# Only one more week until the government protects me from me **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 23, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738 "2009-06-23T17:10:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/61 "2009-06-24T15:35:15Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > 186,282 M.P.S. > It’s not just a good idea – > It’s the Law! If you find a way to break that law, one thing you _won’t_ have to worry about is a cop using a radar gun to record your violation! ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/62 "2009-06-24T21:18:39Z")
This is a tough one for me because generally I find consensual crime laws to be somewhat absurd. On the other hand, it’s not like I’m an advocate for anarchy. While I think drugs, prostitution, and gambling should all be legal, I also think they should be regulated and/or licensed. If we are licensing drivers anyway, and making road laws, requiring seat belts is not a huge additional burden in comparison to all of the various other regulations involved in driving. And they aren’t required on private roads. And they do actually have a positive effect of keeping the driver more in control in a dangerous situation, which benefits other people than just himself. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/63 "2009-06-24T22:07:56Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Obligatory driving is a right/privilege post. Actually, I think obligatory driving would be either a duty or a condtion of employment. What? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/64 "2009-06-24T22:17:44Z")
Seat belt laws are used to harass people. I once got pulled over leaving a seedy establishment late at night in a bad part of Charlotte, NC. Officer looks around the interior, realizes we’re a bunch of nerdy white kids, not drunk or high, and then looks at me and tells me I wasn’t wearing my seat belt. I absolutely **always** wear my seat belt, without exception. It was drilled into me as soon as I was old enough to be out of a car seat. I told him I was wearing my seat belt and he said **NO. YOU WEREN’T.** I wasn’t going to argue with the guy so I zipped it and he let us go. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/65 "2009-06-24T22:30:09Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I like Gov. Crist’s quote “The most important function of government is to protect.” > Is he serious? That should be “protect the strong from oppressing the weak” not protect people from themselves. Terrible. 😕 Is somebody going around trying to force the strong to oppress the weak? Or did there _used_ to be, before government came along and protected them? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/66 "2009-06-24T22:30:24Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Seat belt laws are used to harass people. > > I once got pulled over leaving a seedy establishment late at night in a bad part of Charlotte, NC. Officer looks around the interior, realizes we’re a bunch of nerdy white kids, not drunk or high, and then looks at me and tells me I wasn’t wearing my seat belt. I absolutely **always** wear my seat belt, without exception. It was drilled into me as soon as I was old enough to be out of a car seat. I told him I was wearing my seat belt and he said **NO. YOU WEREN’T.** I wasn’t going to argue with the guy so I zipped it and he let us go. Cops will find a way to stop you, seat belt law or no. When I was in college (1972, Boston, long hair, big car) I got stopped all the time. Never ever got a ticket or even close to one. No seat belt laws - I’m not sure they even gave me a reason to stop me. So doing away with seatbelt laws is not going to reduce annoying traffic stops in the least. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/67 "2009-06-24T22:49:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Cops will find a way to stop you, seat belt law or no. Oh, I agree completely. Doesn’t make it right, though. I also got stopped (and searched) A LOT in my teens, but didn’t get my first ticket until I was in my 20s. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/68 "2009-06-25T01:44:53Z")
It is not about dropping insurance rates. They only go up. But it would reduce their payouts. That would make insurance companies happy. No fault was sold to us in Michigan as a big saver and would result in lower rates. We have amongst the highest in the country. The companies just make more money here. Seat belts usage would likely save lives. That is worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/69 "2009-06-25T03:06:44Z")
Personal responsibility and assuming your own risks is fine, just let the emergency response team, when they arrive at the scene of your accident check first if you had your seatbelt on, if not check if you can afford the rescue and estimated medical treatment costs. Try not to bleed too much while they get through the paperwork. Nah, stupid system. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738/70 "2009-06-25T03:46:23Z")
When I was a kid I was involved in a T-bone crash. If I’d have been wearing my seatbelt it would have held me in place and crushed me. Seatbelts aren’t always safer. Nice to know Florida thinks I should have taken a deadly action. Since Florida has taken over people’s decision making for them will it pay out compensation to the families of victims of seat belts? I agree they’re statistically safer but they still pose risks and shouldn’t people be allowed to decided their own risks? If not, if the state would rather decide for them, then shouldn’t the state be on the hook for making people whole when state decions turn out for the bad? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-one-more-week-until-the-government-protects-me-from-me/500738.md?page=3)