Resurfaced '80s Clip About Seatbelt Mandate Backlash Goes Viral: VIDEO - Comic Sands

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        Resurfaced '80s Clip Of People Lashing Out About Seatbelt Mandates Feels Eerily Familiar
    

        @NumbersMuncher/Twitter
    
By Koh MochizukiSep 28, 2021
Koh Mochizuki

	Koh Mochizuki is a Los Angeles based actor whose work has been spotted anywhere from Broadway stages to Saturday Night Live.

	He received his B.A. in English literature and is fluent in Japanese.

	In addition to being a neophyte photographer, he is a huge Disney aficionado and is determined to conquer all Disney parks in the world to publish a photographic chronicle one day. Mickey goals.

	Instagram: kohster Twitter: @kohster1 Flickr: nyckmo
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Today, most American drivers don't think twice about buckling up when getting behind the wheel.
But there was a time when the seatbelt mandate was unpopular with drivers who didn't like being told what to do. Sound familiar?
States began creating seatbelt legislation in the 1980s, starting with New York, in 1984. 
New Hampshire, known by its official state motto "Live Free or Die," is the only state in the U.S. without a seatbelt law for adult drivers.  
A news clip from the 80s about the public's negative reaction to increasing seatbelt mandates is being compared to today's polarization of Americans reacting to the  COVID-19 vaccine. 
What sparked the comparison was The Daily Show featuring a clip from the 80s where drivers from Florida and Michigan voiced their opposition to the road rule designed to protect them.
This clip from the Daily Show of people fighting against seat belt mandates in the 80s is absolutely surreal from start to finish given today's climate on both masks and COVID vaccines.pic.twitter.com/IiR8iavlyN
 — Josh Jordan (@Josh Jordan)
        1631752747
In the vintage footage, a Florida highway patrol officer discussed the usual complaints when confronting a driver ignoring the seatbelt mandate, including, "It's uncomfortable," and "It wrinkles my clothes." 
One passenger in the news interview bemoaned, "There's no freedom no more. If you don't want to wear it, that's your choice"
The clip from a February 4, 1984 news report in Richland,  Michigan, said the village's council had unanimously requested a seatbelt ordinance, which was unanimously opposed by the community. 
One local said he was "shocked," while another said he would boycott passing through Richland if they passed the seatbelt ordinance.
 
The fight against seat belts 1984youtu.be
Just goes to show - stupid never sleeps. \nAnd notice how everyone is smoking? Remember when all the bar and restaurant owners were saying they would go out of business if people couldn't smoke?
 — kirkbrooks (@kirkbrooks)
        1631754959
After reviewing the old footage, social media users saw those opposed to seatbelts in the 80s and anti-vaxxers in 2021 having something in common—which is the fact that both have strong objections to regulations that have been proven and effective in saving lives. 
Seat belt laws were the mask mandates of the 80's it appears.https://twitter.com/MarcIstook/status/1438247133262585859\u00a0\u2026
 — Kody\ud83d\udd36\ufe0f (@Kody\ud83d\udd36\ufe0f)
        1631742006
The same people have been wrong about everything -- EVERY DAMN THING -- for the past 60 years. Eventually, society moves on without them. This time, people are dying because of them. The dead do not move on.
 — Paul Curran (@Paul Curran)
        1631758753

I was around then. Water cooler talk was "How will they PROVE I wasn't wearing it?" and strategies around defeating the seat belt alarm.\n\nThen the insurance companies said they'd double rates in states that didn't make it a law, and voila.\n\nAntivax needs a cash penalty.
 — Ironing Man, Starch Industries, \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89Pfizer (@Ironing Man, Starch Industries, \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89Pfizer)
        1631811355
I'd forgotten the insurance component. Seems like Americans need to be punished into compliance with laws that are meant to save their lives.
 — michael slater \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f (@michael slater \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f)
        1631898768
With seat belt laws, people understood that police and medics were tired of scraping people off the pavement. Wish they had the same understanding and compassion for doctors and nurses.
 — Snowshark (@Snowshark)
        1631807200

Remember when these same people said outlawing smoking in restaurants was going to kill the restaurant industry?
 — Nancy Rutman (@Nancy Rutman)
        1631755084
It's really not hard to understand. Certain people simply never emotionally mature. They remain teenagers in mentality, children essentially. Tell them to do something and they freak out and find any excuse not to. Just because. All rights, no responsibility.
 — MothraStewart (@MothraStewart)
        1632181728
This rings so true about the vaccine. Seat belts save lives and vaccines do too. Why would anyone be against something that saves lives?
 — Dianne Callahan (@Dianne Callahan)
        1631758427

This is how anti masker and and antivaxers sound. #GetVaccinatedNowpic.twitter.com/NRQyqouk8r
 — Dave Stanley (@Dave Stanley)
        1631895620

@ydi99/Twitter
History: \u201cthe record of what human beings have been impelled to do by their ignorance and the enormous\nbumptiousness that makes them canonize their ignorance as a political or religious dogma." \n- Aldous Huxley, \u201cIsland\u201d
 — GammaMa Donna (@GammaMa Donna)
        1631759840


The unfortunate reality is that many anti-vaxxers today, much like unbuckled drivers then, have come to their senses but only until after it was too late. 

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Today, most American drivers don't think twice about buckling up when getting behind the wheel.

But there was a time when the seatbelt mandate was unpopular with drivers who didn't like being told what to do. Sound familiar?

States began creating seatbelt legislation in the 1980s, starting with New York, in 1984.

New Hampshire, known by its official state motto "Live Free or Die," is the only state in the U.S. without a seatbelt law for adult drivers.

A news clip from the 80s about the public's negative reaction to increasing seatbelt mandates is being compared to today's polarization of Americans reacting to the COVID-19 vaccine.

What sparked the comparison was The Daily Show featuring a clip from the 80s where drivers from Florida and Michigan voiced their opposition to the road rule designed to protect them.

This clip from the Daily Show of people fighting against seat belt mandates in the 80s is absolutely surreal from start to finish given today's climate on both masks and COVID vaccines.pic.twitter.com/IiR8iavlyN
— Josh Jordan (@Josh Jordan) 1631752747

In the vintage footage, a Florida highway patrol officer discussed the usual complaints when confronting a driver ignoring the seatbelt mandate, including, "It's uncomfortable," and "It wrinkles my clothes."

One passenger in the news interview bemoaned, "There's no freedom no more. If you don't want to wear it, that's your choice"

The clip from a February 4, 1984 news report in Richland, Michigan, said the village's council had unanimously requested a seatbelt ordinance, which was unanimously opposed by the community.

One local said he was "shocked," while another said he would boycott passing through Richland if they passed the seatbelt ordinance.

The fight against seat belts 1984youtu.be

Just goes to show - stupid never sleeps. \nAnd notice how everyone is smoking? Remember when all the bar and restaurant owners were saying they would go out of business if people couldn't smoke?
— kirkbrooks (@kirkbrooks) 1631754959

After reviewing the old footage, social media users saw those opposed to seatbelts in the 80s and anti-vaxxers in 2021 having something in common—which is the fact that both have strong objections to regulations that have been proven and effective in saving lives.

Seat belt laws were the mask mandates of the 80's it appears.https://twitter.com/MarcIstook/status/1438247133262585859\u00a0\u2026
— Kody\ud83d\udd36\ufe0f (@Kody\ud83d\udd36\ufe0f) 1631742006

The same people have been wrong about everything -- EVERY DAMN THING -- for the past 60 years. Eventually, society moves on without them. This time, people are dying because of them. The dead do not move on.
— Paul Curran (@Paul Curran) 1631758753

I was around then. Water cooler talk was "How will they PROVE I wasn't wearing it?" and strategies around defeating the seat belt alarm.\n\nThen the insurance companies said they'd double rates in states that didn't make it a law, and voila.\n\nAntivax needs a cash penalty.
— Ironing Man, Starch Industries, \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89Pfizer (@Ironing Man, Starch Industries, \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89Pfizer) 1631811355

I'd forgotten the insurance component. Seems like Americans need to be punished into compliance with laws that are meant to save their lives.
— michael slater \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f (@michael slater \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f) 1631898768

With seat belt laws, people understood that police and medics were tired of scraping people off the pavement. Wish they had the same understanding and compassion for doctors and nurses.
— Snowshark (@Snowshark) 1631807200

Remember when these same people said outlawing smoking in restaurants was going to kill the restaurant industry?
— Nancy Rutman (@Nancy Rutman) 1631755084

It's really not hard to understand. Certain people simply never emotionally mature. They remain teenagers in mentality, children essentially. Tell them to do something and they freak out and find any excuse not to. Just because. All rights, no responsibility.
— MothraStewart (@MothraStewart) 1632181728

This rings so true about the vaccine. Seat belts save lives and vaccines do too. Why would anyone be against something that saves lives?
— Dianne Callahan (@Dianne Callahan) 1631758427

This is how anti masker and and antivaxers sound. #GetVaccinatedNowpic.twitter.com/NRQyqouk8r
— Dave Stanley (@Dave Stanley) 1631895620

@ydi99/Twitter

History: \u201cthe record of what human beings have been impelled to do by their ignorance and the enormous\nbumptiousness that makes them canonize their ignorance as a political or religious dogma." \n- Aldous Huxley, \u201cIsland\u201d
— GammaMa Donna (@GammaMa Donna) 1631759840

The unfortunate reality is that many anti-vaxxers today, much like unbuckled drivers then, have come to their senses but only until after it was too late.

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