Author Topic: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!  (Read 16728 times)

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Offline Roo

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #50 on: September 14, 2011, 10:55:24 PM »
I quite like the proposal for self certified 2" suspension and overall 3" combined lift to be legislated....but i don't think they should deny anyone getting an engineer to certify larger....so long as it is enforced. The qualified engineer should have the final say, not a bureaucrat.
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Offline Gunna Do

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #51 on: September 15, 2011, 12:12:21 PM »
Besides the newsletter from 4WD Action, does anyone have any up to date info on what stage this proposed legislation is up to.  I've done a quick search and can only find bits and pieces from a few years back.

Anyone got a link to information which outlines the new laws, as well as what stage it's up to and what's going on.

Seems all the 4x4 forums have been stirred up by the one newsletter, which contained very little info really, but got a whole lot of people talking.

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« Last Edit: September 15, 2011, 01:54:14 PM by Gunna Do »

Offline Laith

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #52 on: September 15, 2011, 09:40:57 PM »
VSB14.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb_ncop.aspx

VSI50

http://enews.emgroup.com.au/4wd/2011/vsi50/VSI-50.pdf

Offline Gunna Do

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #53 on: September 16, 2011, 07:40:10 AM »
Thanks Laith for the links.

After a quick read, and correct me if I've got this wrong, it would seem that the National Code of Practice (VSB14) is the more lenient of the two documents, and leaves avenues for people with higher lifts to still use their vehicle providing they have undergone the certification process.  On quickly reading through this document, it left me quietly confident that we could live with these regulation, albeit with a little extra expense for certification.

Now the VSI50 document by the state government seems to take the VSB14 regulations one step further and eliminates any chances of vehicles with higher lifts ever being allowed to be registered or used on the roads.  It lists numerous avenues and documentation that people must obtain even for very mild lifts, and to me will create a mine field of red tape for owners of these vehicles also.

The exemption clause for higher lifts (ride height increased by up to 100mm total suspension and tyres) and the need to join a 4x4 club or attain some sort of accreditation would be a bonus for these clubs and accreditors financially, but as has been spoken about on this forum a few times previously, the cridibility of these clubs etc., are not always the best for driving practices.

After a quick read, the National approach looks to be much better than the state level approach to this issue.

Offline D4D

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #54 on: September 16, 2011, 11:32:48 AM »
There's more http://enews.emgroup.com.au/4wd/2011/VSI50_back/index.html
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Offline Mace

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #55 on: September 16, 2011, 12:03:25 PM »
Unfortunately codes of Practise sit lower in the Legal framework than Acts and Regulations.

The COP can be seen as a National "guidance" document, outlining minimum requirements    State & Territory legislators are able to adopt, or in this case, further develop to their individual "needs".

As usual, not everyone agrees with the further development of restrictions being put forward by the RTA.
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Offline RebsWA

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Re: 4WDing in Australia is under threat once again!
« Reply #56 on: September 16, 2011, 12:08:30 PM »
Here in WA the NCOP has been adopted and IMO is good.
VSB 14 section LS makes a lot of sense to me as it takes care of all the issues, actual and perceived raised in this thread and other forums. To me the rules are not about restricting individuals rights to modify their vehicles, its to make sure they are done right and are safe to other road users. There are obviously some limits to what you can and can't do, and for good reason IMO.
I spend a bit of time on a few forums and most of what I read in this regard as a bit of a worry. Some of the things people do to their vehicles and the "advice" often handed out by backyard experts makes me glad we have some regulation framework.
Having said that, there are also a lot of people who do vehicle mods properly.
Added to that is if your vehicle is not roadworthy (illegal mods) insurance is a waste of money.
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