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• Seat belt holder apparatus Examine the pictures and diagrams. Note that there are actually three belts. The two long ones are fastened to the short (waist) one via sewn loops through which the short one is slid. These must be very strongly sewn with superstrong thread—they may have a very strong yank someday and they must not break. The two long belts fasten with normal seat belt buckles near the rear hatch of the car. The short belt simply goes around the passenger's waist and fastens with normal seat belt buckles. The prone passenger is much more protected from front-end mishaps than s/he's ever been before. Once the passenger has entered the car and lain down (see Front seat belt use, below), the driver (or a different passenger) may need to fasten the waist belt. Make sure this is done with the buckle on top of the passenger's body and the two long belts and their loops centered on the front and rear of the passenger's body. Once this belt is fastened, the driver needs to open the rear hatch and tighten the rear buckle. Don't forget that the top of the passenger's head needs to be about a foot from the front seat back. |
• Bolt guard This merely keeps people and belongings from hitting the U-bolt nuts; the nuts won't mind, but you and your stuff might. |
• Front seat belt use I tightened the front seat belt around the front passenger seat in such a way as to let it be used as an aid to rising from prone to standing. To use it for exiting, you undo the waist belt, untangle yourself from the leg rest and long safety belt, sit and grab the belt and pull yourself up all in one motion so you're not really sitting, lean over the front seat while bracing your hands against the front passenger neck rest, and back down the steps while continuing to hold the neck rest. Holding the top of the neck rest and leaning against it while entering or exiting the vehicle is necessary for those with bad backs. Entering the vehicle is simple: forget the front seat belt but use the front passenger seat neck rest to brace against and then roll onto the mattress-on which the safety restraint system belt has been laid out in such a way as to allow you to fasten it (once you roll onto it) without painful scooting and lifting. |