Maybe they should be bubble-wrapped too....

[ozxterra]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/...926887305.html

[Schludwiller]

"It would also have to slope backwards, and have no sharp edges or protrusions like fishing rod holders."

Uh-oh. So much for those ARB mounted bottle openers.

[CAptynCrunch]

See, yet again a reason to hate yuppies.

My guess is this comes from the use of off-road(or at least off-road intentioned) vehicles on main roads/highways/around town by yuppies who buy the biggest SUV they can afford and then use it to haul themselves and their briefcase to the office and nothing else, and on top of that are probably horrible drivers who don't pay attention to anyone else.

At least thats how it is here in Canada. Do you guys have that same problem on the other side of the planet?

[superjens]

They let you drive in Newfoundland? Just kidding, my girlfriend's a newf. Note that I never let her drive the X. lol!

The issues to be discussed include making a 'reverse alarm' mandatory for all new four-wheel drive vehicles

Heh, yeah, "HEY GET TEH FUCK OUT OF THE WAY I'M BACKING UP!!!"

[OffroadX]

We tend to think of the Aussies as laid back, but they don't dick around when it comes to vehicles. They have very strict regulations, more so than the US I'd say. Germany is mighty strict too.

We've actually got it good,
Brent

[ozxterra]

Aussies are a lot more laid back in general and a helluva lot more easy going and tolerant but that being said they are a lot stricter on vehicles. For instance those teeny, fat little wheels that people put on their Civics in the US would never fly there as well as a lot of the honkin great, lifted rigs. I am suprised as to the bullbars in the cities though and I think that is BS. If you buy a rig in Australia you want to outfit it worth a damn because even if you go on a road trip across nothing but highway the right equipment can make all the difference. On the gunbarrell highways of the outback there isnt exactly the standard Dennys/McDonalds/BK/Gas Station combo every 5 miles. If a kangaroo goes into your engine block you could be in very big trouble. Thats why the 18 wheelers there have more metal on the front than a Mad Max truck (Road Trains). Many of the cars even wear protection ("Roo-Bars").
I think that this kind of rule caters to the idiots and morons out there and is yet another example of everyone being brought down to the lowest common denominator. Something western countries like the US, Australia and Canada excel at.
Here's an Idea.... make sure the people buying the rigs are educated about them and teach pedestrians to get the hell off the road. If I get nailed by a steel-clad Landcruiser Sahara on the street Im not sure Im gonna care if the front of it is sharp or blunt - Im pretty much toast. Maybe the blunt truck would create less mess for the clean-up crew......?