Miata Mailing List: June 1995, Message #175
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   From: "Drew Derbyshire" 
Subject: Re: Seat Belt Extension?
   Date: Sat, 3 Jun 1995 07:13:42 -0400

On Fri, 02 Jun 1995 20:48:22 -0400, ci-pioneer!genie.geis.com!a.mccombs3 wrote:
> Drew Derbyshire, in posting re: technonet stuff, mentioned in passing
> something about ordering a seat belt extension from customer svc. for his
> Miata.  What is this thing?  I never heard of it before.  I find that the
> belts fit me just fine (and I'm less than 2" taller than you, Drew),

It also fits my spouse fine, who is my height, 108 pounds, and petite.
Its my 38+" girth which makes the belt ride climb my side a little and
thus cross my chest and neck higher.

> but
> wife Anne has a chronic complaint with most shoulder harnesses, that the
> strap does not pass over a comfortable area of her - well, chest.

Sternum.  I want to the belt to pass the center of my sternum, I bet she
does too.  One wonders what it takes to deflect the belt across the
upper chest ... but  I doubt it's a Miata discussion.

> She ends
> up putting 2 - 3 twists in the seat belt/shoulder harness just above the
> buckle, to move the point at which the shoulder harness separates from the
> seat belt, closer to the center of her waist and not so close to the hip.
> (We're talking an inch or two, by doing this).

I was going to say grab the belts where the Y comes together at the
buckle and bunch it for a couple of inches to see if moving the split of
the Y helps.  Clearly she moved it and it does help in her case.  I
appear to only need about four inches.

> She's had some discussions
> with other women car engineers, and it seems that NHTSA and DOT always use a
> 10 to 90th percentile MALE in configuring seat belts and etc. - little
> thought goes into the different physiological requirements of women.

I think the standard is 5'8", ~ 180 pound male.

> Anyway, if I read this correctly, it sounds like a device which might
> accomplish what Anne is trying to do, without tangling up the belts.  I've
> never cared for that idea.  But then, Anne doesn't care for getting smashed
> in the wrong places by a shoulder harness, either.

Yes, it would work exactly like the tangling.  I worry about the
tangling she is doing, BTW, because it doesn't distribute the stress
evenly; this would not be a problem for a day or week, but over time I
could see the belt weakening.

-ahd-

p.s. This list is so nasty to newcomers I decline to discribe my Miata
     lest I get flamed for an error in what should be viewed as trivial
     boilerplate text.  If you feel the feel to flame for an FAQ or
     other error, take a hike (out to your Miata and drive it) -- you're
     taking yourself too seriously and need to chill.
-- 
Internet:       ahd@kew.com             Voice:          617-641-3739

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