Miata Mailing List: June 1998, Message #438

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I think we agree. The correct safety order would be:

1) Roll bar 2+ inches over my head, 5 point harness
2) Roll bar below head height and seat belt ( I could move or be pushed
with a seatbelt  if I rolled.  I will certainly be seriously injured with a
harness)
3) Roll bar below head height and harness
=3) Seat belt only

The choice between the last two is dependent on circumstances, neither is
good. 

A harnessed driver above the rollbar is always SCCA illegal. The seat belt
only driver in a convertible is sometimes legal dependent on the speed of
the event. 

All this said, I'd like to disengage from any flame war over roll bars and
and  take the  high ground as stated in John Freas' post - I think he has it
just right when talking about personal responsbility. You can't remove the
risk. Ever seen the disclaimers at a ski resort? 


Craig


----------
From: Newton8845@aol.comr
To: craig_b2@verifone.com; miata@realbig.com
Sent: 6/3/98 8:07:36 PM
Subject: Re: Roll Bars..Yes!!!!/No!

In a message dated 98-06-03 17:50:40 EDT, craig_b2@verifone.com writes:

<< 4. Many people also drive Miatas with 5 point harnesses, these are the
truly
 insane. A harness does a great job of holding your body in place,
 unfortunately if the car rolls, whether or not you have a roll bar, your
 head will hit the ground first - and GUESS WHAT your body will be held
 firmly in place as your head bounces along the ground. With a satbelt you
 have some chance of body movement.  >>

Not quite.

Properly installed, a roll bar or cage would not allow your head to hit the
ground at all, let alone first.  The harness keeping you inside the bar/cage
is one of the main reasons to have one in the first place.  With a seatbelt,
your "chance of body movement" could very well send you right out of the car
in a violent crash.  If you're thinking that we just have differing
opinions,
take a look at every racing group from  weekend warriors like myself right
up
through NASCAR, CART and F1.  Harnesses are required throughout.

Sorry to go off - I agree w/ your point about a tall person w/ a rollbar
that
is too low - you're absolutly right about that part.  I just felt that your
post convayed a message that having roll bars and racing harnesses is more
dangerous than not having them.

Later-
Aaron N.