Seatbelts.

FakeSnake · 8 Jun 2006 at 14:52

penski said:
It could be something as simple as a blow-out sending you into the central reservation. Certainly not a risk I would take.

*n

You are right, in a way, but it would take quite a lot to put the car upside down. If the car DID go over, the driver would likely be a gonner any way irrespective of the type of harness.

I certainly feel safer with a full harness than in my friends cobra who has a 3pt 'normal' lap and shoulder style belt. Although his was not designed to have full harness' installed.

penski · 8 Jun 2006 at 15:00

kaiowas said:
Of course it'll deform but unless you put it on the roof with some serious force I certainly wouldn't expect it to collapse around me particularly at the back where you have both 'B' and 'C' pillars very close together to take all the load.

As with my example above...say you're doing 80mph on the motorway, suffer a blowout, hit the central reservation and roll. Okay, you'll scrub off some speed so...1 tonne of metal at 50mph?

I don't know about you but the top of my head is about 1.5" from the roof in an MR2.

If you are in a harness, you cannot move; with a three-point belt you can move sideways and down.

That means that, once the roof has deformed more than 1.5", my spinal column would be bearing the force of the impact...

Hardly "collapsing around you" is it...?

*n

penski · 8 Jun 2006 at 15:03

Zip said:
I think he means the roof will help keep the fire wall pretty straight and not bend or fold
Only a guess though

Edit: Damm people posting just before i get my post in

Not quite, young Padawa.....Convict.

*n

Zip · 8 Jun 2006 at 15:05

penski said:
Not quite, young Padawa.....Convict.

*n

Noticed that just as i posted

The only thing i find disturbing about having a harness is if you do crash your body is stuck there but your head moves feely and that cant be good because it would almost pull your head off with some of the forces.

Hans device F.T.W :cool:

penski · 8 Jun 2006 at 15:20

The thing to realise is that harnesses should only be used with a cage and seat. That is how they are designed to be used.

I can't help but sigh at the OMGZ! CHECK MY LEET HARNESSES! brigade...even more so when the harnesses go straight down the back of the front seat or disappear down through the gab between the bench and the back of the rear seat.

*n

burns · 8 Jun 2006 at 15:55

There're one or two people I've navigated for who have harnesses and standard seats. Needless to say I tend to just leave the harness where it is and use the seatbelt.

Mounting the harnesses to the rear seat belt mounts is a bit dodgy ie. less than ideal, but I believe the angle the harnesses end up at is inside the blue books accepted range usually. Out of harnesses, cage and buckets the only one I'd put in on it's own is the bucket seats.

penski · 8 Jun 2006 at 17:15

burns said:
There're one or two people I've navigated for who have harnesses and standard seats. Needless to say I tend to just leave the harness where it is and use the seatbelt.

Mounting the harnesses to the rear seat belt mounts is a bit dodgy ie. less than ideal, but I believe the angle the harnesses end up at is inside the blue books accepted range usually. Out of harnesses, cage and buckets the only one I'd put in on it's own is the bucket seats.

Agreed completely.

Blue Book says up to 45 degrees from horizontal is allowed but a ten degree deviation is preferred...if I recall correctly.

*n

Phantom · 8 Jun 2006 at 17:27

hmm... get those bar things that they have on rollercoasters to keep you in your seat. preferably with foam surrounds so theyre more comfortable :cool:

JUMPURS · 8 Jun 2006 at 17:38

penski said:
I can't help but sigh at the OMGZ! CHECK MY LEET HARNESSES! brigade...even more so when the harnesses go straight down the back of the front seat or disappear down through the gab between the bench and the back of the rear seat.

I've seen worse than that, i've seen one attached to a rear strut brace :eek:

Personally i dont like them, my mate has them in his car and i just find them too restrictive, maybe i like to move about a bit more than most folk when i am driving cos i suppose i am a fidget, but leaning forward is always a pain (to reach the fan controller, radio, get change for toll), unless you keep them a bit loose, therefore making it a fancy lap belt and worse than a 3 point.
But its down to pure tastes imo

penski · 8 Jun 2006 at 17:42

JUMPURS said:
I've seen worse than that, i've seen one attached to a rear strut brace

Seen that

*n

Lashout_UK · 8 Jun 2006 at 17:43

Oh, and a harness you use in a car daily or in traffic is hideous. A car I drive every now and then has one, and I hate it - because it pins you to the seat - you can't look around, reach the console or anything, so if you think there's something in your blind spot you can't turn enough to see it