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Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?

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aec007
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
I rather have "SecureFoam" and turn my car into a Canoli! #inflatableseatbelts
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zounder1
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Heck this has apparently hit a nerve. Another story on why to wear a seatbelt.

I was on the last 10 minutes of a long drive when the car in front of me drifted into the rumble strips, the young driver overcompensated and proceeded to start weaving back and forth at 100km/h trying to compensate and ending up losing control. The car rolled at least 10 times, two tires tore off of the car and the other end up bent 90 degrees from normal. The car ended up upside down in the ditch.

I immediately pulled over to help. (Five cars stopped actually, it was that spectacular.) I slowly approached the upside down smoking car and saw the kid (18 years at the oldest) hanging upside down still doing the death grip on the steering wheel. Both side windows were blown out so I started talking with him asking how he was. After a few minute hey undid his seatbelt, crawled out the window without any physical injuries.

I handed him my cell phone and told him to call his parents and tell them his is ok. He mumbled it was a long distance call... I laughed and told him that was not a problem.

Accidents happen and they can happen at any moment. This kid is alive now because he was smart enough to wear a seatbelt. #inflatableseatbelts
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zounder1
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
As a person that was involved in a head on collision on a highway and lived to talk about... well anyone that does not wear a seatbelt since it is uncomfortable is insane.
Yes, I was in a lot of pain, yes, the seatbelt put a nice bruise across the contact point. Yes, I had to sit on a traction board for 2+ hours while they tried to determine if I had any microfractures on my spine. And, yes I was still sore and recovering from the crash months later.
If I had not been wearing a seatbelt I would be dead. If the three other people in the car were not wearing seatbelts they would also be dead.
There is nothing that can adequately describe the force of impact of a crash. I could see out the front of the car (with rapidly approaching car) and a flash later all I could see was the crumpled hood blocking the entire view forward. The engine block got knocked under the car (as designed to prevent intrusion into the safety structure.)
Please, please, please, everyone wear a seatbelt. It can indeed save lives.

I don't care if it irritates your skin, I don't care if it feel constricting, it is there for an important reason; to save your life when the unexpected occurs. #inflatableseatbelts
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karatecarrot
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Like we firefighters need more compressed gas cylinders in a car. This just will make our job harder. I already have to check every pilar for side curtain airbag cylinders before cutting. The only way this stuff is a good thing is if the rest of the car is strong enough not to crush down on the patients. With the high strength steels in cars now when they do crush most departments can't cut through them. #inflatableseatbelts
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Jeb_Hoge
11/05/09

@karatecarrot: You probably should wait to see the specs on this before lumping it in with proper airbags in the hazard category. I'm betting that these don't have the size or volume requirements that full-size airbags systems do and therefore don't have the same explosive hazard issues. #inflatableseatbelts
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karatecarrot
11/05/09

@Jeb_Hoge: All of the side curtain airbags are also small and have less volume the real issue is not to me it is for the patient. outside I am protected in all of my turnout gear and by the metal on my side of the pillar but they only have the plastic. I'm not saying it is a really bad idea just hoping that they can find a way to have it connected to the cylinders that I already worry about. The other thing with air bags is that they are packed so tight and have to expand so quickly that you trade that shock of hitting the belt for some really severe burns from an airbag deploying that close to you plus you still get the shock. #inflatableseatbelts
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Jeb_Hoge
11/05/09

@karatecarrot: The tech description that I saw indicated that the gas for the seatbelts is located below the seating area. Dunno...I guess overall it's a catch-22. The stuff they put into cars to make it safer for the occupants during the collision phase also makes it harder to get them out afterward, but maybe if the tech weren't there, you'd have more fatalities in the first place. #inflatableseatbelts
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Cash907Censored
11/05/09

@karatecarrot:
Like we doctors need one more injury to treat. Nothing like explaining to a patient the after effects of the internal injuries the shoulder belt that saved their lives caused, and how long they'll be dealing with them. If these things can prevent or at least lesson the impact to the internal organs and surrounding soft tissue, they are worth whatever extra bit of attention you have to pay when cutting them out of their cars. Christ, you union guys love to bitch. We've had several new protocols heaped on us this year thanks to the H1N1 virus, but do you see us bitching about it? No, because that's how the medical field works... keeping our patients safer and healthier pretty much means a lot more work for everyone involved, but the ends justify the means. You think cutting up a car is complicated? Try cutting on human being sometime. #inflatableseatbelts
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karatecarrot
11/05/09

@Cash907Censored: For the record I am not a union guy just a volunteer lieutenant on a small department. I also realize that my post was fairly bitchy I apologize however all of these little things cut into your "golden hour" the paramedic is always reminding us of. As it is where I serve from time of accident it can be up to a half hour before anyone reports an accident because of crappy cell service and few people traveling the roads at night, from there we have to respond from our homes (since there is no duty staff) to the station to get the rigs rolling. So if I don't have to worry about another damn cylinder I can get the patient onto a helicopter (the only way to get to the trauma center from here) and maybe they will survive. #inflatableseatbelts
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Homerjay is utterly alone.
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Why not save a bundle and just go with the Tiddy Bear? #inflatableseatbelts
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LukeDukem
11/05/09

@Homerjay is utterly alone.: hahahahaha, Titty bear! #inflatableseatbelts
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Homerjay is utterly alone.
11/05/09

@LukeDukem: Hey! It's TIDDY bear and I'll thank you not to poke fun! #inflatableseatbelts
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Hello Mister Walrus
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Mmm... reducing the pressure seatbelts put on people is a good idea. However, it seems that this would be more easily accomplished by changing the way seatbelts lie across your body. I mean, is a diagonal strip really the best possible design for these things? Even if the new design is a bit harder to put on, I can't imagine that it would be more bulky then belts with airbags built into them. #inflatableseatbelts
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weatherman
11/05/09

@Hello Mister Walrus: unless you're going to get the people in the back seat to wear a 5-point harness, I don't think you'll find something that is as protective while still being convenient. The shoulder belt is pretty tried and true, and does a good job of grabbing a person at their torso's center of gravity.

Getting people to wear a seat belt is the biggest problem - if it's less convenient to put on, people just won't do it (backseat passengers especially). The best seatbelt is the one you're wearing, after all. #inflatableseatbelts
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met2art
11/05/09

@Hello Mister Walrus: The belt crossing from shoulder to hip dramatically decreases the possibility of the upper body being thrown forward in an arc. (The lower body is restrained by the lap belt and rear declination of the sloped seat.) That, in turn, decreases the possibility of extreme neck and cranial injury due to accelerated whiplashing and subsequent snapback. A three-point harness is best, but the public would never accept it. It took decades for people to accept shoulder harness seatbelt systems, and many still find them irritating despite the overwhelming evidence of their success. The success of the "sports car" design had a large effect on the success of shoulder harnesses and "bucket seats" which were initially designed to reduce movement of the driver by hugging the legs and allowing them to be somewhat "enveloped" by the seat. Prior to that the majority of US cars had bench seats. #inflatableseatbelts
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Hello Mister Walrus
11/05/09

@met2art: It seems like any change in seatbelt design would need to start upmarket. For instance, have you seen the back seats in a Porsche Panamera? This is the type of car model that new seatbelt designs will most likely be introduced in. #inflatableseatbelts
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SSgtTEX
11/05/09

@met2art: I agree with you on everything but the three-point harness. The standard belt in cars today is a three-point system. It attaches in three places.

Now getting the average person to wear four or five point harnesses is another story. #inflatableseatbelts
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met2art
11/05/09

@SSgtTEX: You're correct... I should have said that a three-point (or more) harness that connects from mid-seat and covers both shoulders is (typically) more effective at reducing back injuries and systemically-related neck and head injuries. #inflatableseatbelts
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met2art
11/05/09

@Hello Mister Walrus: Well, Ford, after having invested ten years of R&D in this system will be introducing it into the Explorer model. They are hoping the rapid deployment into the market, and licensing to other manufacturers, will help recoup their significant investment. Also, they seem to be hoping that the system will become standardized in the same way that competing airbag technologies from the 60s through the 70s eventually did, and became designated as "SRS" and required rigorous testing. It would seem that Ford, despite economic setbacks, managed to develop something rather revolutionary. Here's hoping that if nothing else it helps encourage people in rear seats to wear their safety belts. #inflatableseatbelts
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UnderLoK
11/05/09

@met2art: Oh you mean the SRS that melted to peoples faces, chest, hands, and arms? Or the SRS that split heads open like grapes? Or the SRS that they finally sorted out which saves lives? ;) #inflatableseatbelts
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ebob
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
a good idea, when i wrecked my ford explorer the air bags never even went off, not to mention the ABS locking up, but i don't see why this shouldn't work, I'm sure they've gotten around to fixing the little things #inflatableseatbelts
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Having been inside the third car in a four car sammich I can tell you that mine and my gf's neck & shoulder hurt for a couple of days afterwards. We both also had some nice diagonal bruising where the belt made contact.
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Edited by Jrsy Devil's Advocate® at 11/05/09 12:22 PM

RedRaider
11/05/09

@Jrsy Devil's Advocate®: Been there fellow survivor... still better than the imprint my head would have made on the dash. #inflatableseatbelts
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mmmiles
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
You obviously don't have kids and don't know anything about children.

A child can never be too heavily medicated. #inflatableseatbelts
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Vulphaestus
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
I'm paranoid with seatbelts. Whenever I sit in a car, I need to put it on, no matter how uncomfortable. If I'm driving, you are required to wear them before I start the car. I've seen what not wearing seatbelts can do. #inflatableseatbelts
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Timodge
11/05/09

@Vulphaestus: I won't start moving until all my passengers have got their belts on properly. I don't care if they don't want to wear one, if I were to crash it would ultimately be my responsibility.

I still don't understand how people can drive around without one on. It's just ridiculous. #inflatableseatbelts
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Pessimippopotamus
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
It's a good idea. I mean, the idea's been around, but if they're actually getting around to making it work, good for them. Good for Ford.

They're the first ones to implement the pop up hoods that are tied to crash sensors that create extra room between the pedestrian collision victims and the hard points in the car's engine bay. That allowed for cars to have low sleek looking design while meeting the European pedestrian collision requirements.
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Edited by Pessimippopotamus at 11/05/09 12:18 PM Pessimippopotamus was starred

Digo
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
For some reason I cannot bring myself to put a seatbelt on in the backseat. At the same time, I can't comfortably sit in a front seat without the seatbelt on.

But I agree, a more comfortable seatbelt would not convince me to wear one in the backseat just like a less comfortable one would not cause me to stop wearing one in the front seat. It's all a matter of getting kids to use it early on so they get used to it, which falls mostly on the parents.

I guess they could make seatbelts cool if they implement racing style seatbelts. When I was a kid I had an older cousin that had these in his car, there is no way I wasn't going to put those on no matter what seat I was in. #inflatableseatbelts
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Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
11/05/09

@Digo: The idea of not being thrown through the window or breaking my face on the seat in front of me is what attracts me to wear them. #inflatableseatbelts
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Digo promoted this comment

Digo
11/05/09

@Shamoononon: I shave my legs.: Yes because, despite your avatar, you are an educated rational person who cares abut safety. You are not the problem, the problem is the people that don't wear them despite the fact that they know they should because they can't get used to them. It's like flossing and eating vegetables, it's hard to start doing as an adult but much easier if you've been doing it since you were a kid. #inflatableseatbelts
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Timodge
11/05/09

@Digo: I guess you never saw this.

*warning, slightly graphic* #inflatableseatbelts
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Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
11/05/09

@Digo: Did you just call my avatar stupid? Well, I'll be...

*Huffs and walks away* #inflatableseatbelts
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Kaiser-Machead
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
Even with moderate forces tugging you about in the cabin, the taught edge of the strap is pretty irritating. I can't imagine how badly the seatbelt would feel when you're in an accident. I welcome this design. #inflatableseatbelts
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Jeb_Hoge
11/05/09

@Kaiser-Machead: Me too. I think the carping at Ford is a little irrational. #inflatableseatbelts
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Bertone77
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
These are a good idea, I don't understand the sarcasm. I've been in an accident where the seatbelt left a nasty friction burn across my chest (I was just wearing a t-shirt) and this would have been nice to have, plus I can see even more benefit for smaller passengers.

As far as comfort goes, a little can go a long way.
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Edited by Bertone77 at 11/05/09 12:07 PM Bertone77 was starred Bertone77 was unstarred

anexanhume
11/05/09

@Bertone77: My theories are that the sarcasm comes from it looking like an inflated condom, or perhaps Adam is disappointed he cannot fornicate with it. It's a genuinely good idea. #inflatableseatbelts
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chinolam
11/05/09

@Bertone77: right? I don't get the sarcasm either. #inflatableseatbelts
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Michael Woods
11/05/09

@Bertone77: ^agree. I'm a fan of any safety features that come standard. Also, the same technology is being used in the seksi 2011 Lexus LFA. [www.autoblog.com]

This is great but reading your article gave me a sadface. #inflatableseatbelts
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Mark Wilson
11/05/09

@Bertone77: It's human nature to be concerned with things we can see. But imagine the impact that car emissions we breathe in 24/7 have on our overall health, lungs and environment. That's a far, far greater problem, I guarantee, that companies like Ford sweep under the rug with red herring safety features like this one. #inflatableseatbelts
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trevisol
11/05/09

In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
The kid looks like he's having a good time.

Maybe the seatbelt should inflate into a balloon animal, so the kid has something to play with until first responders arrive. #inflatableseatbelts
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