I'm back!

And open for business. When I went to the store in Veneta for beer and ice (town close to the Fair) a black LE parked next to me while I was gone!
On the way to the Fair, Cassady noted a B headed east on I-84 that "looked like someone had attacked the hood with a sander". Coming home, we passed a very nice blue A with chrome wires headed north, presumably to the gathering at Welches, OR.
On the way to the Fair, I was pulled over by the OSP (thought it was for speeding). He said it was because I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. I told him I was exempt. He asked for my "card". Rules changed. Have to get one, as a letter from my Dr. is not good enough. Then, he asked if the registration I gave him was the one I meant to (Oh my! Did I give him an MGB registration?) I asked if it was for this truck and he said yes, but it expired in 10/02. I now find that the DMV dfoesn't mail out renewals to cars that were purchased a few months before the expiration. Court date is in Aug., and the officer thinks they will both be dropped if I fix it. :)
Oh, the hay was already picked up when we got there, so no buck naked bucking crew this year. The girls were disappointed.

Curious here, Chris, what would allow an exemption from mandated seatbelt use? And if the car did not have seatbelts from the factory, would they still be required?

Anything that is aggravated by seatbelts. In my case, I have broken my back twice, have dead discs, and lap belts cause lower back pain. In addition, I have bursitis, so shoulder belts cause it to flare up.
It used to be that if the car did not come with seatbelts, that was also an exception, as were large trucks and school buses. I'm not sure about those anymore. I'm only working the one angle. There were about 5 as I recall though.
It turns out that it isn't just a matter of a trip to the DMV either. They give you a form for the Dr. to fill out; his letter isn't good enough. Then, you send it to God and wait. If you're lucky, he sends you a card.

Welcome back Chris. Hope you had a nice vacation.

About time!! :o) Tony was giving me a rough time, I needed some back-up!! :o) That sux when you get a ticket!! At least with me I don't have to pay those American ones!! I made it in and out of Penelton twice, fogged the mosquitoes and never went to jail!! Aren't I the lucky one??? :o)

Thanks. And it was one of the best ever.

The lucky one? I would say you paid for that luck.

They just changed the law in Florida that no seatbelt is a stoppable offense. Before, they couldn't stop you for just that. There's a nice catchy phrase in Fla. : Click it, or ticket.

Don't think it's a new law, but Texas is using the same catchphrase, along with a $200 fine.

Jack,
Do you know if Texas still consideres exemption if the car didn't originally come with belts? My 66 didn't come (and doesn't have) belts. I'm not totally convinced I'd be putting any in (although I might change my mind later).

Steve, I would at least install lap belts. I have them in my '67, and was glad of it about six years ago; I T-boned a full-size Ford at about 40 mph, pushed it a couple feet sideways, and was able to walk away. I USED that lap belt, and it WORKED!!!

Don't know. I'm one of those who sit down, buckle the belt, shut the door, then start the car. I can't drive comfortably without at least a lap belt. The last car I had without a belt was a 1958 Ford I drove in '63 and '64. I am surprised your '66 didn't have belts; my first Mustang (October '64) did have lap belts. Maybe it was a Made-in-USA thing.

I can't even move my car in the driveway without putting on my belt. I feel like I'm "on" the seat, not "in" it, without the belt. In this day and age, I find it amazing that anyone would drive a car without wearing them.

Dan D

The 66 had mounting points for the seatbelts, but I guess my point was they weren't required by law.

I never leave anywhere in my 78 without buckling (except when they lock up and won't move!) It's just my 66 has such low seatbacks. I might go with just a lap belt (I usually do that with the 78's anyway). Then again, I'm 6'3", so I fit pretty snug and tight.

Dan, that's an interesting analogy about sitting "on" the seat rather than "in" the seat. I feel there's a big difference between the 78 and 66, and you may have it right on the head!

It's here too, part of the Federal gov't. pushing. CDL drivers have no exemption in OR because of the federal thing.

The r/b cars had a factory defective belt anyway, so why bother? :)

I was just thru a few states and they are all using it!! Catchy!!

I'm bad!! I never wear ear protection, eye protction, a hard had, safety toes, nothing, and I am fine!! I really don't know why I am like that, but I wear my seatbelt about 1/2 the time!! Stupid huh?? I did get rearended about 15 yr's ago with a lapbelt on, and ,MAN!!, did I get whiplash in my lower back!!

I wear ALL that sh*t Gary and I'm fallin apart

i wear ear plugs and snazzy eye sheild things at work when powerwashing a few mils of sedimetary rock off of concrete etc... just hate getting sand in my ears and eyes! engine's noisy tho

never wear seatbelts at work in the work trucks, but every time i start my work sessions again, I gotta break the habbit of putting my belt on just as I enter, so used to doing it everwhere outside the facility gates...

OSHA really cramps my style tho

try following their rules for electricians

I don't know!! Maybe I'm just lucky, but we used to hang over a roof 35 to 50 ft in the air, no safety gear!! I never get hurt in normal operation, it is always when something goes away from the normal!! Lucky me!!

their rules for minors are ludacris, or atleast the way our HR dept is interpreting them

can be on roof, but no roofing removal
no table saws/scroll saws/mitre saws or sheet metal break, but mill/drillpress/lathe OK
no going over 3ft on a ladder...

and no rough toilet paper! (kidding)