Miata Mailing List: May 1998, Message #121

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Sorry to hear about your injuries and loss.  What is the 
answer to the big question; Will you disconnect the air bag 
in the new car or not?

Jerry ('95 White)


-----Original Message-----
From:	BIOMED HMC [SMTP:BIOMEDHMC@aol.com]
Sent:	Saturday, May 02, 1998 11:50 AM
To:	Multiple recipients of list
Subject:	Real Stats on Airbags (NMoreMC)

Well, sorry to say, NO MORE MIATA CONTENT -- I believe that 
I had a
STATISTICAL AIRBAG ACCIDENT on the 14th of April.  Been 
watching this thread
about airbags:

Statistics include:

  One totaled '90 white MIATA2D.  From the discussion, 
STAT: the impact was
from 12 o'clock, head-on.  A lady pulled out of a bank 
parking lot in the
middle of the block, got to the middle of a busy four-lane 
highway, and
stopped.  She left me no place to go except into oncoming 
traffic.  I T-boned
her car going at an undetermined, but moderate, rate of 
speed.  However, I've
always had good brakes and even upgraded the brake system 
-- smoke everywhere
!! -- from all four tires and the airbag (you really can't 
see anything after
the airbag fills).

  Two broken hands.  One broken wrist.  If you hold the 
steering wheel really
really tight, trying to brace for the impact (ten and two 
always), the airbag
will make your hands leave the wheel, anyway.  STAT: The 
airbag is actually
larger than is the steering wheel.  When it "inflates" / 
"fills" it will
remove your hands from the steering wheel area.

  I wear glasses.  No head, neck, or chest injury or pain 
ever.  I kept my
glasses on my face.  I'm 5'10' and 200#.

  My two cents worth.  I believe that I'll survive to drive 
another day.  The
airbag DID CAUSE THE INJURIES to my hands and arms -- that 
really biases my
opinion about the airbag.  I find it a little difficult to 
use the keyboard
and I can't return to work, yet.  But, it probably did 
protected me from
injury to my head, neck, and chest -- not a scratch here -- 
not even a bruise
that I could complain about.

  Wishes.  Just make the airbag SMALLER.  Advice drivers 
making those mid-
block left-hand turns across multiple lanes of traffic that 
other cars have no
-- place -- else -- to -- go.  When I can drive again, 
please have a leather
package available at the dealership for me -- in Emerald 
Mica.