Seatbelt issue . .. AIBU

My late mother refused to wear a seatbelt until it became law. No one comes in my car if they refuse to wear a seat belt.

January 1983 made law. After YEARS of trying to get through parliament, excuse was "British People don't like being told what to do" !!!! Bit like vaccines and masking up.........

I to went through the windscreen of a car at the age of 16 pre compulsory seat belt days, nobody gets in my car without putting a seatbelt on. Anything can happen in a split second on the road.

I think it is very rude of your friend not to buckle up when asked to. I get so angry with people who blatantly choose to ignore rules - so arrogant and disrespectful. {angry}

Yep - really fed up with this kind of selfish behaviour - must mean a fragile ego. I’ve been invited to a belated wedding (2 people in their 60s) who’ve hired a pub for a huge bash this week. As my husband and I were the only guests at the wedding itself, we feel obliged to attend. They are vehement anti-mask - we still wear masks in crowded places. So will they be selfish for not wearing masks - or will be for offending them by wearing them? Complicated, isn’t it? Difficult with your friend. Who’s she trying to impress? BTW I was injured as a kid in the days when there were no seat belts in the back of cars - being catapulted from a back seat into the dashboard on an emergency stop.

Don't know if in a taxi it is like in a private car ie the adults responsibility to belt up or not or a taxi driver can insist. Wouldn't travel with your friend again. What an attitude; if it happens it happens. Hope she is never responsible for under 14s travelling in the back of a car.

Not sure if it’s already been said as I haven’t read every post but my mother used to refuse to do up her seat belt. Turned out she couldn’t reach across to buckle it up due to her arthritis….unfortunately even when we realised the problem she wouldn’t let anyone help as she would appear like a ‘silly old lady’ ? maybe your friend has a reason she isn’t telling you?

I had a similar dilemma when a friends son picked us up from London Airport to drive us both home. It was extremely kind of him but he was constantly on his mobile phone. I was most uncomfortable and kept hoping my friend would tell him to stop doing it. She didn't and we survived. I made up my mind not to get in a car with him in the driving seat again. . Soon after she told me that she had raised the issue with him and would not drive with him again unless he switched his phone off. I then confessed how I had felt.
You have survived your ordeal. Bearing in mind her future companions in car or taxi I think you must diplomatically speak out, not do as I did and say nothing at the time. It's hard to lose friends, and I hope you don't.

Some people think they are above the law. I certainly wouldn't let her in my car!

No, you are not being unreasonable. We are all, except the driver of the taxi obliged to wear a seat-belt.

I would refuse to share a taxi with this lady again, or go anywhere with her by car. I would explain why too.

It is perhaps a bit drastic to drop her completely, but that of course depends on how friendly you are and on whether she has other opinions you find difficult to accept.

I went on a coach trip last month. A total of seven hours and I was unbelted most of the time. Half way on the way back home I noticed the person across from me was wearing one - oh, the feeling of guilt!

For various reasons its been many, many years since I went on a coach, it was something of a novelty and I didn't notice there was a lap belt. It just hadn't occurred to me! (I'm not sure how effective a lap belt would have been.).

Its also been several years since I used my bus pass too. Do they have seat belts now?

They are really strict on it here in Australia. I would say almost no one would go without belting up. Our cars shriek when you forget which is handy when your mind is occupied.

My car has warning system built into the seats, when someone sits in the car, once the engine has started the warning system beeps constantly until everyone has fastened their seatbelt.
Some people are beyond stupid, no one travels in my car without wearing the seatbelt.

Blimey, it would be uncanny if we knew the same person! Shes an ex friend of mine for many reasons....

She isn’t reading. Look at the op date.

You are not being unreasonable its the law. The exemption applies to taxi drivers. If a car has seat belts you must use them.

I'm not sure why you didn't hold your ground and say she was upsetting you.

Natasha
look at the date that this question was posted

Simple fact is that she was breaking the law. If there had been an accident then it could have had all sorts of repercussions.

Surprised ... what an idiot. Would lose that one

Perhaps in future you could simply tell her that you’ll meet her at wherever it is that you’re going. That way you can still be friends with her and keep yourself safe at the same time. If she queries it you’ll have to tell her why.

She’s very silly, taxi driver should have refused to drive off unless she wore one

Somewhere there's a video illustrating graphically what can happen if a car is hit from behind and a passenger is unbelted. It's very graphic, but basically that passenger becomes a missile and puts the other (belted) passenger at risk of very serious injury. I would try to find the link, but it's very upsetting, so I'll leave it to those who choose to see it to do so. It's on YouTube.

Ooops, just noticed the date of the OP - guess the OPer isn't checking replies anymore! Still maybe worth discussing though.

The seat belts on most coaches that only go across your lap and not your shoulder are more dangerous than nothing at all. However if they are fitted with the proper seat belts I think you gave to wear them

Boyfriend and I many years ago were travelling on narrow country roads when he missed the bend n rolled the car over and over and over. No seatbelt then as nobody had them. Luckily he got trapped between the steering wheel and car door as it rolled. I was thrown all over the car, covered in bruises and cut by the inside mirror. If he hadn't been trapped and held still it would have been a different story. He had 2 cracked ribs.
A seatbelt would have stopped these injuries.
Keep your friend life's too short for enemies but don't travel with her in a car again xx