thommo Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 you might want to check out this web site before fitting any bull bars. http://www.frontalprotectionsystems.eu/ ... gister.php They have loads of information about if it is legal or not to have bull bars, the government are having a consultation at the momemnt on bull bar legislation and there is a down load for the presentation they gave at the stakeholders meeting which states that it is illegal to sell them, and that under the road traffic act, the driver may be committing an offence if the vehicle is fitted with a non approved frontal protection system. The consultation will be on this web site when the DfT get around to psoting it. http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/?w=dft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikolaiV Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Interestingly enough, here in New Zealand, the same legislation has just been introduced, with almost no fuss from the 4wd lobby. It is now illegal for vehicles with SRS (airbags) or engineered crumple zones to be fitted with rigid (non-approved) bullbars. The ARB type which has been crash tested and approved is okay, as are the soft rubber/abs ones available from the factory. Vehicles manufactured before (I think) 1996 which generally dont have airbags anyway are exempt. This means my 78 2dr RRC can have what ever I want to put on teh front of it - subject to restrictions as to dimension, rake angle and lack of spikes/blades/ rams... So what you guys are discussing happening in the UK doesnt suprise me much. The government agency I work for (Transit NZ) is in the process of merging with the road safety agency (Land transport NZ), so I will be working with the people behind the ban in a few months. As a civil engineer (who specialises in roading and traffic), I hate to admit it but i`m happy for the legislation. There are numerous studies out there which show the serious adverse effects of rigid bumpers in accidents. I note a previous poster referred to anecdotal evidence of higher injury rates among modern vehicle fitted with bull bars. He`s bang on the money. Even the standard girder type fitted to my S2 bent when I ran into a corolla (his fault) if it`d had a high bar on it, instead of crushing the section of his door just under the window, his head would have come into contact with a chunk of steel tube - resulting in his liklely serious injury or death. The argument that people should be responsible for their own safety i.e. that roads are for cars, and pedestrians shouldnt be there anyway - a lot of peds are either young <12 or elderly, both groups having impaired abilities when it comes to juding a[pproach speed and gap acceptance. These are the people who a reduction in speed from 50kmh to 30kmh in urban areas and the removal of rigid protection bars will benefit. I would estimate that the vast majority of bull bars are un-needed and for looks. Obviously us LR owners are slightly different, but how many discoveries and range rovers with road tyres do you see with bars fitted? May be its me, and my job which makes me think this way, but i cringe driving through towns sometimes in the RRC, knowing whats likely to happen to anyone who walks in front of it. not that I intend to sell them and buy a prius covered in bubble wrap, but anything whch protects anyone silly enough to get hit by my car has to be a good thing. Maybe its because I cycle to work 2 days a week and dodge the maniacs in cars, so i`m aware how scary it can be on the other side of the windscreen. Yes being hit be any 4x4 is going to hurt, but compared to the relativley flat front of a LR, concentraing that force in a smaller round tube is not a good thing for survivability. Just my 2c worth. I know i`m a stirrer, but someone has to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Rather than legislating against Bull Bars, would it not be better to teach people to drive properly ? Also teach kids and pedestrians how to cross the road properly ? Of course, forgot that may mean spending money and no government wants to do that. Much better to simply pass a law and ban stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Rather than legislating against Bull Bars, would it not be better to teach people to drive properly ? Also teach kids and pedestrians how to cross the road properly ?Of course, forgot that may mean spending money and no government wants to do that. Much better to simply pass a law and ban stuff. What, you mean people take resonsibilty for their own actions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimfoo Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 but anything whch protects anyone silly enough to get hit by my car has to be a good thing. Why? Darwin says anyone without the skills to survive in this world shouldn't. Why help breed the lack of intelligence? As my friend would say, ignorance should be painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotian Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 People shouldnt be so wrapped up in cotton wool. **** happens. People get hurt, people die. Its hard but we are growing so soft and think that any kind of risk is sooo unacceptable.Its crazy. How long will it be till we start to experience what happens in futureistic moives like I-Robot? For anyone who doesnt know in the movie the Security/Saftey computer system that is no connected all over the world decided that Humans were in dange of them selves and couldnt let that happen so they take over the world to keep us from hurting our selves. Anyone here who is not agasint such molly codling bans such as this bull bar thing should come and take a day in my job in Iraq. Absoloutly ZERO health and saftey. Huge holes in the ground, sharp bits of metal sticking out at face level on wal ways in towns, crazy drivers with no licence all over the place, the obvious bombs and guns problem... but the list goes on. People there get hurt and life goes on (even if not theirs :-S). People in the western world should take a big slap in the face, suck it up (the pain from the slap) and get on with life and stop being so pathetic! My two pennies worth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 An old thread about old news containing links to older threads with much the same content. I reckon this is all getting a bit broad and repetitive. Nothing to see here now, move along please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotian Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Your name really really fits you well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Your name really really fits you well Someone else who hasn't been around here very long said the same thing just a few days back ...I'm a bundle of laughs really Now, for your own protection please step behind the safety barrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 An old thread about old news containing links to older threads with much the same content. I reckon this is all getting a bit broad and repetitive. Nothing to see here now, move along please. Dredged-up from the depths by the spammer trying to sell us his plastic bling. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treebloke Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 How can anyone get run over. In luverly Wolverhampton and the Black Country we have speed camaras every half mile, speed bumps every 100 mts, give and take systems, 20mph limits, speed bumps, little white islands, big green islands, refuges in the middle of the road, zebra crossings with Belisha beacons, pedestrian crossings with traffic lights, speed bumps, crossing wardens, rumble strips, red routes and Oh! did I mention speed bumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Dredged-up from the depths by the spammer trying to sell us his plastic bling.Paul. Bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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