Monday 30th July 2001

Belt Up

Four point belts for cars of the future

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[danmangt40]

I personally think this is an awesome idea. I was planning on installing racing harnesses in my next car... I think these goofy- pull gently and move seatbelts give a bit too much, and while I''m sure it''ll be weird to pick up a date who is uninterested in my hardcore restraints, thats a good way to filter out the ones that can''t deal with my obsession with cars anyway... I''m sure more lives will be saved... especially if they fit the seatbelts such that you pretty much HAVE to sit upright in the right place... it''ll force manufacturers to only pick the best seats and redesign controls so that they are immediately visible and usable to driver/passengers without leaning... just a thought

[Jonathan T]

You can already buy a harness from safety devices that uses an inertia real. Never seen or used it though.

[campbell]

There is a problem with a 4 point harnes, there is little give when you have it properly done up unless the belts are on a real like a normal belt. Say for instance you by a Ford Mondeo (heavens forbid) and it has a set of 4 point harnesses in the car you wouldn't be able to use the back seat for the fact that the belts come over the top of the set and run down to an anker point on the floor a minimal angle of 45 degrees, that would put the mount for the belts btween the gap in the bottom and back of the seat.

[smeagol]

Harnesses are fine if you take into account that you cannot lean forward to look out on a blind or difficult junction. I worry about general public with a fixed harness as we will get the "it must be clear" bods who would just pull out. I'm not sure if the harness mentioned is fixed or allows some movement.