12 replies to this topic

[Phil Hackett]

I just got through watching this very sobering description of the how and why of airbag deployment and the consequence to your body (biological, not automotive) if they do deploy in an accident.

 

[Pablo]

Plus the persistent agony of having to return my vehicle to the dealer to "fix" it, again and again and again and...

[Bill from NH]

My wife had an airbag deploy a few years back when a big buck ran into her van. she survived okay, but the buck had to be euthanized.

[Taylor Davis]

Very cool video, I fix those systems on a daily basis and sometimes hear, why didn't my airbag deploy when... also my wife has the bad habit of putting her feet on the dash, and I say the exact same thing he says. I will be showing her this video!

 

Plus the added humor is awesome!

[Dave Crevie]

I had a head-on in 1992, in a Chrysler LeBaron with the airbag. It was an early version of airbag since they had 

just become popular options, and I believe it was supplied by Mercedes-Benz. It did not deploy when it certainly

should have. I was badly injured, and had to be cut out of the car. Part of the litigation was a suit that the airbag

was faulty, and improperly manufactured. Chrysler countered that the airbag system was supposed to be serviced

annually, and had not been, meaning that they could not guarantee that it would work. There were no instructions

in the owner's manual that anything needed to be done to the system after one year. I had purchased the car used,

less than a year old with little mileage. So the system should have worked regardless of service. As part of the suit,

the insurance company paid to have an investigation into why the airbag did not deploy. The system was in perfect

operating order, and they were able to fire the airbag normally. No reason for the malfunction was found.

 

I have never been a fan of airbags. If people are afraid of hitting the windshield, they should install a five point harness

like those used in race cars. They are nearly infalable. But they are not convenient for everyday commuting, so we

got airbags instead. The only real crash protection is to pay attention to your driving. If everyone did this, crashes would

really be reduced.

[Taylor Davis]

Dave,

 

Your experience was over 20 years ago, I don't think that has any traction for today's technology.

 

Fact of the matter is air bags save lifes every day.

[Dave Crevie]

Does today's technology include maiming with schrapnel? Just curious.

[Taylor Davis]

Think of how many vehicles on the street, the carelessness of one company doesn't mean you shouldn't trust all of them.

[Pablo]

I'm old school, like Dave. I also preferred the old style seat belts/harnesses where you could strap yourself in as tight as you wanted.

 

Keep me tight in the car in an accident, no airbag, and manual windows. Not sayin' I'm right. Just sayin', that's what I like.

 

My wife or kids, heck yeah, I want airbags deployed.

[MattD]

For what it's worth.,15 years ago I was run off the road by a car coming toward me across the centerline as it came across the crest of a hill. I ended up with a head-on with a telephone pole. Totaled my '95 Silverado.

 

The airbag deployed properly and I had no issues at all. I was thankful for the bag and I think it is another great invention to protect humans from human stupidity. In this day of mentally-challenged driving when people think driving only requires about 15% of your concentration and the other 85% can be used for your computers or telephone, it is a great invention.

 

This thinking does require they operate correctly as needed.

[NSwanberg]

"When you are driving you are already multi-tasking."

[Dave Crevie]

You can't regulate bad driving, or bad driving habits.

 

My town writes more tickets for seat belts not in use than any other violation. A full harness is by far the best restraint system. But it does no good if people don't use it. So we are stuck with having the airbag system as the best restraint that does not require the driver to use it.

 

Most accidents are not accidental, they are the result of someone not doing something they were supposed to do. 

[Cheater]

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

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