Do you think the government should be able to force you to buckle up?

Question

Do you think that the government, of the people, should be able to punish you for not having car insurance, for not buckling up, for smoking cigs in places that they decided you shouldn't? Do you think it should be up to the individual and the people around him, or do you want the feds to push us around, and strip us of our freedoms? I for one, am agianst facism.

Shmidly, Cops, and Firemen are paid for their time regardless of what they're doing during their shifts. And the paramedics are not paid for by the government. Besides that, whether I'm wearing my seatbelt or not, there will be a mess in a car accident. I'd rather have the right to do with my life/safety what I want. I am not a child, and Uncle Sam is not really my uncle. He can shut the fu*k up.

If the business owner does not want smoking in his place, thats fine. What I despise is the government coming in and telling the owner that his customers can't smoke in his place. That's none of their business. The motorcycle helmet laws are the same thing. Yeah, it's not safe. So what? If I want to do it, and it's not hurting anyone else, then government needs to stay the hell out of my way.

Again Shmidly, you're horribly confusing the issue. How does insurance, or buckling up prevent accidents? I'm not talking about drunk driving here. There will be accidents, and people will die whether you're wearing a seatbelt, or you have insurance. Yes, those things make us safer. I agreee, but the government has no right to punish me if I choose to exercise my right to be unsafe with my own life. That's the point. If you can't come up with a relavent argument, then concede, but don't make moot observations like that.

Answer 1

It is the liberal way.

Answer 2

You're covering alot of ground with this one question. In areas I do feel the government is stepping where it shouldn't and in others I find them lacking. As for your examples
1. Yes I think they should be able to punish you for not having car insurance. The car insurance isn't for you, it's for the poor bastard you run over while changing cd's that the law is protecting.
2. Buckleing up...I think that should be left to personal choice. What do I care if you buckle your seat belt or not.
3. The whole smoking thing. Look, if a business owner does not wish to allow smoking in their establishment then that is their right. The reverse is also true. I don't see why the government feels the need to get involved.

And finally get out and vote. I am not saying that you don't but it seems to me that too many people use these forums to whine about the way things are and aren't doing anything to make them better. Let your voice be heard.

Answer 3

I am a hardcore libertarian so I agree with you 100%

On seatbelts --only in the case of kids. Otherwise I believe in a free society a person has the right to be an idiot if they want to. Maybe it will clean up the gene pool.

--if you want to see the results of mandatory auto insurance come to Massachusetts ( where I unfortunaetly reside) and see the results--highest premiums for best drivers in the entrie country and poorest coverage.

0n cigarettes--I find tobacco smoking disgusting personally. But I have a proposal on the no smoking bans. Why not have an ordiance that lets an establishment decide whether they want to be "smoking" or "non-smoking." Then they can let the free market decide the issue. If the proprietor finds that one designation hurts his business--then he can switch. Does that make too much sense?

Answer 4

I don't think we should be forced to carry car insurance or to buckle up. The consequences of not doing so lies on the individual. As far as the smoking thing goes, I can see indoor places banning it due to the damage of second hand smoke. I have a girlfriend who is a bartender and she just found out she has a mass on her lungs due to her work enviorment. I am a smoker and don't have a problem going outside to smoke if I have to, but I also avoid smoke free places. I wear my seatbelt because I've already been hit with tickets, and the same goes for paying through the nose every month for my car insurance.
Which I have paid for 30 years now and have never seen a dime back out of. We are being robbed!

Answer 5

I used to think that it was none of the government's business if I buckled up or not. I now have a different opinion.

Part of the responsibility is to protect the well-being of it's citizens.

If I am in a car accident and I fly out my windshield (becuase I was not wearing a seatbelt) and land on the hood of my car, then that is my business. But if I fly out of my windshield and land on or in someone else's car becuase I was not wearing my seatbelt, then I have now put that person' life in danger if not killed them. The government must (or try to) protect it's citizens.

The government regulates practically everything about our vehicles. Inspection, insurance, speed limits, which roads we may travel, where we can park; so why not regulate seatbelts.


Here in PA though, I find it interesting that there is no helmet law for motorcyclists. So, those on motorcycles have a free ticket to go and kill themselves. The chances of survival for a collision w/ head injury is minimal. I don't agree w/ the no helmet law but what can I say. I've addressed it at the proper forums to no avail. :(

Answer 6

In my opinion, I do not like it But, here is my town everyone does what the government wants and here is my example as a taxes payer. Whatever you do it does come to my pocket no matter what. For example if I do not wear my seat belt I will get find $300.00 and my car insurance will go up.Second hand smoke kill others. Freedom in my opinion is having money to pay for every things in this country. Money talks and You have money then you have freedom.

Answer 7

You're free to walk. You're free to take the bus. Driving is a privilege. That's why you can't just get in a car and drive. You need a license. Also, the government of the people means the majority have voted for a number of individuals to make certain decisions in their behalf. If you don't like these laws, you can vote and elect other public officials. But you need to find more people who think like yourself. The rest of us think these laws are good for the society as a whole.

Answer 8

i think it is fine...not everyone wants to get lung cancer/lung problems 4 someone around them smoking!
and yes u should get in trouble 4 no insurance!!!
*my sister got hit by a car, the person driving the car had no insurance, so they didn't need to pay 4 the damages, how f-ed up! that may just b for the stupid gay cops here..i don't know, but still..at least they got fined...and as 4 buckling up, here, u only have to buckle up in the front seat, or if ur a child in the back seat....and its just 4 safety....

Answer 9

No, I absolutely do not. Here's a quote I always liked - "Government exists to protect us from each other. Where it oversteps its bounds is when it attempts to protect us from ourselves."

Sure, wearing seatbelts save lives. So educate people, promote awareness, but to spend time and money to create a "law" that mandates an individual to protect him or herself from their own carelessness is absurd. In my view, the seatbelt laws are knee jerk reactions because some people believe that all tragedies should be prevented at all costs.

I think if you want to risk your life by not wearing your seatbelt, so be it. You die and it's not hurting anyone but you. Sure, it hurts friends and family, but by that logic we should outlaw depression too since that has an equally chilling effect on those close to you.

Answer 10

when the gov't makes decision in the lives of others, the others rant and rave about freedom and rights. when the gov't fails to make the decisions about issues like smoking and seat belts then the people start sueing the gov't for not having done more to prevent cancer and bodies flying through windshields.
for every limiting choice that the gov't has made there are dozens if not hundreds of lawsuits behind that choice.
millions of dollars are paid out to idiots who don't think about the consequences of their actions until they are screwed off enough to blame everyone but themselves for their situation.
i blame litigious money-grubbers far more than i blame legislators.

Answer 11

Well if you don't have car insurance they shouldn't have a law against me shooting you, since if you kill one of my family the state will have to support you in prison, I could kill you and they could just give me the money they would have just spent on your worthless a$s. #2 Don't Buckle up and thin the moron nation, survival of the more intelligent, #3 smoking is hazardous to your health (I want to quit, I wish I could, I will some day). I am for survival. If you need that many laws to protect you, you are probably well on your way to extinction, which makes you a weakling and a liberal. LMAO