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MG MG Y Type - FIVA Guide, and its possible outcome.

My local classic vehicle club has enclosed a copy of the FIVA " Guide for Users of Historic Vehicles" with its latest newsletter. The FIVA are the European version of the FBHVC, the federation that is 'supposed' to protect us within the EEC and UK governments. You can see it on < www.fbhvc.co.uk > and my comments on the forum of the CVPG, < www.cvpg.co.uk >

Why comment here you might say? Well, this FIVA lot are suggesting that any car that has inboard headlamps, ( YA, YB, YT TD etc) must move them to the wings, so that modern drivers can tell how wide we are. My YBs are 14 inches from the edge of the wing, my neighbours 2006 Vauxhall Astra's are 10 inches in from the lip of his wheel arches. Just four inches difference, ( the YB is much narrower though.)

Also, any cat that has inboard rear lights, each side of the rear number plate, must fit them onto the rear wings within 200mm of the edge. This is current practice on new cars. It DOES NOT APPLY to our cars as far as the Construction and Use Regulations, or the Road Traffic Act Lighting Regulations go. Our cars have inboard rear lights.

As this FBHVC through the FIVA have now published their guide, as a contribution to the EEC's Road Safety Charter, it will not be very long before the EEC makes it law that we must move our lights, after all our very 'own' federation has suggested it, have they not?

It really angered me. Read the reply from the FBHVC chairman to my comments on the CVPG web site above.

Your comments please.

NC.
Neil Cairns

Dear Freind Neil,

My comments indeed. Stand by.

Not just you (plural), of course, though the Brits are certainly leading, but mankind is marching drearlily and faster to the edge of absolute despotism: all in the name of fixing every conceivable "problem". What is another name for this? It is placing other gods before Him. Stupid and evil. Stupid for the little "gained" by any of this 'legislation' and evil for the tremendous actual loss (of freedom, treasure and lives - yes lives) that accompanies it. If you do NOT love your neighbor as yourself, then pass a law to regulate his conduct. Tell yourself it is for his own good, why don't you. After all, you are comfortable with Blair's lies (and every other politician's), why not start to believe your own? This light stuff didn't start yesterday. The encroachments on liberty (God's wonderful gift to a conscience-obedient creation) have been steady and accelerating. We all think that the Nazis were beaten in WWII, well, their SYSTEM remains alive and well (Your papers, please). Mises Institute (or LewRockwell.com) archives an article, republished recently, of how Spain conquered the US in the Spanish American War - the US became imperialist.

Liberty is an absolute good. It may APPEAR messy but it serves the greatest good, it really does. It must be fought for (Civil Disobedience) at every turn, not just for the lights issue that bothers you now, but ALL assertions of the need for 'civil authority' must be opposed - or else you will end up here - for your own good, of course.
http://johnboanerges.blogspot.com/2005/08/john-woolmans-war-on-war-now.html

John Boanerges Redman
John Redman

Good onya Neil, you tell 'em to put it in their catalytic converters and blow it out their exhaust pipes or words of your choice!!!!
Cheers Richo YT3208
Richo WA

Typical, two words sum it up "EEC" and "BLAIR"
Neither of the above work and the proposed new law won't either.
Perhaps the idea was all though up by some EU quango sat in an overcrowded airport lounge waiting for the fog to lift!
Richard Knight

The more I hear about the stupidity of the EU and its chronies, and the spineless government that passes this sort of legislation in the most undemocratic method of Statutory Instruments, or even Parliamentary process, the happier I am this side of the pond where credit and acknowledgement of the historic place of the automobile in all its forms is duly recognized, and the less willing I am to return from the madness that I have left behind. I hope for all your sakes this does not come to pass.

The only way to ensure that it doesnt is by you getting down to writing a letter to your MP, and those in constituencies around you (whether you voted for them or not) and pointing out the folly of the proposals. But you can go one better than that - dont just tell them the obvious - invite them to get back to you so you can take them for a ride in a Y Type and you can also show them what is proposed. Who knows, after riding in a Y they might just enjoy themself sufficiently to buy one too!

Best of luck and havea good Christmas everyone,

Paul
Paul Barrow

I,ve writen to my MP more in hope than expectation, but the more of us that do, the better. If anyone wants a copy , e'mail me.
Do we need to start a campaign amongst old car owners, and if so how?
j m nicholson

Why did I move to Australia? Just remind me.
Shawn

jm, it's not just a campaign for old car owners you need to be thinking about, you and all the remains of the indigenous Brits need to start voting BNP!

Reading the British newspapers online from my American refuge for the past 30 years leaves me very sad to see the state the old country has sunk into.

Good luck.
G.E. Love

Some background on the UK Highway Code and proposed revisions:

A consultation on possible revisions to the Highway Code was launched by the Driving Standards Agency on 15th Feb 2006 and closed on 10th May 2006. <www.dsa.gov.uk>

No further general 'input' will be taken by the DSA at this stage.

An all-party parliamentary historic vehicles group exists in the UK Parlaiment, Chaired by Greg Knight MP. Their purpose is "To encourage interest in, and the promotion and use of, vintage, historic and classic vehicles" <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmparty/061206/memi280.htm>


If it is necessary to deliver an effective campaign for 'common sense'(not in the manner implied by the FBHVC) outcomes I would recommend the use of the cross-party group, coupled to constituency MPs - when the time is right.

Rather than an initial direct approach it may be of help for the Y Register Committee to consider linking some of the 60th Anniversary celebration efforts in 2007 to a Parliamentary location......

For those wishing to initiate direct contact with Westminster, the House of Commons sits again on 8th January; rises on 8th Feb 07 and then returns on 19th Feb.

Yours, with two YA's. one YT and one YB ... and a selection of spare headlights, lenses and strategies!

Andrew
Andrew Coulson

As I see it my vehicle is registered as a HISTORIC VEHICLE. As far as I am concerned that is how it will stay. Those people fitting Ford Type 9 gearboxes and flashing indicators, together with seat belts and Halogen bulbs do the cause no good at all. This is converting our HISTORIC VEHICLES into glorified kit cars and sooner or later we will pay the price. Rant over.
Bruce

If you are curious about how your Y would look with "legally spaced" headlights, here's a picture.....

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgccy/specialys/yt2430.jpg
Willem van der Veer

Willem,
Please keep your bad dreams to yourself.
Michael
j m nicholson

Oh well, Michael, the burocrats would probably decree that the light are too low....
Willem van der Veer

After my comment above it seems that you can cease weeping, wailing and knashing your teeth as I have glad tidings of comfort and great joy.
I was quite wrong to suggest that it might be a waste of time to write to my MP, as he replied, and sent my letter to Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of state for Transport. I also wrote to Greg Knight MP,the chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group.
Greg Knight replied that the Group would look into it.
I now have a reply from the Dr Stephen Ladyman MP, Minister of State for Transport saying that there are no plans to amend the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regarding the matter, and if the EU should make a proposal along the lines in question, the UK would oppose it.
However he then says that if there were ever amendments to the regulations the DoT would consider options and consult publicly.
There is a database of consultees apparently, and one can apply to be put on it. There should have been a form for me to apply, which I will not, but they seem to have forgottten to enclose it!
I had no intention of changing my Ys lights so this has avoided another "Pensioner sent to jail for trivial offence shock horror" story.
j m nicholson

There are some people who are better off locked up

:-)
Paul Barrow

Well done, Michael! Maybe I should similar letters to the proper authorities (sp?).
Willem van der Veer

If it has been discussed by politicians once and they got fired at but got away with it there is nothing to stop them thinking of trying again later so it will do no harm to write to them and hopefully kill the thing stone dead.

Paul
Paul Barrow

This thread was discussed between 22/12/2006 and 25/01/2007

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