Selt Belt Etiquette?

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   A question: Is there an accepted etiquette on the use of seat belts?  A slug rode in my front seat this morning from 17 all the way to Pentagon without putting on his seat belt.  I didn't say anything for fear of being impolite.  Not being familiar with the intracincies of Virginia's seat belt law, I'm not sure if the slug or driver would be responsible for the fine in case we were pulled over because of this.  However, I would think that simple etiquette would extend to obeying the laws of the road.

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MarkJ Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 07 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MarkJ Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Selt Belt Etiquette? Posted: 17 May 2002 at 12:17pm
	A question: Is there an accepted etiquette on the use of seat belts? A slug rode in my front seat this morning from 17 all the way to Pentagon without putting on his seat belt. I didn't say anything for fear of being impolite. Not being familiar with the intracincies of Virginia's seat belt law, I'm not sure if the slug or driver would be responsible for the fine in case we were pulled over because of this. However, I would think that simple etiquette would extend to obeying the laws of the road.

610_Slug Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 Dec 2001 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote 610_Slug Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 May 2002 at 1:53pm
	When I slug (or any other time for that matter), the first thing I do when I get in the car is put on a seatbelt. I believe it's VA law to do so. If I was driving, I would tell my passengers to put on a seatbelt, if they hadn't already. If they don't want to do so, I would tell them to find another ride. I don't think there is any etiquette to safety.

lrb1977 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote lrb1977 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 May 2002 at 2:27pm
	quote: A question: Is there an accepted etiquette on the use of seat belts? A slug rode in my front seat this morning from 17 all the way to Pentagon without putting on his seat belt. I didn't say anything for fear of being impolite. Not being familiar with the intracincies of Virginia's seat belt law, I'm not sure if the slug or driver would be responsible for the fine in case we were pulled over because of this. However, I would think that simple etiquette would extend to obeying the laws of the road.

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 May 2002 at 10:03pm
	I find it interesting how many riders unfasten their belts when I haven't even pulled into the slug lot to drop them off in the evenings. Whether it's coming off the ramp into the Horner Road lot still at a high rate of speed, or driving down 234 towards the lot, they are putting themselves at risk the last minutes of the trip. Is anyone else noticing this trend? Hmmmm-- Maybe I should modify the standard announcement flight attendants use at the end of a flight....."Please remain in your seat with your seatbelts on until the plane has come to a complete stop and the pilot has turned off the fasten your seatbelt light......" Edited by - sheepish on 21 May 2002 22:05:09

kortegel Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 26 Apr 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote kortegel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 May 2002 at 7:50am
	Yes, it is in your best interest as a driver to insist that a slug wear their seatbelt because if you get pulled over YOU the driver get the ticket. It's not uncommon for a driver to not move an inch until everyone is buckled in. One one slugging occasion I was in, the driver wouldn't go until another slug buckled in. There was actually a bit of a standoff for about 10 seconds, but the rider finally gave in. I don't know why some people are so averse to making sure they are safe! Hope this encourages you. Kevin O.

Arbo Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 May 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Arbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 May 2002 at 8:11am
	The driver shouldn't move until everyone has buckeled their seatbelt. Conversly, the driver needs to give people time to buckle their seatbelts. I have been in a few cars where the driverstarted moving before the doors were shut.

z71cowgrrl Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote z71cowgrrl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 May 2002 at 8:27am
	It's the law in Virginia to wear your seatbelt. I remember when they first enacted the law, it was for front seat passengers. I don't know whether or not it now applies to passengers in the back seat or not, but it should. In D.C., it's the law for ALL passengers to wear seatbelts. Not only would the driver be the person receiving a ticket, but it's your insurance and your liability if there were an accident. I personally don't think you should move without all persons wearing their seatbelts. Along the same vein, I have ridden with drivers who don't wear their seatbelts. I think that even if you don't wear your seatbelt as a regular habit (that's your own choice) if you're picking up slugs, you have a responsibility to get them to their destination safely and lawfully. Wear your seatbelt when you're picking up other passengers. Your slugs are doing you a favor, so do them a favor, too.

J-Staff Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote J-Staff Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 May 2002 at 12:34pm
	I think that all slugs should buckle-up, but have a unique situation. Being one that is horizontally challanged, I do, on occasion, get into a back seat that is not designed for someone of a large frame. (The belt isn't long enough to go around.) So it's not that I don't want to wear one, sometimes I can't fit!

kortegel Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 26 Apr 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote kortegel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 May 2002 at 9:47am
	It's also important to post in this forum a warning if you ever encounter a slug car whose seatbelts don't work! Kevin O.

USA Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Jun 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote USA Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jun 2002 at 11:14am
	quote: Yes, it is in your best interest as a driver to insist that a slug wear their seatbelt because if you get pulled over YOU the driver get the ticket. It's not uncommon for a driver to not move an inch until everyone is buckled in. One one slugging occasion I was in, the driver wouldn't go until another slug buckled in. There was actually a bit of a standoff for about 10 seconds, but the rider finally gave in. I don't know why some people are so averse to making sure they are safe! Hope this encourages you. Kevin O. Actually, the driver should not get the ticket in this situation, and if the driver does, he should go to court and plead not guilty. The seatbelt law provides that the driver is responsible for making a front-seat passenger between age 4 and age 16 wear a seatbelt; it contains no provision for anyone over that age, so under standard principles of statutory construction, the driver is not responsible for passengers over age 16. Therefore, they should get their own tickets. I got a ticket for my passenger not wearing a seatbelt once, and I went to court and made precisely this point. The judge threw the ticket out on the spot.