FlyingDog

I know more people who have been harmed by airbags than helped. I had a cut on my nose and chemical burns on my face, chest and arms for 2 weeks after my airbag deployed at around 25mph. The cost to replace the (single) airbag system $4248. The cost to repair the car $0. No damage. No accident. After that, both of my Saabs had their airbags disabled, I bought a Porsche without an airbag, and I'm going to disable the airbags (dual) on my new Jeep.

JB is right. Airbags are a cruel joke on the car buying public. They are an excuse for car makers to charge an extra $1000 or more, spend less on real engineering, polute with toxic chemicals, and waste landfill space. They should be an option for those who want them, but shouldn't be forced on everybody.

fabric

I recall reading somewhere that if you really wanted to be safe, you'd wear a full face helmet whenever you drove your car. that this would provide you more protection than an airbag.

Convenience vs safety. I don't mind airbags, but when they've been designed to protect the dolts who don't wear their setbelts, rather than as the supplemental restraint system it's advertised as, then I have a problem.


I've also read that rear-facing seats with 5 point belts in commercial flights would make things a might safer as well.

Mongo

Airbags, ABS......BLAH!!!!!!

marton

Hard to reach the controls though?

Warren928

Be happy she doesn't want to drive it. All she would need is for some wierd 928 problem to happen and she keeps driving it, or panics and crashes. Once that big exclamation point lights up on the dash, she will probably bail from driving it, calling it "temperamental".
I'm looking at a 98' bmw 528 5 - speed right now, Traction, stability control, ABS, side airbags, a million safety features, pretty reasonable pricing, not too much power, 30 mpg and very safe. It will be destined for wife duty someday.

worf928

Folks, I think you've all got it wrong(*).... PorKen, this is your chance to buy a '90 or newer. Don't pass it up.

(*) except for the effects of airbags. With that I agree. If it wasn't illegal I'd do a bagectomy on mine. These airbags designed to save the life of a 175lb MAN wearing no seat belt is the worst thing the gub'ment has done to us in automotive land in a long time.

pikey7

Airbags HAVE to be designed to accomodate that unbelted 175lb man because of a couple of US states where it is ALLOWED to drive unbelted. the FMVSS is the only authority in the world to have an unbelted test because of legislation. The other unbelted tests are done out of "what if....."

However, certain new cars (not mentioning names, I'm not sure if i'm allowed!) have weight and visual sensors that determine at what time and pressure to inflate the bag.

Nicole

Some of the cars in Europe have the smaller Euro bags, which are less expensive and only work as a supplemental restraint system. However, because they are smaller, they are not as effective in certain situations - even with the belt on.I favor full-size airbags with an ability to detect seat position and weight of the passenger.

At this time I still feel good about having airbags, and try hard to hold my steering wheel in a way that a deploying bag would not crush my arm... Hope none of it ever happens.

UKKid35

When you have seen a loved one's face crushed by a steering wheel in a head on when wearing a seat belt, you may chose to reconsider your whining about air bags.

Nicole

Paul:

For some strange reason, the image of airbags seems to be very different over here versus Europe. I can't figure out why this would be the case, unless the majority of airbag injuries happen in vehicles that are not offered or not popular in Europe.

heinrich

I have visions of one of us Americans pouring coffee into our lap, and a German standing by looking confused: "Warum würde sie die tun?"

JPTL

Everything's relative. Try getting her to hop on the back of a bike. If you can swing that, riding or driving in a non-airbag equipped car will be small potatoes to her.
Years back, I had an old car w/out seatbelts. My wife (then girlfriend) was nervous riding in it, because she's buckled up all her life. I managed to get her to look at things a little differently, however.
I've had bikes for 30 yrs. She's always liked riding on the back for short rides and in favorable, warm weather...but she's always been a little nervous about how vunerable she is in the event that we went down on the bike. It's absolutely justified (I personally will not get on the back of any bike). Since she knows that I am an experienced but extremely conservative rider on the streets, (what 30 yrs. will teach you) she knows that I'm not going to ride in dangerous areas....especially w/her on the back. So she'll ride on my bike occasionally.
After a few rides on my bike, the old car felt like being in a tank to her - seat belts or not.
I have to admit that our outlook on safety has changed dramatically since we've had kids, however.
But really - driving or riding in a non-airbag car is far safer than riding on a motorcycle, moped or a bicycle on the street.
The safest thing is to stay out of cars altogether. You then can eliminate the potential of an accident.
You've already gotten her thinking "maybe as a Sunday driver". I'd work from there.
Everything's relative.

bigs

Hell, just tell her, "Honey, when you're in the car, it will have an airbag."

worf928

No. They don't HAVE to be designed that way. I'm not against airbags in general. Variable force airbags are fine - if not great. But, I see no reason why the lives of folks of small stature who wear seat belts should be endangered while the lives of 175-pound men who are too stubborn to wear seat belts should be protected.

docmirror

I have vague recollections from the late 50s of standing on the front seat of a Plymouth so I could peek out the windshield, driving down an icy Wisconsin road. All windows rolled up, parent puffing away(hack, hack) - ahhhh good times. If we'd hit anything, I would have been a perfect torpedo, right through the glass. Things have changed a bit in one generation.

I'm still planning to let my son drive the 928, and I'm keeping it because I know it's very tough stuff, and has an airbag. There are risks with this as the car will do a considerable speed, so I'm looking into a rev limiter or governor system to put on during his use. I see the debate is spirited regarding airbags, with the primary crux running against them. I'd like to know if it's a dislike of the technology, or of the manadating by the gummint that's brought quite a bit of anger.

My position is that I'm strongly against the mandate, but strongly for the technology. The 928 has one of the first generations of airbags out there, and they are not the most gentle. More modern second generation bags are gentler and less prone to occupant injury. The power residue from the airbag deployment is not a hazardous gas, it is typically cornstarch, or talcum powder used to lubricate the surface of the airbag as is strikes the occupant. This is supposed to reduce the skin abrasions and even cuts on the face and upper torso.

Some lister mentioned that it is illegal to disarm your airbag. That is only partially true. You may disarm your airbag after submitting a form to the NHTSA, follow the website, and navigate to Vehicles, then airbags. There is a form to fill out, and then any qualified repair shop can install an on/off device that allows the operator to manually control the application of the airbags.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/

Best estimates from the NHTSA is that airbags have reduced traffic fatalities approx 28% from front impact crashes. As with all statistics, this one is open to debate. However, the best estimate of the value of an airbag is possibly provided by the insurance industry, that provides discounts for drivers who drive airbag equipped vehicles. Less injurys+deaths=fewer claims.

There is plenty of anecdotal and actual evidence of ancillary injury during a deployment. Most times it involves people sitting to close to the airbag. RTFM! I have to remind my short wife of this as well.

This same type of debate was attached to the seatbelt law in the late 60s. People actually refused to wear the belt because they wanted to be "thrown clear" (not making this up) of the wreck. Seatbelts save about 20-30,000 people worldwide each year.