alamcculloch:
Like many others I wear in the car but find them restrictive in commercial vehicles.
And herein lies the problem. I find the Volvo belts a bloody nuisance, especially the older ones where the top anchor point is on the bulkhead rather than the seat itself, yet on my DAF 65 which I had a few years ago, the belts were fine and I usually wore them. I’m also doing more local stop/start driving now, and as a previous poster has noted seat belts quickly become a chore on that kind of work.
I confess that it’s simply a matter of getting into the habit.
I’ve always worn one, even before it was compulsory, but that was the forces for you they were a lot more ■■■■ about this.
Top tip though if you find that it gets too tight pull it out till its loose then put a bulldog clip up on the belt up at shoulder end and it stays loose, but will still stop you being thrown forwards under heavy braking, or if you have the same truck every day then beside the buckle there is a plastic thingy, move that to the other side of the buckle and slide up to the shoulder and it will keep the belt loose.
Have noticed a lot of trucks have red seat belts and was told this is so it can be seen entering and leaving sites anyone know if theres any truth in that.
if a seat belt is fitted it must be worn…
in a vehicle with an airbag it is vital you wear the belt…failure to do so can result in serious injury in the event of an impact…airbags are also called SRS…secondary resraint systems…the primary resraint is the belt…this stops you going forward…the airbag then EXPLODES…and offers a cushion for your head/torso to hit safely…no belt means you go forward as the bag goes off and you probably get your neck snapped!
in the event of an accident surely its best to make your exit from the vehicle strapped into the seat in one peice than after getting your ribs caved in on the wheel or worse.
passengers are in a worse position really…if you are about to crash the driver usually sees it coming(too late of course)but can brace for impact…an unbelted sleeping passenger just flies out the window after smashing it with his skull.
in a past life i spent many years banger racing…stock car racing…4x4 comps…and have suffered many severe impacts…lots of rollovers and not ever had any serious injury…wear your belt…you know it makes sense!!
Thing I find on some trucks, where the seat belt is mounted on the seat, and you cannot adjust the shoulder height, I find it can rub your neck, irritating and annoying, plus making the drive uncomfortable…
gnasty gnome:
I’m one of them as well; funnily enough I belt up when in the car, second nature. I keep trying to remember in the truck, I think it’s possibly because being on multi-drop you get in the cab, deal with the paperwork, check route for next drop, insert immobiliser tag, start engine, re-set tag axle and rear suspension, light ■■■, scratch arse, then finally move off; in other words you just forget. Not an excuse I know but I bet it’s similar for a lot of us.
I do note, though, that spot fines have just been doubled to 60 quid; and t’other day I had a beat bobby look up at me in the cab and make the “belt up” gesture, so no doubt they’ve been wised up that they can get more Brownie points than ever now. To be fair to the bobby he could have pulled me over and booked me on the spot I suppose.
I never wore my belt when I was driving taxis not even in my own car. Since I’ve been driving trucks I’ve got back in the habit, I’m not keen to headbutt the windscreen and I’m not rich enough to keep giving the police money, end of.
merc atego i had a few weeks back i couldnt wear it properly, it was litterally digging into my neck and it couldnt be adjusted to stop it, so off it comes, but generaly ui wear it unless it causes discomfort,
always wear ti int he car though cause im probably the worst car driver lol
nah im not that bad tbh its just second nature with the car.
I used to drive Cash in Transit vehicles,The windscreens are 1/2" thick armour plated glass and there is a lot of steel reinforcement around you,I always wore a belt otherwise you are like an egg in a iron box.
OK so no seat belt will probably get you a fine, but I look forward to the day when the police catch one of the “professional” HGV driving clowns that spend 20 minutes trying to get past me at 0.001 kph faster smoking a ■■■ and with the mobile stuck to his ear - wouldn’t expect them to understand the physics of putting on a seat belt. Some drivers seem like they have been paddling too long in the shallow end of the gene pool anyway, so a trip through the windscreen would probably only end up in cuts and bruises, and any brain damage occurring could only enhance their position in the human race.
Bilgepump:
OK so no seat belt will probably get you a fine, but I look forward to the day when the police catch one of the “professional” HGV driving clowns that spend 20 minutes trying to get past me at 0.001 kph faster smoking a ■■■ and with the mobile stuck to his ear - wouldn’t expect them to understand the physics of putting on a seat belt. Some drivers seem like they have been paddling too long in the shallow end of the gene pool anyway, so a trip through the windscreen would probably only end up in cuts and bruises, and any brain damage occurring could only enhance their position in the human race.
Doesn’t exactly take a genius to work out that you could flick your own limiter off for a couple of seconds and let them in, does it?
If they’re as bad as you say it’s better to have them in front of you where they can prang first, saving the higher levels of human intelligence to drive another day.
Bilgepump:
OK so no seat belt will probably get you a fine, but I look forward to the day when the police catch one of the “professional” HGV driving clowns that spend 20 minutes trying to get past me at 0.001 kph faster smoking a ■■■ and with the mobile stuck to his ear - wouldn’t expect them to understand the physics of putting on a seat belt. Some drivers seem like they have been paddling too long in the shallow end of the gene pool anyway, so a trip through the windscreen would probably only end up in cuts and bruises, and any brain damage occurring could only enhance their position in the human race.
Doesn’t exactly take a genius to work out that you could flick your own limiter off for a couple of seconds and let them in, does it?
If they’re as bad as you say it’s better to have them in front of you where they can prang first, saving the higher levels of human intelligence to drive another day.
Bilgepump:
OK so no seat belt will probably get you a fine, but I look forward to the day when the police catch one of the “professional” HGV driving clowns that spend 20 minutes trying to get past me at 0.001 kph faster smoking a ■■■ and with the mobile stuck to his ear - wouldn’t expect them to understand the physics of putting on a seat belt. Some drivers seem like they have been paddling too long in the shallow end of the gene pool anyway, so a trip through the windscreen would probably only end up in cuts and bruises, and any brain damage occurring could only enhance their position in the human race.
Doesn’t exactly take a genius to work out that you could flick your own limiter off for a couple of seconds and let them in, does it?
If they’re as bad as you say it’s better to have them in front of you where they can prang first, saving the higher levels of human intelligence to drive another day.
or you could just let them past and let them get on their way, thats what i did the whole way to barcelona, i wasnt in a rush and the job will get done in the same amount of time even if u slow down for 2 or 3 seconds to let somebody by.
but driving on the continent is a completly different ball game to here, i mean every driver i let by or flashed in acknowledged the fact that i did that, doesnt always happen here
I got pulled in Louth today for not wearing my seat belt, the look on the coppers face was priceless when I said to him if you can find it I’ll wear it , even though my second man was wearing his
for some strange reason only known to DAF in my 1998 CF 85 there is no seat belt on the drivers seat yet the passenger seats got a belt fitted think it must of been built on the friday just before knocking off time
I have to confess that since I have been the holder of a Seatbelt Exemption Certificate I am most disappointed that I have not ONCE been asked to produce it, other than for our company insurance records. So the powers that be ain’t looking that hard to pull you for it.
