[Chris in CT]

Hi Guys, What Frank has pointed out is that we have a real "Catch 22" issue here with a damned if you do and damned if you don't possible dual outcome. I think that most of us agree that we are better off having seat belts in the car than not having them. What I think we need to keep in mind is that above a certain maximum collision speed that lap-type seat belts are not going to help us. In any type of reasonably well-installed lap restraint system, the rider will be slammed against steering wheel, dash or windshield - top of body first - long before any bolts are broken or rails are torn out. I think that the best we can hope for is to be protected in a low-velocity crash, or being thrown from the car in an oblique impact situation...
With all due respect to the issue that Frank has raised, there are numerous possible responses to the regulations that he has cited, which I won't go into here. But let me point out that a reasonable and well-intentioned effort to protect passengers an a motor vehicle not required to have seat restraints due to its age could probably be argued to good effect if such a situation were ever to result in a court case.