Seat belts and Star Trek

[Shrek Baby]

Fair point.

Seatbelts may be a simpler solution but hardly worthy of 23rd century science

[Kostmayer]

Well, if it ain't broke..

I have to wonder why everyone goes flying about all over the place when the ship gets a jolt. A Starship can travel at very high speeds at impulse, yet it feels to the crew as if they're standing still. Can't whatever keeps em stuck to the floor keep em stuck to their seats?

[Delvo]

The idea is that the inertial dampers can be tied into the propulsion system so they always "know" exactly how much to compensate and when and can do it simultaneously as both the propulsion and the dampers are fired up at the same intensity at the same time, and the acceleration rate is smooth anyway... whereas accidental bumps and booms can't be predicted, only reacted-to, which means there has to be a small delay.

[Kostmayer]

But surely when the ship moves suddenly, whatever mechanism thats creating the gravity moves with it. Regardless of how the ship is moving relative to the outside universe, as far as anyone on board the ship is stationary relative to them. If that makes sense.

[Dave]

I would think that the Artificial Gravity works in the same way as real Gravity appears to work i.e. it is just a constant force acting down wards. The Inertial Dampers would be much more reactive and would need to predict what was coming, as Delvo eloquently described. According to my Star Trek TNG Technical Manual they are two completely separate systems.

[matt-browne-sfw]

Originally Posted by Delvo

The idea is that the inertial dampers can be tied into the propulsion system so they always "know" exactly how much to compensate and when and can do it simultaneously as both the propulsion and the dampers are fired up at the same intensity at the same time, and the acceleration rate is smooth anyway... whereas accidental bumps and booms can't be predicted, only reacted-to, which means there has to be a small delay.

Yes, that was my point earlier. As for the propulsion part it seems logical as the Vulcans would say. So why not have better protection especially during battle situations? Unless a red alarm would always make the inertial dampers very smart. But the starship can also get fired at unexpectedly...

[Timewalker]

The reason the Enterprise didn't get seatbelts in the Original Series is because the producers/directors figured it would be more dramatic to have people fall out of their chairs than just sit there, safe, during battle. There's a scene in The Motion Picture where Kirk gets a seatbelt of sorts -- it's a gadget that folds across his lap when the Red Alert sounds. But I imagine that thing would be quite inconvenient if it got stuck and the crewmember had to get someplace in a hurry.

[matt-browne-sfw]

Well, today Kirk is ancient history. Even Voyager is history. In a post Janeway Star Trek universe we could celebrate the greatest innovation of the 25th century: introduction of smart seat belts. Sickbay has less patients to treat. Of course seat belts have to be smart. In case someone gets stuck they could still beam him out...

[dustinzgirl]

Just think of how many plot lines would have been ruined if they had worn seat belts.

[clovis-man]

It may be my imagination, but I seem to recall reading in one of the many books written by various cast members that the chairs were supposed to be "futuristic" looking, but, unfortunately, had to be purchased on a budget. So the ones they ended up with (not counting Kirk's chair) were a 1960s design anyway, just way cooler than a normal "office chair". Seat belts? We don't got to show you no stinkin' seat belts!

If anyone ever watched the 1952 Saturday serial "Radar Men from the Moon", you may have noticed that the chairs in Commando Cody's rocket ship were nothing more than Steelcase "junior exec" chairs. But danged if they didn't put seat belts on them! The effect of the crew strapping themselves into office chairs was very comical. Maybe that's why the Enterprise never had any.

Regards,

Jim

[matt-browne-sfw]

Originally Posted by dustinzgirl

Just think of how many plot lines would have been ruined if they had worn seat belts.

Many things can go wrong on a starship. Even with seat belts there are plenty of dangers that provide good plot lines. Well, in my book I make my starship passengers wear belts... and it still gets spooky...