Bull bars legal or not

[drinksoptional]

As i have just purchased a Bullbars from a d fellow member i have umteen people say "tut bullbars are illegal you will get dun by the polis " Im going to fit them because they came of a frontera i know mine has the A bar and these came of an earlier model but i happy to chance it, im not the only person in the world that has them, And most of the people that said it hate 4x4 so i not even gonna listen. If i get a pull and told to remove them then fine i speak to a lawyer! and see what he says

So i put it to F.O.G has anybody been done by the police? or any other input would be intresting this may be the wrong place but i feel general discussion is the place so sorry if its not

[Sir-Doris]

After 2005 (as best I can tell) bullbars have to be pedestrian friendly (Rather like the soft nudge bars fitted to later A series models) and type approved.
They have to conform to some rather stringent safety standards. The sale and fitment of non compliant bull bars is illegal.

The way I see it if the car was fitted with them before 2005 you will be legal as it was pre legislation.

As to the exact legalities of fitting a bullbar to the truck now as its after 2005 I couldnt say (probably one of those 'grey' areas but who is to say they havent been on the car since it was manufactured or fitted by a previous owner prior to 2005.

See the link below for a bit more info.
www.frontalprotectionsystems.eu

[Road Hog]

This old chestnut again,what you intend to do strictly speaking is illegal.
The factory fitted foamy A bar is fully legal
The metal bar is also fully legal (as it was manufactured prior to type approval),but the act of fitting it to your car is illegal ....(Road Traffic act 1988 section 41, A person who uses or allows to be used a motor vehicle which does not comply with these regulations is guilty of an offence (non approved FPS's do not comply).....You will fall foul of the date of fitting rule as opposed to the date of manufacture , the police will not be unduly interested nor will the MOT inspector,however should you be unfortunate enough to have an accident that requires an investigation by your insurance company sure as eggs they will be.

[drinksoptional]

Hmmm so it`s a do i dont i situation

[domino]

Do it

[Road Hog]

[Spike]

Do it, Do it....

Your Fronty is pre 2005.. So who is to know when you fitted them.....

Or buy some of that sponge type insulation for pipework and put it all around it.........

[mystic fred]

Anyone mangled any Bulls lately..? this thread has answered a few questions for me, though in my experience a vehicle kept standard is the safest option - and like a previous poster suggested, if you're not sure about anything and something goes wrong it could be left for a jury to decide...

[Drift]

My LWB came with the metal bars fitted standard and Ive never really liked them, I did how ever like the foam A bar I had on my old Sport S so when the opportunity came along to swap my metal bars (they actually fell off laning) to a foam A bar I was well chuffed, saved a huge lump of weight from the front suspension to.

I like the look.

[Grim_reaper]

[drinksoptional]

I like the original A bar i like the look of it, but the guy along the road had the one i just got on his old sport and i liked it think he sold it as i not seen it for months. All depends on insurance company or plead ignorance. If i take the sport oflf road it gives the front more protection or if any of those annoying nissan mircas get in my way i can speed them up a bit

[fogman]

this subject really bugs me because foam covered a bars for the b series are so hard to track down its unbelievable & im gagging to fit one , you can see 2-3" stainless a bars for sale in various 4x4 mags & on e bay sites etc fitted to quite new vehicles but as i understand it after the law was changed approx 1997/8 ish anything registered after that can only change the original factory fitted foam covered a bar with a similiar product & to modify an earlier steel wrap round type bull bars & fit to a vehicle post law change would be illegal & would invalidate your insurance so are the new stainless a bars predetrian friendly like a foam covered 1 ? surely if you get hit by a near 2 ton truck at 30 mph it wont make diddly squat difference which type of bar is fitted

[drinksoptional]

I will prob fit them

[fogman]

ive gota say i was really tempted to get a set of old wrap round steel bullbars modified & fitted to my truck cos i really prefer them & especiall as my friendly mechanic has a set i can have for free but if you fit other mods like coil spacers etc & if your insurance co have to inspect your fronty after an accident & you havent informed them theyve got the ideal situation to stuff you backwards, i know my luck too well so im not gona take the risk, but if you fitted them on offroading days only it shouldnt be an issue should it

[ashbrear]

get them fitted drinks you know the cops up here dont
give a monkeys cause it would take too much of there
time,ive got mine on and never had any bother.yet.

[Road Hog]

[Drift]

Its all down to the Euro NCAP pedestrian safety rating.

http://www.euroncap.com/Content-Web-Faq ... afety.aspx

This piece of legislation also contributed to the demise of the Frontera as it consistently had low scores in pedestrian safety and it would have cost VX fare to much money and major design alterations to the vehicle to improve the score.
VX went some way to try and improve the ratings in 1996 with the introduction of the soft nudge bar as opposed to the metal bar but this was really just a stay of execution as the Frontera was overtaken by design improvements in other makes of 4x4 vehicle.

And for the record, if I was to be hit at any speed by a Frontera I hope it is one with no bars or soft collapsible foam bars.
A human body will hit the bars they get pushed back into the bonnet and the human body then gets hit by the car body as well, call it a double wham-my and thats not taking into consideration injuries caused by entanglement.

[drinksoptional]

Well im going to fit them. I paid for them. I just have to buy A big GERRAFUGOOTTAMAWAY horn. There is some right little **** near here and people that park to close that need wee shove forward. I could always paint them a bright colour like gregster. Its a done deal and the axe`s is on my head. Ash is right

[Drift]

Im not preaching, but having been in the most serious road accident you could imagine and being totality legal and did nothing wrong, years later it nearly claimed my life and had I been at fault two things, one I would not be a free man now and two I would not be able to live with myself.

This not just a safety warning for pedestrians it for your own safety.

Again I sincerely apologise if this sounds like a sermon of sorts, but if it save you going through half of what I went through (and I was not at fault) it will be worth it.

[Road Hog]

Why bother to ask if you are going to ignore the advice that does not meet your expectations

Do as you please with your car bud (we can only advise),but first sit down,take a deep breath & think very carefully what your response would be if yourself,your wife or any other member of your family was involved in an accident where the vehicle was fitted with a non approved bull bar .................