[vadimr4]

This is a great thread. As a cyclist and motorcyclist, I couldn't agree more with you that the safety features on cars are over-the-top. Government shouldn't force manufacturers to include all safety features but rather the market should dictate that. I bet there are people, like me, that would be happy to buy a small commuter car that doesn't have airbags if it meant it would reduce the purchase price by say $1k.
The thing I don't get is, if people are so concerned about safety in their cars, why do they still use their phones, text others, or even fiddle with the radio? Why don't people wear helmets, neck braces, and 5 point harnesses? We know that from the racing community, those safety features work significantly better, cost less, and weigh less than the proliferation of airbags inside the modern cars.

On that note, anyone want to buy an airbag from my '96 Nissan 200SX or '00 Chevy Metro? Contact me if you do, I'd be happy to pull them out and ship for a reasonable price.