On a birthday trip to karting in Kent, a friend of mine refused to put a seatbelt on because another friend's (who was driving) car constantly bleeped about it. It was the old "it should be my choice, I'm not being dictated to by a machine, I can make my own decisions" blah blah blah.

If this had been me driving, we would have been going nowhere until he was either belted up, or driving himself in his own car. He did eventually do the belt up on the entry slip to the M25 ... but had been putting us at risk of random headbuts in case of an accident, and subjecting us to a bloody irritating bonging noise from the car for about 5 miles or so.

For some reason though, he was acting like a spoilt 4 year old that day and this was just a taste of things to come, he seems to lose 30 years sometimes for no obvious reason.

With the amount of irrirots on our roads these days you need all the safety features manufactures offer. Anybody who cannot see the safety feature of a seat belt, should perhaps stay at home.

For those of you who choose not to wear one, answer this simple question.

Generally speaking, do wearing a seat belt protect you from more serious injury in an accident, Yes or No

It's a Class thing.

Seriously, the people I see without seat belts have that urban look of aggression and stupidity.

Like smoking, I think we should encourage these 'types' of people to smoke and drive without seat belts in the vain belief that there will be fewer of these people make it to retirement, and therefore more money to go around.

The other day I went to the petrol station in our worst pickey looking car, a dodgy looking battered cavalier which amazingly has just got another 12 months MOT.

Parked next to me was a tit in a audi q7 with bald tyres, and the guy bought 20 quid of fuel.

and then a 59 plate focus with chavy looking occupants in their early 20's

There were two skinny tatoo'd lads in track suit bottoms, with vest tops, and two fat women with too thick make up, and a baby in a baby seat. Not one of the 5 had a seat belt, and they bought 15 quids worth of petrol in cash.

Now in the past I would have been horrified, think of the children etc. but these days I think well if they crash that's a marginal improvement to the overall gene pool.

The funniest thing is the occupants of both cars gave me a look like I was scum, for driving a 20 year old car with dents, and peeling laquer, but I've got tread on my tyres, and I know what a seat belts is for

Is this wrong? Have I become the man I used to hate ?

Unless I'm going on a long journey I only ever put £20 of petrol at a time in, and I nearly always pay cash. I didn't realise it marked me out as the underclass.

Do you have tattoo's, an ugly fat girlfriend, white trainers, and would you put a child seat in a car without using the seatbelt ? I think you'll be okay then.

My life is too short to spend it buying fuel, so I fill it up. Whatever it costs. It evens out in the long run. I could put £20 in once a week, or I could put £60 in the cav every 4 or 5 weeks.

Last time I filled the Honda up with Deisel I'd done 580 miles, and it cost me £86, to go from fuel warning light on to full.

I've got a conifer at the end of my garden. Nothing wrong with paying cash, but I like to have a record so I use a credit card for fuel (with cash back points).

Have you looked up the definition of accident recently. "An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity"

No one intends to crash.

Ok then forget the taxpayer point of view and look at the insurance point of view. Why should my premiums rise because he needs lifetime care due to not wearing a seatbelt?

Plenty of people have accidents without seatbelts and survive. I am presuming those who do so have more care costs involved than those who crash with a seatbelt

Ok ok ok I've got one which will get PH approval; The more people die on the roads - the more chance of a lower speed limit and more speed cameras.

Check.

Mate.

if you see how taxi's drive here you want 4 point harness and a rollcage!