robrob

After I put the cage in my car I only drove it to and from the track when I didn't need the trailer full of support stuff. When I did I used the 6-point harness and no helmet. Even in a stock car with added 6-point harness I'd rather be wearing the harness than the stock 3-point in any kind of accident including a roll over (and I'm 6' 2"). I don't really buy the "you need to flop around so your neck won't get broken in a rollover" argument. Please let me know if I'm missing something obvious.

robrob

If this was a consideration then racers pre-Hanns would have been racing with sloppy 3-point harnesses.

LeonV

That's because they were not considering basilar skull fractures. Yes, race harnesses worked great to keep people being ejected out of their cars like they did in the "good old days" but as with everything, things evolve. The reason a 3pt is safer than a 6pt without an HNR is because it allows the upper body to fold over the belt and utilize the airbag to stop the head from going further. With a 6pt but no HNR, your body is completely restrained but your head is not. You can imagine how that would go vs. a 3pt.

Needless to say, I'm keeping a 3pt in the car unless it becomes 100% track-only. When I drive my 260Z, I feel more vigilant than when I'm in a more modern car but that's how it was designed so that's a risk I have to take for enjoying it. I don't have to remove the 3pt in the S2000, so why would I.

V6 Donut

I drive mine on street with 6 point, 3 point is long gone. no complaints other than id takes longer to get buckled in.

robrob

So racing would have been safer if they would have used loose 3-point harnesses and an airbag back in the day? Have you seen what happens to a driver in a mild side impact?

thomsbrain

Is it even legal to use a 6 point on the street?

Another thing to consider is whether you are willing to REALLY strap in and tighten the 6 point every time you get into the car, or if you're going to half-ass it and have the belts loose enough for comfort or to grab your Taco Bell from the drive-through. The 3 point allows movement when stationary but goes rigid in a crash. No such feature on the six point.

I did a road trip in my six point before I got my 3 point sorted out and it was a pain in the butt.

V6 Donut

I'm not sure if its legal or not, I'm in Texas and so far have never received any shit from an officer about it. Proper seating position with my 6 point and I commute sometimes 2hrs one way during rush hour. I personally give zero phucs. But hey, we're all different.

robrob

I think the laws would be state specific but I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for using an aftermarket seat belt system.

anorexicpoodle

Its not, strictly speaking legal unless the belt has a DOT stamp on it (i think a few schroth belts do as they were OEM in porsche GT3's).

I have been pulled over once because the officer did not see the shoulder belt and was going to give me a belt ticket and when he got to my window his comment was "i was going to give you a seat belt ticket, but wow that's a lot of seat belt" the DOT topic never came up.

That being said, ive also been pulled over for no front plate, and for being the fastest looking car speeding on that particular street.....on the long list of things to be pulled over for, DOT belts is hardly a concern.

SlowTeg

I rock the OEM 3 pt on the street and 6 pt/HANS on the track. Regarding what's safer? The 6 pt might be, but the car is already a big enough of a pita to get in/out of without having to strap myself into the harness. It also doesn't allow for much/any mobility in the car. Putzing around on the street, I see no reason to run a harness. By all means, if you're going to be Dominic Toretto on the street, then you might want to wear your harness. lol I unclip/remove my sub straps and side strap on the street so a 6 pt isn't even an option, but I see no advantage to using it on the street.