Safety???

[MDrex]

Maybe I shouldn't even bringing this up, as my search for the term safety only got me one real thread discussing this and there weren't more than 10 replies. But really its my only concern with building a bucket. So here are a few wuick questions I have.

What does everyone do for safety?
Anyone ever install a roll bar and use shoulder belts?
Do people go through the body and attach their belts to the frame?

 

[donsrods]

Everybody has their own theories on this, but here are mine. I don't have seat belts in any of my roadsters. If it flips, I want as far away from it as I can get, don't want to be strapped in an upside down roadster. A young lady named Megan flipped her T bucket at about 70 mph when something locked up. I had a picture of it with the seating area smashed into a guard rail. Luckily she was thrown clear into the woods, and although she had some serious injuries, she survived. I think if she were strapped into it the outcome would have been different.

I also don't want a roll bar because of one not fitting the look of my cars. My '27 had a roll bar, but it was just a chromed one that was below my head level for looks.

The most important thing is to drive defensively, like you would on a motorcycle. Keep a constant eye on everyone around you (which is easy in an open car) and leave lots of space and drive conservatively.

What I do may not be the most responsible way to do it, but I think it makes my driving as safe as possible without going to the lengths of encapsulating myself in a roll cage with 5 point harnesses. By their nature our cars are not as "safe" as a new BMW with crumple zones, side air bags, etc. but our driving habits can help offset those deficiencies somewhat.

Don

 

[engine24355]

I certainly agree that you need to keep safety as a priority and how you perceive "what is safe" is up to the individual. I agree that belts can cause a problem and the way I look at is similar to Don. These cars are not that far from being a motorcycle when you compare how open you are to the elements etc. I drive mine like I rode my bike. Always looking for potential dangers etc. and leaving myself a way out. You get so much attention in these cars that people notice you which can be good, but some notice too much..you know. There are so many things to consider such as state laws etc. I would say do what you feel is safe (and legal) so you can enjoy your toy. If you are not enjoying it, there is no point. This is just my opinion and I am sure there are others out there that have better advice or thoughts. Be save out there.

 

[MDrex]

I fully agree that the way you drive is the most important factor. But I'm used to the traffic in the Baltimore area, which is now some of the worst in the country. Even on the weekends the roads here are packed. And on top of that the drivers here are some of the worst I've delt with, and I grew up on Long Island and have lived in Boston. The people here just don't care about anyone else on the road and drive very dangerously.

So my point is there is only so much you can do to avoid an accident. I just want to know when someone else screws up, that I will be as safe as possible in my T. I agree that a roll bar would look odd.

 

[old round fart]

I want to be behind the steering wheel at all times! These cars are like motorcycles that don't fall down when you stop, but I think the ONLY time you don't want to be strapped is in a roll-over situation. I don't have any statistics, but I would suspect the roll-over is fairely rare and people that do get ejected and survive say they would have died if they had been belted in do so to justify their lack of personal responsability to take every precaution to keep themselves safe.

 

[VegasBruce]

I live in Las Vegas, and ride a motorcycle daily. When I'm in the Bucket its the same mind set as the bike, I don't trust the other guy at all. There are to many SOB's and their mothers in SUV's around here.

 

[donsrods]

Don't get me started on people using cell phones and texting while driving !

I used to work for a body shop, one of our accounts was the City of Cape Coral. One day I was delivering a full blown police cruiser back to the police dept and here is this teenage girl riding right on my butt talking on her cell phone. She didn't know I wasn't a cop because the windows are tinted, but she didn't really care that she was tailgating a cop car and gabbing away. You are right, people don't have respect for any one any more.

Don

 

[LumenAl]

What does everyone do for safety?
Anyone ever install a roll bar and use shoulder belts?
Do people go through the body and attach their belts to the frame?

Like many others here have stated, I also ride a motorcycle and my thoughts of driving this is same as my bike, with perhaps a little more protection than I have on my bike.

I have seat belts, but attached to the body, not the frame.

It's good to think and talk about it from time to time

 

[Yogi]

I'm kind of like ORF on staying behind the steering wheel and I too have rode a bike for a long time, nearly forty years. I am a big safety advocate when it to anything, be it a bike or car, but I am a firm believer in avoiding an accident is the best way. I like to go over every nut and bolt ocasionally just to make sure, we tend to make these things shake a little with the cams and all lol.
My seat belts are attached to the frame and I am thinking of a way I can even do a shoulder belt type too.

Welcome to the site, looking forward to seeing you around!

 

[MDrex]

Here's an example of what I was thinking of in terms of a roll bar. I realize this is not the same as the '23 T body. It would have to be a little different. My only concern with a roll bar is you can kill yourself with it if you hit your head on it in an accident. This is certainly something that would take careful planning.

 

[MDrex]

The car on this page is another good example.
http://s-mcycles.com/pages/t_bucket.htm

 

[bentbaggerlen]

My bucket will have a roll bar... Of sorts. It will mostly be a place to mount the stacks, (Think Peterbuilt my buckets more truck then car)
It will look like a light bar you see in the back of a pick up. I bent it up from heavy wall tube 1 3/4"X.093, it's welded to the frame and would support the car if needed (Lets hope it's not) It also has a cross bar that will allow me to ad shoulder belts and head rests, as well as being the main support for the top. May even go with four point harness.