VERY good point made and well said!!! To push the envelope even farther, how come motorcyclist aren’t required by law to wear a helmet, if it’s about safety? If they pay enough money to the insurance companies, they are allowed to risk their lives as well as those of their passengers. Not to mention the fact of they don’t have the luxury of metal)or fiberglass) to mitigate the injuries should they get into an accident.

I wish someone can explain the logic to me.

T. Biancamano
U. S. First Responders Association
Panama City, FLorida
http://www.usfra.org

Since when is the law completely logical? And based on what? If we were to implement laws the logical way, we would determine what incidents harm people, find out which ones are the most common and/or costly and then make a law for each one in its priority. Oh wait… Why do we need laws to protect stupid people who don’t wear their seatbelts? Well because their stupidity hurts me financially when they are injured—my insurance rates go up. But the real problem is that we don’t need more laws so lawyers can stay busy, we need to find out how to grow responsible people so that we don’t have to have babysitters telling them what not to do. Now where is my portable seat belt that I use when I ride busses to keep myself safe…

Responsible people went out the door when the citizens of our country started to have both parents working and the children bascially raising themselves...or..better yet...THE GOVERNMENT !!!!  The state/federal govenments are scratching their heads trying to decide what programs to cut.  Their first choice are the low income SS people… give less medicare benefits to them.  I know theres a dozen more of which escapes my memory right now as its late, but my point being.... the government shouldnt have to feed children in the morning and free lunches in the afternoon.  Why can’t the parents take on that responsibility..ITS THERES!!!  Then… do away with Early Childhood Program… all that is a glorified babysitting promgram… that would save us a bunch of money...Kids today are raised with no parental supervision and therefore most have not learned manners, proper speech, proper dress...etc.  My parents fed me breakfast (usually dozen donuts) lol that 3 of us kids ate (the explanation for my fat butt) lol… and we took our lunches to school.  How did I get off on all this??? I know!!!! its cancered99’s fault, lol… But, if the government was so concerned why is it not mandated that all public transportation have seat belts...but then… what good are restraints in some instances like taking an airplane flight...we have to fasten our seatbelts.. but then, on my second ever flight I was sitting there and was looking down and observed the seats fastened to the floor...honey, all the seatbelts in the world wouldnt help us in a crash, we’d all be flying thru the air fastened to our seats hahaha… Oh well, point being seatbelts are for our safety and should be a law that all public transportation have seatbelts for our safety.
Buttttt.... another curve.. Fla govern. made a rule that all shrimp boat nets have turtle excluders on them… we had no choice..it was law !!! Yet… why are they dragging their feet on the new turtle friendly lights to protect them?? Probably cuz more bigger money there...Oh well..... I just dont think i’m going to vote anymore !! Some said in paper.. if you want change then VOTE!!!! hmmmm.... everytime I did vote for change… the new electee’s were the same as the old that were voted out… so that’s why I don’t think I will vote… put my car gas to better use.

School busses are designed not to use seat belts.  When I was in school the seats were much lower and farther apart, if you go in a modern bus, they are closer together and MUCH higher.  I think another problem would be policing the wearing of the belts.

oic...so design and policing is the problem??  it sure doesnt stop law enforcement from policing us to wear our seat belts..oh bty.. what does seats being lower, further apart, closer and much higher have to do with the use of seatbelts?? are they the answer??? well...maybe i better buy a bus to protect my grandkids !!!

Hey Apalachee Lassee and Concerned99, still even better points made ...lol!

Speaking personally, I always thought laws aren’t needed to tell people what God-given common sense should ... for instance, put a seatbelt on, wear a motorcycle helmet, bike helmet, don’t use the hair dryer or curling iron in the shower, that last step on the ladder is NOT an actual step, etc. ... I hope you all can see where I’m going with this, right?

I always thought it was nature’s way of weeding out the idiots. Now we have laws to protect them as well as producing funds for the state! (sigh)

T. Biancamano
U. S. First Responders Association
Panama City, FLorida
http://www.usfra.org

Hey USFRAORG… I must be older than you cuz I can remember when we didn’t have a choice to wear seat belts or not to.  The cars didn’t have any !!! lol… yes i do wear mine for safety reasons, thats what my concern was in commenting why no seatbelts in public transportation.  Heck we all know we need the government to make a law to protect us.  God forbid we don’t live old enough to pay into the gov. coffers!!!..hmmmm one more thing to add… why didnt they teach me to wipe my butt??? now look how messy I am !!!!

ROTF-LMFAO!!!!!! Too funny!!!! The government WILL eventually tell us how HOW to wipe our collective butts in the future, from the back or from the front! LOL!

But seriously, I’m very glad you wear your seat belt as do I. And I can never remember a time we didn’t have them and they were ALWAYS used when I was a kid or we’d get a smack from dad. (now the government won’t let dads smack their kids anymore), but I digress.

Those of us that cares about life and limb, must at a minimum, be tolerant of those who aren’t.

Or so my pastor tells me ... lol!

T. Biancamano
U. S. First Responders Association
Panama City, FLorida
http://www.usfra.org

Not putting seatbelts in buses is one of the most logical decisions our government has ever made.  According to the statistics I have found, an average of 11 children are killed a year on a school bus.  It would cost 800 million dollars to outfit every bus with seatbelts and that would not guarantee those 11 children would not be killed.  In fact, the research shows that it could cause more harm than good.

I will be the first to say that if my child was one of those 11, I would have wished we would have spent every dime making the bus safer, but as a society we cannot do that.  Also, I do a lot of overseas flying and the last thing I would want is to be on a plane that was overtaken by terrorists and killed in some massive terrorist attack.  But thousands upon thousands of people die from cancer every day than the number of people terrorists are able to kill.  But yet, we are spending millions upon millions of dollars to prevent that next terrorist attack.  It just isn’t logical.

Hey Nekkid, I’m going preface this by probably stating the obvious to you, but please keep in mind, there are those of us to which it’s not so obvious ... with all that gibberish of mine being said, ONE terrorist attack on Sept 11th netted 3,000+ lives (and the count goes up monthly on the fallout, the thousands of people who inhaled all the asbestos of the buildings are still dying, public safety officials and civilians alike) ... now let’s say the terrorist got together and decided to hit every major city, mall, bridge or sports events at the same time AND at the same rate they are blowing up themselves and innocents in the Middle East, then would the money be worth it?

Who’s to say it still won’t happen? Not that it hasn’t been tried, it’s been thwarted several times. Let’s take the money away and see what happens, maybe nothing will happen and all the money was wasted, but what if? ... do we, as a Nation, really want to take that chance?

How about let’s start saving money by cutting out the pork and earmarks in Washington and use the funds to make our children safer on buses as well as strengthening our military, giving our brave men and women who fight for our freedom a decent living wage, paid medical, dental and life insurance. Every time congress gives themselves a raise, how about giving the military a raise as well. They are the reason we are able to participate in our “rights” and “freedoms” ....

sorry to go off on a tangent there, but I go to the airport and welcome our brave men and women home and see the ingrates that spit at them and call them murderers, when all they were doing was their job. These are the same people that curse at police officers for giving them a ticket when they KNOW they were speeding.

I’m done now (sigh) ... now I’m ready to take my beating....lol!

Whatever beating you may or may not have coming to you, it won’t be administered by me.  :-) I agree with most of what you said...just don’t agree with how the money is being proportioned.  The National Institute of Health estimates that an average of 1500 people die every day in the United States alone from cancer.  These people dying from cancer are dying every day...not just a one time event like 9/11.  The odds still support that you are much more likely to die from cancer, heart attack, stroke, or any other malady besides a terrorist attack, yet the majority of our federal tax dollars are going towards military defense to stop that next terrorist attack which may or may not happen.  The next cancer victim WILL die.  The next heart attack WILL happen.  Does that mean I am advocating doing nothing, no not at all.  I just think the amount we’re spending on it versus the other things that could kill us is very “out of whack.”

I also agree with what you said about congressional raises...total b.s.  However, 11 deaths a year in bus accidents is pretty darn good statistics.

And yes, any American who would curse an American soldier needs to be dropped amongst the Muslim fanatics wearing a sign that says “I’m a Christian, Muhammad can kiss my butt!”

And now for my tangent...I am wary of any religion (Islam) that can be interpreted to support the murder of anybody and everybody who does not believe in it.  I truly cannot imagine how the Christian community would react if a group of Christian fanatics started killing non-Christians and claiming the Bible tells them to do that.  And before you bring up the Christian Crusades, make sure you do your homework.  The Crusades were started by the Muslims...the Christians were defending themselves and there lands.

People are always bashing Christians right and left...just read the discussion boards on sites like digg.com or fark.com...and nobody says a thing...as soon as somebody says one word about Muhammad, let the riots and murders begin.  And what is sad is that the governments all tuck tail and apologize and frown on anybody who speaks out against Islam.

And here is another tangent...Americans have been bashing Bush and our government his entire tenure as president, but as soon as somebody bashes the government of a foreign country, they are being sued!  CNN and Jack Cafferty have the right to say what they did about China and its leaders.  Remember the whole right to free speech thing?  “The suit asks for $1.3 billion dollars—$1 per person in China—for ‘violat[ing]the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people.’” I guarantee something volatile has been said about America from many countries around the world lately.  I say we sue them $1 per person in America for the same violations.

I also agree with most of what you said as well (and thanks for not administering the beating ..lol)and you’ve somewhat made my point. There has been an upsurge in cancer deaths across the U.S. and many of the cases has to do with Sept. 11th. Think about it, in the 7 years since that awful day, people have relocated. Cancer such as Mesothelioma has NO real cure. The best the patient could hope for is a donated lung.

I agree with every last one you your tangents, especially the one about Christians. Those of us who have faith knows that those who deny Him will suffer the consquences...’nuff said.

And you’re right about China, I think we should sue them as well! Last time I checked we are allowed to say pretty much what we want in OUR country. Besides, we should sue them for sending us defective products which may impact our children well into their adulthood, with their lead paint (speaking of cancer)… not to mention poisoning and killing our beloved pets. We ACTUALLY have a case, opposed to their weak stance on “hurting their feelings” ... PUH-LEEZE! China needs to take a pill!

usfraorg… you said....*OUR country*.... is it really *OURS* anymore??  We are americans in these United States that speak english.  Its really becoming everyone else’s country more than ours.  Why should OUR tax dollars go to print spanish, provide the mexicans with translators, push 1 on the phone..why cant the friggin spanish speaking people push “1"… I feel sorry for the younger crowd when they retire.  There won’t be any SS because all the money will be gone.  Gone for what you ask?? Well, our money in the SS is being spent on everything else.  If the government left it’s greedy little hands off of SS money there would be plenty left… BUT NOOOOO we have to finance food stamps (you should see how they drive up in high price autos and so much gold around their necks it gives them crinks… then the lazy, sorry ones figure they do better on welfare than working!!!! AND ITS TRUE!!!!!! why should they get a job and bust their buns when the government will take care of them?  Those are the ones who get the best of medical care… the rich and the sorry ones on welfare (i am not referring to truly needy people) just the ones that can but WONT work.  They have no worries… kid got a snotty nose?? well heck run them to the emergency rooms..why should they have to wait for an appointment with a doctor!! Crap I shouldnt have gotten started with this train of thought.  I just think government, businesses, grocery stores shouldnt be printing in spanish, they moved here let them learn english… the blacks...the blacks invented their own slang language and teachers have to learn it to teach them??  I ask myself where is this USA coming from?? oops...AFRICAN AMERICANS (like I can’t look at them and know their ancestors came from Africa,) it just makes me wonder if it makes them more white or less black… WHO CARES!!!! we are all people, races, religions and colors.  I wish I Could propose a bill into Congress to make English the official language of the USA and EVERYONE learn it!!  oops back to the welfare..lol.. my meaning is.. the illegal aliens will end up getting welfare, medical needs, schooling and only God knows what else and all come from our SS fund.  Oh i dont think its OUR country anymore, sorry to all I offend.

Illegal aliens do all the work the lazy white or black US citizens refuse to do. Those are the ones on the system. Does anyone really think they would be here if someone didn’t want them here? They’re good for business. They work for cheap. The employers pay them cash so no matching taxes, SS or unemployment to pay on them. And they show up everyday. If illegal aliens weren’t wanted in the US (just like illegal drugs) they wouldn’t be here. The problem starts at the top not the bottom.

Uhm, I’m going to have to take issue with that ... at least where I live and what I’ve come across in my travels, so to speak, the jobs start at $7.00 and hour and goes UP! There’s no illegal alien making less than that and if they are they are on government assistance, which is another argument for another time. I have to agree with one thing you said about them showing up for work, THAT IS the truth, however, the jobs I see most of the “illegal aliens” are, waiters, waitresses, retail, construction, hotel, motel, and fast foods. So, you’re telling me that all these places pay the illegals under the table? I really don’t think so. I think they are working off of someone else’s social security number (identity theft), paying taxes, social security and FICA...and guess what? they are also going to get a stimulus check from the government because they FILED!

Some would say that at least they’re paying taxes and not sucking off the government and I would be the first to clap to that, because I know they are trying to feed their families and have a better life. But so are the AMERICAN white and black folks who live here. We’ve had lazy people since the beginning of time and they were allowed to wither away and showed the rest of us that life is hard and you will NOT be handed anything by sitting on your backside, you’re going to have to bust your hiney like the rest of us to get anywhere. But today, we are all spoiled! There are those who look to the government to house, feed and clothed them, when we should be relying on each other and keeping the government out of your business. But, we don’t have neighbors and friends who care about each other anymore and everyone is out for themselves.

It shows through our charities. Our organization will be throwing a fundraiser in June to raise food for Catholic Charities, as well as money and clothing for the American Red Cross, which is NOT government funded by the way. Which is why we chose those two charities. Getting back to helping the community and keeping the government out.

And before I close, the statement you made about the problem starting at the top ... you’re absolutely right!!! And by the way, there was a new count of illegal aliens in the U.S. (i don’t know how they do that) but anyway, it has jumped from 12 million to 21 million in 26 months!

Kinda makes ya think huh?

This post is pretty old but if anyone is interested, the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB)did extensive testing on seat belts in school buses in the 1970’s and learned the following:

Seat belts in buses cause more damage than they prevent.  How?  Most of the time buses are mostly empty with students siting one to a seat and most of the time, the buses are sufficiently massive that little actually happens to those inside. When an accident occurs that is sufficiently violent enough to get students moving around inside the bus,the unused seat belt ends become missiles hit children in the head, face, and arms causing serious injury. It was found that adding padding to the backs of the seats would do the most good to prevent injury in a colision.  You will see that most school buses have padded seat backs and no seat belts. In testing by the NTSB this combination resulted in the lowest number of injuries and deaths in school bus accidents. In most cases where students are injured on a school bus as the result of a traffic accident, having a seat belt on would not have changed things. Obviously there are exceptions, but you have to deal with the most likely consequence not the unusual. How would you feel if your child was hit in the eye with a flying seat belt buckle, and no other child was injured in any manner?

i always was brought up to believe that we were allowed to make choices for ourselves, boy is that a joke !!!  i love this country for the freedoms we are supposed to have, we have the right to pay our taxes and make sure they aren’t late, we do not have the right to expressed our opinions because we will more then likely offend someones sensabilities, can’t smoke can’t breathe the air can’t drink the water and the food well if we could afford to eat it would just make us sick because of the chemicals in it, so why can’t i have the choice to wear my seatbeat or not, i pay enough for insurance. It should be my choice not the governments, they don’t pay my bills, they make my bills more difficult to pay. I want someone in office that doesn’t have 14 million dollars backing them, how about the 10 thou that most unfortunitely make and stuggle to survive, so as far as i’m concerned , kiss my grits, i’m not wearing the belt.

I agree-- you should have the right to wear your seatbelt or not But.... we need to be set up to do this with everyone’s understanding. That way when your insurance company increases your personal liability exposure from 0% to 50% because you had an accident, injured yourself because of it, you will be able to cough up half of that that $100,000 payment to the hospital because the car flipped and rolled over on you. Or maybe you opted for the “no seatbelt” provision in your insurance and raised your yearly premiums by maybe 100% or more.

FOLLOW THE MONEY! If you don’t wear a seatbelt in your car who pays the fine? Also if you are hurt and have no insurance who pays the hospital bills? THINK ABOUT IT. You can ride a motorcycle without a helmet if you have enough insurance. Who would pay the fine if a student refused to wear a seatbelt? The bus driver? The school district? The parent? None of the above. If a seatbelt law on a bus was inacted it is a law the government couldn’t enforce. One last comment to ponder, why do airplanes have seatbelts but busses do not?

I fully believe in protecting the children, but if I ride in a vehicle by myself I should have the right not to wear a belt.
More and more laws are being passed to help protect someone from themselves. If someone is suicidal, it’s illegal. If someone doesn’t care what happens to them in a car accident, it’s illegal. If they don’t want to wear a helment, it’s illegal.
If that’s what they want, they should be able to do it as long as someone else is not injured or killed because of what they are doing.
If the government spent as much time on everyone else as they do those who wish to hurt themselves, more things could be done for everyone instead of a select few. There are a lot more important issues to deal with.