Call to Arms all Australians Concerning MB Regulation

[oktobr]

Ok, lets say the worst happens and the RTA pressgangs this crud into practice.

Thats when the real legal challenges start.

1. I will be insisting that the police charge Australia Post mail deliverers for riding a 'motorbike' on the footpath when they deliver mail... and when they refuse to do so... all recorded on videotape Im going to take them ALL to court.

2. When I get booked I will fight the matter in court all the way. I'm a pensioner, I have all the time in the world for court appearances... and Legal Aid to boot.

3. I will be insisting that the power assisted cycles used by some police be assessed as fully complying with the legislation, or put out of use.

4. I will be requiring the RTA to provide recognised testing facilities to facilitate compliance with their legislation, and a court challenge when they wont.

5. I will be seeking legal advice regarding taking the RTA to court for compensation to cover the costs of replacing the power train of my bike to comply with their legislation.

6. I will be calling for compliance of all mobility aids(scooters) for the disabled, along with their banning when they dont comply, along with proposing a class action against the RTA for everyone affected by this proposal.

7. The proposal of a class action by every retailer/business affected by this legislation.

8. Oh yeah, lobbying our pollies on the benefits and viability of MBs along with the environmental benefits of promoting them rather than forcing them off the road.

9. And finally, if this legislation does go through, I will be out there lobbying for legislation for the registering and licensing of ALL pushbike riders(this means you, Cycling Australia and Bicycling NSW) cos basically, we suffer, you get to suffer too for being fundamentalists, and we all know fundamentalists only care about themselves, and no-one else. Cycling isnt owned by the lycra fratenity.

Just a few ideas, so far, on my own part.

 

[will_start]

Ok, lets say the worst happens and the RTA pressgangs this crud into practice.

Thats when the real legal challenges start.

Hey oktobr,
Way to bring out them blazing guns



There's nothing like a disturbed pensioner to make pollies quake in their boots.
I particulalrly like 7, 8 and 9. all class mate...

 

[bamabikeguy]

Didn't know if you noticed, but HybriDude linked all 5 pages of this proposal, he was wanting it dissected for comments...

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=20584

An MB petition seems appropriate, if somebody has the knowhow.

 

[BeauBoy]

Man I had plans to eventually bike hike around Australia one day using the motor to help get my fat *** and camp gear up hills.

I hope something can put stops to this stuff.

 

[heathyoung]

I'm no lawyer, but as they say, never argue with an engineer

The gearing requirements of a small (7.5cc) engine would be so lossy that most of your power will be lost in the transmission.

Most model engines run from nitro fuel (nitromethane, caster oil + stabilisers) and use a 'glow plug' - a platinum coil that when heated has a catalytic reaction with the fuel (once hot the power source is removed).

There are 2 stroke petrol model engines, which, for the context of discussion here are practical for PABC usage (due to fuel costs of nitromethane fuel).

Unfortunatly, these don't seem to exist in this size. For a very simple reason, they scale POORLY. A typical 7.5cc nitro engine can produce 1.2Kw @ 16000 rpm, and a 25cc petrol engine can produce 1.2Kw @ 6000 rpm.

Huh. Wonder why they dont make 7.5cc petrol engines.

Say you decided to use the nitro engine - the torque of that engine would not be able to overcome the losses in the planetary gearbox at low RPM. OK, you use a stupidly high RPM clutch (say 6-8000 rpm). At this stage, you need a low backlash, high strength gearbox - which means higher gear contact = straight cut, not helical = lossy.

I've been having a look for an epicyclic gearbox (ie. planetary) that will take 25nm, reduce 130:1 (ish) and an input shaft speed of 16,000 rpm, and, not suprisingly, they dont exist. Closest thing I could find was a 12:1, with a pair being used in series, to get 144:1 reduction. It had a specified efficiency of 86% at 1000 rpm, 78% at 5,000 rpm, that dropped to 72% at 15,000 rpm, so an overall reduction efficency of 0.72 X 0.72 = 0.52 = 52%. Ouch.

At 1.2Kw, you are dropping 600W in heat into the gearbox. No prizes for guessing how long it would last - Water cooling would probably be required.

The nitro modelling fraternity have some interesting stuff, looking into it now... Problem is lifetime on such a high-rpm motor will be VERY short.

 

[BoltsMissing]

Man I had plans to eventually bike hike around Australia one day using the motor to help get my fat *** and camp gear up hills.

I hope something can put stops to this stuff.

Same here, I wanted to go from Newcastle, across the Nullabour, and back !

 

[will_start]

I'm no lawyer, but as they say, never argue with an engineer
...
Problem is lifetime on such a high-rpm motor will be VERY short.

Some full-on analysis there. So the RTA's theoretical 7.5cc analogy
is fundamentally stoopid...

 

[bamabikeguy]

I would accuse them of being in the pocket of expensive electric manufacturers, selling underpowered units which overheat easily.

And mention how dangerous it would be for an elderly or disabled person to be caught out in the open with a dead battery, while petrol units are not only reliable, but can be easily repaired by the existing small engine businesses.

 

[BoltsMissing]

bamabikeguy quote: I would accuse them of being in the pocket of expensive electric manufacturers, selling underpowered units which overheat easily.

Ofcourse it is,
Here is a comment from another web site, the, "panasonic buys out sanyo" web sites.

and the date ???? December 02, 2008 08:52am
From Tokyo
So, it's the Japs that are behind all this perhaps...,

not sure if I am allowed to post the link, but the comments, or one of them says;

These bikes are not new at all. Sanyo and Panasonic have been selling "hybrid" bicycles for about 3 years in Japan, but they don't export to Australia - too small a market, too many fat and stupid people. These are really great bikes, with a range of up to 90km on a change using regenerative mode. The disadvantage is that the Lithium batteries need replacing after about 4 years. A new battery costs up to 40,000 yen, or $600. The price would be better if our dollar hadn't fallen through the floor in recent months.

That's what these "proposals" are all about, it has nothing to do with safety.
If they want to do something about safety, how about those jap cars , NRX or whatever they are called, 2 major road drag race fatlaties witihn the month.
Who makes these cars, ? Japan, who do they sell them to ?, the world.
Who gets killed in them ? Our own.

and another comment on the same web page

Furthermore, does anyone here now what goes into the process of creating a battery, and the amount of toxins/chemicals that are released into the air just to form one? I'm NOT disputing that hybrid vehicle are a better option than an SUV or petrol hungry vehicle - but to call them ECO-FRIENDLY is a complete farce. Just think of the term - ECO-FRIENDLY. Gives the impression your being positive to the environment, when simply you're not. So good on you for driving a Prius/Hybrid vehicle instead of a Range Rover - but please stop enjoying the smell of your own farts.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Reading those 5 pages HybriDude put up, I'm confused. Has there been an outbreak of MB caused accidents or pedestrian deaths?

With "helmets on", in those comments you folks are making, mention the research and development going on by amateurs internationally, trading knowledge and techniques freely in grassroots fashion. How we are one magic spark plug away from making our own fuels for pennies (er, farthings?)

And how, when gas prices hit the roof, MBers who have been planning ahead will be the employees who show up with happier attitudes, having not given a chunk of their paychecks to big oil.