4 seats or 5 ?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Tue 28 Dec 2004 21:06
4 seats or 5 ? - Clanger
If this has been covered before, apologies.

Tonight Mrs H, her 2 sisters and 2 brothers are at a school reunion, that's 5 people in case your maths is my standard or below. Youngest sister elects to drive, but she has a Ford Ka with only 4 seats and 4 seat belts. I make myself unpopular by saying that 4 seats and 5 people are a bad mix, especially if she has an accident; the insurance will only pay out for 4 personal injury cases, if they pay at all. And, it's possibly illegal. Sis-in-law says she has checked it's OK; you only have to wear a seat belt if one is provided but I didn't and don't think that's quite in the spirit of things. It's only a 1.5 mile journey but the sleet is coming horizontal and one of the brothers can't walk the journey; he's an opera singer ...

By this time a lot of unrelated family stuff was being discussed at full volume and clouding the issue somewhat so I gathered up my 6 passengers and left.

Your valued opinions please.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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Tue 28 Dec 2004 23:29
4 seats or 5 ? - john deacon
i think you know the answer to this, regardless of what the law says is it worth risking anyone for lack of a seatbelt?

although i do ignore the seatbelt law in areas where i view pedestrian thugs a bigger risk than going through the window, eg low speed in some parts of london, and would pay the fine if i was ever to be prosecuted for this, i regard risking my own life as different to risking my passengers
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Wed 29 Dec 2004 12:10
4 seats or 5 ? - daveyjp
Cars built after a certain date (mid 80s?) have to have rear seat belts fitted and it is now compulsory for all passengers to where seatbelts in cars fitted with them.

As the Ford Ka has only been built since the mid 1990s and is fitted with four belts this is the maximum number of passengers it is designed to carry.

My Audi is similar in only having two back seats and two seatbelts therefore only two passengers allowed. If I want to carry three I have to buy a new rear seat which comes with an extra seat belt. The smart forfour is exactly the same.
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