The Australian Car Rules & Regulations Thread.

[mustangGT90210]

I wasn't specifically saying everyone should drive around in 60bhp cars, but there are still sensible limits. I know for a fact they sell things like Corsas (Barinas), MINIs, Fiestas etc over there. These are all models that are probably a whole lot more suitable than a V8, RWD saloon.

They do, and they do well for what they are intended to do. Very well, save for the Astra, which from what I've read sucks on all accounts. I, personally, would not feel safe in something small and slow for as long as there are as many lifted 4x4s and huge SUVs driving around, as they just can't see well enough. IMO driving a mini/supermini at this time in my country isn't a great idea. And they do horribly in crash tests against larger vehicles.

As for small or lower powered cars being a hazard that's pretty much just wrong. That depends much more on how it's being driven than how much power it has. I doubt Smart would have released the Fortwo into America if they thought something with circa 70 horsepower would be a liability, and you still have plenty of cars on the market with around 100bhp.

I'm not calling the cars themselves a hazard, but when they are put into the conditions that are typically encountered here, they don't do very well in protecting their occupants or being seen easily.

Also, I feel that Smart released the Fortwo more due to the fact they saw a place they could make money with the greenies, no other reason.

I've certainly met people who are much more of a hazard in more powerful cars in this country. Like the 🤬 in a BMW who almost lost it in front of me the other day on a dry road, on a corner that I could quite safely take quicker than they almost didn't manage.

I know the feeling. I live in Florida, we have 0 elevation change basically. Everytime it rains, and trust me, this is not an exageration, I see 2+ rollover accidents. And at least one of them was not on an on/off ramp. Getting a license is too easy here, and barely anyone knows how to drive. I'd feel safer in a larger car that can better protect me in event of emergency.

Anyway, I'm not out-and-out saying that everyone must drive a low powered car for the first couple of years, but you'd have to come up with a pretty good reason for advocating otherwise before I'd think that allowing powerful cars to inexperienced drivers is a good idea.

All I'm trying to say is that, at least here, that small/low powered(read: slow) cars are currently not a good plan. If about half the cars on the road were around the same, smaller size, I'd see no issue. But as it stands I'm mighty put off by pulling up next to a truck in something and seeing that their tire is nearly as tall as my car.

HFS, please don't take this as me trying to start any sort of argument, just trying to state my beliefs here

 

[Joey D]

They do, and they do well for what they are intended to do. Very well, save for the Astra, which from what I've read sucks on all accounts. I, personally, would not feel safe in something small and slow for as long as there are as many lifted 4x4s and huge SUVs driving around, as they just can't see well enough. IMO driving a mini/supermini at this time in my country isn't a great idea. And they do horribly in crash tests against larger vehicles.

In crash tests, maybe, but what about real world crashes?

I give you a Cooper S v. Tahoe. I think it's clear who won this fight.

Small cars are not death traps like many people in America seem to think they are.

 

[homeforsummer]

They do, and they do well for what they are intended to do. Very well, save for the Astra, which from what I've read sucks on all accounts. I, personally, would not feel safe in something small and slow for as long as there are as many lifted 4x4s and huge SUVs driving around, as they just can't see well enough.

...

I'm not calling the cars themselves a hazard, but when they are put into the conditions that are typically encountered here, they don't do very well in protecting their occupants or being seen easily.

I do know what you mean. In the UK we still don't have this problem just yet (though the number of larger vehicles has increased massively over the past couple of decades or so) but even so I wouldn't go as far as to say I'd feel unsafe on the roads in a smaller car. You just drive accordingly. And performance-wise I wouldn't be surprised if my current car could match the auto-tranny PT Cruiser I spent a lot of time driving last time I was in the States.

Also, I feel that Smart released the Fortwo more due to the fact they saw a place they could make money with the greenies, no other reason.

Perhaps, but I expect Smart were still confident that their car had the safety and power required to keep with traffic over there.

I'd feel safer in a larger car that can better protect me in event of emergency.

Conversely, there are a couple of instances where I've been glad I'm not driving a larger vehicle, such as those where a hazard has called for quick direction changes or the size of my car has seen me slip past something I might well have hit in a larger vehicle. It's swings and roundabouts really.

For the record, the largest car I've driven is this, my gf's parents' Toyota Prado, in which I did a few hundred miles:

I loved every minute of it but as far as feeling safe behind the wheel goes there were moments I was wishing for something a bit less lumbering!

HFS, please don't take this as me trying to start any sort of argument, just trying to state my beliefs here

Of course, no arguement intended I am simply doing the same 👍

Incidentally - let's remember that we're discussing Australia in this thread, and unless I'm mistaken, there isn't the proportion of huge vehicles that there is in the states, so big vs. small points aren't as relevant. I expect there's a larger choice of small cars over in Oz too, so there's no excuse for anyone moaning that all they have to choose from are big powerful cars!

 

[mafia_boy]

There's a huge range HFS, as we get the best from Europe. Holden use the Opel's for Astra's still & Ford use their Euro division for small/medium cars (from Fiesta to Mondeo XR5/ST) plus we get a good selection of Japan's offerings, but not all of them. For example, we don't get the Toyota Aygo which you guys get in the UK. And we get the Euro version of the Honda Civic Type R, not the brilliant JDM version!! 👎

However, our regulations have allowed more cars to be showroom sellable lately. We weren't allowed to have Lancer Evo's back in the day....we had a small batch of 100 TME Evo 6's then got the Evo 8 like the rest of the world and continues today. We weren't allowed to have the Subaru Forester GT, but so many people imported them that Subaru got the OK to release them to the public and we get the Forester XT (would love the STi though!).

But the reverse happened with the Skyline GT-R. One batch of 100 ADM R32's back in 1991, then nothing...the rest of our GT-R's (R32, 33, 34, 35) are ALL imports from Japan.

Like I said, our governments (state & federal) are packs of muppets when it comes to cars.

 

[Turbo Lag]

Subaru does offer Australia with some special stuff, like the Australian-only STi version of the Legacy/Liberty.

 

[mafia_boy]

It's actually not a true STi however Turbo Lag. It's a Subaru Liberty GT, Tuned by STi, says so on the badges.

 

[Thiele]

Does anyone know what's happening with the new license system in SA? All my friends say they're changing the laws next year, but my cousin says it's the year after. I don't know what's happening, cause i can get my L's next year and want to know if these rules will affect me.

Here's the only info i could find on the net:
http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=4185

 

[Jay]

Does anyone know what's happening with the new license system in SA? All my friends say they're changing the laws next year, but my cousin says it's the year after. I don't know what's happening, cause i can get my L's next year and want to know if these rules will affect me.

Here's the only info i could find on the net:
http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=4185

Everyone was saying the same thing when I went for my license over 12 years ago, still hasn't really changed.