Is it just me ? or do any of you find it extremely uncomfortable driving for long periods with a seatbelt on in a lorry. I can drive for miles in my car, and not even notice Im wearing one, but in my wagon, Im constantly adjusting my seat trying to get comfy. I must confess that when on nights, I dont wear one at all. Yes I know its illegal, and I do appreciate it could save my life, but if Im constantly adjusting things to get comfy, I reckon I`m more of a danger to other road users. And before you all ask, I have the average size driving waist 
which is perfectly formed, and keeps me warm in winter !!
allways wear mine truck or car 
Is it just me ?
No it isn’t. I hate the things pulling in all the time but have found that if you fit them with a big smart bulldog clip to stop them retracting then they are perfectly comfortable.
And as for all this ‘it’s for your own good’ and ‘nanny knows best’ nonsense that we have today well staying in bed would also save you from getting killed but it might make earning a living difficult.
Don’t I remember that they used to sell a little gismo in England that clipped onto the top anchorage and stopped the belt continually pulling back-in? Do they still sell them?
David
mostly no…if the weathers bad or traffic looks hairy its on
Always wear a seatbelt, always will. I refuse to drive vehicles not fitted with them (are you listening Lynx??!!). Have no problem with the comfort aspect - maybe I’m the wierd shape they’re designed for. But I figure they’re there for my safety & so I make use of them.
What about a raceing type harness with (3)Threepoints security
fitted on the harness ,so that the person wearing it can move
around,wear it comfortably and still be safe The harness
could have fitted on the Left and Right handsides a strap
leading to the same sort of belt control as we now have ,
also another strap fitted for the back which will pass
through the seat again going to another belt control,
this would allow a comfortably wearing of the seatbelt
and a safer one I belive, I do wear my seat belt but like
the majority it does not fit/lay correctly,BY the way for
those of you who visit Germany at PRESENT THEY
are doing a blitz on LORRY drivers who are not
wearing their seatbelt,you may be asked if you wish
to either pay a fine or take a trip inthe SET:UP which has
been built to show why people should wear their seatbelts,
it is supposidle a nice little learner,There are fors and
againsts for the seatbelt ,it has however been proven that it
saves more lives, so wear your seatbelt,the other point is
over here in Germany if you have a accident and are not
wearing it, the Insureance companys will pay out for your
injuryies either LESS money or NO money…
£50 fine and 3 points on my license says its always on whether i like it or not.
jammymutt:
£50 fine and 3 points on my license says its always on whether i like it or not.
I guess it time to beat another regular tread subject to death again
you have a choice, do the crime, and do the time and pay the fine
funny though how truck companies spend money on R&D though 
all the time
I always wear belts. I must be another odd ball figure, as they tend to lie unnoticed. It feels stranger not having one on than actualy wearing them 
Due to the design of a COE truck, surely a seat belt would be of little use. If you were to be involved in an accident which a seatbelt would stop you going through the windscreen, you would already have been crushed by the dash folding into your legs. In a car or Conventional, it would be different as the engine block and Chassis rails would absorb alot of the impact forces.
I feel positively naked without mine on. 
Yes - I always wear mine. In my FM12 it is mounted to the seat itself - and therefore it’s never uncomfortable as the seat suspension works.
I think it is vital you wear it if your truck is fitted with an air bag.
I figure Volvo know a fair bit about safety behind the wheel - who am I to question them? 
In a truck it’s the most dangerous thing after the speed limmiter.
How the hell can you manouver a 60’ arctic when your strapped to the back of your seat
I think people saying wearing a seatbelt is dangerous is the most laughable thing out 
I have been in the odd car/van/truck where you cant adjust it ‘quite’ right for comfort, i normally found this was on vehcles without an adjustable top achorage.
I just put one on automatically, the truck i took lessons in didnt have them, every time i got in i found myself trying to find it.
Due to the design of a COE truck, surely a seat belt would be of little use. If you were to be involved in an accident which a seatbelt would stop you going through the windscreen, you would already have been crushed by the dash folding into your legs. In a car or Conventional, it would be different as the engine block and Chassis rails would absorb alot of the impact forces
Depends what you hit really. A low (windscreen height bridge) then it wont do a lot for you. But the chassis rails on a truck are a little thicker than a car. If you hit a car then the imapact will be low down that you’ll ride over it. If you hit something bigger then the chassis rails/bumper will stop the cab from deforming too much.
Even if the dash does deform, you dont want to be travelling towards it at the same rate its coming towards you.
You could of course just grip the wheel, but your arms will shatter and tops of your arms will be forced out of your back… nice!
dennisw1:
I think people saying wearing a seatbelt is dangerous is the most laughable thing outDue to the design of a COE truck, surely a seat belt would be of little use. If you were to be involved in an accident which a seatbelt would stop you going through the windscreen, you would already have been crushed by the dash folding into your legs. In a car or Conventional, it would be different as the engine block and Chassis rails would absorb alot of the impact forces
Depends what you hit really. A low (windscreen height bridge) then it wont do a lot for you. But the chassis rails on a truck are a little thicker than a car. If you hit a car then the imapact will be low down that you’ll ride over it. If you hit something bigger then the chassis rails/bumper will stop the cab from deforming too much.
How about this one then? Would a seat belt have helped?
The jury’s out on that one in my opinion.
Chassis rails being thicker on a truck are surely going to stop the cab deforming too much, right?
Can’t see it myself!
or this…
Bet he was glad he’d buckled up!
Now, with a conventional, the driver is remote from the impact, and the cab stays relatively safe, a seat belt would have been of great use here.
and if you discount the fire, it would have been a good idea tobe wearing a seat belt in this one too.
You wear what you like in your cab, the Nanny state has no right to dictate what I do in mine, its just another way to justify clawing some green backs out of your pocket.
Ok Volvo , Scarnia, Daf, ERF and Iveco plus all the other manufacturers have ALL got it wrong.
The Government body that controls the needs for accident prevention are wrong too.
The crash test dummies are wrong.
Jimmy Saville was wrong.
Just ■■■■■■■ obey the law wear your seatbelt and make life a bit easier for the ambulance crew and hope they dont have to scrape your brain up in to plastic bag and send it home because you werent wearing your belt.
Those of you who say
“i could have jumped across the cab before impact”
if your too ■■■■■■■ stupid to realise that its practically impossible due to the split second timing it would involve, then you really shouldnt be driving a truck.
Just belt up
I’ll usually wear seat belts, if they are fitted and working (I’ve came across couple 4-serie Scarnias where seat belt didn’t came “out” from the seat). Cases where I’m not using them are relatively short distance moves at lower class road network where you are lucky if you encounter more than zero to one car per kilometer. In new Volvo’s I find that not using seatbelt is more irritating than using it, as “metal clip” in belt is constantly itching my left shoulder if I’m not using seat belt…
About belt giving any aid in COE trucks: what about accidents where truck is hit by a car, car driver and passengers doesn’t get more than few scratches but truck driver dies? It’s not big time since I read from newspaper about such case. Surely seat belt wouldn’t have prevented truck driver flying around the cab as truck wasn’t conventional?
Ok Volvo , Scarnia, Daf, ERF and Iveco plus all the other manufacturers have ALL got it wrong.
Obviously they are and should take a leaf out of the American’s book, who obviously built trucks from tin cans. Notice there isnt a european truck in any of the pics above…
two of them havent had a cab deform at all. The first one has clearly been in a high speed colision with something high up on the cab, all the others would have benefited from a seatbelt.
The pictures are meaningless though, as we dont have details about them. I’m sure all the acident investigators who ‘do’ have all the facts are wrong too…
the Nanny state has no right to dictate what I do in mine
Another Idiot who thinks he can do just what he likes when he likes. But will be the first to moan when someone ‘does something they shouldnt’ like cut them up, tailgate etc Grow up for christ sake.
To my mind it’s nothing to do with safety or otherwise.
It’s freedom of choice for one individual.
I accept that they are effective but, I hate them with a vengeance and leaving
aside the remote possibility of my body flying around and hurting someone
else, it is only me who stands to be injured.
I never wore them for years but 2 fines in different countries has forced me to
back down. However mine are kept slack and comfy (OK, so useless, my
choice) by initially bulldog clips as David said but for several years now by a
special clip which fits to the anchorage point.
I have never worn them in a truck though, the nanny state hadn’t really got into
gear here by the time I retired 3 years ago.
Dennisw1:
the Nanny state has no right to dictate what I do in mineAnother Idiot who thinks he can do just what he likes when he likes. But will be
the first to moan when someone ‘does something they shouldnt’ like cut them
up, tailgate etc Grow up for christ sake.
Strewth, will we ever be able to have a discussion without someone getting
insulting?
‘Idiot’? ‘Grow up’? What’s wrong with you? If you can’t see the difference
between a seat belt which preserves the life only of the wearer and cutting up
and tailgating which is a danger to others, you shouldn’t be involved in the
debate.
when im in a car i always where one, and i mean always,
but when im driving wagons i never wear one… i really must get in to the habit of using one, starting tomorrow