Bullet-Resistant Vests May Be Unsafe

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050622/ap_on_re_us/body_armor

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - The nation's largest supplier of bullet-resistant vests to law enforcement agencies is urging its customers to replace vests containing the fiber Zylon, saying they may not be safe.


Second Chance Body Armor said Wednesday it had sent notices to police agencies nationwide. The warning affects about 58,000 Tri-Flex vests and an additional 40,000 Ultima and Ultimax vests with Performance Pacs, the company said in a statement.

New research shows that vests made even partially with Zylon "may fail to perform and result in serious injury or death," it said.

Second Chance, based in Central Lake, Mich., is undergoing reorganization in federal bankruptcy court after being targeted in numerous lawsuits claiming its vests made with Zylon are defective.

[handywork]

1. Don't tell 50 Cent

It would just make him depressed...

[Hobarticus]

2. Why do you hate America?

Don't you know that it's unpatriotic to expect safe equipment for our police force, paid for by your tax dollars?

Your punishment? One week of non-stop Toby Keith CDs.

[handywork]

3. Listening to Toby Keith

is like being in a concentration camp...

[leftchick]

5. omg....

I would never survive 5 minutes let alone a week! Spare me PLEASE!!!

:hide:

[Hobarticus]

8. That, or loofah-shopping with Bill O'Reilly...

Choose the form of your destructor!

[AlCzervik]

4. Bullet "Resistent" and "bullet proof" are 2 different things

my watch is "Water resistent" but i can't go swimming with it on.

[Solon]

6. True...

These things are designed to slow down, and hopefully stop, pistol rounds only, I doubt a 30.06 round would be stopped by such a vest, but its not designed to stop them anyways. They are designed to "spread" the energy of a bullet hitting the vest over a larger area, without breaking the skin, though no guarantee against a NASTY ass bruise, and possible broken ribs/other bones. However, when they do work to specs, they do save lives, preventing many injuries to the vital organs. I think this vest made with the material mentioned simply doesn't meet specs for a bullet resistant vest, hence the recall.

[slackmaster]

9. No textile is bullet proof

The question that must be asked is whether or not a particular garment meets the objective bullet-resisting requirements that the manufacturer agreed to meet before it was made.

[bennywhale]

7. ... if shot in the head

[Orsino]

10. Just not as unsafe as the bullets. n/t