Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Karl asks: What is the deal with supplemental Restraint Systems? I’m reviewing this bill here and our group (Republican Liberty Caucus of Colorado) wants to oppose it but I’m not sure of all the lingo.
Summary: The bill makes it a deceptive trade practice for a person to knowingly or intentionally manufacture, import, distribute, sell, offer for sale, install, or reinstall a device intended to replace a supplemental restraint system component if the device is: A counterfeit supplemental restraint system component; A nonfunctional airbag; or Any object in lieu of a supplemental restraint system component that was not designed in accordance with federal safety regulations for the make, model, and year of the vehicle in which it is or will be installed. The bill also prohibits a motor vehicle repair facility or any employee or contract laborer of the facility from installing or reinstalling any device that causes the motor vehicle’s diagnostic systems to fail to warn that the motor vehicle is equipped with a counterfeit supplemental restraint system component, the motor vehicle is equipped with a nonfunctional airbag, or no airbag is installed.
My reply: “Supplemental Restraint” is the bureaucratic/regulatory term used in the federal law that forced air bags upon us. It did not initially specify air bags; just “supplemental restraints” – which requirement many manufacturers initially complied with at first with those god-awful self-buckling belts many cars had in the early-mid ’90s. These were replaced by air bags, which met the “SRS” standard.
The legislation referenced would make it difficult/illegal to disable the SRS (air bags) by making it difficult/illegal to sell the necessary components, or to have a shop install them/disable the air bags.
Ergo, the bill should be opposed – as it’s an affront to your ownership of the vehicle you bought and which (accordingly) you have every right to alter as you see fit. But it’s even worse than that – as an affront – because SRS systems are dangerous; the fact that they might decrease your chances of injury or death in the event of a crash doesn’t negate the fact that the air bag can also hurt or kill you – without a crash even being involved.
. . .
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They just never stop…..every day…more and more laws, criminalizing everything and taking your control, your choices over what is yours, and your obligation to do due diligence to make sure you are getting what you want and no more or no less, away from you, and putting in the hands of bureaucrats. And the conservatives are just as bad as the libruls!
Sickening! F&$@ this sick country and the people who so willingly tolerate all of this!
Reminds me of a late acquaintance: A Hungarian Jew who successfully evaded the Nazis when they invaded Hungary. In his 80’s living in NY, he takes a rebuilt car to the NYS DOT to get inspected for a rebuilt title. NY had passed a law that used airbags could not be used…supposedly to discourage theft. Well, Bob had used a used airbag as he always had before the new law went into effect..and he had the receipt to prove that it wasn’t stolen. They took him away in handcuffs. His words: “It’s getting scary here; it reminds me of the Germans more and more every day here”.
(Yes, I kid you not…a Jew named Bob! And he seemed incapable of making a profit too!)