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General How many passengers?

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General How many passengers?

bobajob

bobajob

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Perhaps someone knows how the law stands. My new Panda will have the 50/50 split seats, which means I cant have a third seatbelt in the back. Dose that mean that I can only carry two rear passengers legally? Or is it classed as a five seater? :confused:
 
My understanding is that all 'non commercial' car passengers must wear a seatbelt, unless they are classified as 'exempt' on health grounds etc.

So assuming all your passengers fall 'outside this' category they should all wear seat belts and if there are 4 seat belts then you are restricted to 4 people in the car etc.

I could always be wrong though......:confused:
 
The Panda I have only has 4 seats, so I can only legally carry 4 people.

Did you order the extra belt? Not available on the 100HP version though...
 
I didnt order the third belt as it isnt available with the split rear seat option, or the skydome, for some reason and I have both. I dont get it because I'm sure it would be easy to fit a simple belt strap in the middle like my punto has.
 
No..... Not me fit it. I meant that fiat could fit a simple lap strap in the middle. Or is there some new law by the cotton wool clowns who make the health and safety laws in the ECC?
 
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To be honest, even without the split seats, the rear of the Panda only really has room for two. With a one-piece seat back the space between the seat belt buckles is too small to sit in.

As to the law, yes, one belt per person. Anyway, lap-only belt is about as much use as a chocolate teapot - all it does is hold your bum on the seat in an accident as your upper body rushes forwards and your head slams into your knees...

HH
 
bobajob said:
No..... Not me fit it. I meant that fiat could fit a simple lap strap in the middle. Or is there some new law by the cotton wool clowns who make the health and safety laws in the ECC?
Click to expand...

You shouldn't go modifying seat belts without the proper structural and engineering input.
As has been mentioned, you can't use existing points as the two centre clasps are so close together it will have implications in an accident - they should be wider than the arse of the person sitting there. There aren't really any other strengthened sections you could easily attach an extra lap belt to either.

What could happen in the extreme is that you could personally face damages claims from a centre passenger after an accident. Said passenger could be injured as a result of ill-designed restraint.
 
HP,
Thanks for the comments, but if you actually bothered to read my comment you would notice that I said "No....NOT ME FIT IT"..."FIAT could fit a lap strap" as is fitted to millions of other car on our roads. There is an option for a 5th seat belt for the Panda. So there must be space. I just couldn't understand why not with the skydome or split seats. I now inderstand that there is no space between seats on split seats. Only an Idiot would try fitting seat belts without proper training.

And I started this thread because I dont want to drive dangerously or illegally. Thanks for your input about the law and dangers of lap belts HH, thats what I wanted to know. I definatly wont have more than two people in the back.
 
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Our 100hp has two rear seats and two rear belts as stated above....

Our Eleganza however has a single piece (ie non-split fold) rear seat and has three belts....

I'm 99% sure (it's too cold to go and look!) the middle belt is a proper 3 point one and attaches to an anchor point on the ceiling behind the rear seats....

:)
 
ThisBitterPill said:
Our Eleganza however has ... a proper 3 point one and attaches to an anchor point on the ceiling behind the rear seats....
:)
Click to expand...
Which is why, if you specify the Skydome glass roof, you can't have a 3rd seatbelt in the back (can't fix it to a glass roof). You'll see Bobaob's earlier post stated he had a Skydome roof, as well as split seats.

Must be a tight fit for three people in there...?

HH
 
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bobajob said:
HP,
Thanks for the comments, but if you actually bothered to read my comment you would notice that I said "No....NOT ME FIT IT"..."FIAT could fit a lap strap" as is fitted to millions of other car on our roads. There is an option for a 5th seat belt for the Panda. So there must be space. I just couldn't understand why not with the skydome or split seats. I now inderstand that there is no space between seats on split seats. Only an Idiot would try fitting seat belts without proper training.

And I started this thread because I dont want to drive dangerously or illegally. Thanks for your input about the law and dangers of lap belts HH, thats what I wanted to know. I definatly wont have more than two people in the back.
Click to expand...

Thanks awfully, if I was actually interested in your condescending claptrap there might even have been a point in you posting that.
 
Having a fifth person sitting over a gap in split rear seats is a rather dangerous prospect should there be a crash - the two sides of the seat could move independently of each other. If it was just a lap belt this would likely be lethal, although as we know a middle seatbelt in a Panda is actually a three point that comes from the roof - but even then it wouldn't be the safest.

I think the reason the split seat option isn't 60/40 2/1 seat like other Fiats is just down to size reasons though.
 
Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. I now understand why I cant have a middle seatbelt. At least I can now explain to others who used to enjoy a lift in the punto why I cant now take three people in the back. These sites are very useful and helpful.

And HP, sorry if I appeared condecending, but I think it was 50/50 if you read both our comments. I reacted badly to your post bacause I felt you unfairly accused me without reading what I posted. I hope there are no hard feeings, looking at your other posts you really do contribute a lot of valuable stuff.
 
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bobajob said:
And HP, sorry if I appeared condecending, but I think it was 50/50 if you read both our comments. I reacted badly to your post bacause I felt you unfairly accused me without reading what I posted. I hope there are no hard feeings, looking at your other posts you really do contribute a lot of valuable stuff.
Click to expand...

Group hug! :)
 
bobajob said:
Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. I now understand why I cant have a middle seatbelt. At least I can now explain to others who used to enjoy a lift in the punto why I cant now take three people in the back. These sites are very useful and helpful.

And HP, sorry if I appeared condecending, but I think it was 50/50 if you read both our comments. I reacted badly to your post bacause I felt you unfairly accused me without reading what I posted. I hope there are no hard feeings, looking at your other posts you really do contribute a lot of valuable stuff.
Click to expand...

No worries, the post wasn't intended as criticism but to put some info across - could probably have explained it better if I spent more time typing it.
 
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