Click It Or Ticket

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Been seeing these damn commercials all friggin day long today.

(in dramatic anouncer voice)

Cops write tickets to SAVE LIVES.

I'm not even sure if I can elucidate why these commercials bug me so much. I disagree with seat belt laws, even though I always wear mine- but I've never gotten particularly annoyed annoyed knowing that they exist and are enforced.

But there's just something about the attitude of "This is for your own good, Comrade" that comes off in the commercial, and it really rubs me the wrong way.

[nightrunner]

thing about it is they arent enforced, they might write you a ticket if you get pulled over for something else but theyre no going to pull you over for a seatbelt violation.

ive been pulled over before and they just told me to put my seatbelt on if i didnt want another ticket

[Guest eyebedam]

I've been pulled over before and was told the reason was because I wasnt wearing my seatbelt and I actually was. After about a 10 min discussion about the fact he just told me to go on. He had stated he couldn't see it when I drove by because I had a grey shirt on & my seatbelt strap is grey also. Kinda bs if you ask me

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

I'm glad TN feels that way. Back in NC, a cop could pull you over just for not wearing your belt and write you up. In fact, it happened to me once, which was particularly odd since I was wearing the damn thing at the time. It was mildly humorous to see the confused look on the officer's face when she got to the window and saw me with the belt on. I didn't recognize that look for what it was until she told me why she'd stopped me.

I think the reason for my confusion was because of the car I had, a Camaro. In that car, the belt comes down out of the ceiling to a sort of plastic guide on the headrest, and then it angles across the body when buckled. From behind, which was where the officer was, all you can see is the belt going straight down so I guess she just thought she was seeing it hanging free.

Edited May 26, 2008 by GUTTERbOY

[Guest mtsusean]

Revenue

[Im Neero]

thing about it is they arent enforced, they might write you a ticket if you get pulled over for something else but theyre no going to pull you over for a seatbelt violation.

I've been pulled over and ticketed for not wearing my seatbelt. The officer informed me that they were saturating the area looking specifically for seatbelt violations.

[dralarms]

I'm glad TN feels that way. Back in NC, a cop could pull you over just for not wearing your belt and write you up. In fact, it happened to me once, which was particularly odd since I was wearing the damn thing at the time. It was mildly humorous to see the confused look on the officer's face when she got to the window and saw me with the belt on. I didn't recognize that look for what it was until she told me why she'd stopped me.

I think the reason for my confusion was because of the car I had, a Camaro. In that car, the belt comes down out of the ceiling to a sort of plastic guide on the headrest, and then it angles across the body when buckled. From behind, which was where the officer was, all you can see is the belt going straight down so I guess she just thought she was seeing it hanging free.

Actualyl since 2004 (I think) they can pull you over in TN as a seat belt violation as primary offense.

And if you hate aseat belt then don't buy a new dodge. You can start your car, the seat belt thing dings you can belt up, and then unbelt and it will start dinging again. I've tried it, taking it off at 70mph, around town, it don't matter, if you take it back off the stupid thing just won't shut up. At least in my Ford van I could belt up and un belt and it would stop, or ignor it long enough and it would stop, but not this crazy dodge.

[Guest Todd@CIS]

Gutterboy...they piss me off too.

I actually try to be pleasant throughout the day...and those damn commercials make cops out to be monster dicks doing nothing but lurking for seatbelt violations. My wife just laughs when they come on cause she knows how I feel.

Nightrunner...careful, seatbelt law is a primary traffic offense now (as of about 2 years now). Police certainly can pull you over for just the SB violation. BTW, I love your avatar LOL.

Edited May 26, 2008 by Todd@CIS

[Guest Todd@CIS]

dralarms, you beat me to it...

[nightrunner]

dr alarms, go to the dealership and get the male end for the seatbelt harness and just plug that in all the time;)

[EMTRN]

Why would you not want to wear your seatbelt? Mine saved my life April 22nd 2001, and I have seen the effects of not wearing a seatbelt. I have stopped many drivers for seatbelt violations and cited a few.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Why would you not want to wear your seatbelt? Mine saved my life April 22nd 2001, and I have seen the effects of not wearing a seatbelt. I have stopped many drivers for seatbelt violations and cited a few.

People cite lots of reasons why they don't like wearing their seatbelt. Personally, I think all those reasons are bad ones, and the potential life-saving effect of the belt outweighs whatever small price you pay in discomfort or whatever. Frankly, I think it's not smart at all to not wear the thing.

But I don't believe that it's our government's job to protect a citizen from himself. Someone doesn't wear his belt, gets in a crash, and dies... guess what, he's a victim of his own decision. Outside of some truly freak circumstances, I don't see how an unbelted driver is going to injure someone else.

I believe that the basis for all laws should be to protect citizens from the actions of others. If someone wants to rob, assault, or kill me, that's a problem; that person is attempting to deprive me of my rights. If someone makes choices that result in them getting tossed through windshield, that has no effect upon my rights. Ergo, no basis for a law.

When it comes to actions that only affect the actor, it should be the decision of the actor alone as to whether the benefits balance out the dangers. I've had the joy of being upside-down in a car going about 50, and I don't believe that there's any benefit to not wearing a setbelt that would outweigh the dangers. Same thing goes for wearing a helmet, jacket, and gloves when I'm riding. Even though I sweat like crazy in the summer, I'll take sweat over road rash and/or a cracked head. I still enjoy the ride whether I'm sweaty or not.

But there other choices I make that many people would call me dumb for, in the same way I implied that folks not wearing belts were dumb earlier. Riding a motorcycle, with or without gear, falls into this category. I know it's more dangerous than driving a car. I've dumped my bike before, and lived with the broken bones. But I'm still willing to take the risks in exchange for the joy of it. I also smoke cigars, generally about one per week. I'm fully aware that I'm increasing my risk for cancer later in life, but I accept that risk because I get enjoyment out of smoking.

I've sort of gotten off on a tangent here and held forth at length. The bottom line is that you can't protect people from themselves, and we sure shouldn't be spending money on stuff like this when there are so many huge issues of rights erosion continuing.

I'll shut up now.

[Guest sermon8r]

that will shut up the ding ding ding.....

Actualyl since 2004 (I think) they can pull you over in TN as a seat belt violation as primary offense.

And if you hate aseat belt then don't buy a new dodge. You can start your car, the seat belt thing dings you can belt up, and then unbelt and it will start dinging again. I've tried it, taking it off at 70mph, around town, it don't matter, if you take it back off the stupid thing just won't shut up. At least in my Ford van I could belt up and un belt and it would stop, or ignor it long enough and it would stop, but not this crazy dodge.

[EMTRN]

Gutterboy, I don't believe that you hurt only yourself. You hurt your family when you don't ever come home again. You become a drain on your family and the government when you are breathing, eating, and urinating through a tube.

Paul

[Guest Law of Thirds]

You do the exact same thing when you smoke or drink excessively or do a plethora of other perfectly legal activities.

Simply put, it shouldn't be a crime unless it infringes on other people's rights as defined by the *drum roll* bill of rights.

Having said that, I like my seatbelt and I wear it every time I get in a vehicle. I just don't like the state standing over my shoulder telling me to do it.

[EMTRN]

I agree thirds, I guess I think that you should not have to be told not to do something stupid!

[Guest strelcevina]

i heard in 2004 that Chief Ronal Serpas it Ticket cop.

and soon he got in charge seat belt become primary offense

now you have cops stooping a people Monday morning rush hour on the middle of Hwy.

Hwy 40 eastbound by white bridge road exit

hwy 440 after 65 split most of Mondays and Thursdays

than caps in patrol cars withing at at some places like woodbine and giving parking tickets on twice daily basis,

his primary interest is to get money from hard working people.

you know criminals don't have money anyway so why even bother with them

[Guest jackdog]

Seat belts are vital for your safety. But the nanny state mentality makes me want to puke. I use them and I believe in them, the state uses this law for one reason and thats revenue. People who do not where them are just like people who don't carry. They don't care about there own safety, so if they become a veg or dead, due to their choice whop gives a rats ass.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Gutterboy, I don't believe that you hurt only yourself. You hurt your family when you don't ever come home again. You become a drain on your family and the government when you are breathing, eating, and urinating through a tube.

Paul

So it should be illegal for me to cause mental and emotional anguish to others? I'm sure I hurt my mother when I stopped going to church and left Christianity behind. I know I hurt her when I moved in with a girlfriend at the age of 19. I'm sure I've hurt her, and others, many other times that I can't bring to mind right now.

Emotional anguish is not grounds for legislation. We do not enjoy the right to be happy, or content, or any other emotional state.

The only argument for this law that holds any water for me is the talk of driving up insurance rates and costing the government money. But that basis sets a dangerous precedent. Now we have to control anything that could cause these things- but we can't just ban everything that has any element of danger. The bottom line becomes that everyone has a different opinion on what constitutes "acceptable risk." So the line gets drawn according to the belief of the majority, and that's a bad thing.

Better to stop trying to save people from their own self-destructive behavior. Allow people to own their own bodies and choose to destroy or preserve them as they see fit. Empower health insurance companies to have lots of latitude in setting insurance costs, so there is a monetary cost attached to riskier behaviors. Then let the individual make the informed decision whether to participate in said behavior.

Edited May 26, 2008 by GUTTERbOY

[strickj]

A helmet saved my life in Aug of 2005 but I dont tell anybody to wear one.In fact a stop sign ended hurting me when I was flung from my bike going around 70MPH into the the damn thing.You will not see me attending every city council meeting trying to get those evil stop signs removed from our streets.Nor will you ever see me telling anyone not to ride a motorcycle.

There are things we all should do like wear helmets,and seatbelts but there this little thing called (stay with me here) "Free Will"

Theres nothing that despises me more than someone telling me what I should or should not do.At the end of the day its our responsibility to amend our choices,and no one else's

unplug the seat sensor

that will shut up the ding ding ding.....

Yes,that will work on AFAIK all cars.I have done several for people(like me)that hates hearing that ding when you start your car.

Just slide your seat all the way forward and look with a flashlight under your seat for a set of wires,and simply unplug them from your seatbelt (should be near the anchor plate)Takes me literally under 30 seconds to do this but I charge around 20 bucks

Edited May 26, 2008 by strickj

[dralarms]

Never said I didn't like them, I just hate the way if you don't put your's on then the dodge keeps on dinging. It does help to remind me if I forget.

[Guest dotsun]

You do the exact same thing when you smoke or drink excessively or do a plethora of other perfectly legal activities.

Simply put, it shouldn't be a crime unless it infringes on other people's rights as defined by the *drum roll* bill of rights.

Having said that, I like my seatbelt and I wear it every time I get in a vehicle. I just don't like the state standing over my shoulder telling me to do it.

+1. If you're not hurting or endangering others, the .gov has no business regulating it.

[EMTRN]

Don't wear your seatbelt then, it gives me something to do!

[Guest Medic908]

Me too - job security...

[Guest slothful1]

The 'public service' ads that particularly offend me are the ones that lump in not wearing your seat belt with drunk driving, as though these actions are even within the same spectrum of behavior.