Spook and I are obviously the only Two people who don't gain life experiance from reading books and watching Documentry's,
and drinking Tea and Coffee at a side walk Cafe.
I know this is again off the 4WD bullbar thing, but it is VW bullbar.
I wont tell you how it happened, but 5 years ago I drove through two house front yards in our first Kombi. I removed a few of those treated pine fece poles that are about 4 inches big, then through gates, two 5 foot fences, several shrubs, and finished up against a tree with a diameter of about 10 inces.
I was unconsious, but other than a sore neck for a couple of days and sore ribs I was ok.
The bullbar had spread all of the load of the impacts over the front of the van and transferred it down to the rails. In fact it broke off the van and was put in the back when towed away.
I shudder to think how my legs would be even today if it was not for that bullbar
That's a life experience.
Peter
May as well get my two cents worth in!!!!
Where to start, hmmm, keep it breif!
I do not have any stats to quote, however I guess I could drag some up if needed.
Consider this, If we start passing laws to suppress peoples right to have what they wish to drive (refer post quoting number of 4wds in city). Then who's to stop someone passing a law on older vehicles with drum brakes, no ABS, nil crumple zones (to current ADR's), Steel bumpers (without the goochy foam that the new Beetle has that sheilds off earth, wind and fire without even breaking a sweat, I meen Paint!) hell anything that does not meet current ADR's should be banned from the road.
I work in a new car showroom and I have to tell you, your old beetle/Kombi just ain't going to stop as quickly as a New Car with 4 wheel disc's (twice the size of your current brakes). Old cars rarely have the visability of new cars, Lack the crumple zones of a new car(Possibly the same affect as a Bull Bar in some instances)
So if we are going to start banning things that will potentially hurt me if I happen to make the mistake of walking in front of them, make it the old cars that will not stop!!!!!!
Put that in you statistical pipe and smoke it!!!😠
Whoops forgot about the Breif bit!
argh... im not going to even bother replying to this thread anymore 🙁 its turning into a shitfight... bullbars should be more pedestrian friendly FULL STOP
Jon
Well, I do have an opinion on this but opinions don't really help and just annoy people..... so I will just sort of ask this:
For hitting a pedestrian, they want the person to fly up and over the car rather than going under, right? I think thats great but, am I correct in supposing that a nice large boomer would do exactly the same thing? Or would it go straight through the windscreen?
I think there should be some sort of compromise. Compromises are very hard things to find -Yes?
OK, I'll bite. I hit my last roo about two months ago, at 110kph, with a "passenger-friendly" roo bar. It was kind of a big one, so the roobar left a nick in the bonnet where it folded back, the roo was not so lucky. As I understand it; (and I heard it from someone involved in the proposed legislation,) the laws are to ban the "cow catcher" bars that city-bound yuppies love to fit to their "tractors," to compensate for a lack of testicular fortitude - which, unfortunately for them, have been proved the perfect way to kill innocent pedestrians. As for the under-or-over dispute: what makes anyone think having your car lifted by an 800 pound cow at 110kph would be an advantage?
P.S. For the anti-4WDers: come up here and try to get around without it (sure, the beetle will go most places, but it doesn't carry near enough.)
Oops, I read a few more comments, and I've gotta reply:
Plastic bullbars actually do work: I have to brake for cows, on average, about twice a week and the population of roos, emus, donkeys, camels and horses isn't too shabby 'round here. I have met several people who have had experiences with the new plastic bullbars and, although one was frightened by the roo being propelled directly in front of the vehicle (this can happen with steel bullbars, too - I know form experience,) the reports so far have been good.
As for the cow vs car - I've seen a truck driver (with a bullbar, of course,) who looked like his legs were broken; then, I know someone who hit two in a Daewoo and survived without a scratch (she did; the Daewoo has gone to auto hell.)
As for the so-called "stats:" let's see how Australia copes without more than half it's GDP - numbers of people living in the city can be rather misleading.
As a post-script: bullbars have their place, but approx 1 million country kilometers have convinced me that obeying the speed limits and not driving tired do too.
I own a large 4x4 with a very solid, old-design bullbar. I'm not removing it for anybody. I don't care how dangerous it is for pedestrians. I don't drive it like an idiot anyway, it weighs about three tonne and has four-wheel drums, so I drive it accordingly. I plan for the usual traffic light changes, intersections, etc. and slow down if I spot a potential danger. Any pedestrian that gets hit by my bullbar deserves to get hurt, because they shouldn't be there.
I own two kombis, both with standard bullbars. I have hit wallabies with them with no damage to my panelwork. Sure these bullbars are not pedestrian-friendly, but as with my truck, I'm not removing either of them either.
No I don't like Toorak Tractors with truck-style bullbars, but I take exception to anybody who suggests bringing in laws to eradicate the problem if it is going to interfere with my right to drive what IS suitable and practical for my area and driving conditions.
Would I replace my bullbars with more pedestrian-friendly versions? NO. I like my period-style bullbars just the way they are. I like to have as little plastic as possible in my cars.
Kruizin Kol
In NSW, you can get a defect notice for the wrong sort of crap on the bullbar. It's a shame I've never seen it enforced:
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/frames/registration/b_f.htm?/frames/registration/b5&/registration/b5_c.htm&Vehicle+Standards&0
Andrew
