The "Autombile Association" friend turned foe ?

[carbore]

Have you seen this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7987000/7987689.stm

"Lives are being put at risk by young motorists who modify their cars to boost performance, says the AA.

The motoring organisation wants tighter controls for things like nitrous oxide kits which are used to massively increase an engine's power.

AA Chairman Edmund King says it's young motorists who are most at risk and he wants to see new rules about how much people can modify their cars"


I thought the automible association were supposed to be on the side of motorists, they used to support motoring events etc. Now it seems they are turning against us? This is not the first time I have seen negative comments from the AA.

I really think that we should send them a message.

Also just because its "boy racer" stuff don't assume they wont come for you and you cant pick and choose who they apply this to.

[TDi90]

i with they would just leave people to do it.
if they want to go and modifyt their cars let them. if they want to then go a step further and kill themselves LET THEM.
   :-#
i bet this will then go a step further (as you say carbore) and then they wont let people change engines in cars then we wont be able to tinker anymore 
not happy.
Rob

[Gordo]

I presume you saw the bit that says:

...there are no current plans to change the law.

Besides, the AA is just another company trying to make money for its shareholders. If it can increase its profile, and number of customers by appearing in the media (a'la Ryanair) then it will.

[carbore]

Yes but it wont have customers like me anymore.

[TDi90]

or me. 

[Range Rover Blues]

I'm not a member anymore, for many reason so this is just another nail as far as I', concerned.

What casued them to bring this up anyway? are they that desperate for attention.

Whatever happened to an enggineer's report on a modyfied car? if you tell your insewerance company and they are happy to insure the risk then who's getting hurt?


Green flag anyone?

[landy_bug]

i have just two words to discribe anything and everything to do with this country NANNY STATE!
next it will be illegal to fart!

[andygod]

I must say I agree with the AA on this one. I think the point they’re trying to make is that a young and relatively inexperienced driver can fit a nitro kit to a car and drive at high speeds having very little motoring experience. The car will also be doing higher speeds than it was designed for having an effect on brakes and tyres to name just two things. Have you ever seen these idiots racing around our streets late at night with there go faster exhausts and hissing dump valves. I can't see why anybody wants them to be able to go even faster. I am not against experienced drivers fitting nitro kits for track use etc but the motorway or indeed Asda car park aren’t racetracks.

Andygod

[Gordo]

next it will be illegal to fart!

Two words: Carbon emissions!  :lol:

I love this myth that persists that you are a "member" of the AA - you're a policy holder, same as you are with any other insurance company.

[clbarclay]

It would be interewsting to see what the AA actually said. By the sounds of it they were only refering to vehicles with significant power increases.

Cars a plenty fast enough to kill people as it is. The modefications are't the root cause of the problem, but they are easier to legislat than driver atitude.

He's had a nitrous oxide kit added to his Toyota MR2 which boosts the engine from 158 to nearly 300 brake horsepower.

A nitros setup capable of doubling the power on it own :lol: Agian there is probably a lot more to it than what was reported.

[Llanigraham]

They showed the car on Breakfast BBC this morning and he had done a lot more than just a NOS kit, think he said something like £3k on bits for it. His sort aren't the problem though; it's the kids with a knackered Corsa or Saxo who are now fitting them, with no mods to the suspension or brakes and certainly not informing their insurance companies!

[Range Rover Blues]

kids with a knackered Corsa or Saxo who are now fitting them, with no mods to the suspension or brakes and certainly not informing their insurance companies!

In which case a change in the law isn't needed, some enforcement is.

[Gordo]

On of the Scottish Police forces had a novel solution to the problem: They went along to various meets, cruises etc. got talking to the owners and took notes of modifications made to the cars. Then they contacted the insurance companies to check the modifications were declared, and not surprisingly quite a few weren't.

Quite a few people found their policies cancelled, so word got round and the problem went away...

[Disco Matt]

To be fair, if they just bolt a nitrous oxide kit onto a tired Saxo they're quite likely to melt the engine before they get up any noticeable speed!  :lol:

[carbore]

Please remember that laws (which is what they, being the AA) and other groups dont tend to discriminate between makes of car. There was lots of heated discussion here surrounding the recent tragedy of the modified Landrover (which we dont go into) so please dont think a modified saxo has would have any different legal standing to a modified 4x4.

I dont condone acting like a muppet round the 1 way system on a friday night, but I do defend the right of ANYONE to modify thier car (provided it reamins roadworth) and regardless of if they make it look like a total chav mobile, G4 Landrover or restored vintage classic (or a rather quick modifed elise not vary far from me right now)