On Nov 18, 2004, at 6:32 AM, Coolwalker@aol.com wrote:
> I took care of the airbag in my 325 a couple months ago by starting
> deer
> season a little early and still drove my car home about 150 miles
> away. Back a
> few years ago when I didnt know any better, wait I still dont, I put a
> miata in
> a ditch and set the airbag off in that. Both incidents I was sitting
> in the
> proper position with my seatbelt on and the airbag never touched me.
> That
> just makes me sick. What is the point of the airbag? I feel much
> safer in my 325
> now that it does not have an airbag. I will be installing an
> aftermarket
> wheel in my 325 in the near future.
> Trey Walker
> MS SCCA Event Co-Chair
> 93 325i bmw
There are a few possible reasons for this, but most of them boil down
to neither impact was violent enough to make the airbag needed, just
violent enough to trigger it. Did you have bruises on your shoulder
and chest from the seat belt in these accidents? The 'low threshold
trigger' is because the systems were set up to also protect idiots not
using their seat belts. Someone who drives with their seatbelts on and
properly fitted (like, say, someone who autocrosses a lot?) is less
likely to need the airbag's help except in extreme conditions. I have
had friends survive nearly head-on impacts with other cars when only
minor bruising thanks to their airbags (their words, and those of the
EMTs who responded.)
David
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