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tweake
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  #3088165 10-Jun-2023 10:55
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Scott3:

 

tweake:

 

a lot of that is simply not practical. NZ has an old fleet, it has a lot of rural users who use offroad vehicles. people simply could not afford to upgrade. 

 

even something a simple as changing to 50mm tow ball would be horrendously expensive because 50mm are rare here. it would mean most trailers would need new hitches as well as most vehicles need new tow ball. you might as well go up to the USA sizes and be able to use their cheap mass produced trailer hitches.

 

you can drive 6000kg vehicle on a car license, ev or not. over 3500kg requires COF and weight is weight. ev makes no difference from a safety standpoint.

 

 

On the tow-balls, 50mm while not as common as 1 7/8th, is not rare by any means. And the cost of a new ball ($25 from supercheap auto) is hardly onerous... For Trailer couplings, many larger trailers already have duel fit couplings, but again the cost is hardly onerous ($60 for a trojan T993963 from marine deals).

 

Should note that while a minority, a decent chunk of the fleet is allready on 50mm. Any car with a euro style towbar, any euro caravan, most towball mount bike carriers etc.

 

Yes it would be a one off cost, but I think is well worth saving the ongoing cost of supporting two near identical (but incompatible) tow ball sizes. And of course the safety advantages of eliminating the risk of having a 50mm coupler fitted to a 1 7/8ths ball (if the ball is worn they can come apart).

 

-----------

 

The majority of my suggestions are free (other than the cost of the law change). Some like changing the FBT exemption so it only covers single row (single cab) utes would be revenue positive).

 

Some of the bigger cost ones are below:

 

  • Change the law from allowing vehicles to emit viable smoke for no more than 10 seconds to not allow the emission of viable smoke (10 year grandfather period). - A lot of vehicles that belch smoke either need repair, or have been modified causing this situation. These vehicles can be fixed, yes this comes at a cost, but I feel it is worth it in benefits to the health of New Zealanders. Some vehicles were built such that they emit a puff of smoke on acceleration, these are unlikely to be able to be fixed, but I don't think we should be allowing smoke belching in perpetuity, hence the 10 year grandfather clause:
  • Emissions sniffer test. Would add a small cost (perhaps at 3 years old, and every 2 years after that, to have the test done). Not a big deal in my mind. A small number of vehicles would fail and need to have their engines fixed (or modifications reversed), I feel the cost of this is again worth it for our air quality.
  • Require immobilizer on fresh imports. Pritty much all NZ new cars get this allready, and a decent chunk of used imports. For the used imports that don't it's about a $400 retrofit. Social harm caused by the combination of criminals and easy to steal car's is high, so I feel the cost is justified.
  • Cargo van bulkheads at first registration. Yes, will add a cost, but big safety gains.
  • Truck side / rear underun protection. Again I think it is worth the cost.
  • DRL's or allways on headlights on new car's - Most have this allready, and it is a fairly minor wiring (or software) change to add this ability in the factory, most will have it allready engineered for markets that allready require this.

---------

 

On increasing the light EV limit from 3,500kg to 4,250kg. You are correct on licencing, however I want EV's up to 4250kg to be able to run on a WOF and the full speed limit.

 

The threshold is arbitrary anyway, and I just want to favor EV's a little, as basically without this larger electric cargo van's are going to struggle to be viable as their payload will be eaten into by the battery pack.

 

 

one of the most common trailer hitches is 2500kg inertia braked and its ~$400 to buy a new one. granted a lot of them are duals now days but many are still one size. 

 

also why a UK size? sure their trailers are imported here but they have different setups due to their different trailer laws. i give nz trailers grief for being old tech with single piston solid disks from the 60's, but UK trailers are still using wire rope operated brakes and drums from the dark ages.

 

emitting smoke, frankly i don't see that as a problem. its very rare to see a vehicle puff smoke these days and its usually 30+ year old vehicles that do. getting super tight on emissions just hurts the poor people who can't afford better vehicles. your better off just making low emissions vehicles cheaper and let flow on effect replace them. specialty/custom vehicles are best left alone. spending big $$ to fix a minority is a bit pointless. need to focus on the masses, upgrade the bulk of the fleet will reduce a lot more emissions than targeting a few that puff smoke.

 

 

 

vechile weight, need to look at increasing the limit for all vehicles. one of the reasons for the 3500kg is so commercial vehicles come under COF.

 

 


 
 
 

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Dingbatt
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  #3088174 10-Jun-2023 11:34
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Here are the rules I would like to have enacted;

 

     

  1. I am the most important person on the road. Where I am going and how quickly I get there are more important than anything you may wish to do.
  2. If I am riding your back bumper, you must move over to let me pass. See rule 1.
  3. When your traffic light goes green, you must pause to make sure I’m not taking advantage of an amber light turning red, because (see rule 1).
  4. You must guess what my intentions are, because I know what I am doing. Once again, rule 1 applies.
  5. Carpark speed limits and directions apply to you, not me. And parking within the lines is optional. See rule 1.
  6. Texting at motorway speeds, or sitting at the traffic lights is okay. See rule 1.
  7. Speed limits, especially around schools are only a guide.
  8. Having my car to a WoF standard is optional.
  9. I can have my audio up as loud as I like, I don’t need to hear what is going on around me. See rule 1.

 

In jest? Yes. But I see most of these behaviours on a daily basis.





“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996


WyleECoyoteNZ
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  #3088211 10-Jun-2023 15:58
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RunningMan:

 

WyleECoyoteNZ:

 

I'd go the other way, and scrap the rule (parking on the footpath) altogether...

 

 

I hope for your sake that you never have mobility issues or children, both of which can make it difficult, dangerous and frightening, if not actually impossible to get to where you need to go when the footpath is obstructed.

 

It's a rule there to help the most physically vulnerable people in our society by, but benefits every pedestrian by giving a safe environment to walk in. It's a lot more than just a courtesy thing - it can cause some people to be totally barricaded in a a street and unable to get out.

 

 

I have children , have encountered it, and don't have mobility issues.

 

However, I'll go back to what i originally said, if it's a case of parking on the road where you're likely have your car damaged or even block the road, or park on the footpath, is that such a bad thing.

 

Or are you saying that where people are parking on the footpath in narrow streets, they shouldn't have a car ? A lot of places don't have room for on site parking. What are these people supposed to do?

 

I get that it's difficult to get around cars parked on the footpath, but if doing so protects that persons vehicle from damage, Maybe that person that parks on the footpath, uses the vehicle for there job, or to get to there job. You'd quite happily fine them? For something they're already paying for?

 

It's not a easy problem to fix.




blackjack17
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  #3088218 10-Jun-2023 16:30
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WyleECoyoteNZ:

 

However, I'll go back to what i originally said, if it's a case of parking on the road where you're likely have your car damaged or even block the road, or park on the footpath, is that such a bad thing.

 

Or are you saying that where people are parking on the footpath in narrow streets, they shouldn't have a car ? A lot of places don't have room for on site parking. What are these people supposed to do?

 

I get that it's difficult to get around cars parked on the footpath, but if doing so protects that persons vehicle from damage, Maybe that person that parks on the footpath, uses the vehicle for there job, or to get to there job. You'd quite happily fine them? For something they're already paying for?

 

It's not a easy problem to fix.

 

 

Yes parking on the footpath is a bad thing.  

 

If having a car is an important thing to you then you get a place with off street parking or you pay for a an off street car park.  Free parking is not a right and storing your personal belongings in public shouldn't impact other people in a negative way (forcing kids to walk on the road to get around your car/damaging footpaths/grass berms).

 

It is a very easy problem to fix, don't park on footpaths or berms unless you want your car to be towed and or fined.  If that means you are unable to park outside of your house and you might need to park 100m or so up the road I couldn't really care less.





  #3088219 10-Jun-2023 16:49
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You talk about parking off the road to avoid damage. I lived in Dublin for a number of years. If you parked on the footpath there your car would be vandalised (graffiti, keyed, tyres let down etc...). And that was just the mothers with prams, the father would knock on your door and slap you.

 

 

 

There is absolutely no good reason or excuse to park on a footpath, ever. They are there to keep pedestrians safe.


richms
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  #3088220 10-Jun-2023 17:00
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Im saying if you choose a house without offstreet parking, you shouldnt own a car.





Richard rich.ms

alasta
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  #3088222 10-Jun-2023 17:01
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If you can't park legally at your destination then park in the nearest available legal park. It doesn't matter if you have to park a couple of hundred metres away from your destination because there is a piece of infrastructure that can get you from your car to your final destination - it's called a 'footpath'. 




RunningMan
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  #3088226 10-Jun-2023 17:12
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WyleECoyoteNZ:[snip]

 

Or are you saying that where people are parking on the footpath in narrow streets, they shouldn't have a car ? 

 

 

If there is nowhere else at all they can park it, then no, they shouldn't have one. Part of the responsibilty of owning and/or operating a car is doing so lawfully and carefully. I totally agree that it's very difficult to park in some areas, and I get the frustation that causes and also that it's not really possible to solve it in some places, however the arguement is essentially one of protecting property vs protecting people.

 

Why is it that the protection of a piece of (ultimately replaceable) property is more important than the safety of people?

 

 

 

WyleECoyoteNZ: [snip] Maybe that person that parks on the footpath, uses the vehicle for there job, or to get to there job. You'd quite happily fine them? For something they're already paying for?

 

 

Maybe the person in the wheelchair who is trying to get to the bus stop uses the footpath to get to their job. Who has the most important job? As for fining, I think towing is probably a better option in many cases, particularly when it's so blocked a wheelchair or pram cannot pass, as removing the obstruction has an immediate impact on safety.


RunningMan
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  #3088227 10-Jun-2023 17:15
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alasta: [snip] ...there is a piece of infrastructure that can get you from your car to your final destination - it's called a 'footpath'. 

 

 

Only if nobody's parked on it


Behodar
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  #3088259 10-Jun-2023 20:07
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There's a stretch of footpath near my house. This particular 90-metre stretch between driveways has no space to the left of it (when going up the street), and the right side adjoins directly to the road. This means that if someone parks a car on top of it, a hypothetical person in a scooter would need to go back to the previous driveway, then travel 90 metres along the road before they can rejoin the footpath at the next driveway.

 

The number of cars I've seen parked on top of it has reduced since the council added yellow lines, but it has not stopped entirely.


Bung
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  #3088264 10-Jun-2023 20:34
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Do Tesla's have a working "Self Righteous Mode" yet so you can send the car off to find an acceptable parking space?

SepticSceptic
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  #3088276 10-Jun-2023 23:32
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Parking on the footpath also damages the footpath and possibly any services buried underneath.

The footpath just down the road from me has had one section shattered into crazy paving by trades people or tricks parking on it whilst building a set of townhouses across the road. Needless to say, no one has ever owned up to fix.
20 20 hindsight should have tapped me to take a quick photo...





My thoughts are no longer my own and is probably representative of our media-controlled government


MikeB4
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  #3088294 11-Jun-2023 07:49
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Yeah I guess taking a wheelchair or scooter out on the road is easy. Guess what it's not and it is bloody dangerous. Motorist don't expect to encounter this and react like total morons. Vehicle cross overs are built differently than pedestrian cross overs. Vehicle cross overs are very difficult to take a scooter and near impossible with a wheelchair and there is a real risk of tipping over and serious injury.
It is easy to fix a damaged vehicle, it a lot harder to fix a deceased person but of course vehicles are way more important than the disabled or children.

Bung
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  #3088298 11-Jun-2023 08:27
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For 35 years I lived on one of the steepest streets in Strathmore Wellington. Yes some cars close to corners would park with wheels on the kerb to avoid being hit by the buses. The remaining footpath was still wider than in some other streets. For about 10 years the bus was a small 10 or 12 seater but when that wore out it was replaced with full size buses "because the drivers preferred the automatic gears in the normal buses".Pedestrians were scarce, I never saw any wheelchairs but one woman did try pushing a pram up the hill. Some houses did build off-street parking cantilevered off the street but the spaces gained didn't replace the parking removed by the driveways.

mudguard
1726 posts

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  #3088301 11-Jun-2023 09:22
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I'd never thought about the footpath thing until I was on crutches for six months. It was awful having to go onto the street to get around a car when I'm already off balance. I can't imagine how frustrating it would be in wheelchair. 


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