What is wrong with these kids...

[Suney]

Lol I wrote one to Cambell live. Be interesting just to see if they do anything at all about it. Anyway I agree with SW on this one. New cage drivers should have some kind of power restriction on the cars they are allowed to ride. Too many kids have killed themself or others because they can't control thier vehicles.

Do you think I should also write one to Campbell Live, more chance they will do a story on it?

[Lou Girardin]

Has anyone acutally written to the LTSA and asked why there are no restrictions on car?
I would really like to hear there response

Too difficult to enforce, according to Andy Knackeredhead. For this, read, not enough dosh to be had. Plus, a higher driving age would upset the farming lobby.

As for governors, what do you think would happen if little Harrison starts to overtake from 85 -90 k's and as he reaches 100 alongside the overtakee, his car goes no faster.

[Waylander]

Do you think I should also write one to Campbell Live, more chance they will do a story on it?

Go for it mate. You might even be able to write a more professional one than me.

[SlashWylde]

I wrote an email to LTSA
I wonder if I will get a reply, keep you guys updated

be interesting to see what comes of that.

I have political contacts so I might just make some inquiries about this issue.

Motu is right of course (pot-kettle-black) so perhaps coming at it from the perspective of bikers as a group isn't the best recipie for success. Then again, in discussion at the Waikato Rally someone (was it Swannman?) thought that restricting cc's for bikes but not for cars was a form of discrimination and could be argued legally...might investigate that perspective too...

[SuperDave]

At least the real morons kill themselves, thereby pouring a little chlorine into the gene pool........

You refering to those morons driving the supercharged jap imports? They injure and or kill many innocents. Often they cause serious injury to others whilst they remain unscathed. They may kill themselves, but they sure as hell seem to be taking many others down with them.

[Jeremy]

How's it hard to enforce? All it requires is that the cc rating has to be written on the registration tag thing. It'd take 3 secs to check, and wouldn't cost any real extra money. (might use up another 2c in ink).

Though it does mean that all we'd see is 1000cc rotaries on the road.

[N4CR]

Though it does mean that all we'd see is 1000cc rotaries on the road.

As one of my mates had and still has another one of those blardy BWAP BWAP thingeemagigges rx7 series 4 for the initiated ones out there...

He can't afford to run it anymore to much petrol (I swear one time he said $20 for 50km HAHHAHA) and something is always broken on them. Go like stink though.

They dont make them turbo any more, but some new one is being made that will be (rx7 - 2 or something). Meh its cars anyway

I totally agree about the cc restrictions. 1000cc is awesome as your 1.3L honda city turbo/Starlet GT is even out of range. Just wait untill someone 'mechanically genious' (sp) sticks a turbo bike engine in a cage

[Motu]

My GT Ti Charade was pretty damn impressive for a 1000cc 3 cyl,I found it more fun than riding most bikes...so I gave it to my daughter.....

[SlashWylde]

I totally agree about the cc restrictions. 1000cc is awesome as your 1.3L honda city turbo/Starlet GT is even out of range. Just wait untill someone 'mechanically genious' (sp) sticks a turbo bike engine in a cage

Check out the Radical SR3:

http://www.trackdays.co.uk/Trackday-...adical-SR3.htm

Fuel injected Powertec Suzuki 1500HC - 252bhp, flat-slide carbs, ram air box, dry sump system. All into 510Kg.

Goes quite fast apparently...

[Coldkiwi]

I think a governor is a waste of time because it'll be too hard to introduce safely ('and sets a damn dangerous precedent for those of us who might like to 'open 'er up a bit' on a safe stretch of road) but a cc restriction is dead easy to enforce and legislate, without screwing over the general populous.

Lets not kid ourselves though, young kids will always be doing some stupid things, whether its in a 1300 starlet or a CBR 250 so we're not going to stop all young kids crashing... but a restriction on engine size (and maybe power/weight ratio to stop silly turbo or rotary loop holes... but that involves thinking about two factors so couldn't possibly be considered by our MP's) would help solve a LOT of the problems we're currently having.

[Suney]

Okay guys
I got a reply from the ltsa today.

16 May 2005

Dear Suney

Thank you for your email of 9 May 2005 regarding the issue of engine restrictions for novice motorcyclists and drivers.

You suggest that the engine restrictions for novice motorcycle riders should be higher for those with a restricted licence than a learner licence. I can confirm that the reason for imposing one engine size for both groups is to keep the licensing requirement simple and easy to understand, comply with and enforce. As you are aware, the graduated driver licensing system is already fairly complex, with different conditions imposed on novices at different licensing stages.

I would add that the current cc rating restriction on novice motorcycle riders is not entirely without problems. This is because some motorcycles that meet the legal criterion (ie 250 cc or less) are quite unsuitable for novices in terms of the speeds these machines are capable of doing. A Motorcycle Reference Group, comprising ACC, Land Transport New Zealand, NZ Police, Transit New Zealand, and motorcycle instructors, importers and retailers was convened about four years ago to look into a wide range of issues affecting motorcyclists. The cc rating issue is on the Reference Group’s agenda and the Group is awaiting the findings from a recent trial in Australia of adopting a power-to-weight ratio system.

You ask why engine restrictions are not imposed on novice car drivers. Land Transport NZ (formerly the Land Transport Safety Authority) has considered the idea that novice car drivers should not be permitted to drive powerful cars. Research has indicated that applying engine capacity or power restrictions to vehicles driven would be extremely difficult to enforce. Measuring engine output is not a simple process and cannot be easily conducted at the roadside by the Police. It requires specialist equipment and specially trained staff, involving tasks that are more appropriately carried out in engineering workshops. Also, cc ratings can be easily altered through vehicle modifications and there are a number of other factors, such as turbo-charging systems, that can significantly increase the power output of a car’s engine. Even the manufacturers' published output power figures (if available) would be of little help to enforcement authorities. Performance-tuning specialists can enhance power significantly through modifications to the air intake, engine management computer and exhaust system.

There are also concerns that imposing restrictions on the cars that novice drivers are permitted to drive could prevent some from being able to learn in family vehicles. It is advantageous for novice drivers to learn in family vehicles, since it is generally easier for parents and caregivers to provide supervision and impose conditions on the use of such vehicles. It should be noted that a key difference between novice motorcycle riders and car drivers is that novice motorcycle riders can ride unsupervised from the day they obtain their Learner Licence. However, novice car drivers are required to be accompanied by an experienced driver (ie a supervisor) at all times during the Learner stage, and at-high risk times during the Restricted stage. The role of the supervisor is to provide advice to the novice and to ensure that they are not taking unnecessary risks. Therefore, it is appropriate to apply other means of attempting to manage the road safety risks of novice motorcycle riders.

Thank you for your interest in road safety.


Yours sincerely






Phoebe Chu
Senior Policy Analyst - Safety

[johnny]

Kids drive in high speed or a high power car are just wrong.
Once they know how to start engine they just want to let it fly..... And i think not just bcoz the law ... i do think the parents have alot of responsable for this too!!
Who give them money to buy a car?? Who can teach them how to respect other people??
I am a Asian but i hate some Asian kids who buy a high power car or tune up fancy car when they dont even know how to drive on NZ road and just drive and race on the street!! Some of them, their parents arent even here live with them and just send money over here when ever these kids ask!! Thats just so wrong and give us the other asian people a real bad name.......

[Pixie]

Has anyone acutally written to the LTSA and asked why there are no restrictions on car?
I would really like to hear there response

Their reply would probably be "we do not have any statistics that relate vehicle performance to road deaths, therefore there is no safety problem."
A similar response was given to a question regarding the cheese cutter killer median barriers the LTNZ are installing everywhere

[John]

Just face it the old saying "You can change the world" does not apply to modern day society.

(Also if this power to weight ratio occurs to soon, I will be pissed about the turnaround I will get on my bike, Will end up bloody keeping it , I wish I could have had a goose though, I'm fond of the idea, but wait for me to get my full :P)

[Lou Girardin]

Okay guys
I got a reply from the ltsa today.

This reply defines "too Hard".
Common engine mods are generally easy to identify. a pod air cleaner or modded exhaust should immediately require the car to be dynoed at an approved place to ascertain output, otherwise the factory figures apply. Vehicle weights are supplied by the factory, if the car has been lightened - too bad.
In fact, the exciuses they use for not restricting cars can be applied to bikes.
How many RD250's had 350 engines, I wonder?
Typically useless LTNZ, good at pointless gestures towards safety as long as it doesn't take money away from their precious advertising budget.