DaddyBuiltRacing Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Just out of curiousity is it legal to just rock your 5point harness's while driving instead of the facotry seat belts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 they are not DOT approved so no. but chances are since they are a better belt than stock then they will never say anything to you or they just don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyBuiltRacing Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I didnt think they was legal, but damn they are a lot safer then factory belts. I just dont want to be hassled for driving around with them on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Apex Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I've never been bothered in my Laser, and it has a rollbar, aluminum seat, and 5 points. I'm pretty sure it's illegal but one of those things that's rarely enforced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 they won't bother you, i bet 98% of them don't even know its illegal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 The problem with harnesses is that they don't allow your body to rotate forward in the event of a roof collapse. There are DOT approved harnesses by Schroth. THey have an expansion section over one shoulder which will allow your body to move if needed. Essentially, a harness should be used with a rollcage. But if you have a rollcage, you should wear a helmet so you don't bash your brains out against one of the pipes. Kind of a snowball there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyBuiltRacing Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Lmfao I am putting a cage in the car anyways, and already thought about rocking the helmet for shits and giggles. How much more rediculous can I possibly look being 6'5 in a pink crx lmfao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Removed Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 they are not DOT approved so no. but chances are since they are a better belt than stock then they will never say anything to you or they just don't know. cops have gave me hell over mine. saying they dont pass dot specs etc. and the same prick asked me to shut the car off cause he couldnt hear anything! same cop gave me a ticket for having racing slicks on my car. i told him 20 times they are DOT tires. out of the 6 tickets he wrote me i got a loud exhaust ticket. no lawyer. he was being a dick bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyBuiltRacing Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 im going to look into the Schroth harness's. My local cops are straight up pricks. I just dont wanna drive around with racing seats and stock belts kinda defeats the purpose to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 i never had a problem in the camaro with them. then again it was a 67 camaro and i only had to have a lap belt for that car so they never knew if i had it on or not anways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AutoFreak57 Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 i don't think they are technically legal unless you get the dot approved ones. I have never been hasselled on autox days when i still had my 4-points (i drove around that day with them on too). They are not safe in a rollover without a cage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossle Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I have had mine for the last 6-7 months in the DD and i drive a ton, never been hassled. Then again i haven't been pulled over in about 3 years so..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnman Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think it depends upon the car you are driving and the copthat pulls you over . I had a 5 point harness in my Cobra replica that I drove every chance I got for 5 years , never had a problem and it was LOUD also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Removed Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think it depends upon the car you are driving and the copthat pulls you over . I had a 5 point harness in my Cobra replica that I drove every chance I got for 5 years , never had a problem and it was LOUD also. what can they say about a car thats from 1960s and didnt even have seatbelts. and im sure you wasnt cuaght street racing either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trjackson Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 The problem with harnesses is that they don't allow your body to rotate forward in the event of a roof collapse. There are DOT approved harnesses by Schroth. THey have an expansion section over one shoulder which will allow your body to move if needed. Essentially, a harness should be used with a rollcage. But if you have a rollcage, you should wear a helmet so you don't bash your brains out against one of the pipes. Kind of a snowball there... This is quoted for the 100% truth. Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 This is quoted for the 100% truth. Jackson while his statements are not incorrect, you can never claim 100% truth on this subject (harnesses/cage/seats in street cars). Nobody has done enough testing to confirm a lot of the "truths" out there. Ideally you'll need to read up A LOT on the subject from multiple sources and not just take one person or company's word on the subject, then form your own opinion. Ultimately there are great solutions for the track, and for the street, but never one good for both. There is some risk calculations that you'll have to decide what you're comfortable with on your particular setup. To go ahead and start the fire, I am absolutely against full roll cages in street driven cars. Back-halfs or roll bars you can get away with, but anything that has a bar beside your head WILL hurt you in a wreck without a helmet on. I would much rather see people drive with fixed back seats and 3-pts (which I'll likely do in the FD this year) on the street and track as I belive that the theory of "the roof caving my head in" is a risk I'm willing to take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Uhhh, any of you ever hear of roll-bar padding?? I've purposely hit my head on the bar with the padding to see how bad it would hurt...didn't hurt at all. Not that thin hard stuff...I use the Jegs "Tuffcoat" stuff I've been pulled over wearing my 5-point. Cop clearly saw it, didn't even mention it. This was a Delaware State Trooper too, which is a likely canidate to hassle someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flybye Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 deffinatly not legal...and not worth wearing on the street. well in a daily driver anyways. wearing a harness on bumpy roads quite often is not very good on your spine AT ALL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 yes, i've heard of roll bar padding, and no, I don't think it's going to stop you from serious injury where your bare head hits it in a wreck. I've only ever seen a few cars where the cage could be tucked away far enough from the driver's head to be considered streetable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flybye Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 btw....i drove around with fixed back corbeaus and a 5 point in my srt and after maybe a month i gave up. with stiff suspension you already feel everything. do you think the new setup made anything better? i think not....i could not stand it anymore and had to put the stock stuff back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGU Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 If it helps when i was going to do it on my miata i talked with the gahanna pd and they told me its not legal but they will not bother to worry about it because you are safer then any regular belt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnman Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 what can they say about a car thats from 1960s and didnt even have seatbelts. and im sure you wasnt cuaght street racing either! The scariest part was the rollbar right above my head was not even padded. I did switch to a high back racing seat for some safety. I have to agree with some other posts, I do not think most cops even know a 5 point harness is illegal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 A harness is not safe for road use. Not only for the reason of rollovers, but with your body strapped tight your head is basically a projectile. In any impact you would be at risk for a broken neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Apex Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 "DOT approved" doesn't mean it's legal. Kumho V710 tires are approved and very illegal to have on Ohio roads, code says they have to have tread across the entire surface of the tire, not just 2 grooves so take it for what it's worth. I would imagine harnesses are illegal to have on the road. Seatbelts are designed to work in a certain way with the rest of the safety systems in the car and like said a harness will prevent you from moving in the seat. NASA has pretty clear cut rules about this, call it the "Rule of 3". If you have a harness you must have a racing seat and rollbar as they're designed to work together. Used in other combinations of maybe just a harness could end up killing you in the right situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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