# Factoids that sound right, for a moment... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 27, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234 "2011-01-27T20:49:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/122 "2011-02-06T14:24:57Z")
Hrm, I got my post backwards. I posted something (the seatbelt trivia) that sounds WRONG at first but is actually true. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/123 "2011-02-06T20:05:34Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Hrm, I got my post backwards. I posted something (the seatbelt trivia) that sounds WRONG at first but is actually true. Son, y’all better have a cite for that, or by golly I’m going to WHOOSH ya! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/124 "2011-02-06T20:15:23Z")
That’s a paddling! ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/125 "2011-02-06T20:55:37Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Son, y’all better have a cite for that, or by golly I’m going to WHOOSH ya! I imagine that in serious car accidents, those not wearing seatbelts tend not to require as much medical care, as they tend to be deader. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/126 "2011-02-07T02:23:31Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > I imagine that in serious car accidents, those not wearing seatbelts tend not to require as much medical care, as they tend to be deader. Bingo. Mind you, I know this via anecdote, but as we all know, data is merely the plural of anecdote! _ducks_ But anyhow, supposedly that came up as an argument by lobbyists arguing against seat belt laws. They did a study of people going to the ER, and found that there were a LOT of folks who wore seatbelts that ended up in the ER, and very few WITHOUT seatbelts needing to go there. Hah! Proof that seatbelts are unsafe! Their opposition came back with the other half of the information they lacked: The numbers of people WITHOUT seatbelts who ended up in the _morgue._ ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/127 "2011-02-07T07:50:57Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Bingo. Mind you, I know this via anecdote, but as we all know, data is merely the plural of anecdote! _ducks_ > > But anyhow, supposedly that came up as an argument by lobbyists arguing against seat belt laws. They did a study of people going to the ER, and found that there were a LOT of folks who wore seatbelts that ended up in the ER, and very few WITHOUT seatbelts needing to go there. Hah! Proof that seatbelts are unsafe! > > Their opposition came back with the other half of the information they lacked: The numbers of people WITHOUT seatbelts who ended up in the _morgue._ About time fella, I just about ready to pull out my can of WHOOSH-ASS! ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234/128 "2011-02-07T12:26:48Z")
Alpha Centauri is the closest star to the Earth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factoids-that-sound-right-for-a-moment/569234.md?page=6)