I agree totally, but my real complaint is those shoulder straps. Thats just one of the reasons i've been driving my 1973 Chevy flatbed for the last 20 years or so. I always wear my seatbelt, and it's not uncomfortable at all. I had to go sideways once to avoid an accident, and had I not had it on, I think I would have slid to the passenger side, and lost control, so I always wear mine now, just in case.

For better or worse, we don't live in a world where people are allowed to take full responsibility for their choices. In fact, we are moving in the opposite direction, with socialized health care.

If we are going to have socialized health care, then we ought to also force people to wear seat belts. It is wrong to expect other people to pay the costs of my own irresponsibility.

Choice ... ? Did someone say 'choice' ... ? Ha. That's rapidly becoming one of the concepts that people talk about in terms of "Remember when we used to be able to ... ". 'Choice' is something we pretty much no longer have. Oh sure, we have 'choice' about whether or not we want to 'supersize' fast food. We have 'choice' about which cable channel we want to watch. We have 'choice' about which model car we buy (Really? After the government took 'em over?). We have 'choice' about what food we buy in the grocery (not if you don't want to eat Genetically-Modified food [GM] you don't). We have 'choice' about when we turn our AC or clothes dryer on and off (You won't once the 'Smart Grid' wall outlets are installed).

There are so many other instances where our freedom to CHOOSE has been removed that it's too long to list here. The 'choice' about whether or not to wear seatbelts is a meaningless choice UNLESS and UNTIL you get into a serious accident. I'm a pretty basic kinda guy - I figure if seat belts are good enough for the drivers of Formula 1 or Indy cars to protect them in an accident, they're good enough for me in an accident. I'd just like to have the same kind of 'H'-harness they use ... it's a lot more effective. Choice - it's something we USED to have a lot more of ...

Seat belt laws have been around long before socialized medicine ever came up. I fail to see the comparison.

I DO take full responsibility for my choices..

Thank you for giving me a chance to explain. You are correct that we have had seat belt laws for a long time - we have also, in practice, had a 'kind' of socialized medicine for some time. I could be wrong, but I have the impression that hospitals will treat people for some conditions, regardless of whether they demonstrate the ability to pay in advance. I personally know people who brag of the ease with which they have 'scammed' the system for free medical care.

If someone does not wear a seat belt, and therefore suffers terrible injury in a accident (which would have been harmless, had they worn a seatbelt) - what we do not do is check their pockets for cash/credit/insurance cards and then let them die on the spot if they can't pay. My understanding is they are treated, then billed - and some people do not to pay those bills.

Maybe (?) some people personally pay the full cost of treatment for the consequences of their choice to not wear their seat belt, but some do not. As long as our society bears this cost, from my POV there is an argument for forcing the less responsible individuals to be more responsible. (In this case, I am less responsible, but I don't resent my society for forcing me to be responsible).

With explicitly socialized health care, the connection between irresponsible personal choices and social costs becomes more clear.



It is easier to claim that one takes responsibility for the actual consequences of their choices then the possible consequences of their choices. I don't wear a helmet while cycling, and I've never been injured. I also don't currently have the coverage to handle a serious head injury. Am I taking responsibility for my choices? Does the answer depend on whether or not I happen to get in an accident?