Buckle Up!

[lagilman]

The government is launching a "Click it or Ticket' campaign this weekend. The big spokesperson, of course, is Jon Corzine, New Jersey's governor, who almost died last month in a traffic accident because he wasn't wearing his seat belt (the other passengers and driver, who were, all walked away from the crash).

I had hoped the commercial would open with "Hi, I'm Jon Corzine, and I was a bonehead." No such luck....


Anyway. Guys? Clickit. Don't be a bonehead.

Comments

[gryphart.livejournal.com]

...truthfully, I am unsure whether the government should be spending money to *make* people wear their seatbelts. I understand campaigning against something like drunk driving, which is highly likely to hurt others, but if people want to be idiots in ways that affect only themselves, I think we ought to let Darwin sort them out and spend that money on more useful causes.

Just my two cents, though.

[lagilman]

I don't think they should be telling people where they can/can't smoke cigarettes, have/not have certain medical procedures, or only have sex in the missionary, male-female, either.

That doesn't change the fact that not wearing your seatbelt when travelling many MPH in a mass of metal is a boneheaded thing to (not) do.

[gryphart.livejournal.com]

True enough. I just dislike most of the creeping tendency to over-legislate and turn the government into a pseudo-parent, on the whole, and it was simply a specific example. I'd much prefer to be an intelligent adult and choose to wear my seatbelt because it's a good idea than be forced to wear it or be fined.

Heh, I'll stop soapboxing on your journal now, though.

[autojim.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, the boneheads get injured, and if their insurance covers them, we end up paying, and if their insurance or our insurance doesn't cover them, we end up paying another way, and thus we all end up paying for their boneheadedness one way or 'tother.

Personal opinion, of the "If I were King" variety: If you don't wear a seatbelt, or don't wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, fine, that's your choice as a presumed adult. However, that means you don't get to file an insurance claim (private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, doesn't matter) if you're hurt or killed in a vehicle collision of any kind while so not-equipped.

I race cars for fun. I also work races I can't afford to compete in. On the street or on the track, I'm always belted in, and my street car doesn't move unless my passengers are belted in. I sincerely doubt you'll find a race driver of any stripe who doesn't belt-in on the street.

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

Totally agree with the first paragraph!

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

I was in Jersey for my mom in law's moms funereal the day that happened. We saw it on the news and all of us called him a dumbfuck.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I saw that for the first time today, and while it was...expected, I found it affecting and kind of honest seeming.

And the fact that he lost half his blood.... Scary. As was that final shot of him walking away w/ braces on his arm.

[lagilman]

yeah, the braces were... a good touch, emotionally. The fact is, he broke half a dozen ribs, plus, and it could just as easily have been his neck or spine and he'd never have walked again.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

91 MPH unbelted in a crash = he's extremely lucky to be alive even... *shakes head*

[greeneyedkzin.livejournal.com]

Bonehead? Funny, he doesn't look Minbari.

I can't believe his luck. Or his recuperative powers. If he were a cat, I'd say he was eight lives down.