You heard it from the source. GLENN TAYLOR !UPDATE!

[jhmed]

the only way to get a proper study done is get it done by a completely independant and unbiased party, and that is not going to happen any time soon. If you look at the study the government has done you can read all kinds of different views into it, ranging from age of drivers to alcohol related incidents. the study is inconclusive to say the least and lacking a comparable study group for which they can compare rhd to lhd. they need to find similar age drivers with, similar driveing records etc, simalr areas, rural or city, similar number of miles driven per day. you cant compare a young male 20 years old driving a skyline gtr in the city to a 45 year old woman living in small town BC. of course the skyline is going to look unsafe, but they dont mention the 20 year old could be driving a left hand drive corvette and have the same record, its not the fact that the rhd is unsafe its the driver of said veh is unsafe.

I agree the Transport Canada study is full of holes. And you're right, a second study would take too long to complete and would likely be too expensive for small-timers like us to have conducted for us. BUT, there has to be existing studies from other countries we can use to our benefit. Transport Canada will surely be looking to other nations to prove their case. Let's use our collective resources to prove ours using the same method.

I am awaiting contact from a representative from New Zealand, a country that legally allows LHD vehicles in their RHD oriented roads. Her name is Barbara Bibby and she is Senior Policy Analyst, Policy and Planning Vehicles section of Land Transport New Zealand. I want to speak to her regarding the issue we face today. I intend to gather more information that can be used to help this fight. I have contacted an independent company in the UK who does accident report studies and am currently looking for French-speaking or German-speaking individuals to assist in searches in those languages since France and Germany are both LHD oriented countries with RHD ones all around them. If RHDs were a problem on their roads they'd have surely done their own studies long ago.

I'm not suggesting we make our own study... we'd be laughed at. But, maybe what we can do, since their argument mentioned 'field of view' is find some owners of JDM Surfs (4Runners) and CDM 4Runners of similar ride-height and equipped similarly, and take pictures of the same intersections on the same day under similar traffic conditions to illustrate the difference in FOV is minimal.

Start a letter-writing campaign to your local MLA. Get relatives in other parts of the country/province to do the same with their MLAs. ih8mud.com has a form letter that they're developing... Get them to sign the form-letter or write the letter FOR them so they will sign and mail it off yourself. Do whatever it takes.

[Stinky_1]

once someone puts a form letter together maybe someone could post it up here? That way we could copy and paste it into an email and send it off with our names to whoever we think will listen

[Paradis]

I am awaiting contact from a representative from New Zealand, a country that legally allows LHD vehicles in their RHD oriented roads. Her name is Barbara Bibby and she is Senior Policy Analyst, Policy and Planning Vehicles section of Land Transport New Zealand. I want to speak to her regarding the issue we face today. I intend to gather more information that can be used to help this fight. I have contacted an independent company in the UK who does accident report studies and am currently looking for French-speaking or German-speaking individuals to assist in searches in those languages since France and Germany are both LHD oriented countries with RHD ones all around them. If RHDs were a problem on their roads they'd have surely done their own studies long ago.

This is what i'm talking about. I'm VERY interested to find out what you hear from her

[Shadao]

please re-read the study again. it only mentions RHD vehicles on the first page, there after it refers to imported vehicles 15yrs or older... since not all of the vehicles being imported are RHD that study is biased, however, the study has proven that these cars are in better running condition compared to domestic vehicles of the same age.

RHD is not the issue, they can make it sound like that but there is more to it, they are saying these vehicles are a saftey concern because of there age. they breifly mention RHD and have no proof to show about accident reports if the imported vehicle was RHD or at fault. if not being able to see as well while performing a left turn, was such an issue, then the postal system never would have made RHD vehicles, same as garbage men. this is a misdirection tactic to misinform the public. so if we put too much energy into disprooveing this "theory" about RHD being harder to see then we will miss out on our chance.....

what we need to focus on is a solution to the problem,

but what is the problem. ICBC says these imported cars are responsible for the rise in casualty rates, when in fact its BC's and Canada's rapid population growth. but we need to proove that. just like we need to disproove that imported cars are unsafe for our roads, when in fact they are safer than domestic vehicles of the same age, due to them being better looked after by there owner who lvoes and appreciates the car.

this is an uphill battle with many fronts there is more than one issue that needs to be resolved. one of the biggest issues is Quality control, while yes the inspectors were not properly trained to know what to look for alot of vehicles passed that shouldnt have, and due to rumors of laws being changed over the past couple years there has been some buyer panic, which has allowed for some unsavory vehicles to have come through, and be inspected and passed when again they shouldnt have. so the vehicles that are being imported must be regulated in a safe way to prevent unsafe vehicles to even board a boat, and if by chance one slipps through then when it is saftey inspected on this end, the inspectors need to be properly trained to know what to look for.... but also....

current domestic vehicles that are unsafe for our roads need to be pulled as well, singling out a very small minority while letting the domestic majority slipp past in vehicles that ARE unsafe is wrong and makes our roads unsafe.

now that said there is also the pressure TC and ICBC is under from car dealerships across the country after all they have lost out on over 500,000,000 dollars in the past 7 years, no one was stopping them from investing in vehicles over seas to bring here, but its cheaper for them to buy a used car from here and mark it up ALOT, than it is for them to bring stuff over. what needs to and is happening is the importers, and import dealers to form a group to defend themselves, and protect themselves from loosing there lively hood.

im not even an import car owner, but i have a passion for them, everyone who is apart of the import community needs to band together, in a solution based way, we need people to look for solutions not loop holes, and plays in words, we need credible evidence, not hear say

[Caithness]

I have a sickening feeling that no matter what is done it won't matter.

I think TC and the gov already have the wheels in motion and no matter what arrises it will simply be water under the bridge.

[Paradis]

should go read this and then call your MPs ASAP, sounding like its closer than you might think.

http://forums.gtrcanada.com/viewtopic.php?p=110465#110465

[jhmed]

This is what i'm talking about. I'm VERY interested to find out what you hear from her

So far all I have is an email from Fiona Waititi, a Vehicle Compliance Specialist with Land Transport New Zealand:


"Good afternoon Andrew

Thank you for your inquiry concerning the use of left hand drive vehicles in NZ.

Your inquiry has been forwarded to Barbara Bibby, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy and Planning Vehicles section of Land Transport New Zealand who will be able/ to reply as soon as its practicable.

Kind Regards

Fiona Waititi
Vehicle Compliance Specialist
Vehicle Certification Unit"


That was 01/09/07. I will be calling hopefully the end of the week/first of next to see if I can speak to Ms Bibby directly. I'll post my findings.

It is currently LEGAL to operate LHD autos in New Zealand. Hope this works.

[jhmed]

I have a sickening feeling that no matter what is done it won't matter.

I think TC and the gov already have the wheels in motion and no matter what arrises it will simply be water under the bridge.

No offense, but we don't need that kind of talk. If we roll over and play dead, then what's next?

Where does it end? They decide illegal Street Racing is killing too many people so they pressure auto makers to start a cap the horsepower that can be produced from any production car, and have mandatory dyno tests annually? Think that's ridiculous? So is saying driver position in a RHD is dangerous.

[jhmed]

but what is the problem. ICBC says these imported cars are responsible for the rise in casualty rates, when in fact its BC's and Canada's rapid population growth. but we need to proove that. just like we need to disproove that imported cars are unsafe for our roads, when in fact they are safer than domestic vehicles of the same age, due to them being better looked after by there owner who lvoes and appreciates the car.

I don't think we should argue that the car themselves are safe because many of them still would not pass a properly performed OOP inspection - according to the letter of the 'law' (quotation marks to appease rockcrete.. LOL). We can argue, however, that driver position is not a danger to public safety.

Where did you find the information that ICBC says these imported cars are responsible for the rise in casualty rates? I'm not trying to be an a$$ for asking, I just want to read that document.

After working in a Jobber store selling car parts for years I could tell you horror stories about people in old jalopys that would make you afriad to drive again. I had people coming in to the store using the E-Brake because they wanted to save the core charge on front calipers. And yes, I saw for myself, the front brake hoses were clamped off with ViseGrips. That one happened twice, different people. I have also seen people who come in asking for a rotor turning when they've worn thru one disc and the fins on a vented set of rotors. When explained it would be impossible to turn them the customer (dead serious too) says 'Well, the brakes just started making noise.' Uh huh.

Ever since then I believe it should be MANDATORY that any vehicle after the third year of service should be subjected to an annual inspection, at a government-run facility and the inspectors should not be allowed to inspect the same vehicle two years in a row.

I don't think that anyone should worry about that 'study'. It is too full of holes. It would be difficult to prove that RHD Japanese autos are in the class as CDM 15 year old vehicles (especially ones from such a dissimilar climate as Ontario Quebec or the Atlantic provinces is to Japan), or fifteen year old vehicles from USA or Italy or Mexico. The study is too vague on the percentage of RHDs to LHDs they are calling 'imports over 15 years'. How many of the imports they are reporting on are coming from Russia, Argentina, Mexico, Africa, China, Australia, Britain, Italy, Germany? Not all those countries are left-hand-traffic oriented. Its just not solid enough to base a case on if this was challenged in court.

[Caithness]

I have a sickening feeling that no matter what is done it won't matter.

I think TC and the gov already have the wheels in motion and no matter what arrises it will simply be water under the bridge.

No offense, but we don't need that kind of talk. If we roll over and play dead, then what's next?

Where does it end? They decide illegal Street Racing is killing too many people so they pressure auto makers to start a cap the horsepower that can be produced from any production car, and have mandatory dyno tests annually? Think that's ridiculous? So is saying driver position in a RHD is dangerous.

I know...but I'm not sure...I feel it's really close to the end...

...maybe we need to start another Red October.


...maybe I'll be flagged for saying that...dun dun dunnnn! haha.

"The Gov't knows where you sleep!"

[Shadao]

but what is the problem. ICBC says these imported cars are responsible for the rise in casualty rates, when in fact its BC's and Canada's rapid population growth. but we need to proove that. just like we need to disproove that imported cars are unsafe for our roads, when in fact they are safer than domestic vehicles of the same age, due to them being better looked after by there owner who lvoes and appreciates the car.

Where did you find the information that ICBC says these imported cars are responsible for the rise in casualty rates? I'm not trying to be an a$$ for asking, I just want to read that document.

right here in this report just read through, they are implying what i have said http://www.luxuryimports.ca/faq/joinfight.php

[jhmed]

right here in this report just read through, they are implying what i have said http://www.luxuryimports.ca/faq/joinfight.php

Oh, ok. I thought you were refering to another report. I read that one already.

[csperformance2006]

I would just like to add that i just had a meeting with GLen Taylor and he as approved my talight conversion that i have been working on for months, If your interested in getting these done please contact me at

C&S Performance
2009 3rd St South
Cranbrook, B.C
Canada
V1C 1G1
Ph#250-417-1899
Contact person: Craig


These conversion or with DOT AND SAE Approved LED Lights

Cost will be From $280can per side to $350.00
Customer Must sent there Old lamps for conversion

Headlight coversion are in the making finish date is EST to me Jan 30th 2007, Please contact Craig for more info.[img][/img]

[rockcrete]

Update: I have a place that will do one off automotive lighting certifications and issue inspection certificates for them. They certify lamps for GM and Ford, I will post the cost as soon as I get it, but they will do batch approvals of multiple units at once under one inspection fee, then everyone will just have to pay for their own certification sticker which is probably about $90.

[Paradis]

I would just like to add that i just had a meeting with GLen Taylor and he as approved my talight conversion that i have been working on for months, If your interested in getting these done please contact me at

C&S Performance
2009 3rd St South
Cranbrook, B.C
Canada
V1C 1G1
Ph#250-417-1899
Contact person: Craig


These conversion or with DOT AND SAE Approved LED Lights

Cost will be From $280can per side to $350.00
Customer Must sent there Old lamps for conversion

Headlight coversion are in the making finish date is EST to me Jan 30th 2007, Please contact Craig for more info.[img][/img]

See! Now this is good news, progress made between the consumer and the regulation department. We need to document this to show how we are and willing to do everything we can to make this work.

Speaking of which, i have a meeting with my MP set up to present our case, he expects me to present a formal letter, i will make this a more formal post in the sticky thread, look for it later today