New WOF rules

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#751664 27-Jan-2013 21:21

sbiddle: Checking that your tyres aren't bald, all your lights work, and that your washers and wiper blades work correctly literally takes 2 minutes to do.

IMO the cops should do their job and pinksticker cars with defective lights.

See wayyy too many with one of 3 brake lights working, and its normally a crapply LED spoiler mount one where most of them are stupidly dim too.

Cant be that hard to get the pinkies out at a drink drive stop etc.

Richard rich.ms

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#751671 27-Jan-2013 21:45

My 2006 Falcon hasn't yet failed a WOF (since 2009) so I welcome the new rules as well as the new proposed education campaign towards driver safety education.

I do get my car serviced regularly though which is what anyone with a new car would do.

Just because sales reps rack up 200,000K's in 2 years doesn't mean they won't go without a "safety" check. They need to get serviced at certain intervals.... And you can't tell me someone who buys/leases a new car doesn't service their vehicle.

All in all, I welcome the change.

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#751673 27-Jan-2013 21:49

richms:
sbiddle: Checking that your tyres aren't bald, all your lights work, and that your washers and wiper blades work correctly literally takes 2 minutes to do.

IMO the cops should do their job and pinksticker cars with defective lights.

See wayyy too many with one of 3 brake lights working, and its normally a crapply LED spoiler mount one where most of them are stupidly dim too.

Cant be that hard to get the pinkies out at a drink drive stop etc.

Haha funny you mention that, I am a Holden fan though and though (even though I own a Falcon-don't ask), and I have seen over the past 2 weeks about 3 brand new Commodores including 2 Police vehicles with their back right brake light out.... Is their an issue with the VE MY12 lights? hmmm.

Now you can't let people rely on a WOF check to rectify this, the owner must take responsibility and fix it ASAP.

JimmyH

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#751684 27-Jan-2013 22:22

richms:
sbiddle: Checking that your tyres aren't bald, all your lights work, and that your washers and wiper blades work correctly literally takes 2 minutes to do.

IMO the cops should do their job and pinksticker cars with defective lights.

See wayyy too many with one of 3 brake lights working, and its normally a crapply LED spoiler mount one where most of them are stupidly dim too.

Cant be that hard to get the pinkies out at a drink drive stop etc.

I thought pink-stickering was for cars that were knackered to the point of undriveability, totally unsafe, and needing major repair work or scrapping?

If so, doing this to someone who has merely just had a bulb blow in a brake light - which may have happened only that day, and which they may totally unaware of - seems a bit harsh.

A modest spot fine and/or taking their keys off them at the roadside until the AA or someone can arrive and fit a working bulb and make the car safe to drive off in would seem fairer, for what may have been an innocent and unknowing minor infraction.

richms

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#751688 27-Jan-2013 22:28

For one blown, then yes, a warning would be fine.

For more than one, no way, negligent owner

Richard rich.ms

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#751694 27-Jan-2013 22:42

richms:
sbiddle: Checking that your tyres aren't bald, all your lights work, and that your washers and wiper blades work correctly literally takes 2 minutes to do.

IMO the cops should do their job and pinksticker cars with defective lights.

See wayyy too many with one of 3 brake lights working, and its normally a crapply LED spoiler mount one where most of them are stupidly dim too.

Cant be that hard to get the pinkies out at a drink drive stop etc.

Yeap, I followed one home tonight. I don't know if the police would even pull them over for that. So many cars on the road also only have one front light working. Persoanlly I think it is a mistake to do what they have done due to NZ's cars being so old. Don't have aprobelm though with new cars having to wait 3 years before the 1st warranty, but I think it should also be done on time driven, because some rentals incurr hige milage in teh first 3 years and many problems are based on time on the road. So perhaps a warrant every 20,000 k's on new cars, and run a bit like road user charges.?

I wonder which organisations were lobbying for this change?

richms

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#751705 27-Jan-2013 23:36

Rental places arent insane enough to send unsafe cars out, and problems would get picked up at the service anyway.

I think this is a good thing since most of the cars that would have actual safety issues would be owned by people that view wofs and regos as optional accessories.

And the problem is that those types of people when caught will just be the "add it to my tab" type so more punishments wont do anything. The current frequent testing just punishes those that get their cars serviced properly. My coon is a 2001 so I am happy in anycase ;)

Richard rich.ms

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hdinsider

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#751710 28-Jan-2013 00:19

My main concern with the changes is that vehicles that get modified illegally will be checked less often.

ie: tinted brake lights, cut springs and wheel spacers will all be able to be "undone" for the warrant only once a year now. Won't this be more work for the cops on the frontline? I'd rather that the boy racers get reminded at the testing station more often aboput their illegal mods. It'll also mean more judgement calls at the roadside by cops working out what is actually illegal or unsafe...

The testing station guys have easier access to rulers and have much more experience to notice the dodgy mods than a cop in the field (usually in the dark at a checkpoint).

don't mess with me.... i'm the hd insider....

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#751726 28-Jan-2013 06:59

i wonder if VTNZ will retaliate by failing everyone from now ...

scuwp

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#751760 28-Jan-2013 09:40

richms: Rental places arent insane enough to send unsafe cars out, and problems would get picked up at the service anyway.

Rental cars and other commercial vehicles like taxi's etc must get a COF (Certificate of Fitness) that's different to the WOF. Everyone including media is focusing on just the WOF but there are other changes as well. COF frequency will remain at 6 months, but can be varied by the NZTA between 3 and 12 months depending on the operators safety risk.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Klipspringer

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#751761 28-Jan-2013 09:40

I'm happy about this. None of our cars have ever failed a WOF. Its a waist of time and money going down to VTNZ every 6 months just get a sticker that proves what I already know, my car is in a good, safe condition.

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#751766 28-Jan-2013 09:47

richms:
sbiddle: Checking that your tyres aren't bald, all your lights work, and that your washers and wiper blades work correctly literally takes 2 minutes to do.

IMO the cops should do their job and pinksticker cars with defective lights.

See wayyy too many with one of 3 brake lights working, and its normally a crapply LED spoiler mount one where most of them are stupidly dim too.

Cant be that hard to get the pinkies out at a drink drive stop etc.

While their at it they can pink slip their own cars as I see quite a few police cars in the winter with dead lights.. Pink slipoping cars for this is way too extreme but what I expect from some people in NZ..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#751769 28-Jan-2013 09:50

joker97: i wonder if VTNZ will retaliate by failing everyone from now ...

Most likely. Then they will say " We told you so"

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#751835 28-Jan-2013 10:43

The blowback starts this morning:

"The Ministry of Transport's own figures predict an increase in injury accidents and even deaths, but we believe these figures have also been greatly underestimated. Some estimates predict an extra 10 deaths and 100 injuries on our roads each year." (Head of VTNZ says)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10861872

Is anyone aware of the source of these figures? I've never seen them and I was looking for them prior to the change.

richms

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#751987 28-Jan-2013 13:38

old3eyes:

While their at it they can pink slip their own cars as I see quite a few police cars in the winter with dead lights.. Pink slipoping cars for this is way too extreme but what I expect from some people in NZ..

2 or more faulty lights shows a complete lack of maintanance so who knows what else has gone wrong on the car.

Im not saying that they should pink sticker them for a single light being out, but an official warning method would be a good idea.

Richard rich.ms

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