PEI moves against RHD

[elbosque]

This was posted on IVOAC today: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward- ... alcomments

Two media outlets picked up this story and so far it hasn't gone beyond PEI media.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward- ... ml?ref=rss

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=345125&sc=98

I am sure the media and the government would be happy to hear what we think about this.

Honorable Ron MacKinley
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
Phone: (902)368-5120
Fax: (902) 368-5385
Email: rwmackinley@gov.pe.ca

Government Press Release from today: http://www.gov.pe.ca/news/getrelease.php3?number=7150

IMO, this is just one more step in a strategy developed behind closed doors. The timing is perfect for them to slip it under the radar so it won't be contested. It's up to us to make sure that doesn't happen.

[jessef]

Already wrote to the minister. Thanks for the link.

[delicat]

Here's another link on the Mud forum.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24- ... t-rhd.html

Wish these political guys would at least give it a try at driving a RHD before making stupid decisions...

It's now time for me to cancel my planned vacation to PEI.

[mararmeisto]

Wow! Those 30 PEI drivers must be absolutely horrible if the province is so worried about incident rates on the island that they have to legislate against RHDs!

Definitely sounds like another lobbying-behind-closed-doors thrust, same as it was elsewhere. Still interesting how a work vehicle would be exempted: are working drivers more careful drivers than pleasure? do working drivers have less accidents? is a vehicle designated for work safer than one designated for pleasure? what if it's the same style of vehicle?

Why aren't 15-year-old NAMPOS required to still meet emission standards? These groups always go on about how 'dirty' the imports are - what about the junkers that are still driving around on this continent? Are we not worried about them? Do they somehow retain their 'cleanliness' through the years?

[thedjjack]

Sent email to Minister.

[Jordan]

...

[delicat]

Nevermind the RHD, don't you think farming equipment using public roads are any less dangerous? Really think they'd ever consider banning them... How about semi-trucks and trailers, think these would cause less damage than a RHD? Especially when the company owners abuse their drivers by asking them to cover long distance with minimum rest in minimum time... I could go on and on.

Quebec,
PEI,
...???

[FalcoColumbarius]

Through Quebec and their Napoleonic legal system, they (the CADA?) are trying to create a precedent. News articles are still trying to instil that these vehicles are top heavy and prone to have blind spots, unlike the LHD vehicles. In the 1920s no one thought that the events of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people could ever take place in Germany. This couldn't possibly take place in Canada.....

Have we established who is behind this?

[mararmeisto]

Letter sent to minister:

Reference: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=345125&sc=98

Minister Ron MacKinley

So am I to understand the media story correctly that you and your ministry are that worried about 30 drivers and their right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles that you want to pass legislation disallowing RHDs on provincial roads? Do you have data supporting the purported poor driving records of these 30 individuals? If they are such a menace on the streets of PEI, why do they still have driver's permits? How does the operating position of the vehicle determine the capability of the driver (as is being suggested by the articles in the media)?

As to the issues of 'safety' and 'emissions', this just smacks of more double-standarding the auto industry would like for you and your ministry to pay more attention to imported RHD vehicles instead of looking to the safety and emission standards of ALL vehicles. How 'safe' are 15-year-old North American Market vehicles, compared to today's standards? Shouldn't your ministry be worried about those vehicles too? How clean are 15-year-old North American Market vehicles compared to today's standards or emission levels? Shouldn't these vehicles be subject to stricter emission monitoring as well? Do thoes 30 RHD vehicles in your province somehow pollute more than 30000-40000 other vehicles (conservative speculation that there are less than one-quarter as many vehicles as there are people in your province)?

Has there been a public outcry from the masses of PEI'ers to rid their streets of a supposed scourge of RHDs (all 30 of them)? Somehow, I think not! I would suggest that not a single citizen of your province has approached your office who did not have a lobbying card in their pocket and some sort of connection to either CADA or PEIADA. How does a RHD vehicle used for work suddenly become more 'safe' than a RHD used for pleasure driving? Will the operators of RHD work vehicles get special training when expected to drive 'unsafe' vehicles (for wouldn't it be prudent to train them)? Will operators of RHD work vehicles be compensated financially for having to use 'unsafe' vehicles in the performance of their duties (for wouldn't just be fair to pay them extra for having perform dangerous work)? Who pays for that training and for those extra wages? The employer? The province? And if there is to be no extra training, and if there is to be no extra pay for operating, how then can your ministry deem the vehicles to be unsafe on the basis of operator positioning alone?

I urge you to look into this matter more closely, and a little further from the steps of the Legislative Assembly. This smacks of another special interest group that has absolutely no public interest, only their own. We buy these vehicles from foreign markets because they are better made, last longer or are in better condition, and in a large number of instances have features and options that simply weren't available in the domestic market. The dealers' groups know this and they know that is why we're not buying their vehicles. If their parent companies made better vehicles, maybe we would have bought them.

If you and your ministry are going to disallow RHDs on the basis of age and safety standards compared to today - then you must apply the same standards against the domestic market vehicles as well. If you are going to disallow RHDs on the basis of age and emission levels compared to today - then you must apply the same requirements of the domestic market as well.

Driving from the right,
J. Paul Lang
'94 Mitsubishi Pajero

[mararmeisto]

In the 1920s no one thought that the events of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people could ever take place in Germany. This couldn't possibly take place in Canada.....

Have we established who is behind this?

The Turks? Not the Germans?

Not sure where you're going with this Falco...

[FalcoColumbarius]

What I am saying is: as the people of Germany never envisioned something like that happening in their country, so the people of Canada don't believe that our noble government could be compromised.

Falco.

[elbosque]

This article (link first posted on IVOAC http://forum.ivoac.ca/showthread.php?p=35101#post35101) on a study comparing the emissions on North American Market vehicles to other vehicles produced and sold in other markets clearly disproves the lies asserted about JDM vehicles and emissions.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 03293.html

[Lacerta]

Didn't really post the article on here also.. figured most would see it over ther as well as it was a better place for legal matters .

On vacation in Ontario right now, but when I get back to PEI, I might go knocking on his door and request just a casual interview with him, and record the conversation for IVOAC with his permission of course. Apparently giving a knock on his office isnt that hard either, from what I'm told.

Ill probably ask over there if they have any questions for him also. Of course nothing is confirmed yet. But anything poilite and professional that can be asked that might be missed?

[mararmeisto]

Ill probably ask over there if they have any questions for him also. Of course nothing is confirmed yet. But anything poilite and professional that can be asked that might be missed?

Be sure to ask him why it's only RHDs that will have to meet these new restrictions. Why not other imported vehicles? Ask him what is the connection between a right-handed driving position and emissions?

[FalcoColumbarius]

The "Pacific Northwest Barking Spider" has been known to cause emissions from right hand driver's seats.... maybe that's what he is referring to?

Falco.