i'm pointing out that if safety were the real objective, harnesses and
helmets are the way to go - because they are much more effective.  what
you're exhibiting is personal dislike - but that's not engineering analysis.

for dry clean road.  but in the circumstances i outlined, wider tires
can be a problem because the larger contact area decreases the ground
pressure and thus ability to retain contact.

i stated fact - check your owners manual.

yes we can - we absolutely control what we buy.

you can if you want to.  i prefer older vehicles for the above reasons,
so i drive older vehicles.  concept seems simple to me.

and the correct english is "fewer resources".

Jesus, you really are clueless.  There's more to it than belts and
helmets.  There are roll cages, kill switches, fuel cells, and more, in a
race car.  Can you see the normal citizen putting on a full-face helmet
and attaching a 5-point harness every time they make a trip to the grocery
store?  Get real.  Try to speak in relation to reality for a change.

Nice try at dodging the issue.  Wider tires also assist braking due to
more surface area contacting the road.  Simple physics, man.

Wrong again.  You really don't understand much, do you?

The point was that we as consumers, can't control that aspect.  If you
want a new car, you buy a new car.  You can't buy a "new" 1985 model just
because you want something that was made with "less resources".

untrue.  there are no air bags in race cars.  race cars can crash at
150+ and the driver walks away because [s]he's properly restrained.
5-point belts and helmets will save many more lives than airbags.

that's a function of suspension, not desire to improve braking.  you
need wider tires with macpherson strut to make up for its geometrical
shortcomings.  the disadvantage of wider tires is more gas consumption
and more tendency to aquaplane in rain or slide on loose surfaces.

 not to mention the existence of ABS.  Today's cars can stop *MUCH*

untrue.  they can help a driver stop under certain conditions where
inexperience or lack of skill may be a problem, but in many situations,
anti-lock braking distances can be longer than stock brakes.  check your
owners manual.

if we make it, we control it.  by definition.

Will a helmet keep the steering column from piercing your chest?

Will a helmet keep your neck and ribs from snapping when that SUV hits you
directly on the driver's door at 60mph?

The answer to both questions is "NO".  An airbag likely would, though.

I wouldn't drive, or let any member of my family drive, a vehicle without
airbags.  Yeah, we all used to do it "back in the day", but things change.
There's just no good reason to not have them now.  Not to mention the fact
that the roads are crowded with inattentive morons talking on cell phones
while driving 20+ MPH over the speed limit, and driving the biggest
vehicle they (can't) afford.  An airbag is a necessity.

We're talking safety here, not gas mileage.  Would you rather be safe(r),
or save $0.23 on a trip across town?

Tire sizes are generally quite a bit wider now-a-days than they used to
be, not to mention the existence of ABS.  Today's cars can stop *MUCH*
better than a car of 15-20 years ago.

That's beyond our control, and not a factor in anything.

great car.

if that is truly a concern, wear a helmet.  seriously.  if transport
safety authorities were serious about safety, helmets and 5-point seat
belts would be mandatory.

these are not airbag issues, but they are "should i buy a more modern
car or look at the big picture" issues:

1. paradoxically, the gas savings of more efficient modern engines are
offset by much heavier modern cars, so no benefit there.

2. heavier cars are harder to stop, given that tire sizes are the same
and thus available braking traction is the same.

3. modern cars consume more resources in their manufacture.

I have a 1991 Honda Civic and it runs well, but I feel like I should
probably buy a newer car with airbags for more safety in a crash.
Another reason I might want to buy another car is that mine is small.
A larger car would probably provide additional protection.  On the
other hand, if I keep my current car I'd save money.  Does anyone
think it's not necessarily worthy spending the money for a bigger car
with airbags?