Road safety experts propose levy on large SUVs in city to curb rising Victorian road deaths

[Franco Cozzo]

Oh my, the voices are starting about putting extra taxes on SUVs and larger vehicles to 'reduce the road toll' in Victoria:

Road safety experts propose levy on large SUVs in city to curb rising Victorian road deaths

Large SUVs reported to increase the risk of serious injury to other road users by a third more than medium SUVs

A levy charged to people who drive large SUVs in the city has been mooted as a possible way to curb Victoria’s “skyrocketing” road deaths since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Road safety experts this week told the Victorian government’s inquiry into road safety for vulnerable road users that fatal accidents had risen amid the “many and lingering” changes to road travel behaviour wrought by the pandemic.

While financial disincentives have been shown to benefit road safety in Europe, Australia must first remove incentives encouraging the purchase of large SUV-type vehicles, Newstead said.

“The principal problem we have in terms of vehicle safety at the moment is our penchant for buying 4X4 utes in general,” he said.

“We need to stop incentivising their purchase – a lot of them are being bought as a business tool and not being used as a business tool.”

Marion Terrill, a transport and cities expert at the Grattan Institute, said Australia’s fringe benefits tax exemptions “incentivise the purchase of larger vehicles”.

She believes charging a fee or levy to drivers of large SUV for safety reasons would be an effective reform.

https://www.theguardian.com/australi...an-road-deaths

The Thailand Special is coming under further and further scrutiny, as well as SUVs:

Tax perks driving surge in number of SUVs and larger vehicles on Australian roads

Calls to tackle rise in SUVs, utes and 4WDs by reducing tax incentives and building narrow lanes and parking spots exclusively for small cars

The surge in popularity of larger vehicles in Australia has been driven by tax perks that incentivise buying SUVs, utes and other 4WDs instead of less-polluting smaller-sized cars and sedans, transport experts argue.

SUVs accounted for more than 50% of new vehicles sold in Australia last year, a share which has almost doubled over the past decade. The uptick has prompted calls to tackle the trend by limiting tax incentives, building bus lane-style narrow lanes and more parking spots exclusively for small cars.

https://www.theguardian.com/australi...ds-experts-say

Sounds a lot like the same rhetoric that was used to turn low level speeding fines into a revenue source, given we've (VIC) got state and a federal government lead by cucks who pander towards the kombucha drinking, rainbow flag waving communists, I think this is probably going to be on the agenda, given these people quoted in these articles have the ear of the state government at the inquiry, as well as having a state government currently trying to recover some funds by cancelling infrastructure projects and events.

Whats your thoughts about the idea of levies and more expensive regos on Thailand Specials and SUVs? Would this effect your decision if you're on the SUV/Thailand Special train?

Or you'd be happy to stay on even if it costs a little more every year, if there's large vehicle levies put on in inner suburban areas?

[Tonz]

Marion Terrill, a transport and cities expert at the Grattan Institute 1 person
Road safety experts propose levy plurral

Someone put an investigator on this dame and see what see might be driving.. Range Rover Discovery/ BMW/Porsche ???

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Tonz

Someone put an investigator on this dame and see what see might be driving.. Range Rover Discovery/ BMW/Porsche ???

Range Rover Evoque for sure, or maybe Tesla Model Y.

[Emerald XH]

My wife and I recently spent 8 weeks in hospital, narrowly missing pushing up daisies. Caused by a Honda Civic. We survived because our Pathfinder protected us.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Emerald XH

My wife and I recently spent 8 weeks in hospital, narrowly missing pushing up daisies. Caused by a Honda Civic. We survived because our Pathfinder protected us.

Curious as to how the accident played out - did you guys cop a hit to driver/passenger side door?

[AMB]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Curious as to how the accident played out - did you guys cop a hit to driver/passenger side door?

Yes, not getting the whole story -just honda civic totaled a pathfinder.

[AMB]

Not just the largest ones, they're all a pain the ar$e. Slow cumbersome and block the view in front, they are a road hazard. Travelling behind one is like travelling behind a truck, but they dont realise that, and drive them like they are in car. The few that drive them spiritedly are probably most represented in those statistics. I dont mind travelling behind trucks, always corteous to a truck driver doing a job, and they are mostly corteous by keeping left and not slowing and blocking the traffic flow.

[simon varley]

or we could just ban bull bars like most other countries.

or teach people to look before they step out into the road

or ban honda civics

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by simon varley

or we could just ban bull bars like most other countries.

What about those of us who live away from the suburban street lights?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

What about those of us who live away from the suburban street lights?

Depends on which electorate you live in and if we need your vote for the next election for our colour tie to win, of course.

[simon varley]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

What about those of us who live away from the suburban street lights?

why does that make a difference? maybe it's random, but I'm in country Vic and have never even been close to needing bars

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by simon varley

why does that make a difference? maybe it's random, but I'm in country Vic and have never even been close to needing bars

I live in country Queensland, and I've had to dodge 'roos before I even make it out of the driveway....

Heck, I've gone out into the front yard at night to turn the sprinklers off and I've been surprised by 'roos coming onto the lawn for a snack!

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

I live in country Queensland, and I've had to dodge 'roos before I even make it out of the driveway....

Heck, I've gone out into the front yard at night to turn the sprinklers off and I've been surprised by 'roos coming onto the lawn for a snack!

Vote 1 Franco-Bjelke Petersen

I'll make it legal to have bullbars on the front AND back of the car in exchange for that 1 in the box.

[randel]

Can imagine it now if they make lanes or parking spots narrower. Tossers in their 'trucks' will still squeeze into them...

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by randel

Can imagine it now if they make lanes or parking spots narrower. Tossers in their 'trucks' will still squeeze into them...

Just park in between two spaces over the line in the middle - problem solved

[T3rminator]

Restrictions on large vehicles within the city roads has already started in some countries. Whether it be for safety or emissions or whatever, we'll eventually follow.

Used to live in this block in London. Look what they have now done. They have put barriers so that only small cars can enter the side streets. I don't reckon the Z4 I had could fit through there...and I'd classify that as a small car!

[simon varley]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Used to live in this block in London.

umm, that sign is actually 'no motor vehicles' so they don't want your Z4 down there at all

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by simon varley

umm, that sign is actually 'no motor vehicles' so they don't want your Z4 down there at all

Hmmm strange cos you can see cars parked on that street. Mate tells me its part of the LTN movement (low traffic neighbourhood)

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by simon varley

umm, that sign is actually 'no motor vehicles' so they don't want your Z4 down there at all

Actually you are right there. Updated 2023 version . (looks like blue Nissan did a dodgey)

The adjacent streets all have the same. So in creating a low traffic neighbourhood, they have squeezed all the cars to, I'm assuming, one or two entry and exit points somewhere. What a great idea!

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by randel

Can imagine it now if they make lanes or parking spots narrower. Tossers in their 'trucks' will still squeeze into them...

So, a 1868mm wide Falcon is better fit, than a 1860mm wide Ranger or a 1869mm wide Everest. Let's include a Camry at 1840 verses a Hilux at 1800, or a ZB Commie at 1863mm wide. Yep, the utes are space hogs hey?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

So, a 1868mm wide Falcon is better fit, than a 1860mm wide Ranger or a 1869mm wide Everest. Let's include a Camry at 1840 verses a Hilux at 1800, or a ZB Commie at 1863mm wide. Yep, the utes are space hogs hey?

Ruining the story with facts. How dare you.

[randel]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

So, a 1868mm wide Falcon is better fit, than a 1860mm wide Ranger or a 1869mm wide Everest. Let's include a Camry at 1840 verses a Hilux at 1800, or a ZB Commie at 1863mm wide. Yep, the utes are space hogs hey?

I dont know where you got your facts from, but the brochure from Ford tells me the Ranger is anywhere from 1910mm to 2208mm wide.

300 series between 1980mm and 2000mm
https://www.toyota.com.au/-/media/to...spec-sheet.pdf

Y62 1995mm
https://www.nissan.com.au/vehicles/b...-29463-0|specs

https://www.hsv.com.au/see/silverado2500/ tells me the width is 2388mm

And dont try and tell me that these American 'trucks' are not 'common' or growing in popularity in Australia. I have a mate with an F250 and 5th wheeler van - great for travelling and touring - but the F250 is a pain when you want to unhook and head to a shopping centre.

Anyone that thinks these are no wider than a sedan is delusional, but here we are.

I have no issue with them, I would buy one if I had the need. But I bought an actual truck for my needs. I have issues with the size of parking bays that developers try and squeeze into a parking lot and the types of Road Saftey Experts like in the OP with plans to make lanes narrower.

I do have issues with people calling them Trucks. "Need a new set of boots for my Truck - its a bloody ranger, not a truck!" If they are a truck, maybe you should have a 'truck' licence to drive them and tow with them.

I went to Texas a few years ago, and most parking bays are designed to easily park these things. Fantastic!

[Franco Cozzo]

One of those articles I linked to mentions car parking spaces being designed to fit an XD Falcon and the author describes one as 'quite roomy' and the first thing that comes to my mind is she's never seen an XD Falcon in her life, it's not an overly large car.

Something like a Kia Carnival would make an XD Falcon look like a Kia Picanto.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by randel

I dont know where you got your facts from, but the brochure from Ford tells me the Ranger is anywhere from 1910mm to 2208mm wide.

300 series between 1980mm and 2000mm
https://www.toyota.com.au/-/media/to...spec-sheet.pdf

Y62 1995mm
https://www.nissan.com.au/vehicles/b...-29463-0|specs

https://www.hsv.com.au/see/silverado2500/ tells me the width is 2388mm

And dont try and tell me that these American 'trucks' are not 'common' or growing in popularity in Australia. I have a mate with an F250 and 5th wheeler van - great for travelling and touring - but the F250 is a pain when you want to unhook and head to a shopping centre.

Anyone that thinks these are no wider than a sedan is delusional, but here we are.

I have no issue with them, I would buy one if I had the need. But I bought an actual truck for my needs. I have issues with the size of parking bays that developers try and squeeze into a parking lot and the types of Road Saftey Experts like in the OP with plans to make lanes narrower.

I do have issues with people calling them Trucks. "Need a new set of boots for my Truck - its a bloody ranger, not a truck!" If they are a truck, maybe you should have a 'truck' licence to drive them and tow with them.

I went to Texas a few years ago, and most parking bays are designed to easily park these things. Fantastic!

Those measurements are probably including wing mirrors, where the earlier ones are not. My territory is wider than a px3 ranger in body width.

It's funny that the dual cabs that have been here for decades get caught up in the argument around the size of the American utes.

American utes are growing in popularity but not by the amount that the authors of these articles try to make out. They do stand out on the road which can lead people to think they are more popular than they are.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by prydey

Those measurements are probably including wing mirrors, where the earlier ones are not. My territory is wider than a px3 ranger in body width.

It's funny that the dual cabs that have been here for decades get caught up in the argument around the size of the American utes.

American utes are growing in popularity but not by the amount that the authors of these articles try to make out. They do stand out on the road which can lead people to think they are more popular than they are.

American utes have been around for decades too, they stopped local production of them in 1992, and then it came back in 2001-2006 from the Brazil factory for the F250/F350.

So we've had American utes for a long time now, its just popular again now the option has been offered to our market.

Its just that they have huge street presence, so all the plebs who have no interest in cars notice them too.

Also yes those measurements include the mirrors, you need to fit those in your car parking space too

[smoo]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

So, a 1868mm wide Falcon is better fit, than a 1860mm wide Ranger or a 1869mm wide Everest. Let's include a Camry at 1840 verses a Hilux at 1800, or a ZB Commie at 1863mm wide. Yep, the utes are space hogs hey?

Now do these utes that have massive negative off set wheels with 33-35 inch tyres, flares, front and rear bars, lift kit as well as an awning and Maxtrax hanging off each side to complete the look.
Add in a ****tard aggressive driver who uses the thing as it’s kitted out maybe 5% of the time and it’s not hard to see where the stigma comes from tarnishing the whole segment.

But is anyone surprised? The people who demanded every one get three shots for **** all and double mask or risk losing your livihood are the same ones wanting to dictate what vehicles we own.

[CyberWasp]

I have said many times.
Go to youtube and watch the latest Australian Dash Cam Owners Video or Bad Driving Australia Compilation and you will see what the issues are. None of them are what they are talking about in the article.
There are idiots on the road that don't know how to drive or don't give a crap about anything. That is it.
It doesn't matter if you put them in a Kia Picanto or a Dodge Ram, they are still an idiot and will do the same things regardless of what they are sitting in. Look at the Videos.

What is the hangup with what people buy and drive, and how they use their vehicle?

There is a small, like very very small minority that keep spewing this garbage over and over. They are not elected into their position and have no right to speak on behalf of the majority of road users who actually spend many hours on the roads each day.

[Emerald XH]

For unknown reasons the Civic left the side of the blacktop then veered back onto the road across onto our side Head on in a 100 zone and yes it totalled the Pathfinder.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

There is a small, like very very small minority that keep spewing this garbage over and over. They are not elected into their position and have no right to speak on behalf of the majority of road users who actually spend many hours on the roads each day.

Said non elected, very small minority has been speaking to and advising the Victorian government in an inquiry and making suggestions - thats the problem.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

I have said many times.
Go to youtube and watch the latest Australian Dash Cam Owners Video or Bad Driving Australia Compilation and you will see what the issues are. None of them are what they are talking about in the article.
There are idiots on the road that don't know how to drive or don't give a crap about anything. That is it.
It doesn't matter if you put them in a Kia Picanto or a Dodge Ram, they are still an idiot and will do the same things regardless of what they are sitting in. Look at the Videos.

What is the hangup with what people buy and drive, and how they use their vehicle?

There is a small, like very very small minority that keep spewing this garbage over and over. They are not elected into their position and have no right to speak on behalf of the majority of road users who actually spend many hours on the roads each day.

Somebody buy this man a beer. Well said.