Oppo question: why don't people like automatic seat belts?

"E. Julius" (soonerfrommi) 12/19/2014 at 16:19 • Filed to: None

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I know they were just an excuse for automakers to avoid reengineering cars without airbags as safety regulations tightened, and that the cars with them are pretty unsafe by modern standards, but why exactly are they so undesirable? I DD'd a car with them for a year and they never really bothered me. No malfunctions or anything, just kind of a quirk of the car. What's wrong with them?

Bonus anecdote: when I had my Escort, most people my age did not know these were ever a thing, so I had multiple people ask me if I installed them myself.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:20

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I like them

jariten1781 > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:22

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No malfunctions or anything

You got lucky. Seriously. The only electrical gizmo that has broken at the same frequency for me was power windows.

Also, any device that attempts to strangle you for using it wrong was probably not a good idea in the first place.

I liked the GM solution better.

TheHondaBro > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:23

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I kinda forgot these existed.

My uncle's old Tercel had them. Never really thought big of 'em.

VonBelmont > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:26

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On older lower-end cars where it just whips around the frame, they're neat and not too troublesome. But on fancier cars, like the older Merc's (not sure if the newer ones have this) where the little arm gave you your belt, it was just more stuff to break.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:27

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Right around the time you nail yourself in the head because it moved and you forgot to wait the hate starts rising.

E. Julius > jariten1781 12/19/2014 at 16:29

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Ok, that makes sense. I've slowly been coming to realize that I must have driven the the most well–built Escort Ford ever made. Also the 1996 was one of the only cars to to have automatic seat belts and airbags, so that's kind of funky.

I'm not familiar with the GM solution, what did they do?

E. Julius > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 12/19/2014 at 16:29

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Yes! Finally another pro automatic seatbelt enthusiast (or person really).

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:30

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I always thought that they were weird and wondered how good of a job it would do in an accident after ten years of moving back and forth.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:30

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I just think theyre snazzy and they dont restrict anything either

jariten1781 > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:31

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They mounted the whole seatbelt to the door instead of the car's body. It was "automatic" because you were supposed to leave it buckled in the whole time and just stretch it really far while getting in and out. Of course no one did that and just used it like a normal seatbelt.

Edit, Picture from a Caprice:

E. Julius > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 12/19/2014 at 16:33

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Yeah I never had any issues using them, nor did any of my passengers, and you could always unbuckle them if you had to put stuff in the front seat. Definitely dumb on a modern car, but a neat little quirk of a bygone era. Snazzy is a good word for it.

E. Julius > VonBelmont 12/19/2014 at 16:36

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How long has Merc been doing that? I rode in somebody's newish one last summer (maybe 2006?) and they had them.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jariten1781 12/19/2014 at 16:37

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God seatbelts attached to the door were a terrible idea.

E. Julius > jariten1781 12/19/2014 at 16:53

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Thanks for the pic

Rainbow > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 16:55

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I have them, and I like them. They're just fun.

E. Julius > Rainbow 12/19/2014 at 16:57

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So fun!

The car I had them on was originally bought for my sister, who is eight years older than me, so I was about 8 years old when we got it. The first night we had the car I spent like 10 minutes just opening and closing the door in the driver's seat and watching the seatbelt move.

Racescort666 > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:04

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Never had any problems? In an Escort no less! Color me impressed. They're fine when they work like they are supposed to but they get hug up, the motor goes out, it makes getting in and out of the car quickly a pain. They are more or less rife with problems along with ththe fact that you have 2 buckles to undo (one of them is kind of hard to get at) if you need to have your seatbelt off with the door closed.

Takuro Spirit > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:07

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I didn't mind them in the one car I owned with them.

Only time I ever unbuckled them was for this pic. I wished the lap belt was automatic though, it was weird having to just buckle that.

E. Julius > Racescort666 12/19/2014 at 17:10

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Yeah I guess I just got lucky. I think there was a time or two where I had to close the door and open it again before it worked, and then one time where I had to unbuckle it.

E. Julius > Takuro Spirit 12/19/2014 at 17:11

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Whoa what kind of car is that? Looks crazy!

Takuro Spirit > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:14

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94 Eagle Talon

E. Julius > Takuro Spirit 12/19/2014 at 17:15

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Oh cool. I've always wanted to drive one of those to see what it's like. How did you like it?

Takuro Spirit > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:17

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It was decent, but slow (1.8L). Needed a clutch and struts, but it since it was just my winter car I fixed the rear brakes (reason why it was free) and some oil leaks so the belts actually did belt things, instead of just made noise.

Rainbow > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:19

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It's great. I've had people get so mesmerized by the shoulder belt moving that they forget to undo the lap belt and then they sort of flop over toward the door.

E. Julius > Rainbow 12/19/2014 at 17:21

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Hahaha that's hilarious! Anybody ever ask you if put them in yourself?

Rainbow > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:23

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Not yet, but I've had someone ask me why I haven't replaced them yet, as if that was a normal thing to do.

VonBelmont > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:30

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My grandmother had a '90s (I think) S-Class with the robobelts, so 25 years I guess?

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:31

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I hate them because one grabbed me by the neck and stuff my face into the dash of a Corrado I was test driving. I opened the door whilst reaching down for the hood release with the expected comical (although not for me) results.

I am perfectly capable of fastening my own belt, thankyouverymuch, and don't need a needlessly complex device whose failure could cause my death.

stuttgartobsessed > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 17:39

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Because how hard is it to put on a seatbelt yourself? And what if I don't want to wear it?? Huh? Just letting the machines take over our lives is more like it! Didn't you see the Terminator????!!!!????!?!?!

E. Julius > stuttgartobsessed 12/19/2014 at 18:29

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Skynet is a 1996 Ford Escort

PyramidHat > E. Julius 12/19/2014 at 21:42

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Wow - I forgot about these! My sister-in-law's '94 Eclipse had these....I seem to remember that at the end of the car's life, they were having trouble going back and forth on the track.

As for why folks don't like them, I'd guess it has something to do with being forced to do something (or, rather, not being able to opt out). Also, I remember there being issues with folks just relying on the shoulder belt and not fastening the lap belt...