Franchise300,
OK, as Bucky Kat says: "it's ON"
Really though, I am 57, and like the grab handle for hanging on when I am a driving instructor at track days. Teaching "kids" how to really drive.
I have been at about 15 different real road racing tracks, plus doing autocross for about 30 years including some regional wins and a national win.
NO I don't bang fenders in real racing events, but doing a track day is a close second. Going into turn 3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway at about 120 mph in my street car is a LOT more exciting than about anything else I have ever done. (Trust me that while the NASCAR drivers hit this turn at near 200 mph, 120 is WAY fast enough for a typical four-door sedan when you are staring straight into that wall and not turning yet!)
REally, the handle helps in a lot of situations other than just helping out old people.
As for the air bag being the problem, then why do they put grab handles in the back seat where the same type of airbag is also in the protection group?
In the pictures that joey posted (thanks for reminding me why I go fast on a TRACK and not on the highway!) you can see that the airbag us under the grab handle. I would expect that a hand/arm on the handle at the time of deployment would hurt the passenger some, but not obstruct the airbag.
I still would like to have a grab handle at the passenger front door, but I doubt it is possible.