WOF should change to WTFF (what the fuck for?)

[Max Preload]

Chur....had a decent look again. Now i see them.

No worries. Here you go.

[gazmascelle]

got a wof for my gsx250 back in my learner days, not even a week later my rear brake started making a lot of noise. Had a look, the rear brake pads were bare... metal on metal. Awesome.

If you want something done right, i guess you gotta do it yourself

[pritch]

Going to VTNZ and having a bad experience is so common that it's almost a certainty. The job seems to attract the wrong sort of people. Not always, but too often.

I asked my local bike shop who I should use and I follow their recommendation. No problems. Of course you should check the bike over yourself before you go. If the tester tells you that a light doesn't work or your tyres are worn, that's your fault. No good whinging then.

[avgas]

If the tester tells you that a light doesn't work or your tyres are worn, that's your fault. No good whinging then.

Rather have that then what I have got. But I made the fatal mistake that it was their job to do that.
My bad, and I admit that.

FYI if you haven't got the hint
BUY SOME VALVE CAPS

Support those guys not wof......who knows it might save you from a crash.....

[bsasuper]

I go to the same vtnz, different employees there have a special fault to pickup on, eg, one guy always picks up worn bushes, another ball joints etc etc, even if they pass, they give you the "there are some bushes that might need replacing next time etc etc,

[Scuba_Steve]

If you want something done right, i guess you gotta do it yourself

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.

[avgas]

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.

I smell a target investigation.....

[p.dath]

There is no such thing as 100% safe.

Everything has an inherent risk. Riding a motorcycle. Driving a car. Trying to go to sleep in bed at night.

There will never be any level of test or inspection that is going to 100% guarantee that your vehicle is "safe" for use on the road. And the "safer" you want the New Zealand fleet the more expensive those tests will be.

So we have to strike a balance between having "reasonably" safe vehicles on the road, versus the cost of that safety.

And yes, some vehicles will get a WOF and then have a spectacular failure the next day. The WOF doesn't say your vehicle will be safe the next day. You also have to accept humans make mistakes. Things do get missed. It's a fact of life.

So lets not beat up the current WOF testing scheme. It simply puts a line in the sand. If your personal level of safety dictates that you want a vehicle tested to a higher standard - then exercise your personal choice - and take it somewhere that will test it to a higher standard.

IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

[imdying]

Some alternatives to the current scheme:
- More vehicles on the road that have had no testing whatsoever. When the price rises to say $300, which is what it'll likely cost you to have an intensive inspection done, most people will just not WOF/Reg their vehicles... more untested shitters, more runners.

- No regular WOFs, but prison time, fines, or asset confiscation, for anyone who causes injury to others when driving a vehicle that isn't up to an intensive inspection. Sounds awesome.

- Police given discretionary powers to order a $300 test to anyone at anytime, at the owners expense. Yeah, that'll never get abused.

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.

[davereid]

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.

But it works pretty well.

The number of accidents caused by vehicle related defects in New Zealand is tiny.

There is no doubt that WOF inspectors ping stuff that is not really faulty, and miss stuff they should not miss.

But just getting brakes, steering and tyres checked every 6 months is useful.

Many people could manage to keep their vehicles safe without a W.O.F. system.

On the other hand, workshops are full of cars where the owner couldn't even manage to keep water and oil topped up. I don't want that kind of person coming towards me on a highway, pulling like hell on the steering wheel, as it does a self generated right hand turn if released !

[avgas]

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.

Last time I checked most had rubber tyres. Seeing as most of us have grown up with rubber tyres, I would have thought that some form of testing standard to see if rubber tyres are of a safe standard would be in place by now.
They seemed to have one for seatbelts, and those have only been around for about 40 years.

[porky]

It's the rim with the crack and it hardly visible really. Can't see too much of an issue with it. I take mine to VTNZ and have no problems with their checks to be honest.

Bro, You need to get your self a nice smooth Honda, ditch the trumpy. Your eyeballs are all shook up!!!

[porky]

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.

Dont know how to send bling so you'll have to take a warm fuzzy instead.

My point exactly. They have a set of standards to work to, they take money off you.

If i did a pre purchase building inspection on a property you wished to buy and subsequently it was found i had missed a critical element, i am darn sure the shit would hit the fan and you would be seeking some form of redress.... why should vehicle inspection/ testing be any different. For those that consider thmselves mechanically minded this process is an AUDIT on our ability to maintain our gear. For the others it is a mechanism for ensuring the MINIMIUM standards are met.
End of rant, back to work.

[KAWA Z]

The so called Big Ones in Vehicle Testing have a bad rapport when in comes to refusing WOFs for ridiculous reasons but also for issuing WOFs to seriously faulty vehicles.
They advertise in the media to be "non-biast" and without a commercial interest, saying that makes them better and fairer than the average garage on the corner.
People are stupid enough to believe that, go there and yes, they usually have a good feeling when the new sticker is on their wheels, but they don't realize that there's two sides to a medal.
A well reputed workshop in the motortrade usually knows more about the weak points on particular types and brands, also, they will in their own interest allways try to be fair and corret to their customers ! From my own experience, I have seen cars with a fresh sticker on the screen on a hoist where the whole front end was nothing but a wobbly contraption to say the least, balljoints, bushes etc. worn to the max, but VTNZ put a sticker on it ! I've been a AVI for over 10 years myself, also for motorcycles, and believe me, I have seen it all !
There's nothing wrong with a healthy amount of discretion when dealing with a vehicle that may or may not meet the criteria, as long as nothing and nobody gets compromised.
Nitpickers are usually new kids on the block or notoriously bad tempered inspectors with an attitude problem. As one other writer mentioned, a vehicle must meet the minimum in required safety standarts to pass an inspection, not a maximum ! Here the rules are usually quiet clear, sometimes a little bit in the grey area, meaning not exactly black or white.
In these cases the word "discretion" should or can be applied.
This means also that the AVIs stick their head into a noose or are with one foot in jail, in case something really bad would happen, serious crash unit etc. involved that means.
The best place to take a vehicle for a WOF Inspection is allways the same place that is best in maintaining and fixing it, as a rule ! Not some "We do it all" outfit with amateurish inspectors who actually know the theory and rules in the regulations, but don't know shit from clay as far as vehicles themselves are concerned. That goes for all motorvehicles including bikes !
I don't think a young immigrant with a new job at the testing station knows more about motorbikes that the mechanic at your local bike shop ! Nothing else to be said any more !

[FJRider]

People miss seeing THESE too ...

http://www.cksinfo.com/clipart/traff.../stop-sign.png

if your bike/vehicle is unsafe ... sort it ...

If you don't know/not sure if ...

ask around for a reliable place to get it tested ...