Seatbelt issue . .. AIBU

NannyJan53

On a recent coach trip we were advised to fasten seat belt, or we would be prosecuted, not the driver.

Yes that’s right. But there is no such rule on public transport and our local buses go quite fast. If we crashed it could be a disaster.

In my state in the US, unbelted people can be fined. If it is an adult, then that individual is fined; if it is a child, then the driver is fined.

Regardless of who is legally responsible, I feel you had the right to speak up. Just because the other person is willing to risk having their brains bashed in, it is no excuse to endanger others.

Same as most things in this world. I believe you should be free to do as you like as long as it does not harm, or potentially harm others.

The one being unreasonable is your friend. Especially after you explained your valid concern.

Every seat in our car has a sensor in it………..if someone sits on the seat, as soon as the engine starts up the sensor emits a bleeping sound until the relevant seatbelt is fastened.

This thread is 7 years old and the friend has died, see update on page 6, from the original poster!

Oh dear mabon1. Had you read the thread you’d see that ‘the fool’ died and the OP lost her friend!

I used to drive people to e.g. hospital appointments. When one elderly woman was having trouble fastening her seat belt, I said I’d do it for her.
‘No, it’s all right - I’ll just hold it.’

I didn’t know whether to 😂or 😱!
Of course I fastened it anyway.

I was a volunteer hospital car driver 3 days a week for 10 years. My car would ping if the seat belts were not used, and so would allow me to say, are you having problems shutting your seat belt ? I can come and do it for you if you need some help. Only had one person state that they would not wear one and did not have a letter which excused them from wearing one , and I simply turned the engine off and said I am afraid I am not allowed to take you unless you use your seat belt. If you dont use it I am unable to take you to your appointment this morning. He huffed an puffed a bit but put it on. On the way back he again got in without putting his belt on and I asked if he wanted to come with me or would he like directions to the nearest bus stop. As he lived over 40 miles from the hospital, he begrudgingly and with much muttering put it on, then a little later took it off, but of course my dashboard showed that it was not on and it pinged so I just pulled up and turned the engine off and said not a word, just sat there. Another passenger asked why have we stopped? I replied we are waiting for Mr X and he huffed a bit but put it back on and I switched the engine on and without a word carried on! Regarding the person who would not wear a seat belt with you, you could either wait until it happened again and then either appeal to the driver, to explain the law to her, or say I am sorry I will have to go on my own and get out. alternatively you could preempt that by when you next see her saying in a reasonable tone, how sorry you are that you will not be able to travel together any more, but you will be happy to walk with her when that is convenient. That way you show your determination not to be in such a situation again, but leave it up to her to make her own mind up

mabon1

The driver can be prosecuted. That woman is a fool.

The driver is only responsible for children under 14.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

<<< note to self >>>

... remember to look at the date of the OP to avoid getting into a tizzy about something that happened years ago

Sometimes, I really do belong to the ranks of 'the plonker'.

Sweetie222

I know that it is law that people in the back seat need to wear a belt, which didn't concern this person at all. I think the bigger issue is that I asked her and she dismissed my concerns.

That's the bit that bothered me about your post. After pointing out the danger she posed, she was completely indifferent - "it won't happen, but if it did, it did" - to the possibility that she could've caused serious injury to you or the driver... or even worse.

She's entitled to take a fatalistic attitude about her own life, but not yours - nor anyone else's.

I'd be dropping her as a friend immediately, not because I'm a goody-goody about obeying the Law but because she sounds like a completely self-absorbed individual - and completely lacking in common sense. You just don't say things like that to other people. Jeez.

Dated 4 years ago

snap!! Trisha57

Reported

Reported

M0nica

Anniebach how dreadful and you were so young at the time.

I come to this from the other end. DH's insistence on seatbelts and child restraints, long before they were common, let alone compulsory, saved our lives when a drunken driver turned out of a side road without looking, forced DH to break violently, swerve off the road and into a hedge.

DH and I were wearing seatbelts and our 9 month old son was in the back in one of the early Britax child seats. Without DH's care, DS would have been on my lap in the front and my unrestrained journey through the windscreen would have killed both of us.

A friend who talked and acted as this lady did, would be a friend no more

These are really amazing suggestions. Which I will try out..... chatiw.onl/ chatrulet.site/ talktostrangers.one/omegle-tv/

Just seen update*Sweetie222*; so very sorry that your friend died, but glad that you found a way to be safe and remain friends while she was still here

As far as the law in the UK goes taxi passengers must always wear seat belts
Not sure why this has resurfaced from 2018, but the law has not changed.
Licensed taxi drivers carrying passengers or ‘plying for hire’ don’t have to wear seatbelts. The reason behind this unusual law is to protect taxi drivers from being attacked – it’s thought that a seat belt could be used to hold the driver down in their seat.
Another reason is that it simply makes it easier for taxi drivers to move in and out of their vehicle to assist passengers.

To add a bit more, this friend did have quite absolute views of so many things that there was no point in discussing with her. Unfortunately, not long after my original post she had a fall and due to complications died a few months later.

I have wondered if the problems I had with her were early signs of illness.

Interestingly taxi drivers themselves are exempt from seat belt laws.

Ah I see someone got there before me ?

Anyone else see the correlation between this refusal to wear a seatbelt and how some people deal with the virus?

I have just noticed that this thread has woke up! So, I’ll give an update. I didn’t fall out is friend, I just made other arrangements for getting home, sometimes leaving before her to avoid taxi issue.

It’s similar ‘logic’ to those who refuse to wear face covering to prevent the spread of COVID.

I understand that some insurance companies will invalidate your car insurance if your dog doesn’t wear a doggy seat belt.

Mind you, it always strikes me as odd that coaches have seat belts and buses do not, yet one gets thrown around a lot. I do not that our local buses do not set off until passengers have found a seat. Almost. You may be almost seated but not quite. There is still quite a lurch as the bus sets off.