"aggressive" bull bars

Billy · 17-07-2005, 21:17

Tensions mount over bans on "aggressive" bull bars - Jane Grieve
Tensions are continuing to swell over an apparent police crackdown on vehicles sporting certain types of bull bars on WA roads. John Dombrose is the Manager of Vehicle Standards for the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. He says, while the Department is not moving to ban bull bars, they are targeting a category of bull bar known as a "five poster". Mr Dombrose says he understands that police have been seeing an increase in these banned bull bars on the road and have issued yellow stickers accordingly. The "five-poster" bull bar has, as it's named, five posts on it. Mr Dombrose says it's the design, rather than the number of posts that are the issue. He says the harsh, stiff design of the bull bars mean that the bull bar can severely damage other vehicles. They can also impede air bag deployment in a crash. Mr Dombrose says the other issue is that badly designed bull bars increase the risk of spinal and pelvic injuries to pedestrians, in the case of an accident. Mr Dombrose admits that driving on country roads is often dangerous, with the risk of hitting, kangaroos, stock, cats and so on. But he says, there's other models of bull bar available. All serious vehicle modifications require prior approval from the Director General. A bull bar is considered a large modification, except those that are fitted according to guidelines. To find out what country drivers think of the ban on "five-poster" bull bars, reporter Jane Grieve took her recorder to the Ocean Beach Hotel in Cottesloe. The OBH is a meeting place for many country people and she found many aren't happy about the latest bull bar crackdown. Jane spoke to a few country drivers, some who've been issued with yellow stickers for their bull bars in recent weeks. Many drivers believe the bigger steel bull bar is the only model that gives them adequate protection on country roads. "I think the five-poster bull bars are probably the best way to go. The government's trying to make the bull bars slightly smaller and they're just ridiculous, they're not going to save anybody."
"If you do a lot of country miles and you hit a lot of roos, like I have. My last vehicle, I've racked up fourteen roos, three emus, god knows how many cats, I would have written my car off eight, nine times, if I did not have a decent bull bar." One man said the bull bar is part of the image of ute culture, "the bigger your bull bar, the better your ute is". He says there's a number approved models on the market that do the same job.
John Dombrose, Manager of Vehicle Standards, Department of Planning and Infrastructure; various patrons, Ocean Beach Hotel, Perth

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/wa/stories/s1353841.htm

BeautUtes

Graham · 30-10-2005, 22:31

How hard is it to cross the road? Not very, if you watch where you are going.
Maybe im carrying on a bit, but I just cant see what makes a 5 Poster any worse than a bullbar on something like a cruiser or a patrol. Iv hit stuff with my bar and im really happy with it, I dont want a big skippy or something commin though the windshield at me, bugger that.
The guys creating all this crap need to take there little plastic shoe box's outback and see what really goes on !
In my view we need to tackle drink drivers, and correct the way in which people drive, not what they drive..

bear territory · 03-12-2005, 11:15

I've got a five poster fitted to my ute and if I move to WA I ain't removin' it.
I've hit cars without a bar on and it cost me $8,500 to repair both vehicles, but since I've had the bar on I've hit 2 cars and the combined damage to fix the lot has been about $2,500. It seems to work in the favour of the other vehicle seein' the last guy I hit I only had to repair his bumper at a cost of $280, where I popped both my head lights from the channel moving up with the impact and it cost my $475 a light to replace 'em.

Yeah they aren't specificly designed for airbag equipped vehicles, but I don't know a single bullbar supplier that doesn't tell you that before you purchase a bar. Airbags are not compulsory on all vehicles.......yet, and are only marked as being compulsory to be manufactured with them now days. So I see that as saying you gotta have them when you buy a new car but you can choose not to employ them as a safety measure. The average cost of replacing a deployed airbag unit is around $500 to $1,000 (depending on type of vehicle and quantity of airbags that are fitted and are activated). Plus then the cost of panel work on top of that, you are looking at repair and replacement cost coming to a grand old total. When the average cost of a bullbar is around the $800 to $1,200 mark for the "five poster" varieties and they stand up to alot more of a beating than the normal panels of a vehicle, the smaller 3 post, loop style and bonnet hugger style bars.

Yes yes yes I haven't forgotten the arguement about the pedestrian issue. The cost of sending police treapsing around the Aussie countryside looking for outlawed bullbars would be better spent by increasing the funding for more road safety initatives-
1. to combat people crossing the road at areas not designated as crossings.
2. for people with bullbars to be more vigilant as the are driving a vehicle with a "major modification" applied to it.

A suggestion to the government is that they have a state register like you do with a driver's licence or weapon's licence for you to register that you have a need to have a bullbar on your vehicle. As with the shooters licence the most common need for the licence is for a primary producer. So there should be certain rules to help prevent serious injury or damge to pedestrians and private property- No vehicle with residence inside city
limits allowed in urban area without registration.
To obtain registration you have to apply to the roads authority of the state the vehicle is registered in with one of the following:-
You must be
1. a primary producer;
2. a employee of a primary producer (letter from land owner must be sited);
3. a registered member of a registered motor vehicle assosiation (4WD club/Ute club-Letter from club president must be sited);or
4. applying for temporary fitting of a bullbar for the purpose of an event, travel or special requirement (letter explaining requirement must be submitted with application).

So thats my case. It feels so good getting all that out of my head. I just now hope that the government dosen't do anything to silly because if it starts getting real bad in WA most people that don't really need to be there but still want to keep there bar on will look at moving to another state where the laws aren't as strict on the specs of the design. Its not only the state government's population that they have to be careful with though cause it will soon enough hit there pocket's.

Well I'll finish up by saying that having this law introduced into WA is strange to say the lest, as it is the largest state with some of the most remote towns and localities and possibly the largest amount of unsealed roads in Australia.

Cheers
"Bear Territory"
President of "U.T.E.-NT" Utes of the Top End - NT
ute_nt@yahoo.com.au

Fly · 05-12-2005, 06:33

Nicely said Bear Territory, I really enjoyed reading your comments.

I admit that I do not live around outback vehicles or too many that actually do have bullbars on them. The pedestrian council, to me, should base its fight around the city areas and those further afield should get a lesson in safe road crossing tactics. Lesson One would include things such as ‘Traffic Lights Serve a Purpose’.

But by the sounds of it things are getting ridiculous. People are going to be hit by cars regardless of mods or accessories.

BeautUtes

Cruiserman · 05-12-2005, 07:08

The governments bloody full of SH@T makes me bloody angry

PerthStorm · 05-12-2005, 12:37

how many WA people on this site have been given a canary or picked on by the cops for thier 5 posters?
let us know

Dazza_XL · 03-03-2006, 10:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly

But by the sounds of it things are getting ridiculous. People are going to be hit by cars regardless of mods or accessories.

Give this topic a Bumpin!
Thats right! I reckon i would much rather be hit by a bullbar which would deflect me out to the side (As they do with most roo's), than a car with a standard front end, which would spear the pedestrian straight thru the windscreen and cause further damage!

If they want to ban 5 Posters, fine... Here is what they could/should do to counteract it- (As i am not getting a bonnet bashing Ford Genuine Bullbar)
1. Pay my Insurance Excess each time i hit something
2. Pay the Increases in Premiums for each time I make a claim
3. Supply me with a vehicle while my ute is in getting repaired
4. Provide me with Life Insurance, as my bullbar could save my life someday!
5. Provide full compensation for the new price of the bullbar.

Even if they provided all of the above, I still would not give em my bar!
Do you really think the Government will do this? I friggin think not!
If they want to start banning them in QLD, bring it on! I will not pay the fines, i will keep driving my ute with the bullbar mounted!

The coppers can chase me, fine me, do what they like, because at the end of the day, it is my safety at risk, as much as a pedestrian!!!

Thats my view anyway, i hope it makes a bit of sense!

Australia was a free country last time i checked. If i want to have a 5 poster, well i will!
What does everyone else reckon?
Cheers

Jimmy · 03-03-2006, 10:58

How about we ban little 4 cyclinder rice bunners with blow off valves and wategates to. They drive like demons, race from every set of traffic lights in the middle of town... these are the blokes they should target.

BeautUtes

Feral Vixen · 03-03-2006, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ™þę®ŧђ_Śţơ®м™

how many WA people on this site have been given a canary or picked on by the cops for thier 5 posters?
let us know

I haven't got a 5 poster, only a 3 but i have been threatened with 3 canaries for it leaning forward, being too high and having mesh in front of the spotties. Anyone else heard of the last one??? they reckon it reflects into oncoming traffic which is a load of bull$hit.
My bar leaning forward i can understand and plan to have something done with at some point, but the hight of my bar should not be a problem. it is not out of proportion or higher than the bonnet level...have they forgotten how bloody big roos can get???
The fact that the government is prepared to sacrafice country folks safety for the sake of a highly unlikely encounter with a irresponsible pedestrian really highlights our value in their eyes doesn't it? Guess it all comes down to where the most votes are....

17-07-2005, 21:17	#1 (permalink)
Billy Status: BeautUtes.com est. 2004 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dumbleyung! Posts: 8,125 Rep Power: 10	"aggressive" bull bars Tensions mount over bans on "aggressive" bull bars - Jane Grieve Tensions are continuing to swell over an apparent police crackdown on vehicles sporting certain types of bull bars on WA roads. John Dombrose is the Manager of Vehicle Standards for the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. He says, while the Department is not moving to ban bull bars, they are targeting a category of bull bar known as a "five poster". Mr Dombrose says he understands that police have been seeing an increase in these banned bull bars on the road and have issued yellow stickers accordingly. The "five-poster" bull bar has, as it's named, five posts on it. Mr Dombrose says it's the design, rather than the number of posts that are the issue. He says the harsh, stiff design of the bull bars mean that the bull bar can severely damage other vehicles. They can also impede air bag deployment in a crash. Mr Dombrose says the other issue is that badly designed bull bars increase the risk of spinal and pelvic injuries to pedestrians, in the case of an accident. Mr Dombrose admits that driving on country roads is often dangerous, with the risk of hitting, kangaroos, stock, cats and so on. But he says, there's other models of bull bar available. All serious vehicle modifications require prior approval from the Director General. A bull bar is considered a large modification, except those that are fitted according to guidelines. To find out what country drivers think of the ban on "five-poster" bull bars, reporter Jane Grieve took her recorder to the Ocean Beach Hotel in Cottesloe. The OBH is a meeting place for many country people and she found many aren't happy about the latest bull bar crackdown. Jane spoke to a few country drivers, some who've been issued with yellow stickers for their bull bars in recent weeks. Many drivers believe the bigger steel bull bar is the only model that gives them adequate protection on country roads. "I think the five-poster bull bars are probably the best way to go. The government's trying to make the bull bars slightly smaller and they're just ridiculous, they're not going to save anybody." "If you do a lot of country miles and you hit a lot of roos, like I have. My last vehicle, I've racked up fourteen roos, three emus, god knows how many cats, I would have written my car off eight, nine times, if I did not have a decent bull bar." One man said the bull bar is part of the image of ute culture, "the bigger your bull bar, the better your ute is". He says there's a number approved models on the market that do the same job. John Dombrose, Manager of Vehicle Standards, Department of Planning and Infrastructure; various patrons, Ocean Beach Hotel, Perth http://www.abc.net.au/rural/wa/stories/s1353841.htm __________________ Rural Classifieds \| AFL Gear \| Motocross \| V8s \| Bush Swags\| Western Australia\| Utes \| Depression Forum

30-10-2005, 22:31	#2 (permalink)
Graham Status: Newbie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oakenden Via Mackay QLD Posts: 46 Rep Power: 0	Re: "aggressive" bull bars How hard is it to cross the road? Not very, if you watch where you are going. Maybe im carrying on a bit, but I just cant see what makes a 5 Poster any worse than a bullbar on something like a cruiser or a patrol. Iv hit stuff with my bar and im really happy with it, I dont want a big skippy or something commin though the windshield at me, bugger that. The guys creating all this crap need to take there little plastic shoe box's outback and see what really goes on ! In my view we need to tackle drink drivers, and correct the way in which people drive, not what they drive.. __________________ Get er Done......Thats Right... GrayBags 0407 671 407 grayeggs@hotmail.com www.myspace.com/grahamrabig

03-12-2005, 11:15	#3 (permalink)
bear territory Status: October 2006 Best BNS / Rural Ute Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Currently in Townsville, Qld Posts: 231 Rep Power: 4	Re: "aggressive" bull bars I've got a five poster fitted to my ute and if I move to WA I ain't removin' it. I've hit cars without a bar on and it cost me $8,500 to repair both vehicles, but since I've had the bar on I've hit 2 cars and the combined damage to fix the lot has been about $2,500. It seems to work in the favour of the other vehicle seein' the last guy I hit I only had to repair his bumper at a cost of $280, where I popped both my head lights from the channel moving up with the impact and it cost my $475 a light to replace 'em. Yeah they aren't specificly designed for airbag equipped vehicles, but I don't know a single bullbar supplier that doesn't tell you that before you purchase a bar. Airbags are not compulsory on all vehicles.......yet, and are only marked as being compulsory to be manufactured with them now days. So I see that as saying you gotta have them when you buy a new car but you can choose not to employ them as a safety measure. The average cost of replacing a deployed airbag unit is around $500 to $1,000 (depending on type of vehicle and quantity of airbags that are fitted and are activated). Plus then the cost of panel work on top of that, you are looking at repair and replacement cost coming to a grand old total. When the average cost of a bullbar is around the $800 to $1,200 mark for the "five poster" varieties and they stand up to alot more of a beating than the normal panels of a vehicle, the smaller 3 post, loop style and bonnet hugger style bars. Yes yes yes I haven't forgotten the arguement about the pedestrian issue. The cost of sending police treapsing around the Aussie countryside looking for outlawed bullbars would be better spent by increasing the funding for more road safety initatives- 1. to combat people crossing the road at areas not designated as crossings. 2. for people with bullbars to be more vigilant as the are driving a vehicle with a "major modification" applied to it. A suggestion to the government is that they have a state register like you do with a driver's licence or weapon's licence for you to register that you have a need to have a bullbar on your vehicle. As with the shooters licence the most common need for the licence is for a primary producer. So there should be certain rules to help prevent serious injury or damge to pedestrians and private property- No vehicle with residence inside city limits allowed in urban area without registration. To obtain registration you have to apply to the roads authority of the state the vehicle is registered in with one of the following:- You must be 1. a primary producer; 2. a employee of a primary producer (letter from land owner must be sited); 3. a registered member of a registered motor vehicle assosiation (4WD club/Ute club-Letter from club president must be sited);or 4. applying for temporary fitting of a bullbar for the purpose of an event, travel or special requirement (letter explaining requirement must be submitted with application). So thats my case. It feels so good getting all that out of my head. I just now hope that the government dosen't do anything to silly because if it starts getting real bad in WA most people that don't really need to be there but still want to keep there bar on will look at moving to another state where the laws aren't as strict on the specs of the design. Its not only the state government's population that they have to be careful with though cause it will soon enough hit there pocket's. Well I'll finish up by saying that having this law introduced into WA is strange to say the lest, as it is the largest state with some of the most remote towns and localities and possibly the largest amount of unsealed roads in Australia. Cheers "Bear Territory" President of "U.T.E.-NT" Utes of the Top End - NT ute_nt@yahoo.com.au __________________ U.T.E Northern Territory Utes of the Top End - NT The Top ute club of the Top End. ute_nt@yahoo.com.au

05-12-2005, 06:33	#4 (permalink)
Fly Status: Beaut Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Greensborough Posts: 339 Rep Power: 4	Re: "aggressive" bull bars Nicely said Bear Territory, I really enjoyed reading your comments. I admit that I do not live around outback vehicles or too many that actually do have bullbars on them. The pedestrian council, to me, should base its fight around the city areas and those further afield should get a lesson in safe road crossing tactics. Lesson One would include things such as ‘Traffic Lights Serve a Purpose’. But by the sounds of it things are getting ridiculous. People are going to be hit by cars regardless of mods or accessories.

05-12-2005, 07:08	#5 (permalink)
Cruiserman Status: BeautUtes.com Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Gippsland Posts: 75 Rep Power: 0	Re: "aggressive" bull bars The governments bloody full of SH@T makes me bloody angry

05-12-2005, 12:37	#6 (permalink)
PerthStorm Status: Feral Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Serpy WA Posts: 234 Rep Power: 4	Re: "aggressive" bull bars how many WA people on this site have been given a canary or picked on by the cops for thier 5 posters? let us know

03-03-2006, 10:58	#8 (permalink)
Jimmy Status: Feral Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Devonport Posts: 78 Rep Power: 3	Re: "aggressive" bull bars How about we ban little 4 cyclinder rice bunners with blow off valves and wategates to. They drive like demons, race from every set of traffic lights in the middle of town... these are the blokes they should target. __________________ Cummins - The Rest Are All Pussys...