RE: headrest replacement options?

[Phil Rose <pjrose@servtech.com>]

>Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 17:39:00 -0500
>From: Charudatt <charu@iced.com>
>Subject: RE: headrest replacement options?
>
>Jim Griffin - JGriff@pobox.com wrote
>>
>>Charudatt wrote:
>>
>>> After reading the list for a few weeks I've seen no discussion of the
>design and utility of
>>> standard Audi head-rests so I'll ask (in the hope that this is not
>something already beaten to
>>> death and a total waste of bandwidth): does anyone else think that
>the standard headrests are
>>> just about useless?
>>>
>>> I used to drive a VW jetta with recaros and it's headrests were way
>better. Even the toyota I
>>> drove before that had more functional headrests than my 94 100S- I
>have to put my head way
>>> back even for my head to touch the rest.
>>
>>My understanding is that they are not really intended to be head
>"rests"... but rather head
>>"restraints". They are there to protect you from whiplash etc.. in the
>event of a collision....
>>not comfort your head while driving (i.e. no lounging allowed!! Das
>Verboten!!). Are you saying
>>that they allow too much room for your head to move backward in the
>event of a crash, or that
>>you can't "rest" your head on them... or both?
>>
>
>Both.
>IMHO greater comfort and whiplash prevention are not mutually exclusive.
>In the event of being rear-ended, I want the restraint in contact
>with the back of my head instead of leaving a 3"-4" gap that allows my
>head to
>accelerate before it crashes to a stop on the restraint.
>
>It would also be more comfortable in normal driving.


Charu, I think I see a problem with (one of) your criteria for driving
comfort! You believe "normal driving" should allow you the luxury of
comfortably resting your head back. Not advisable, IMHO! I'm sure you agree
that driving is a serious business and requires a drive's full attention: a
heightened state of alertness. Maybe you are able remain awake and even
fully alert with your head comfortably resting back over a period of hours
of driving, but for most of the rest of us, uh, uh.

If one has some muscular or neurological problem, it is possible that
driving with one's head resting in contact with a support is useful or even
necessary. But even so, such practice is--in the long run--considered as
likely to produce a relaxed, innattentive state that is _not_ consistent
with safe driving. However, if one is blessed with a normal physical
condition, a perceived need to rest one's head while driving is likely to
be indicative of either a cavalier attitude toward driving, or a need to
pull over and sleep, or both. We're not talking about supporting racing
helmets here.

As to a 3"-4" gap:  do studies identify this amount of movement as
sufficient to generate serious injury in typical accident situations?
Perhaps so, but life tends to be a series of compromises. Yes,  direct
contact might be preferable to 3"-4" for eliminating chance of injury. But
I wouldn't want--as the trade-off--for my chances of dozing at the wheel to
be significantly increased.

Phil Rose		Rochester, NY
'89 100			pjrose@servtech.com