"RCE" wrote in message
...

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
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"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
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On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 18:48:39 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 14:19:58 GMT, Don White
wrote:


Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:

What's the French Battle Cry?

WE SURRENDER!!!

http://tinyurl.com/ewtvo

At least in France, you can smoke a cigar with your coffee and
donuts
and non-smokers are put where they belong - in the rear of the place
near the kitchen door. :)


Much more civilized here. We toss the smokers out on the street.
You see them all winter, pathetically huddling on the sidewalk in
front
of major federal buildings drawing on their precious cigarettes.
I've even seen patients out there dressed in the thin blue cotton
robes
and clutching their medical hardware.

I don't smoke cigarettes...

I am a civilized smoker - cigars - finest kind - Cuban cheroots...

There's a difference.

*Then again, you probably wear seatbelts...* :)

It's the law..to wear seatbelts up here!
Let's see now.....I abide by the law of the land by wearing
seatbelts..........
You smoke Cuban cigars...which I believe is still against the law
stateside???? mmmmmm!

Probably do not speed either. I believe in seatbelts, as I used to race
cars and walked away from a couple of majestic crashes.

I don't believe in seatbelts and here's why.

Eleven years ago now, I was rear ended by a flat nosed GMC delivery
truck. He hit me so hard that my right shoulder was broken (the one
that was recently fixed), my right hip was fractured in place - all by
the seat belts and my left shoulder was dislocated. A fire started at
the rear of the car and I couldn't get out - I could smell the fire
and was conscious enough to try and get out but I couldn't move my
arms.

All I remember was somebody stopping and fortunately, much like me I
might add, had a bottle fire extinguisher, got the fire out and after
that I don't remember anything except for waking up in the UMASS ER.

If somebody hadn't been prepared for a real emergency, I would have
been a cripsy critter. I had to be cut out of the seatbelts I was
told later.

In my years as a volunteer Paramedic, I've seen really bad accidents
where no seat belts were worn and nary an injury except for bumps and
bruises. I've also seen as many with seat belts and nifty things like
torn aortas, various broken bones, split spleens, etc.

There is a big difference between a four/six point, tightly cinched
racing safety harness and a shoulder harness in a private car.

Don't get me started on air bags.


That may be your experience Tom but far more meaningful statistics show
otherwise. ;-)


To use or not to use seatbelts should be a voluntary, individual choice,
not mandated by law.

RCE


I guess a case can be made for both sides. I prefer to side with those who
say/prove that wearing a seatbelt improves your chances of surviving an
accident, regardless of the "violation of rights' argument posed by the
other side.

When we purchased my wife's Toyota Highlander we paid extra for side airbag
protection. When it comes to personal safety I believe in suspenders and a
belt. ;-)

The bottom line is that airbags and seatbelts save lives. Although one may
certainly cite anecdotal evidence showing otherwise I choose to believe in
the large sampling of evidence showing they do. ;-)