[300winmag]

I became a firm believer in seatbelts one wintry day in 1967. It was my first car, a 1960 Dodge Dart (318 V8, pushbutton automatic transmission). I was driving down a side street after a HUGH snowstorm (the biggest in my memory) shut down Detroit a week earlier with 36 inches in a single day.

The snow had melted a bit, then it sleeted, and now there were foot-deep icy ruts in the street. It was almost like going down a railroad track, or across one. I was creeping across these frozen ruts in the Dart, and it was bouncing around. It bounced so hard, I hit my head on the roof.

That's when I swore I'd always wear a seat belt. Not to protect me in an accident, but just to keep me in my seat. It's something I depend on even today, with my sedate GMC Jimmy.

[Wneighbor]

Dang I wish I had that Dart! Would make a sweet little play toy! 318! That's what I got in my pickup now. Indestructable if you take care of 'em!!!

[JenB]

The first winter I had my license I was merging onto a divided road. Hit a patch of ice and spun right around - did a 180, ended up on the shoulder pointed back down the ramp. Only thing that saved me was that there was no other traffic anywhere.

Since then I merge a bit more carefully...