved my life when I was 19 and I never so much as pull out of
my driveway without everyone in the car properly buckled up. My kids ride
around in an airbag-less ovlov dl wagon and I feel they are far safer than in
say a adnoh with da bags.

Mike Veglia
87 5kcstq (no bomb bags)