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Honda Says "No"
to Seat Belts for Larger Passengers
Esteemed Congresswomen,
Did you know that large men and women are often unable to wear seatbelts in
their cars, because several auto manufacturers won't make extenders to enable
the belts to fit them? The manufacturers who won't make extenders are Honda,
VW, Audi, Kia, Acura, and Hyundai, among others. Did you further know that the
NHTSA mandates that seatbelts must fit 95% of the population, has ordered the
manufacturers to make the belts for 6-foot-tall, 215-pound people, which was
the 95th percentile for height and weight FORTY YEARS AGO? Now that percentile
is 244 pounds.
I'm a large American. I believe in seatbelts, and since I drive a Toyota, I
have an extender. Would you each consider the dilemma of the large people who
drive (or passenge) beltless because they 1. have a waiver from their local
p.d. saying they can't fit in the belt (absurd, but better than getting a ticket);
2. don't wear a belt because they don't know extenders exist; or 3. spent $30,000---80,000
on a car only to find out AFTERWARD that the manufacturer wouldn't furnish an
extender? Would you consider writing a letter of support requesting NHTSA to
change their guidlines to require auto manufacturers to furnish extenders to
ALL cars sold here?
A friend of mine has a great website, http://www.ifisher.com/honda, with lots
more info about this issue. I would welcome a response from you after you've
seen your site. I know you all know that San Francisco has included size in
its anti-discrimination ordinances. I'm someone who is over 300 pounds, but
I eat normally and exercise a LOT. I am a concert violinist in the S.F. Bay
Area. I got this big by dieting and starving my whole life. I don't see my size
changing for the smaller, but I am working to change my health for the better,
and also working for equitable treatment for people all sizes of large. Please
let me know what you think about the issues discussed here.
And thank you for being a voice for WOMEN in government. God bless you all,
Kathleen Comalli Dillon