Do you run harnesses on the street?, why wouldnt you? Options

[Aaron Cox]

Just curious. is there any reason why you would wear your retratable instead of a 5 point?

And is it legal in CA?

just curious (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[MoveQik]

I am by no means an expert, but I am going to wear my harnesses. My factory seatbelts finally became inoperable. I figure that new harnesses should be more safe than 30 year old seatbelts. More of a hassle, but more safe.

[nebreitling]

i wear mine on the street, though i don't drive it on the street too often. not legal, as i understand it.

less safe i believe under the assumption that if you roll the car, your body is held upright in the harness (producing an "ouchie" on your head), as opposed to being able to slide down in a stock seatbelt.

[Cap'n Krusty]

The big problem is gonna be when your insurance company finds out your seatbelts aren't DOT approved for use in your car. Just another excuse for them to say, "so long, and thanks for all the money". The Cap'n

[Howard]

I wear 'em. IMHO they are safer than 3 point belts and essential if you have a cage. Never had a problem with boys in blue.

Cap'n, ya wanna read me that section in a CA insurance policy? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[Aaron Cox]

QUOTE (Howard @ May 25 2005, 12:47 PM)

I wear 'em. IMHO they are safer than 3 point belts and essential if you have a cage. Never had a problem with boys in blue. Cap'n, ya wanna read me that section in a CA insurance policy? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

our resident insurance guru!

is it legal? and will my insurance care?

[GTeener]

I use my harness for street use because they replaced the stock belt.

I'm much more secured in my seat than with the stock belt. Hard to understand why that would be a problem for insurance or DOT (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif) If it is safe for a race track you'd think it would be overkill for Mayberry Lane (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

The insurance company would probably assume you were driving recklessly when you crashed because you had a 'race harness'. They'll try any angle to avoid a payout (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/mad.gif)

If you are going to roll your car (let's hope not) you better be sure you are cinched in tight and your head doesn't touch the roof. But that is more likely a seat issue (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[Joe Ricard]

I wear mine on the street, only belts in the car. I do only snap in one shoulder strap so if I do need to be crushed down due to roll over I can. usually have the lap belt snugged up good. Recaro SRD seat and harness bar for sholder straps to tend over and thru.

[Joe Bob]

More of a cop attention getter, especially if they are red or another day glo color....not DOT approved but I am sure they exceed the specifications.

Never heard of anyone getting a ticket for it....it's ALL that Manfred has...belts are the LEAST of my problems if I get yanked over by the PD...hmmm, horn, wipers, turn signals, etc....

on the 911 I hide them behind the seat and use the three pointers...

[TimT]

Aaron does your car have a rollbar/cage?

I WILL NOT use harnesses in a car that doesnt have roll over protection.

The harnesses do keep you upright in the seat, but if there is nothing to prevent the roof from collapsing in a rollover situation, I dont use harness even if they are in the car (when I instruct) sometimes the students look at me wierd when I explain my logic... but hey

[Aaron Cox]

no cage... and i dont intend to roll it either (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

so if you roll... a harness is not your friend.
how does the retractable one help with that? slump out of the way? is this the same as only running one of the upper belts?

[TimT]

where is that video of the subaru rolling at the uphill at Lime Rock?

[MattR]

What about the targa bar? Didnt SCCA recognize that as a roll bar until recently?

The guy I got my 914 from said it held up to a steel truck rollling over it (in a different 914 he had).

[anthony]

http://www.vintagebus.com/gallery/movie/rollover.mpg

[drew365]

My car only has the 5 point harness. I don't drive on the street too often. I did get a ticket from CHP on Kanan a few months ago, he didn't say anything about the belts, wanted to know about the engine. Nice guy, but still gave me the ticket. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

[Andyrew]

I only use one shoulder for the street, and I dont hook up the sub.
Unless I either want to impress someone, or I know im going to be going spirited....

Andrew

[hmeeder]

We had a cop at one of our PCA tech sessions about a year ago say that the police consider 5 points to be superior to lap belts and that they don't ticket for them. The fact that they are not DOT approved means nothing to them. That's a federal definition they are far too busy to care about or pursue. Sure brightly colored harnesses will attract attention, but then most 914s with any kind of harness will attract attention for many other reasons as well.

Fact of the matter is that just because they are not DOT approved doesn't mean that they aren't safe for street use. They're just not certified for street use. The manufacturers pay for the FIA testing and the like because that is necessary for the belts to be used in competition. Most of the manufacturers don't bother with the DOT certification because the majority of use they build for is track use, not street use. If they can pass the FIA certification, they will pass the DOT certification, they just don't bother.

I wear my 5 points everywhere. I'm not sure about the thinking that they are not safe if you don't have a roll bar. The purpose behind belts and harnesses are to keep your ass in the seat, that being the safest place in a crash. Having a roll bar doesn't change that and a 5 point only makes you that much more secure.

Andyrew, I would definitely never wear only part of the harness. The sub belt is a critical component to keeping the belt in the right place on the torso and one shoulder only seems reckless. If you get in a crash, you could get seriously jacked up by misusing the harness. All the components are designed to work together to protect you. For your own health, I would reconsider that. Seriously.

My $.02, where the harness in health and safety (and with at least 1 CHPs blessing)

[Series9]

QUOTE (TimT @ May 25 2005, 05:23 PM)

I WILL NOT use harnesses in a car that doesnt have roll over protection.

As far as I'm concerned, every 914 came from the factory with excellent roll over protection.

I use my 5-point harness for the street.

[Aaron Cox]

very cool. i love this club.

consenting and dissenting opinions. gives you the best views from both angles.

[cha914]

I agree with Tim and many roadracers I have met. Harnesses are not safe unless you have a roll bar. The harness will keep you bolt upright in the seat, which means you have no where to go when you roll and the roof starts coming down on your head...just watch a few rollover vids and you will get the picture.

I also don't wear harnesses on the street because when I was wearing them all the time (I do have a roll bar) I was noticing that I did not tighten them up all the way when using them. This means that when you do hit something you are more likely to slide under the lap belt and injure yourself (legs hitting the dash/wheel, lap belt doing internal injuries to your organs as it slids up your chest, neck getting caught on the buckle/ wide ass belt...etc...) A 3 point has the retraction mechanism which keeps the belt snug (at least if yours still work, I upgraded to 944 belts cause mine didn't).

So I see no problem with wearing a harness on the street if you have a rollbar and you snug the belts up tight everytime you drive the car, cause that is the way they were made to work, otherwise you are probably less safe than a good working 3 point...IMHO of course...

good luck and be safe out there...

Tony