I second this, american football derived from rugby.
Look at how rugby players tackle with no helmets and no padding.
It really looks like adding the protective gear doesn't help the players as much as they were thinking.
I've heard the same argument applied to automobiles. Would people drive more safely/carefully/considerately if a metal spike were attached to the steering wheel rather than an airbag?
I can't pretend to know the answer, but it's interesting in that behaviors definitely change if there are costs associated with the actions.
I don't know about a metal spike, but automakers could cheaply implement something if they put a sticker on the airbag cover that said something like "SRS manufactured by Takata"...