Choku Dori

iTrader: (2)

Apparently this one slipped under the radar (including mine): Turns out that in 2013, the feds passed a law requiring ALL new vehicles sold in the United States to have curtain airbags in the A- and B-pillars to prevent idiots that don't buckle up from being ejected through a window in a crash. What that means is that a certain sports car that I'm considering investing in, among others, will be halting American market release for the 2017 model year due to this asinine, nanny-state legislation that defies natural processes of "thinning the herd".

Perhaps the only saving grace is that open-top vehicles are exempt, but you can kiss a lot of lightweight coupes goodbye thanks to this governmental paternalism and pandering to the lowest common denominator.

First, they take away my lawn darts. Now this. THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!!!

https://www.federalregister.gov/arti...ion-mitigation

Krinkov

iTrader: (21)

so what cars are getting the axe over here?

Choku Dori

iTrader: (2)

Alfa Romeo is axing the 4C coupe in 2017.

That much I know; I'll post more as I find out more.

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

Curtain airbags are for side impact, like when someone hits you (not your fault)

LxJLthr

iTrader: (12)

I have an idea...instead of requiring all these stupid overcomplicated technologies that make cars essentially disposable in the long run...how about passing a law requiring 'Muricans to actually LEARN how to drive instead of relying on laser guided cruise control, blind spot warning systems, preemptive brakes, anti rollover control, billion airbags and self park systems?! /RANT

LxJLthr

iTrader: (12)

...and lawn darts???

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

Oh.. This was a magnificent toy that us American kids got to play with - for me it was the late 70's/early 80's. Nice big heavy metal point on a dart (like 40+cm long) that you literally throw up into the air and try to land inside a circle for points. Too many landed inside kids' heads.

WRXspeedwagon

iTrader: (1)

they should just install A and B pillar lawn darts and make it real exciting

LxJLthr

iTrader: (12)

Sounds like a perfectly acceptable way to "thin the herd" (as Ryan so eloquently put)...you don't pay attention or act a fool...do not pass Go, do not collect $200

Choku Dori

iTrader: (2)

Gagan, this legislation goes beyond the standard side curtain airbags. Per the legislation, "On January 19, 2011, NHTSA published a final rule establishing FMVSS No. 226, “Ejection mitigation,” to reduce complete and partial ejections of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes, particularly rollover crashes (76 FR 3212; Docket No. NHTSA-2011-0004; corrected 76 FR 10524, February 25, 2011). [1] To meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 226, vehicle manufacturers will avail themselves of the side curtain air bag technologies that are already being installed in vehicles to meet FMVSS No. 214, “Side impact protection.” In response to the 2011 final rule, manufacturers will enhance these side curtain air bags to make them larger to cover more of the window opening, more robust to remain inflated longer, and more advanced to deploy in side impacts and in rollovers. Further, the curtains will be made not only to cushion but also to be sufficiently strong to reduce the likelihood that an occupant will be fully or partially ejected through a side window."

Thank you!

Yes!

YEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

In today's world, I sincerely wish life were more dangerous, and that stupidity caused pain. I can't believe some of the things I lived through as a child! Maybe if I had a more normal life like most of the people I know, I would think differently. I work with adult humans that would not have survived my childhood.

I can't believe how many times a day I have to consciously not run over a person who has strolled or biked out into the road without looking at the direction that traffic is coming from. There are a million things to complain about but this happens multiple times a day. Also wish people would stop crashing into each other on HWY 92. Sheesh.

eastbaysubaru

iTrader: (9)

To prevent the ejection of people who aren't wearing their seatbelts?!?! Isn't wearing your seatbelt already a law in all (most?) states? F*** people that don't wear their seatbelts. I hate catering to the lowest common denominator. At what point will we be mandated to wear a sumo suit to prevent us from falling down and hurting ourselves?

-Brian

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

Interesting!

AVATAR-X

iTrader: (3)

I'm a little torn here. I'm all for side-curtain airbags, due to their ability to help mitigate Traumatic Brain Injuries in side-impact collisions (even in belted occupants). Especially since such collisions are not necessarily the fault of the person getting t-boned.

Increasing the size of those airbags to keep people from being ejected from their cars, because they were too dumb to wear seat-belts... I'm a little more iffy on.

Though, I'm curious as to how well seat-belts (lap + shoulder) keep people in place during a roll-over. I'd wager that, much like with side-impacts, even a belted person might strike the window (repeatedly) due to the amount of play in a standard seat-belt. A 5-point harness would probably mitigate any need for better airbags.

Choku Dori

iTrader: (2)

I think this legislation is what will drive Lotus out of the US too IIRC.

I completely feel the exact same way! It seems like the general person has no more self preservation instinct and will literally walk into poles or drive into oncoming traffic without batting an eye! I think that we live in an overly sanitary society where death and injury are hidden from the public eye, and anything potentially dangerous gets Nerf'd to hell, and because of that, people don't understand how fragile the human body and mind can be because they're never "scared straight" like they were before. It's a sad path that will lead to the human species devolving, I'm certain.

I couldn't have put it better myself. Why protect those who refuse to protect themselves?

I can think of other choice adjectives than that.

I have to agree about standard side airbags being useful, but this 2017 legislation takes it WAAAY too far.

As for the lap and shoulder belt combo, a properly calibrated tensioner (as required for all cars federally), should "theoretically" be able to keep an occupant safe enough in any collision that would require the use of the extended anti-ejection airbags. It's why Ralph Nader fought so hard for the shoulder belt back in the '60s, and with advances in car safety technology since then (thickened pillars, crumple zones, etc.), they are sufficiently safe when used properly (IIRC the NHTSA conducted a study confirming this, but don't quote me on it -- at least unless I find a copy of it haha!). I do recall reading research about 5-point harnesses, stating that the system would be too complex for the general public to properly lock-in or quickly release in a fire emergency or some other speed-dependent emergent situation.