Do you believe in Air Bags?

[RB30-POWER]

typical yanks, lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3c5g...eature=related

sorry to go off topic, but some entertainment to the thread.

plenty of normal vids of airbag deployment on youtube also for those that are interested.

[Smashed S15 Bloke]

I think the first Euro Barina was one of those, wasn't it?

Nah the Euro Barinas (Opel Corsas) were shitloads safer than the rebadged Daewoo shit they import now, but Holden were being fucked on the import costs of the Opels and they needed to compete in the "$13990 drive away no more to pay" market so they went the cheap option.

[Crais]

Um, that's just because Saab are fucked up.. the airbag module looks like a little flat tin can with wires on it.. they are not going to stop you from adjusting your wheel.

I think airbags rock, the only reports I hear of people getting injured come from the US and that's because they are not required to wear a seatbelt and therefore the airbag's are MUCH more forceful. Bad enough to break a nose.

agreed, my focus has height and reach adjustment, along with dual airbags.
I've ony ever met 2 people that complained that a car had airbags, and that was because they were ricers whinging that they couldnt have an aftermarket steering wheel :knock:

[Captain_Slow]

I think they're a pain in the arse. One of the reasons I so disliked our Saab was that I couldn't get a decent driving position. The seat had 50 million adjustments but the steering wheel was fixed in a position much lower than I like and you can't have adjustable height columns and airbags too.

That's not true, I've owned two cars with height (and reach) adjustable steering columns and airbags.

I spend a lot of time at the salvage auctions looking at cars with relatively minor damage, but written off because the airbags have deployed. Maybe when they make them so the only go off when they're needed ...

That's exactly what they do...they don't go off if they're not needed.

Nah the Euro Barinas (Opel Corsas) were shitloads safer than the rebadged Daewoo shit they import now, but Holden were being fucked on the import costs of the Opels and they needed to compete in the "$13990 drive away no more to pay" market so they went the cheap option.

Nah, the second model (XC) Euro Barina was a really good little car and quite good in a crash, but the first (SB) model sold from 94-01 was a shocker. It came on to the market without airbags then around 1997 when the ADRs were toughened for crash safety, it suddenly got twin airbags. Considering at the time you didn't get twin airbags standard on anything further up the Holden range, that was a bit suspicious...

Hopefully the Daewoo Barina will follow the same history...first model crap, second model much better.

[Smashed S15 Bloke]

It came on to the market without airbags then around 1997 when the ADRs were toughened for crash safety, it suddenly got twin airbags. Considering at the time you didn't get twin airbags standard on anything further up the Holden range, that was a bit suspicious...

Hopefully the Daewoo Barina will follow the same history...first model crap, second model much better.

Ah yeah youre right, i forgot about the SB series. They were shite. My XC was pretty cool besides breaking all the time.

[Daisy]

Um, that's just because Saab are fucked up.. the airbag module looks like a little flat tin can with wires on it.. they are not going to stop you from adjusting your wheel.

I stand corrected then. I'll just go back to the kitchen. :p
Yes I know what they look like, we took one out of a Daihatsu - which also had no height adjustment. The car itself was repairable, but the cost of replacing the airbag saw it off to the crusher.

[CussCuss]

no, crash dummies dont exist, crash tests dont happen, research isnt done.

ALL AIRBAG DEVELOPMENT IS PURE GUESS WORK...


fuck!

[morerevsm3]

I divorced the passenger side airbag...

[Banzai]

The seats in a mates 350Z were stolen. They ere the type with airbags, heater etc. They cost $16,000 to replace! How can two seats be 1/4 of the value of the car? He would have preferred to chuck in a couple of Brides or Recaros but had to replace them with airbag equipped seats.

FFS, you can buy new cars for less than that. It's not is if they are great seats.

[Daisy]

FFS, you can buy new cars for less than that. It's not is if they are great seats.

And that, people, is why old cars are better than new cars.

[BigMuz]

this increase is due to more deaths with airbags in low-speed crashes and no seatbelts.

It's in America; where seatbelt use is not nationally mandated. That article is a total crock.

[kabab]

They only really have to save your ass once for them to be worth it.

[GAZ914]

I believe that a seat belt does 90% of the work in reducing personal injury in a crash and the other crap might do 10% or possibly worse.

From an article on Mika Hakkinen's crash at the Adelaide F1 (I know this is not a road car but the principle is the same)
Crash Article

In such an accident a driver's head and neck is very exposed, because while the body - strapped tightly in the car - stops moving, the head does not stop. In such circumstances neck, chest and head injuries are likely because of the wrenching effect of the impact. Recent crash-testing conducted for the FIA Advisory Expert Group shows that lateral G-forces on the driver's head in such accidents can peak at 150G, which is much more than the human body can tolerate without injury.

Race cars have HANS devices to help prevent those injuries.

Road cars have airbags.

Make your choice - airbag FTW BUT I hope I never need it

cheers
Gaz

[tut]

i've never been able to hit the steering wheel with my face while wearing my seatbelt.

but i do think that the airbag might possibly reduce neck strain . . .

i do turn off the passenger side airbag when i don't have a passenger, though . . .

[hotgemini]

Denise: In an accident you will. Go to a wrecking yard and walk around and look at some of the front-end damaged cars, you'll find head imprints on the steering wheel and windscreen, look closely and you'll almost certainly find hair.