RE: headrest replacement options

["Paul Souza" <psouza@skyserv4.med.osd.mil>]

Charu stated:

> The flaw I see in this argument is that as your body sinks into the
> seat it has a much lower acceleration compressing the seat, compared
> to your head flying through the air before it hits the headrest.
> Padded foam would equalize the acceleration of your body and head.
> I'm convinced that the headrest design is an oversight/mistake.
> It may make visual sense: stylistically distinctive and minimum
> rear vision obstruction from the rear seat headrests, but in
> terms of functionality they're useless.

>        -Charu

I'm not currently on the list, but read the archives.   Charu,  I'll have to 
disagree with you here.  Strongly.

I was rear ended last June in My Audi Coupe GT, which has essentially the same
seat as the vehicle you're discussing.  I was stopped at a yield sign with one 
foot on the brake and one depressing the clutch.  I was hit from behind by a 
woman whom the police suspected accelerated and hit me at approximately 35 MPH.
(she was looking to merge so her attention was focused behind her, she freely 
admitted to the accident).

My head it the rear head rest and my body depressed itself into the seat.  I 
experienced ZERO neck problems.  That's what the head rest is designed to do.
The problem I had was in my pelvis.  Because I was at a complete stop and the 
depressed pedals were at different heights, my pelvis was "torqued", throwing 
my spine out of whack (essentially causing one leg to be 1 1/2" longer than the
other).  No seat would have prevented that.  The doctor and physical therapist 
had high marks for a seat that's 13 years old.  I wouldn't call that useless.

The entire seat is designed as a unit.  Don't mess with it.  If you want to 
change it, do the whole seat.  For me it worked in the extremest of 
circumstances.  Several months later I am still working on my lower spine, but 
never had any complaints about my neck/head.  I wouldn't say the same for when 
a friend was rear ended in her Honda at 10 MPH.  Different story.

Paul

-- 
Paul Marcello Souza     Internet : psouza@skyserv4.med.osd.mil
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