Quad Bike Safety: Issues Paper

Response 869482397

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Don Pratley

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Family Grazing Business

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Questions 1-6

1) Can you provide additional data or information on costings of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes?

1) Can you provide additional data or information on costings of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes?
Sorry, but the injuries and fatalities are caused by the riders not the bikes!!!.
Some victims are even banned passengers (under 16 yrs.) There are warnings in owners manual and decals on bikes regarding riders/ passengers under 16 and we are still blaming the bike!!
I have been riding Quad Bikes for over 25 years without injury and am sick and tired of this issue being revisited on a weekly basis because someone expects manufacturers to
"Idiot Proof" Quads .

2) Would design changes to quad bikes be likely to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia?

2) Would design changes to quad bikes be likely to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia?
Yes but the only design changes that could work would basically render the bike useless!!

3) If you answered ‘yes’ to question 2, what design changes do you consider would have this effect? Which design features, if any, should a safety standard mandate or prohibit? In particular the ACCC is interested in understanding design changes that are likely to reduce:

3) If you answered ‘yes’ to question 2, what design changes do you consider would have this effect? Which design features, if any, should a safety standard mandate or prohibit?
Making them into a Tank would obviously save lives but render them useless!!
1) Bike will not roll over if correctly operated.. any ROPS would create extreme danger with overhead contact (Tree branch etc.)
2) Children should not be on them!!!!
3) Passengers on bikes not designed for passengers!!!! and you want to mandate or prohibit.... GROW UP!!!!! you can't protect people from themselves!!!!!!!

4) If your view is that design features should be mandated or prohibited to increase quad bike safety, could the regulation be designed to encourage innovation rather than prescribing particular products or technical solutions (for example by ensuring fitting points or attachment mechanisms to allow the development of improved CPDs or ROPSs or by prescribing performance-based outcomes rather than technical designs)?

4) If your view is that design features should be mandated or prohibited to increase quad bike safety, could the regulation be designed to encourage innovation rather than prescribing particular products or technical solutions (for example by ensuring fitting points or attachment mechanisms to allow the development of improved CPDs or ROPSs or by prescribing performance-based outcomes rather than technical designs)?
You don't need regulation!!!!!!!

5) If any or all of these design changes were implemented in Australia, are you able to estimate the additional cost that would be imposed on Australian suppliers?

5) If any or all of these design changes were implemented in Australia, are you able to estimate the additional cost that would be imposed on Australian suppliers?
Yes, the cost would drive some suppliers out of the market reducing the availability of some of the better featured bikes for no sensible reason.

6) To what extent does the US Standard satisfactorily address design features that ensure quad bikes are safe for use? Do you consider that Australia should adopt a mandatory safety standard similar to the US Standard? To what extent would this option impose additional costs on Australian suppliers or create barriers to trade?

6) To what extent does the US Standard satisfactorily address design features that ensure quad bikes are safe for use? Do you consider that Australia should adopt a mandatory safety standard similar to the US Standard? To what extent would this option impose additional costs on Australian suppliers or create barriers to trade?
I assume the U S based bike I have meets these standards and is perfectly O K as is so don't need any further regulation on ROPS etc. for it.
As for applying this sort of standard to all other makes it probably wouldn't force huge changes so once again we don't need to be regulated to death!!!!!

Questions 7-12

7) Are consumers currently getting adequate information at the purchase point about quad bike use and limitations or safety information and equipment? Should there be additional warnings or instructions displayed at the point of purchase or provided with the sale of quad bikes?

7) Are consumers currently getting adequate information at the purchase point about quad bike use and limitations or safety information and equipment? Should there be additional warnings or instructions displayed at the point of purchase or provided with the sale of quad bikes?
Yes, getting all the information required and then some so extra is not necessary.
Some people never learn!!!!!
The statistics will remain the same!!!!!!!

8) In relation to the option of a consumer safety rating system:

In relation to the option of a consumer safety rating system:
There are plenty of systems in use for all sorts of products so just adapt one.
If a rating system helps some people with purchase so be it but in the long run it's people versus themselves!!!!

9) If your view is that regulation is needed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia, how should these be implemented? One proposed option is to prohibit or mandate particular design features; another is to increase consumer information, including through a consumer safety rating system; a third option is a combination of both:

9) If your view is that regulation is needed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia, how should these be implemented? One proposed option is to prohibit or mandate particular design features; another is to increase consumer information, including through a consumer safety rating system; a third option is a combination of both:
Rate them if you will but regulation is not needed!!

10) If the ACCC recommends a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes:

10) If the ACCC recommends a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes:
None for Agriculture
Banning children solves it but can't be policed.
Another minefield.
1/7/2020
Yes 1 Year
No
No, only new.

11) What is the life cycle of quad bikes in Australia? For example, on average how long do consumers use quad bikes before the vehicle is retired? How long might it take before the current stock of 380,000 quad bikes is replaced by new stock that satisfies requirements of a safety standard, if imposed?

11) What is the life cycle of quad bikes in Australia? For example, on average how long do consumers use quad bikes before the vehicle is retired? How long might it take before the current stock of 380,000 quad bikes is replaced by new stock that satisfies requirements of a safety standard, if imposed?
Forever.... it's unworkable.....some are never retired.

12) Please provide any other information you consider may be relevant to the ACCC’s consideration of these issues.

12) Please provide any other information you consider may be relevant to the ACCC’s consideration of these issues.
Now you are talking.... the ultimate test of how dangerous a quad bike is.

MAKE SURE THIS IS SENT ON TO MICK KEOGH
Remember when you were with NSW Farmers and attended meetings with John Plant
NSW Ag. and others inc. me (Don Pratley) NSW Stud Merino Breeders.
Great to see you still in there fighting the good fight.
Anyway read on!!

Three lifts are jammed in between floors - one occupant in each.
Lift 1... Mick Keogh with the Quad Bike he borrowed from me.
Lift 2... Malcolm ???? with a 3 met. Crocodile.
Lift 3... Bill ???? with a 6 ft. King Brown Snake.

I am now aged 70 Mick, but the best piece of advice I ever got was at age 18 from an old Shearing Contractor..... He said
"Son your average Australian is a complete Bloody Idiot"
A lot of them are now riding Quad Bikes!!!
So even though Quad Bikes are not dangerous (they don't bite and are not poisonous!!)
you cant "Idiot Proof" them.
This whole issue has become fashionable because someone has discovered that the highest number of fatalities on farms is due to Quad Bike accidents.
No one is quoting the deaths as a percentage of the 380,000 bikes in use.
They are also not comparing them with Rural Suicide which I believe is much higher.
So I think it's time for a reality check on this... it has already been done to death!!!!
Cheers, Mick.
Don Pratley Bathurst NSW.