Should 4WD purchases be taxed at a higher rate?

[Herbs]

Still, you're the nut that reckons guns aren't a problem

Well they're not, criminals are.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

There is a distinct lack of visibility for any small children around the car. We had a case in WA where a small child was reversed over and killed by a large 4WD in a school carpark. I would expect that every larger 4wd should at least have reversing sensors as standard.

I have a reversing camera on my 4WD hooked into a 7" LCD Sat Nav. I got this within 1 week of purchasing my vehicle and I went aftermarket.

Unless the child is directly underneath the car, I can't run them over.

The media highlights 4WD's when they reverse over children but fails to bring to attention when a sedan does.

In RAC tests, they found that numerous sedans were just as bad as 4WD's in rear visibility, one that comes to mind is the Camry & Commodore. To be honest, they mentioned that ALL cars dhould be fitted with a reversing camera as standard.

So the issue isn't specific to 4WD's. Then again, I've negated this on my vehicle myself.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

Well as i said before, my main problem with 4WD's is that they are more likely to kill me if I was involved in an accident with one.

Infact I was rear ended by a 4WD, and he said it was because he couldn't stop in time, wrote off both cars.

Again, that's not a 4WD issue (in my mind) specifically. That's a dumb idiot not driving to conditions and keeping their distance. Granted, no one wants to be rear ended by a 4WD, especially with a bull bar.

 

[OB1]

Is it just me or is it a poor mans - rich mans fight, I mean do you think you would give a **** if you had the money to fork out for a 4wd ? I own a 2wd ute and i have a 4wd work ute and a 6 wheel truck, so i cant win no matter what i do, The thing is ppl, no matter how much you sook about it you cant win,The ppl who make these laws have the $$$ to buy a fancy 4wd and dont want to tax themselfs anymore.

My brother-in-law has a Landcruiser & a Hilux - he must be a loaded! Actually he's been on a pension for 3 years. 4wd's are NOT a rich mans car. For every Toorak tractor there are loads of average income earners & even some dirt broke poor people who drive 4wd's (who'd a thunk it). If you think a 4wd is some type of status symbol then I suggest you have an inferiority complex. Hmm I win powerball do I go for the Testa Rosa or the X-trail - which will get me the most tail.
Personally I choose not to drive a 4wd because I prefer a car that handles better in normal conditions. I much prefer a car that is manoeuvrable & has good responsiveness rather than a tank that is sluggish & difficult to get around suburban streets & to park. I choose to back my ability to stop quicker or move quicker to avoid most accidents rather than put my faith in my vehicle beeing bigger than what it hits. I've driven 4wd's plenty of times but personally don't enjoy it much. IF I enjoyed off road adventures or was towing a van or boat (as my Dad does) then I can understand why these vehicles would be neccesary (or more convenient) but for many its just a bandaid solution to their insecurities. If it makes them feel safer then good luck to them. As stated earlier I don't agree with any higher taxes for 4wd's but I do think some type of extra licence should be required for the larger types of 4wd's (perhaps based on dimensions & weight). I also don't think bullbars should just be a readily available option.

 

[Fire]

GJ, this may be the only time I get the chance to say it, so I wont miss the opportunity.

You make a good suggestion.

 

[Bender571]

Again, that's not a 4WD issue (in my mind) specifically. That's a dumb idiot not driving to conditions and keeping their distance. Granted, no one wants to be rear ended by a 4WD, especially with a bull bar.

Sorry I kind of mixed my points together there. My main point was how 4WD's are more likely to kill me in a accident.

My other point was more of an anecdote of how 4WD's require more stoping distance, which could be justification for a special drivers licence.

But forget about the second point for now

Due to their weight and the bullbars being positioned at perfect head and chest height, drivers of vehicles hit side-on by 4WDs are 26 times more likely to be killed or suffer serious injury than if they had been hit by a standard-sized passenger vehicle, according to ABC's Catalyst program.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opini...op-driving-4wds/2007/03/27/1174761465424.html

26 times more likely!

Surely that is sufficent to increase the taxes on 4WD's.

Research conducted by the Monash University Accident Research Centre has concluded that 4WDs are almost twice as likely to roll than a car, resulting in their drivers being 3.4 times more likely to be killed due to crushed cabin space

They're also not as safe as you think.

they take 10m futher to stop at 60km/h

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/Page.asp?PageID=847

This could be considered a reason for a speacial license, but for the moment I believe increasing taxes is the best method of ensuring that only those that need a 4WD are driving one.

 

[Herbs]

^^^So people who have a 4wd and use it for its intended purpose should cop a tax hike too. Also, a 20 year old car also has a longer stopping distance, gee lets tax/ban those too! Also, using walk.com.au as a source is laughable, isn't that Harold Scruby's doing? Scruby = knob.

 

[Scotland]

Some people need 4WD's, some don't. Some people choose to own them so they can use them for their intended purpose, some choose to own them because they are stupid.

4WD's are already taxed highly, and the majority of them run on diesel, which for no good reason is more expensive than petrol, despite being cheape to produce.

4WD's are a pain in the arse in suburbs with quiet, thin roads but are no different on freeways, major roads etc. to any other car. They are a pain in the arse to park in car parks, but that doesn't really affect the knockers, it affects the owners. I'd be happy to see 4WD's banned from CBD's, and owners who don't take them outside the city paying more tax (don't know how that would work though), but blanket extra taxation on all 4WD's isn't the best idea I've seen.

 

[Falchoon]

^^^So people who have a 4wd and use it for its intended purpose should cop a tax hike too. Also, a 20 year old car also has a longer stopping distance, gee lets tax/ban those too! Also, using walk.com.au as a source is laughable, isn't that Harold Scruby's doing? Scruby = knob.

That would be 20 yo 4wd's and non 4wd's.

 

[Falchoon]

Technically the Mazda6 MPS is an AWD.

technically I spend a lot more time in 4wd than these urban cowboys

 

[Bender571]

Also, using walk.com.au as a source is laughable, isn't that Harold Scruby's doing? Scruby = knob.

I just did a quick search on the issue so I could have figures to quote, and walk.com was one of the first links. But I only quoted a small passage that is most likely true, so I fail to see what your problem is.

Also if you looked at the link it was an article from the daily telegraph with arguments both for and against.

So people who have a 4wd and use it for its intended purpose should cop a tax hike too

I'm not sure of the best way to set it up, but maybe set up a department to determine who needs a 4WD and provide them with exemptions, bearing in mind that primary producers already get exemptions

 

[YOTC]

technically I spend a lot more time in 4wd than these urban cowboys

We're going to Bonny Doon?

 

[Herbs]

I just did a quick search on the issue so I could have figures to quote, and walk.com was one of the first links. But I only quoted a small passage that is most likely true, so I fail to see what your problem is.

Also if you looked at the link it was an article from the daily telegraph with arguments both for and against.



I'm not sure of the best way to set it up, but maybe set up a department to determine who needs a 4WD and provide them with exemptions, bearing in mind that primary producers already get exemptions

Therefore costing an absolute shitload of money to achieve bugger all. There's far more important things to spend this amount of money on.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

4WD's are a truly amazing modern marvel.

You can't tell me that these people would have survived if it was a bread and butter sedan.

4WD's, the the safest cars on the road! The intelligent mans daily transport.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=384_1178822446

 

[WA ROO]

If any type of car should be taxed at a higher rate it is V8 utes like SS and XR8's and the HSV FPV variants.

 

[Herbs]

If any type of car should be taxed at a higher rate it is V8 utes like SS and XR8's and the HSV FPV variants.

A lot of which are slugged with luxury car tax, so they are taxed higher.

 

[Falchoon]

The intelligent mans daily transport.

[YOUTUBE]eZICPgRpyWE[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]aZF8N9NItHI[/YOUTUBE]

You can't go around things but at lease you're "safe" ploughing through them

 

[Kernel Sanders]

Just curious to see what all the folk here got up to this weekend?

Suburbia is a bi*ch aint it? Makes you wish you could afford a 4WD. Time to get a higher paying job and get a man's car!

 

[mantis]

They should be banned unless there's a business reason for owning them. For people who actually go out 4WDing, they should only be available on rental.
99% of 4WD traffic is totally unnecessary - and they're dangerous on the road to everyone else around them.

That would be too expensive for people who buy them to travel around australia, like my daughter & her partner did last year. They bought it solely for the purpose of trekking around australia for 6 months, now they are finished, they are selling it.

Maybe a tax if they are solely driven around suburbia, that way country folk & travellers aren't taxed.

People will say it's too hard to govern, but in Singapore, only newer cars are allowed to drive around the city.

 

[Falchoon]

Just curious to see what all the folk here got up to this weekend?

Suburbia is a bi*ch aint it? Makes you wish you could afford a 4WD. Time to get a higher paying job and get a man's car!

you dick, your belief that non 4wd'ers can't afford one is self masturbation in the extreme.

try to avoid any children on the way??

it's just you
any knob can pick up a 2nd hand landcruiser for sub $15000
http://www.carsales.com.au/used-cars/TOYOTA/LANDCRUISER/private-results.aspx?State=Victoria&N=4294962861+82+410+4294962570&Model=LANDCRUISER&Make=TOYOTA&distance=25&state_id=82&PriceMax=15000
and if this thread is to be believed they'll be economical to boot

$$$$$

 

[Kernel Sanders]

you dick, your belief that non 4wd'ers can't afford one is self masturbation in the extreme.

try to avoid any children on the way??

I mounted the kerb near a shopping mall and ploughed through the women and children. I can't remember how many I killed on the way to the beach.

I'm glad people like you aren't in charge of the country. Anti-Fun Police, Do Gooders.

 

[Jafa]

Kernel - I`m with you.

I have a nice V6 4WD ute with the biggest roo bar on the frontend. This thing is a real weapon on the road.

Love driving down to Perth for weekends in it and watching the city folk cringe. Can`t park for shit in parking towers though.

 

[Mr Q]

I'm glad people like you aren't in charge of the country. Anti-Fun Police, Do Gooders.

Well I'd find it no fun being on a beach with a lot of 4WDs using it as a highway.

 

[Underdog]

Well I'd find it no fun being on a beach with a lot of 4WDs using it as a highway.

you have no more right to be there then they do

 

[Jafa]

you have no more right to be there then they do

Not quite true. There are plenty of beaches where no vehicle access is allowed - however if Q wants to visit a beach that`s open - he should expect the freeway.