Seat belts. When will my stupid sister learn?

"The man in the iron mask" (Themanintheironmask)
08/11/2014 at 02:21 • Filed to: None

I hope she doesn't need to learn the hard way.
Every time i move/drive her car, i find the drivers seatbelt already buckled (like in this picture) so that the car wont beep when she drives without it. Ive shown her some IIHS videos, also examples of dummies without using seatbelts, and she wont listen.

DISCUSSION (64)

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:32

Get her to cruise along at low speed on a deserted road and without warning, yank on the handbrake. She'll learn when her torso plops onto the steering wheel.

Justin Young > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:33

Did you show her that Expedition rollover?

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:37

one of my mates never wore a seatbelt. His funeral was 5 years ago.

The man in the iron mask > Justin Young
08/11/2014 at 02:40

I did, ive also shown her one video of a russian dashcam ( i cant find it now) where you could clearly see that a guys head smashed the windshield.

The man in the iron mask > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
08/11/2014 at 02:41

This is a very good idea, i will try it, obviously with caution, because i know of a friend that one time this did to a girl to bug her while she was driving, and the car went out of control and they crashed. They were ok, but it was a very stupid reason to crash for.

The man in the iron mask > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
08/11/2014 at 02:44

its so sad, and you'll never know if he would still be here if he had used his seatbelt, but it sure increases the chances of surviving the crash.

Soloburrito > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:45

Maybe you can try setting up a sort of sting with local law enforcement where she'll be pulled over and cited. Lightening her pocketbook may be the most effective solution. The longer this habit goes on, the harder it will be to break.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:56

I was angry at him for putting his family and us friends though that. Now I just miss the dickhead.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 02:58

True. At low speed the worst she should suffer is a hurt nose and bruised ego. Understandably, it's more irritating for women to wear a seatbelt, particularly (if you pardon the expression) if they have big boobs. But personally, I'd rather be irritated than dead.

Grindintosecond > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 03:20

Whats her excuse? Whats she say after the vids? The parents know? Why haven't they taken the keys from her irresponsible ass?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 03:37

I never understood why people don't put their seatbelts on. It takes 2 seconds and can potentially save your life in an accident. You never notice it's on you to, so there's really no excuse for it.

The man in the iron mask > Grindintosecond
08/11/2014 at 03:39

She doesn't have excuses, and she never says a word after watching the videos. Its like she blocks it from her mind. I guess the reason is because she is too lazy and doesn't want to lose time putting it on and off.
My parents know and they always tell her she should buckle, but she's 24, so she's old enough to take her own decisions.
I got an idea based on another comment, im going to take her for a ride, and i will floor it in second gear, and then slam the brakes by surprise with force. Maybe this way she will learn.

The man in the iron mask > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/11/2014 at 03:45

If you drive fast you do notice, because it makes you stay in place, try braking hard without the seatbelt and it feels horrible. you slide off the seat. Worse part about my sister is that ive seen her drive and she drives very fast, but bad. Not Oppo fast, where we guys know what we're doing.

jordang1028 > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 03:49

I know it's much safer to wear a seatbelt, but as a daily motorcycle rider I honestly have a hard time buckling up every time I get on 4 wheels...

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 03:59

Holy crap those are shocking and gruesome GIF's. Seat belts have saved my life at least twice. First time I would have ended up like your rollover GIF. Second time I was t-boned causing my door to open. I may have fallen out and been run over at 60mph if not for the seat belt.

Tentacle, Dutchman, drives French > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 04:07

That won't make her learn. She knows it's bad not to wear a belt because you've already shown the videos. Pulling a stunt like this will only make her (more) pissed off at you.

I'm with Soloburrito: Sick the local law enforcement on her. Let her get fined. Let her get fined repeatedly.

Bycjoe > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 04:21

I learned the hard way and was lucky it wasn't worse, I had an awesome 93 v8 Thunderbird that was off white with a plush burgundy interior. It cost me the car and $15000 in new teeth when I broke the steering colum with my mouth and then proceeded to go through the windshield. Not a fun experience, I was 18 when it happened and I couldn't afford to get my teeth fixed until last year when I was 24. Now I always wear one.

The man in the iron mask > Tentacle, Dutchman, drives French
08/11/2014 at 04:46

I still think it could work, maybe her thought is, this will never happen to me, i drive perfect. If she gets scared or even hits the dashboard, she could learn when she experiences it. The law is also a good idea because she hates using her money.
But she need to experience the feeling of not being strapped to the seat.

The man in the iron mask > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/11/2014 at 04:55

Must have been very scary to roll a car. I simply cant understand why after showing my sister many videos, she wont buckle up. I need to take her for a ride and then brake hard for no reason. I haven't tried that.

Tentacle, Dutchman, drives French > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 05:12

Perhaps you should reverse your reasoning. Her experience is the feeling of not being strapped. That's the whole point. Putting on a belt, when you're used to do without, isn't comfortable. It's distracting and annoying. (So maybe seat belt padding will help a bit.)

Wearing a seat belt takes getting used to. She'll have to weather her seat belt break-in time, or pay fines.

Her idea of her being a perfect driver, thus not needing to wear a belt, is probably playing a part here. An emergency stop isn't going to convince her. She will not have to make those. What needs to happen is that she realizes that other drivers out there aren't perfect. You can only demonstrate that if your emergency stop is legitimized by another car not yielding, or something similar.

McMike > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
08/11/2014 at 05:52

Get her to cruise along at low speed on a deserted road and without warning, yank on the handbrake. She'll learn when her torso plops onto the steering wheel.

This will also work with her in the passenger seat. Stand on the pedal and put her in the footwell. Repeat until seat belt is fastened.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > McMike
08/11/2014 at 06:03

Do both! It's for the greater good!

GhostZ > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
08/11/2014 at 06:25

iaianstg > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 06:37

my gf never buckles up. Drives me batty. Drives to fast to often. She has had close calls before. Thought that might chance her mind. She says that in some she is worried about crashing into swamp and getting trapped ( there are many swamps where she drives). I got her a window hammer/belt cutter hoping it would help. Hasn't. I've showed her the fifth gear video of ford hitting wall at speeds she usually reaches and that has slowed her down a bit but no seatbelt. When ever I drive I pretend the car won't go into gear until seatbelt is buckled. Any other suggestions?

The man in the iron mask > iaianstg
08/11/2014 at 06:44

well after reading other comments i came up with braking hard by surprise, her as a passenger, so she feels she is not magically sticked to her seat, and telling her that hitting a car or a static object will be worse than braking hard.
you have solved her excuse about the swamps and being trapped, now what did she came up with?

yamahog > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/11/2014 at 06:57

1. Seatbelts can be annoying as hell with boobs, or if you're shorter and the height doesn't adjust. I don't bother if I'm just putting around town.

2. Personally, I find it hilarious that I can legally ride a motorcycle without a helmet in Michigan, but driving without a seatbelt is a no-no.

iaianstg > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 07:30

i did the hard breaking thing and that hasn't fazed her. She just seams to block it out. She has smashed at least 1 windshield with her head so I don't think anything else is going to effect her. I am going to show her the gifs though.

E92M3 > Soloburrito
08/11/2014 at 07:34

^This

She can't do this forever. I don't care how good of a driver you are, eventually you'll be in an accident, even if its someone elses fault. If she gets rear ended at 50mph she won't have any warning or time to react beforehand. It can happen so fast.

Take her to a hospital to meet someone who is paralyzed. They never thought it would happen to them either.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:24

She's 24. Old enough to legally be considered an adult, but young enough to be considered a child for health insurance.

Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do. If she doesn't want to wear a seat belt, she isn't going to wear a seat belt.

Either talk to friends in the legal community (cops, DAs, county Judges), or your parents. She will either start getting seat belt tickets or worse. No one wants worse, but as you admit, its not her, its everyone else.

My brother does some very questionable things. I don't want anything bad to happen to him, but it will not shock me if it does.

Clown Shoe Pilot > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:28

She'll probably have to learn the way a friend of mine did. He crashed his truck and was thrown from it. It was about 2 in the morning, so nobody found him for an hour or so. It was really cold out too. He was in a coma for a couple weeks. He broke his neck and pelvis. His ACL was F'd up too. 99 times out of 100, he'd just be dead. Instead, he's been in pain for the last 9 months and has a million dollars worth of medical bills.

Agrajag > yamahog
08/11/2014 at 08:30

I've never liked laws telling me how to be safe, but I generally utilize what is offered.

Agrajag > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:32

I second McMike's suggestion. Whenever I had a passenger not wear a seatbelt I would randomly hard brake until they got the idea.

spanfucker retire bitch > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:41

I honestly wouldn't go over 10 or 15 if you plan on standing on the brakes. You could fucking kill her at 25 or 30.

yamahog > Agrajag
08/11/2014 at 08:45

The lack of helmet law is yet another stupid act of our stupid stupid Michigan legislature. I judge the hell out of anyone who rides without one, but that's just me, with an expensive college education in my brain, which I take appropriate measures to protect.

Jayhawk Jake > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:48

Question, how old are you/your sister? I guess that's irrelevant, I'm asking if you're still living with your parents.

If so, talk to your parents and encourage them to take away her car and driving privileges until she learns to wear her seatbelt.

There's zero excuse for not wearing one. One of my dad's friends in high school wasn't wearing one when he was in an accident. Luckily he only ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

oldirtybootz > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 08:57

Virtually none of my friends wear seat belts and it drives me nuts. I put mine on any time I drive any car and almost any time I'm in the front passenger seat. I typically don't wear one in the back seat, but after watching that Expedition gif I think I will.

Personally, I don't feel comfortable driving without it on. It's less about the fear of a crash than it is about just not feeling held down. But my friends all claim that seatbelts are so uncomfortable that they'd rather take their chances.

GTI MkVII > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 09:00

My dad got a seatbelt "blank" to leave in the latch…. Don't think I've ever talked to him so sternly before. He always wears his belt when he rides with me now, but I can only hope he listened and uses it when I'm not there. Then again, he still drives around in my old Civic that got rear-ended and essentially totaled. No more crumple zones =/ Love him, but he doesn't make the smartest decisions.

GTI MkVII > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/11/2014 at 09:03

I was rear ended at a dead stop about 3 months ago. Dude had to be doing at least 30-40 MPH. If I didn't have my seatbelt on I would have broken the shit out of my face. Luckily, I walked away with a bruised collar bone and that was it.

RazoE > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
08/11/2014 at 09:38

Why not just brake check her? I do this in my car. I'll start driving and then randomly slam on my brakes HARD and yell "seatbelt check!" I don't do this with my daughter or wife, obviously, but you get the idea.*

*Usually in the alley behind my house. I'd never do this on a public road. Also, only do this if you have ABS, you don't want bald spots on your tires.

Grindintosecond > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 10:42

Perhaps not that aggressive, but simply make some harder turns and blame it on a squirrel in the road or something or a panic stop. Things that happen much faster than she can grab the roof handle. The belt keeps me in my seat during hard maneuvering and without it i would be tumbling all over the place. In my old Volvo without lumbar bolsters I was holding on to the wheel to keep myself in place during an autocross (Which is something to see...a stock 240 floating and swimming in the cones) I thought about that and how i'd hold myself in the passenger seat without the wheel to hold on to....I wouldn't.

If you know someone in the law or see a cop around doing things just ask them. It's a safety issue and they'd be happy to talk about it with you and if it's something that can't be corrected i'm sure you could tell them when your sister will be driving to work and they'll gladly meet her along the way to discu$$ is.

eforeal > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 10:49

How ignorant can she possibly be?? And honestly, where is the harm of actually wearing it? Most people dont even feel it on...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 11:04

Kinja'd!!!

Look for a series of driver's ed videos called "Red Asphalt". Put her in a Clockwork Orange-esque contraption and make her watch it. Nothing will scare you into wearing one more than seeing brains splattered across the highway.

(Yes, that's actually shown. The series was pulled because it was deemed too graphic)

thebigbossyboss > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/11/2014 at 11:05

Confession: When I bought my car, it came with 4 point racing harnesses. They were a real PITA to use so often just went without until I could change over to regular belts after a few weeks.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 11:20

My step dad used to get dinged for not wearing his seatbelt all the time. Still doesn't wear it most of the time. Might help might not.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > yamahog
08/11/2014 at 11:28

NY has the helmet laws and everytime I leave I always say how stupid it is not to ride with one. It will increase your chances of survival and avoid more serious head injury.

I also like feeling like a race car driver.

Sn210 > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/11/2014 at 11:38

I remember a new story a few years ago about a man protesting NH's helmet law. He was killed in an accident while on a protest ride, and would have lived had he worn a helmet.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Sn210
08/11/2014 at 11:42

A couple years ago we were in Myrtle Beach on vacation and my grandfather brought his 105th Anniversary Harley down. SC doesn't have a helmet law but because were from NY it's pretty much automatic to put the helmets on. Well he got hit at 45 mph by some last coming home from dialysis and he walked away with a bruised leg and some scrapes on his chin. Had he not been wearing his helmet it would've been worse.

Sn210 > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/11/2014 at 11:46

it's just not worth it to not wear one. Glad your grandfather was alright, and that sucks his 105th got wrecked. My dad has a 100th Lowrider

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Sn210
08/11/2014 at 12:04

I think I was more upset that bike was totalled. At least we have die cast of it! Yeah it was a great bike.

I don't think I'd ever get on a bike with out wearing a helmet. My dad wrecked his first back in 06 and would've been worse had he again not been wearing a helmet.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > thebigbossyboss
08/11/2014 at 14:33

They really do seem to be a pain for daily driving. Back in school I saw several kids with Civics that had them. They never raced either. I never saw the point...

thebigbossyboss > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/11/2014 at 14:37

For daily driving they are just useless. At every stop you got to spend between 2-3 minutes buckling or unbuckling.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > yamahog
08/11/2014 at 14:42

In my defense, I'm not a girl! But no helmet laws are stupid. It seems so dangerous to ride without one. A friend of mine tells me he sees all sorts of stupid things people do behind the wheel of a car while on a motorcylcle, you'd think that would convince a person to get a helmet.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 14:49

True, my seatbelt likes to lock all the time to. You really need to convince her to wear it, especially with her driving.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > thebigbossyboss
08/11/2014 at 14:51

I'm sure they are. I can't imagine spending that much time on just a seatbelt!

The man in the iron mask > Jayhawk Jake
08/11/2014 at 15:04

She is old enough to make her decisions, she still lives with my parents, shes 24, but since the car isnt her property my parents could take the car away from her.

The man in the iron mask > GTI MkVII
08/11/2014 at 15:05

Yes my sister is the same she uses it when shes my passenger. But not when she is alone.

The man in the iron mask > Grindintosecond
08/11/2014 at 15:13

Nice, yes i thought about having a hard drive through corners, she would me moving all over the place.

Jayhawk Jake > The man in the iron mask
08/11/2014 at 15:21

Well since she's old enough to make her own decisions something like taking away the car will only make her angry at losing the ability to make her own decisions. I doubt it would teach her to wear a seatbelt.

Scare tactics will just end badly for everyone, and showing her youtube clips clearly went unnoticed. I'd recommend finding someone who was injured in a car accident and having her talk to them personally about it. At least suggest that she do so, because maybe a first hand account will teach her.

Ultimately though if you telling her sincerely that you are worried about her safety isn't enough to convince her to wear a seatbelt, unfortunately it may take her being in an accident herself for her to understand why you are concerned.

The man in the iron mask > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/11/2014 at 15:34

That'll work. Now i just have to find some eye openers.

The man in the iron mask > Jayhawk Jake
08/11/2014 at 15:39

I thought about that, of the person that tells her his story about an accident, but i dont know anyone who has been through that.

Tohru > The man in the iron mask
08/12/2014 at 10:21

Take her to an event like ice racing or autocross, and ask the officials if you could do a run with her in the passenger's seat. Tell them she never wears her seat belt and you're trying to teach her the dangers of it. After she pinballs around the interior, she'll change her tune.

Buick Mackane > The man in the iron mask
08/16/2014 at 04:28

If you love your sister and want her to live, just let all the air out of her tires every time you see her not wearing her seat belt. After she has to air up her tires a few times on her own she will finally get the message.

The man in the iron mask > Buick Mackane
08/16/2014 at 06:38

She is stubborn enough to drive the car with low tires. And my parents would end up paying 4 new tires. But i need to come up with something.

Buick Mackane > The man in the iron mask
08/16/2014 at 14:21

No way she can drive a car with four flat tires. Just remove the valve stems if you have to. I really doubt your parents are going to pay for more than one set of tires and that's it for her. If your sister is so pig-headed then yes, you need to find a friend in the police department to keep an eye on her and give her a seat belt ticket every time she drives without a belt. After she gets caught so many times, I believe she will be in contempt of the law, maybe a weekend in jail? Does anyone know? By the way, how old is your sister? If she is still a teenager, living at home, and a novice driver, her parents and the law can do something to make her comply.