Govt considering new Bull Bar rules

[AWD Chaser]

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...-1225993065120

FOUR-wheel-drive owners are outraged over reports the Federal Government is considering European-style pedestrian-safety rules that could see bullbars banned.
The regulations, based on rules developed for European environment and road conditions by the United Nations Economic Cooperation for Europe also would see a ban on roo bars, nudge bars, driving lights, and winches, the NT News said.
Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association director Stuart Charity said the European standard would not work on local roads or local conditions.
"You cannot make a bullbar that does its job that complies with this standard as well," he said.
"We believe bullbars are essential protection for people travelling into regional and rural areas."
..The proposed regulations have 4x4 enthusiast and Karama resident John Girdham up in arms.
"Getting rid of bullbars would mean there would be little protection from animals," he said.
Mr Girdham also pointed out that removal of bullbars, would be removal of HF radio mounting points.
"Going off road without a bullbar is much more dangerous now," he said.
"The decision was made by some guys sitting in an air-conditioned room who have never done any off-road driving, and are only looking at soccer mums driving big four-wheel-drives," he said.
"A bullbar also offers protection to your radiator.
"If a stick goes through the radiator when you are out bush and your car overheats and breaks down, you're well and truly stuck out there."

I guess this means that insurance will go up cause we can't protect against as many animal strikes...

[Jim Goose]

Unless the Feds add a new ADR I dont see how it could regulate "state" road rules.
Its a pity there isnt a link to where the "rumour" comes from?

[302 XC]

Living in a rural area with all the stray cattle,kangaroos,ect on the roads
I wouldnt be without a bullbar
I hit a cow headon at 100Ks on an out back road if it wasnt for the bullbar i wouldnt be here,or perhaps a para/quadraplegic

Is it really the bullbar that does the damage or the extra 3 tonne of 4x4 pushing it ???

Seriously some desk jockies do lack sunshine

[glavas]

Don't go off road or out in the country so I could care less. Hut what I don't like it government making up stupid rules for no good reason.

[mik]

the do gooders have been trying to get these banned for years, they don`t need a ban , just a redesign.

[pottery beige]

dont step out in front of a car you wont be squashed/mangled..... bloody idiots...

[svo supporter]

What a load of rot. These desk jockies need to go for a drive in the country and see why we need them.

As for redesigning them. I'm sure that's the reason behind the smart bar. Help comply with the ADR'S

[ThaFlash]

you don't need to travel too far to nearly hit a fox (railway station or golf course will do), possum, kangaroo or wombat (about an hour out).

maybe they should replace bull bars with automatic machine gun turrets to identify and shoot vermon (in plague proportions) before they jump out in front of you.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by ThaFlash

you don't need to travel too far to nearly hit a fox (railway station or golf course will do), possum, kangaroo or wombat (about an hour out).

maybe they should replace bull bars with automatic machine gun turrets to identify and shoot vermon (in plague proportions) before they jump out in front of you.

You would need 2 V8s to carry all the ammo required for a drive in western Sydney....

[GS608]

Originally Posted by flappist

You would need 2 V8s to carry all the ammo required for a drive in western Sydney....

yet another step in the wrong direction..

[Smoke Pursuit]

If the government doesnt think bullbars are required then why do they fit them to their own vehicles?? what a joke!!

[my_gxl]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

What a load of rot. These desk jockies need to go for a drive in the country and see why we need them.

As for redesigning them. I'm sure that's the reason behind the smart bar. Help comply with the ADR'S

smart bars are quite good. I had one fitted to an AU ute.

[nstg8a]

im all for bull bars when theyre needed, but all too often you see people driving round the city with stupidly oversized bull bars on holden utes and 4wd's.

i say ban them, but make exceptions for people that can prove they regularly drive in areas that need them.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Living in a rural area with all the stray cattle,kangaroos,ect on the roads
I wouldnt be without a bullbar
I hit a cow headon at 100Ks on an out back road if it wasnt for the bullbar i wouldnt be here,or perhaps a para/quadraplegic

Is it really the bullbar that does the damage or the extra 3 tonne of 4x4 pushing it ???

Seriously some desk jockies do lack sunshine

you hit a cow in anything other than a kenworth your stuffed.. der....

[Jack91]

Biggest crock since reading you cant register a new non esc equipped car in Victoria. If you get hit by a landcruiser, with or without a bull bar, you are gonna die. Why dont pedestrians just stick to the footpath and there wont be a problem.

[CODSASR]

Ban them in the city but let rural people use them then if you happen to need to go to the city all the cops have to do is look what town your from and know if you should have one or not

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by CODSASR

Ban them in the city but let rural people use them then if you happen to need to go to the city all the cops have to do is look what town your from and know if you should have one or not

even better.. ban stupid people from breathing......

[Jack91]

They shouldnt ban them at all and you shouldnt need an exemption to have one. Anyone who even vaguely supports this can come around to my place and we can test how your head fares against my chrome bumper. When did everyone become so stupid?

[302 XC]

Pottery ,
Yeah not kidding i did hit a cow head on
Brand new 4x4 ,with yep a bullbar
The bullbar took most of the brunt,and the cars height restricted from scooping the cow,we pushed it 100 Metres down the road

I think when it can be prooved that the bullbar alone was the contributing factor to a death , then maybe impliment a rule
Bit like "Speeding" is the major contributing factors of road deaths ,sorta rule ???

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

even better.. ban stupid people from breathing......

Well said sir...

Fitting bull bars to my 4WDs is probably one of the only modifications i have done to a vehicle that i can honestly say was necessary....

[2002au]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

even better.. ban stupid people from breathing......

^^^^^^whats he said!!

[Linkachu]

We arent Europe, why follow their rules for our conditions. Its like the Australian gov is trying to make us a country that we aren't.

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

I hit a cow headon at 100Ks on an out back road if it wasnt for the bullbar i wouldnt be here,or perhaps a para/quadraplegice

Perhaps you should instead look where you are going?

I've ridden across Australia a dozen times, around Australia in 15 days and managed not to hit anything... Amazing what not having a bullbar does for your concentration... Perhaps we need to get rid of them so people don't drive with the false sense of security that provide, as if it is okay to be so completely unaware to your surroundings as to hit a cow at 100km/h...

[FgNewbie]

Ban the pen-pushers instead!

I remember they wanted to ban bars in the city in the early 90s.

I believe the general design has improved since then including less protrusions to impale someone on impact.

Are bars the real problem or is it the urban (never leave the city limits) cowboys/girls that use them as a weapon?

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

you hit a cow in anything other than a kenworth your stuffed.. der....

Even when you're in a Kenworth, you're still in deep shyte.

Originally Posted by my_gxl

smart bars are quite good. I had one fitted to an AU ute.

And they’re about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike when you’re in the bush.

Originally Posted by DAVO_XR

Why dont pedestrians just stick to the footpath and there wont be a problem.

Why have that? This would be making people responsible for their own actions and remove the automatic victim status when some stupid pedestrian walks out in front of a vehicle and gets run over. Better to blame the person who hit them and try on some draconian law to outlaw a perfectly legitimate piece of equipment.

What happens when you drive a semi trailer through the city that has one of those terrible BULL BARS on it? I’m shaking just thinking about it.

Anyway, I’m off to club a few baby seals before dinner.

[castellan]

What is the go with the fishing rod holders. i thought if you have not got a rod in them then it's illegal and if you hit someone you are not insured.
I have seen them with a clip on type of action fastener that you can easy fit and remove them.
I am for bull bars but anything with a sharp edge is not right.

[TheInterceptor]

Ah ive already been through this on the 4x4Earth forum....

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

In really populated areas, one would be very careful keeping speed low and consistantly scanning the road. Chances of impact are low. If some smart guy wants to run across the road without looking then i call it natural selection. Same goes for any road. Most cases its the pedestrians fault.

Example. Near where i live, you have to walk a fair way to get around a busy road (2 lanes N, 2 lanes S at 60kmph) to get to traffic lights which are the only way around, ped's go ahead and try and cross when the lanes are empty usually waiting in he middle of the road on a narrow island for the other lanes to clear up so they can cross. Now if one decides to run at the wrong time or was to fall over infront of my car, that is not my fault, it is their own. GovCo of course says its our fault. Solution? Lets ban things and fine people....

May sound a bit harsh but thats how i see it.

In addition, i do some offroading, a bullbar would sure save me plenty of damage. I cant just go the the local wreckers to pick up a new car part since parts are nowhere to be found around here.
I also do plenty of highway driving and country road driving. But i live on the southside of Sydney...My car will destroy any peds in its path i can assure you...a peice of steel wont do much.

Bottomline its another big crock. This is Oz, our hazards and conditions are far greater and different to what europe has to deal with.
Another good logical idea from the Australian govornment...

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by mcnews

Perhaps you should instead look where you are going?

I've ridden across Australia a dozen times, around Australia in 15 days and managed not to hit anything... Amazing what not having a bullbar does for your concentration... Perhaps we need to get rid of them so people don't drive with the false sense of security that provide, as if it is okay to be so completely unaware to your surroundings as to hit a cow at 100km/h...

What?

I’m very happy for you not hitting any cows or native fauna, however, not all of us have the manoeuvrability of a motorcycle, nor have many of us been so fortunate to be able to claim that we’ve never hit anything.

I’ve had times when I’ve gone months without hitting any animals and then had trips where I’ve hit six roos in only two days. Perhaps I should watch where I’m going more often.

Believe it or not, sometimes they actually run out on to the road as you’re approaching them.

Originally Posted by castellan

What is the go with the fishing rod holders. i thought if you have not got a rod in them then it's illegal and if you hit someone you are not insured.
I have seen them with a clip on type of action fastener that you can easy fit and remove them.
I am for bull bars but anything with a sharp edge is not right.

Agree, as far as I’m aware, these are not supposed to be left on the bar when not in use. It’s just a matter of finding a copper who’ll actually do their job properly and book someone for having them on. Or better, remove them and hit the driver over the head with them.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

What?

I’m very happy for you not hitting any cows or native fauna, however, not all of us have the manoeuvrability of a motorcycle, nor have many of us been so fortunate to be able to claim that we’ve never hit anything.

I’ve had times when I’ve gone months without hitting any animals and then had trips where I’ve hit six roos in only two days. Perhaps I should watch where I’m going more often.

Believe it or not, sometimes they actually run out on to the road as you’re approaching them.



Agree, as far as I’m aware, these are not supposed to be left on the bar when not in use. It’s just a matter of finding a copper who’ll actually do their job properly and book someone for having them on. Or better, remove them and hit the driver over the head with them.

Lol no your supposed to swerve to miss them...

[barnz_xr8]

jez i actually work at arb on a break press bending up bullbars, well i guess if acurrent affair or today tonight get a wiff of this just like that hoon scape goating "sigh" . il be out of the job along with the other couple of thousand people in the 4x4 accessory buisness, hey i have a better idea maybe every body should start wearing bubble wrap suits or speed limit all cars to 10 kmh lol,