An aquaintance of ours who has a tourism business recently had the BC Minister of Transportation as a client, who told him that he is actively trying to BAN all RHD vehicles. How likely is this to happen, and if it does, what'll happen to all of us who currently have them? Anyone have any thoughts?
There has been rumors of this for a long time.
If they do ban RHD vehicles, that includes all the postal, dilivery, garbage, plow trucks etc....
Even if they did change the law (which I doubt)
What is here is grand-fathered.
In legel mumbo jumbo it would be "legal non-conforming"
It would just have to meet regs when it came.
For those that thinks RHD are unsafe.
I will be honest to admit, SOMETIMES they are less safe, and other times they are more safe.
Some might say as a whole they are a less safe.
After driving and owning one, I think they are fine.
Ask anyone who has driven a RHD on LHD roads for more than a week.
I think we will all agree.
Driver error accounts for 99% of accidents (over mechanical failure).
If drivers are safe, that is the bottom line. Period.
When people get rushed problems happen.
The question then arises:
If 99% of accidents are driver error, does RHD contribute to driver error?
My opinion is no.
I think it comes down to the driver:
SAFE driving is safe.
&
UNSAFE driving is unsafe.
RHD or LHD drive not matter.
If people follow the rules of the road RHD is safe.
Much more safe then a motorbike for example.
Once again I agree with Nick. As part of my job, which I'm not going to specify, I deal with accidents daily. RHD is NOT a factor. It's all about the driver. And of course, human error. Simple physics say that regardless of everything else, the majority of the time, IF you have an accident in a 2,500 kg cruiser, you are better off than someone in a 1,000 kg car. I'm excluding air bags and sticking to real world collisions.
Looking at it from the other way round, I used to drive a '71 Camaro LHD in the UK. I think driving on the 'wrong' side of the road actually makes you drive more cautiously and be less likely to get in an accident. as a lot of accidents are caused by overtaking at inappropriate points, and being on the wrong side of the car makes this less likely to happen (unless you are totally mad as you can't see worth s**t) then I think you could probably deduce that driving a RHD in a LHD country will make you safer.
Potential banning of RHD/LHD/Imports has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with political manouvering by the auto manufacturers who want you buying NEW, local vehicles that they have spent money making local specific (how else can you explain why there are so many regional differences in lights, spec etc - the dark is the dar, sunlight is sunlight, all road surfaces are pretty much the same etc) Just my opinion though but then I'm a terrible cynic.
Potential banning of RHD/LHD/Imports has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with political manouvering by the auto manufacturers who want you buying NEW, local vehicles that they have spent money making local specific (how else can you explain why there are so many regional differences in lights, spec etc - the dark is the dar, sunlight is sunlight, all road surfaces are pretty much the same etc) Just my opinion though but then I'm a terrible cynic.
I agree with this. Automakers are happy to enjoy the benefits of the global economy - things such as cheap labour, a global market for raw materials, etc...but as soon as private citizens or small businesses start to see some benefit from globalization (i.e. cheap cars from overseas, easily obtained), the big boys do everything they can to close the doors.
The government wants to get rid of racer-boy RHD cars in downtown Vancouver, but what they'll discover is that a lot of very well-heeled and influential people drive RHD Jags, MGBs, even RR's...good luck getting that law passed.
I think it bears mention that EVERYONE in BC drove on the left until the mid 1920's. The entire population managed to switch over without incident...human DO have brains.
thing is some of them use them...
(otherwise there wouldn't be an issue to begin with...)
my feelings on the matter is to treat these new muscle cars the same as they did when i was growing up... very high insurance premiums for modified or high horsepower cars. if the stock Skyline puts out 230 hp then that is the cut off...
but then if you really think about it even 80 hp is dangerous in the hands of the inexperienced...
Wayne, in Europe your insurance or road taxes are related to the engine displacement as well as fuel type and other factors.
Not a bad idea but it can get complicated and expensive for some folks.
That's one of the reasons you don't see a lot of V8's in Europe besides the price of fuel. The problem is it also affects diesels negatively since it's assumed that if you have a diesel you'll be doing alot of driving.
Wayne, in Europe your insurance or road taxes are related to the engine displacement as well as fuel type and other factors.
Not a bad idea but it can get complicated and expensive for some folks.
True, I understand in the UK motorcycle insurance rates are based on BHP output, not engine displacement, which is the opposite of here. They wise up to the fact that a 599cc Honda CBR600RR puts out 120hp (200hp per litre!!) and a 1700cc Yamaha Warrior puts out about 80hp.
