yah like metaphysical said, just run 5 point harness' and be safe without the airbag blowing abd burning your arms and face

 

Seat mounted side impact airbags don't explode like an M-80 into your kidneys. They explode outwards, not inwards. They cushion an impact, hence the name. They don't actually create an impact with your kidneys.

I would like to see them do both. And trust me, they will eventually offer side airbags on the Evo. The only question is when. Would you like me to post a few links to some of the tests the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has done?

Imagine driving down a 45mph road at about 52mph when, from about 50 yards away, you suddenly see a full size pickup truck coming your direction from the opposite way and starting to make a turn, from your left to your right, directly in front of you. Do you speed up to avoid him or slam on the brakes and brace yourself for a t-bone impact? I slammed on the brakes, then so did the truck...right in the middle of the road...so I swerved hard to the right to avoid a head on collision that my '02 Nissan Spec V and me would have lost. The truck's bumper pounded into the driver side of the car and spun the vehicle around twice. I was lucky there was no secondary collision. The car was totalled but I walked away with only some minor cuts and bruises. That car had side airbags. Without them the paramedics said I would have sustained serious abdominal, head, and neck injuries. That's a fancy way of saying I would have been dead or a vegatable. Which Skip Barber school of driving teaches you how to prepare for the unexpected?

I'll have fun in either car. I just want to be as safe as possible. Now let the adults talk.

 

murphys law, anything can happen.

Airbags are notorious for compound fractures in the wrist and or thumbs.

If you have an accident that is slow enough to barely need an airbag do you think those types of injuries are justified? how about all the children and smallish individuals who have been killed becuase of airbags going off in sub-40 mph accidents?

I have read those links before. Problem is they don't test the alternatives to airbags for comparison.

Been there done that.... I put a car (a SAAB 99) into a tree (head on) at aproximatly 45mph. I was dumb enough not to be wearing a seat belt, so I bounced off the dash, bent the steering wheel over the dash, pretty nasty accident. I walked away with no cuts, no buises, no concussion... It all depends on the car you drive.

Let me ask you a couple of questions

1) what are the three stages of an accident?
2) out of those three stages, which causes the most damage to a occupant?
3) After you correctly answer question #2 Which safety devices would prevent most of the damage (to the occcupant) incurred in an accident? A safty harness or airbag?

 

yup....

Problem is that john q. public doesn't want to. I car pooled with some one who never properly used his seat belt because he was more concerned about getting wrinkles in his shirt...

 

I'd rather have a broken wrist and few cuts then end up comatose. I don't know if you're trying to make yourself feel better about not having side airbags in your car, trying to change my mind about them, or both...but I've had 1st hand experience and I know how important they can be. In 5 years time they'll be as standard as ABS and frontal airbags. If you don't understand how they save lives then you just haven't bothered to educate yourself enough. It's not even debatable so I'm not going to. Just tell me, if you had a choice between buying 2 very similair cars for a loved one...like a wife, girlfriend, child, etc...but one vehicle had side airbags and the other didn't, which one would you buy? You know the answer. So why would you play with your own life if you didn't have to? Accidents happen. There are some things on the road you just can't avoid. You live in the Bay Area. You know what kind of moronic things people do on 17 when it rains or when it's foggy. I prefer to maximize my chances of surviving those worst case scenarios. That's all dude. You're arguing with the wrong guy. This isn't about defensive driving. It's about that split second in time where you know you're about to get hit and you just gotta bite the bullet. It can be the ultimate unfairness if you're not at fault. You just gotta bite the bullet and pray because the only question is how well is your car going to sustain that impact as it relates to your safety and survival.

 

No worries... sorry if I offended you.

But your faith in air bags is misplaced.

If you answer those question I asked, you would eventually figure it out for yourself.

Airbags are a bandaid solution. the key to preventing injuries in an accident is to prevent the occupant from moving. You see almost every weekend on Speedvision every weekend.

The lame 3 point belts they (the lazy car companies) don't hold you in place. Further more, they (the car companies) don't want to make you really strap in less they scare away the customer.

Airbags avoid that whole issue by hiding the percieved safety feature behind an explosive ballon....

I am against that. Driving is inherintly dangerous. I see it everyday on that F*** road (rt 17). People like john Q. Stupid, need to be reminded that driving is dangerous. People would definately get a clue faster if they had to properly strap in, don't you think?

I think it's irresponsible of the car companies to put their faith in yet-another-airbag solution when there is hard scientific evidence that gives them the real answer...

 

No apology neccesary. I'm not here to debate the validity and usefullness of side impact airbags. Just trying to find out if and when Mitsubishi will them.

 

Steiner, I agree with you completely, side air bags are a must. When the salesman at the Mistubishi dealership nearest me couldn't find the car I wanted with side air bags, I didn't even bother trying to negotiate with them. They're a $100 option in my car, I mean why the hell would anyone buying it not get them?

Chrisw, I suppose your argument has some sense...in a hypothetical world that doesn't have any accidents. Back in the real world, accidents do happen, and side air bags are a great safety mechanism that will do a much better job of protecting you than an ideology will. Yes, airbags can and sometimes do harm people, but most of the time they do _much_ more good than harm.

How about an example...ideally and according to your philosophy, people should be educated not to steal things. Do you leave your house unlocked when you're away? Or let's take the bandaids you mentioned. Do you not use them because they're just a temporary way to stop a wound from bleeding?

Don't get me wrong, I definately think a lot of drivers out there need some more education on the subject. That even includes myself...normally I'm a resonably safe (if faster than average ) driver, but I'll admit to doing some really dumb things because of getting angry at traffic in general or a particular driver. Driving angry can be almost as bad as drunk driving