I feel so deprived ....

 

Really? I honestly find your reply much moreso.

Are all of you just trying to "prove" your point with the "against the law" argument, or do you really live your life that way? You NEVER, EVER drive over the speed limit? You always come to a complete stop at stop signs, you never drank before you turned 21? You've never thrown away a cardboard box (instead of recycling)?

What's next?
- window tinting threads?
- lowering threads (technically illegal in MANY states)
- audio forum (noise pollution laws)
- aftermarket headers (implies removing the cat, which is VERY illegal)
- aftermarket taillights (almost all are illegal)
- and on and on...

At some point, you have to quit worrying about everyone else. Just focus on making your kid miserable by strapping that helmet on their head every time they leave the house

I'll proudly stand up and say that I refuse to continue to alter my behavior every time another idiotic law gets passed. Sadly, in another 40 years, everything even remotely entertaining will have been outlawed.

 

I think the difference is the "site" has guidelines for reasons, probably perceived liability issues, that may or may not be correct. Anyhow, the owners have decided they will not support posts that condone any illegal behavior. The logical presumption is that disabling the seat belt chime instead of just fastening seat belts is so that someone can have drivers or passengers in the cars that are not buckled up. Everyone makes their own decision about these things like everything else you mentioned. I presume the site has a policy to not encourage illegal behavior. This post is perceived by many of the readers to do just that. Most of the reaction was fair in that the contrary points of view were pointing out that every decision can bear a cost. Break any rules you want, as long as you are prepared to bear the whole cost. Our democracy functions because we "check" people's behavior. Articles of Confederation failed this country because of the expectation that people and governments would do the "right thing." It didn't work, CIVICS lesson on American Govt, END.

 

Hmmm... If I were to be in an accident, I don't think I'd want to have a heavy, untethered object in the seat next to mine...

 

Excellent DIY writeup.
But the above sentence makes no sense. If you wore your seatbelt, the machine wouldn't nag you about it.

 

It took a little "figuring" but since this fellow started complaining about the chime back in May of 2005 and didn't come up with this wonderfully thorough plan to disable the chime until December, I surmise that the "seat belt chime" WON and the sanity LOST, prior to this DIY thread. Sometimes "driven insane" can be a very short trip....

 

That is exactly how I feel, thanks for writing it all out for me buddy

 

Cool DIY. Thanks for taking the time to share it...
I remember growing up, you had lap belts in the front seats and no airbags...
Some of us are here, some of us aren't.
I was in an accident once where a car sideswiped my brother's on the passenger side.
My bro's car was a T/A 1979 with a roll cage inside. If I had my seatbelt on in that accident, I would have been dead now because the seatbelt would have trapped me in the seat...
I jumped out of the seat and into the driver's side (over the console) and escaped with just a few bruises...

 

Hmm

 

Wow, when did they make recycling a law, I must have missed that one... Its guess its a good thing I do.

In any case, I don't worry about idiots who don't take care of themselves, I take care of myself and the people I care about, no kids yet though so no helmets laying around. BTW, When did I state that I have never broken or bent the law when it comes to driving practices? I don't however, do something as foolish as not wear a seatbelt.

 

You know, in the event of an accident, if you do this modification and you do not wear your seat belt, your side airbag is not going to go off as it should. The system is designed to compensate for your lack of seat belt by deploying the side airbag (had my backpack in the seat and my 2003 deplyed the side airbag to protect it). However, you have confused the system and provided yourself with little or no protection in the event of a collision. So when you aren't wearing your seat belt and are groggily driving to get your morning coffee you are worse off than if you had to put up with that dinging, but that isn't my main issue.

Your DIY specifically instructs the destruction of the seat belt retention mechanism. Is the plastic "clamshell" piece in any way involved in the retention of the seat belt itself? And if so, are you sure the retaining strength crazy clue is equal to that of the clips you have destroyed? Is there not another way to do this? One that doesn't involve the destruction of components.

 

Just because it is on topic to the discussion...

"At a rate of 82 percent, NHTSA estimates that safety belts are preventing 15,700 fatalities, 350,000 serious injuries, and $67 billion in economic costs associated with traffic injuries and deaths every year."

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site...e=PressRelease

 

History lesson: In August 1973, the notorious DOT (predecessor of NHTSA) Standard #208 required all new U.S. cars to have either automatic protection or an ignition interlock that prevented the car from even starting unless both front seat passengers buckled up first. General motors delivered approximately 10,000 dual airbag-equipped cars in 1974 (despite this, many Mercedes fans claim Mercedes was first with airbags in 1980. Perhaps they do not consider General Motors products to be cars) and all other 1974 cars had the infamous seatbelt interlock.

Public reaction to this government mandated nannying was so negative that President Ford signed a bill to repeal that part of the Standard on October 27, 1974, effective four days later. Every auto manufacturer subsequently published service bulletins on how to remove the interlock system.

If someone wants peace and quiet when idling from mailbox to house in their own driveway, then I see nothing wrong with that. If people choose not to wear a seatbelt or motorcycle helmet at speed on public roads... well, where else are we going to find young healthy organs suitable for transplantation? Natural self-selection is... natural.

 

Well said...you've completely changed my POV...bring on the fresh organs! Hell, one of use seatbelt wearers might need one

 

After all the hoopla on this topic, I was astonished while the MINI from the cul-de-sac to the garage (the longest trip I'll take without a seatbelt), that the seatbelt chime only bongs 4 times. Surprised, I verified this twice: close door (disables door chime), insert key, start car, leave seatbelt off. It chimes 4 times and stops making noise! The seatbelt warning light stays on for at least a couple minutes--all I tested it for.

Ours is an '06 MCS, November 05 delivery.

 

findude:
wow. possibly mini got too many complaints about the dinging?

the iain:
Does the side airbag only deploy when you aren't wearing your seatbelt?

 

I think the passenger seat when occupied and unstrapped keeps chiming, mine did the other day when my wife had to get something out of the back seat. That's it, isn't it? Passengers who don't want to wear their belts and give the driver a hard time until he rips the mechanism apart.

My macho brother in law was like that but I just kept after him until he finally gave in because I would just sit there without moving and ask him to buckle up. I am the driver and captain of the ship so to speak, let folks go down with their OWN ships, not mine.

 

I'm saying that on my property I prefer not to wear a seat belt. I guess you'd actually have to see my property to see the unlikliehood of getting to 30mph I actually creep up my driveway, because I like to watch for deer, rabbits, children, cats, dogs......

Whether the odds of having an accident are any different on private property or not is irrelevant. Wearing the seatbelt doesn't change the odds of having an accident, it only changes the possible severity of injuries incurred. If I did have an accident on my property I wouldn't be endangering anyone other than myself, or possibly trespassers! And no I don't "need" to wear it on my private property, the law requires it on the public roads but I'm perfectly legal to run around my property without it. At least according to the police who are here 3 days a week to train the K9 units, my DH loves to tell them to give me a ticket and they always tell him that I'm not breaking any law until I pull off of my property, to which I usually stick my tongue out at my husband(this is mostly to amuse the K9 guys, they love when I give my husband grief).
I also "gasp" don't put my dogs on leash within the privacy of my 12 acres

Annette

 

Annette, I understand the point about it not being against the law. My point was this, and perhaps I didnt state it correctly

1. Agreed, the belt doesn't change the odds, only helps prevent more serious injuries
2. If you have an accident and claim on any insurance then you DO have an effect on everyone. Everyone is interconnected. You drive up the insurance rates (whether homeowner or auto) of everyone else ... along with others who do the same. Nobody lives on an island. We live in a society where your actions can and do effect others (however small or indirect it may be). If you dont collect from your insurance, then I agree ... its just your problem
3. As to the dogs ... Agreed. So do I. But I NEVER let them run free in public simply because its not worth the potential of them hurting some child.

All I am saying is that if you use insurance, it drives up everyone's rates. Don't use it, thats different

 

You are incorrect sir. A seatbelt will keep you behind your wheel better during a violent maneuver and possibly keep you in control of your car and avoid an accident.


I figured this one out as I am a staunch libertarian and like to look at all sides of an issue and came to the conclusion a seatbelted driver keeps himself in better control of his vehicle and less likely to lose control and hit someone else. After all as a libertarian I don't care about someone choosing to hurt themselves.

But disabling a seatbelt chime is something I did when I was a parts driver for a muffler shop as I was in and out of the truck and left it running all the time.






Paul

 

Well, first of all, it's not sir!!!!

I'm pretty sure since I'm talking about on my own driveway, violent maneuvers would be pretty unlikely since I rarely get over 10mph if that! Plus, I still don't think it would prevent you from having it, it may help with control DURING the accident but avoidance, nah, I'm not buying it, as far as I'm concerned if you are in a "violent manuever" an accident is in process, damage or no. I understand that you may be able to regain control better because you are well seated in the vehicle, but saying you would be able to avoid the process because of the seatbelt seems skewed to me. Oh, and go Libertarians, on a side note my nephew started the Libertarian society, club, whatever at his college a couple of years ago-Georgetown University, talk about being in the minority!
I feel like I'm having to defend myself and that everyone thinks I abhor seatbelts and their use, which is most assuredly not the case. I think everyone should wear a seatbelt, I also think helmets are a fabulous invention as well as vaccines and railings on stairs and daily vitamins....well you get the idea. I just hate that stupid chime in my MINI!
Also, chows4us I would definitely make a claim on my insurance if I did get into an accident on my property (which would more likely be due to a tree falling on the car or a yetti denting my car), I pay a very high premium, I have NEVER made a claim on it or my health insurance for that matter and would like to get some use out of it after 20+ years of paying out the nose! So puh-lease don't lecture me about my actions costing the rest of the world higher premiums. I calculated a few years ago that I have spent more than $30,000.00 in auto insurance, more than $80,000.00 on homeowners in my life and have never made the first little itty bitty claim! (The reason for my very high premium has nothing to do with my driving record, no tickets, no accidents EVER) but that's another story
So I'm NOT going to wear my seatbelt on my own darn property no way, no how and none of you can make me!!!!!
Annette

 

Annette, Yetis??? LOL good one, in that case, take some pics!

You dont have to defend yourself. Please do not feel that way.

I know most ppl think they pay WAY to much in insurance but the fact remains, we live in a society where the actions of others do effect everyone else ... no matter how small.

Please do not get in an accident anywhere, MINIs are too valuable!

Peace and Happy New Year to you and yours

Have a good New Years Day!

 

In a low speed collision, the type where a seat bealt by itself would be sufficient (the MINI's own systems make this determination), if you are wearing a seatbel you will get little or no airbag opening action. This is possibly ideal as the airbags are incredibly expensive to replace (the 2003 side airbags blow right through the stitching, yep that lil airbag tag is not lying... that's where they are). However, it is important to consider that these airbags, or the seatbelts they cover for, are the ones that prevent the annoying non lethal injuries that nobody really wants.

Example: You go from 30 to 0 in rapid fashion with the help of a ditch (you were groggy from the lack of coffee and live in a state like Tennessee that doesn't believe roads should have shoulders). Your MINI is a bit banged up, but so are you. No seat belt to keep you in your seat (might not have helped in this situation), but because the MINI thought your seat belt had you covered there was no airbag either. Now you aren't dead, if it had been enough to kill you the airbags would have gone off anyway (hopefully), but you've lost some teeth. They can replace those, but your teeth aren't of the same modular design as the airbags even though they cost about the same to replace (depending on your various insurances).

There must be a way to disable this buzzer without convincing the MINI that the seat belt is buckled, perhaps a flag in the MINI's computer?

 

Sorry about the sir..it was a joke on The way Ed McMAhon would say that to Johhny Carson. " You are correct Sir!!!"


I thought you were making a blanket statement on seatbelt usage. Not a specific little piece of road.

BTW, I have spun out on a icy road did a few 360 and recovered because I was behind the wheel and didn't strike anything. I don't equate losing control with accident..I eqaute accident with hitting something/damage.

Losing control is a near accident.



Paul

 

Wow, I never knew there were so many perfect people in this world. Its good to know that your all doing your part. I'm sure you all have a perfect diet, don't smoke, don't drink, exercise daily, and have perfect sleeping habits because we don't want to drive up the cost of health care now do we.

Until your perfect I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself.