The future of historic vehicles

[types26/36]

Brian in S. Africa, do these ludicrous laws affect you as well?

Eric,
Although I now spend the majority of time in the U.K. and only about 3months a year in S.A. I have Lotus cars in both countries, S.A. is still an emerging country and has too many other problems such as crime,corruption, poverty and job creation to get too involved in passing first world laws.
There are many cars being used that would never be allowed on a European (or American) road, there is no annual test (except for public service vehicles) and the only time a car has to go through a test is when it changes hands unless it is stopped in a road block, although there are fixed speed cameras it is usually a traffic cop hiding behind a bush with a hand held unit.
This means in effect if bought new and kept by the original owner a car may never have to go through any test or check.
Emission laws are almost non existent and unless a car is belching out black smoke it is not a problem but the bureaucracy surrounding registration and ownership can be a nightmare, generally the roads are very good and off the main highways there are some truly wonderful "Lotus driving roads" with little traffic, road tax (road licence) is cheap and there is no compulsory insurance, a third party cover (injury only) is built into the petrol price but this is almost useless thus there are many uninsured vehicles.
Slowly S.A. is changing but I cannot see classic cars under any sort of threat for many many years, it is Africa after all and it has a different culture and standards to European and western values.

[1964 S1]

Hello Mark, yes we have those types of roads, tollways or turnpikes, the first one built in the 1790's in Philadelphia. They can be found throughout the United States but represent probably less than 1% of our paved roads. No threat to our classic cars now or ever. Big Brother is alive and well but he's too busy with other more serious long range problems than screwing with automobile owners.
Our love affair with the car has given these widgets an identity of their own, treated almost like a family member. (In some cases even better!)
Each state has it's own laws, almost any rattle trap can be driven on our roads. To license a vehicle here in my home state of Ohio one simply needs a title, and a car with head and tail lights, a license plate light, brake lights, windscreen, fenders and seat belts, that's it, no emissions test, no safety inspection, ever. Then, provided it'll make it, you can drive it wherever you want throughout the USA. The Lotus Seven exemplifies these minimalist requirements.
Eric

[Elanintheforest]

I guess that the USA and Australia will never see the national programs that are being considered in Europe because of the geography...large urban areas with lots of space inbetween. We've got he same size cities without the big gaps, so that when traffic builds in two near cities, it could join together and cause gridlock.. But my guess is that a lot of cities will get some form of congestion charging.
I kind of like the idea of the fewer rules in Ohio, but what about the pickup flying up behind you at the lights with no brakes? Perhaps I've been living in the nanny state too long! I have an old '73 Ford F100 which kind of has brakes (at best) and does about 7 mpg...the downside and I'm sure that will be priced off the road in England pretty soon. The upside of the truck is that I can get the Elan in the back!
Mark

[steveww]

When the little black GPS box becomes mandatory to check and charge our every move, we can fight back. Keep running the standard ignition system, use copper leads and non-resitsor plugs, the generated electromagnetic interference will stop any electronic gizmo from working

The front number plate on the Elan is already invisible to most of the camera systems. We have the beginings of a stealth car for the 21st century.

[tower of strength]

When the little black GPS box becomes mandatory to check and charge our every move, we can fight back. Keep running the standard ignition system, use copper leads and non-resitsor plugs, the generated electromagnetic interference will stop any electronic gizmo from working

The front number plate on the Elan is already invisible to most of the camera systems. We have the beginings of a stealth car for the 21st century.

Knowing kindly Gordon, he'll find us out!!!

[1964 S1]

Yes Mark, those unsafe bare tired, brakeless rustbuckets do pose a safety problem here. Add the illegal driver with a beer in hand behind the wheel and you've got somewhat of an accurate picture. That's not all that bad tho' as there are a lot more really lousy drivers over their head in new gawdawful SUV's clogging all the lanes. (at no extra charge) Eric

[tower of strength]

I've just realised that us law abiding, classic owner types that are totally legitimate, caring for our pride and joys are a much easier target than the plethora of foriegn plated (particularly Eastern European and Pikey ones) vehicles. We wouldnt want plod to waste our tax money chasing offenders abroad, when they can ammend the rules to screw us at home!! A friend is a commercial lorry tyre fitter, he had to go to a blow out on a european truck on the M1, his 15 tonne jack couldnt lift one wheel on a supposedly 42 tonne truck (3 axle tractor, three axle trailer). His estimate is that it was running at 60+tonnes gross, on nearly bald tyres, he called the local plod who were too busy to deal with this "minor technicality"

makes you sick

best i put the soap box away and hit the sack, or I'll be off into one in :RANT ON: mode!!

regards

Mark