Interesting info from ACA

[Brisbane's Bora]

I just had this linked to me, I found it quite interesting and after reading about that JDM x Euro meet in Queensland and hearing about the defecting that happened there, it seems pretty applicable to us.

Trying as hard as I could to wade through the awfulness that is A current affair the info seems almost worrying.

So, just a heads up!

Also, mk4 content at 4:11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbGSLFAwbig

[dylan8]

mk4 ftw.
that door on the vw was probably the only worth while thing, and even still, its a defect-able car, doesn't make the owner a hoon.
because my mums cars headlight is out, means the car isnt roadworthy = instant hoon status!
its such crap branding hoons and enthusiasts the same.

man i want the gti owners hair cut

[Brisbane's Bora]

Yeah haha there were a few things in the video I would prefer to forget

The hoon label is tossed around a lot for more views by news channels I think. Either way the cops are out in force, defecting cars and making bank.

[team_v]

I like how they claimed the blue subaru (actually an Evo 9) has too dark a tailight cluster even though they were the factory tailights with the black casing and clear glass.

It was another one of their regular "hoons are bad, lets interview knobs who claim to be car enthusiasts, mostly from a middle eastern decent" story.

[kapowww]

I love this comment about the GTI owner..

"the only defect i see is that mullet and his door lol"

(Sorry if you're on here dude haha)

[goodfella]

The risk in modding has always been there... half (if not more) of Tempe Tyres customers could potentially be defected as soon as they drive out the driveway based on oversized rims.. ie anything greater than 15" on charades And since when are rear window tints against the law... my wife's new Kluger came with "privacy tinting" on the rear and wagon section windows from factory!!!

Heres a word that needs to be understood by the authorities... "consistency". I cant work out how the two "australian muscle cars" (prob because the reporter didnt actually know what was what) with multiple defects get to drive away, yet the Mk4 golf complete with secured door needed to be towed away..

At an RBT, I got spoken to for having blue parker bulbs.. like give me a break, imagine if I actually blew a reading.. I reckon they would have tazered me and then claimed I was trying to evade arrest.

Tracy Grisham reporting.... and if you have something to say about you're local Current Affair show, then you're obviously watching too much of it! Turn off commercial TV and download more.

I just had this linked to me, I found it quite interesting and after reading about that JDM x Euro meet in Queensland and hearing about the defecting that happened there, it seems pretty applicable to us.

Trying as hard as I could to wade through the awfulness that is A current affair the info seems almost worrying.

So, just a heads up!

Also, mk4 content at 4:11

A Current Affair - Hoon Report 24/1/12 - YouTube

[Bflat]

Someone needs to write in to Today Tonight and have them run a counter-story pointing out the absurdity in more than half of the contentions presented by ACA.

[The_Hawk]

Someone needs to write in to Today Tonight and have them run a counter-story pointing out the absurdity in more than half of the contentions presented by ACA.

I watch ACA... mostly because I like to swear at the TV (and the idiots on it).

This particular report I watched with some interest to see what was going on.... funnily enough I am always interested in what's being cracked down on

They were hitting the road to "slow down rev heads"... um no, they didn't mention speeding, only safety. Hell even the presenter only mentioned noise in the opening spiel.

The first cop on camera was right, you can modify all you want as long as it's within standards. In *most* cases we all know when the windows are too dark, the car is too low or loud and we are willing to take the risk that you will/wont get caught.

In most cases defect-able things wont be picked up, will be overlooked or you'll get warned by your average cop on the street. Unless your acting a fool or it's something waaay outside the limits you are usually OK... (Of course their are exceptions, with some individuals being worse than others and some areas having more of those individuals).

In this case they took cars into workshop and went over them testing every little thing. Probably even had a 50 point checklist to be completed for each vehicle, hell they probably noise tested that Golf too! Any car under that level of spotlight is likely to have something turn up. I know I wouldn't be volunteering any of my cars (past or present) to get that level of scrutiny.

The first "Aussie Muscle Car" was done for the giant air filter, what sounded like a busted horn and for being well over the noise limits (117dB)... hardly a surprise but considering the age and and the rebuild that not nearly as bad as I would have expected. Even the owner/driver seems pretty accepting of what was handed down.

As for that Golf... he couldn't drive it because he couldn't shut the door properly.

(also loved the Varex)


While it was a nothingless story designed to push the "hoon" button for ratings, it was pretty sedate and light on any real information.

[team_v]

I thought it was odd that they had a subaru with an airfilter sticking out of the hood as well.........

117db is way over the limit.
From memory the noise level has to increase 100% to give an increase of 10db doesn't it?
Surely he would have been able to tell it was too loud.

[JustCruisn]

.

The first cop on camera was right, you can modify all you want as long as it's within standards. In *most* cases we all know when the windows are too dark, the car is too low or loud and we are willing to take the risk that you will/wont get caught.

We all know the rules.
I know I'd pass the tests as I have ensured that everything I've done to my car meets the standards.
I've been pulled over for checks before - well more that every car on a particular road on a particular night got tested.
I'd be pretty pissed if they made me go to some yard and wasted a few hours only to find nothing wrong.

[greasykitchen]

There's so much wrong with that report it's hard to know where to start.

I wonder how many such roadworthy blitzes take place in areas where BMWs, VWs and Audis (and the like) are more common? And if they occur I wonder if ACA would report on them??

While these cars may technically have defects (in some cases quite minor, it seems) it looks like the police (and ACA) are targetting certain groups of people and areas, but not others.

Also, hitting the front of an old Falcon would probably be more harmful to a pedestrian than hitting the protruding air intake ...

[RolfGolf]

Also, hitting the front of an old Falcon would probably be more harmful to a pedestrian than hitting the protruding air intake ...

For sure ... those cars are in no way made to crumple. You'd be pretty badly damaged as a pedestrian - I'd think a protruding air intake would be the last of your worries if you were unfortunate enough to be hit by such a car.

[wai]

117db is way over the limit.
From memory the noise level has to increase 100% to give an increase of 10db doesn't it?
Surely he would have been able to tell it was too loud.

The decibel scale is logarithmic, so a 3 dB increase is a doubling of the sound pressure level. 117 dB is like the exhaust of a jet engine and would be painful.

The problem is that the majority of the cars that are caught are actually dangerous. Things done are backing off of the rear brakes; fitting of a bake bias adjuster generally with a concealed adjuster; fitting of ultra low profile tyres or tyres that are not suitable for the vehicle; fitting of exhaust muffler bypass devices; protrusions above what is allowed through the bonnet (this is both for pedestrian protection and driver visibility); excessive window tinting; incorrect placement of the exhaust outlets (must be behind any opening window); lowering the suspension; raising the suspension; incorrect lighting; etc. The list goes on.

There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to modify their car. There are rules that have to be followed. Do this and there will be no problems. Unfortunately the majority are done by backyard operators who don't know what they are doing, and they then place other road users at risk. There is no point in complaining if the rules are not followed.

Yes, ACA did sensationalise things, but these operations are conducted on a regular basis. It is only occasionally that the TV cameras are brought in.

[Speed]

I'm glad that I didn't see it when it was on TV, I would have been fuming for days.
What a complete waste of police resources.

Sure I agree with slamming the golf guy - not being able to close his rear door properly but the tints and tail lights on the "subaru" evo,
even the air filter on the XY falcon and especially the valve on the exaust, is hardly going to kill people.

Slow drivers can cause accidents too but you never see police crack down on them.

I was ashamed to be Australian when they had sub titles for the guy that spoke with an aussie accent.

Not a fan of the RMS, especially after what they just put me through. They clearly have no idea about cars and are simply working off a checklist that is very black and white.
Talk about safety, the RMS made me drive 40kms (20 each way), with no plates on the car, just to have the vin no. completed on the 2nd page, even though it was on the first page and in an accompanying letter. I basically could have gone out into the car park and filled it in myself and returned. Complete and utter time wasters.

Absolutely pathethic ratings sham, showing how police have no idea on mods.
I wanted to see someone whip out an engineers report and watch the faces of the present police.

[shakespeare]

Hmmm, never a fan of commercial television current affairs shows as they only report on a snippet of the truth and always they'll broadcast what sells!

It would be interesting to run the same exercise on a bunch of suburban family vehicles to test things like tyre pressures and general maintenance as these issues can be more harmful when you need to emergency stop/swerve etc