Should all Bull-bars be made illegal?

Seth Brundle

I think thats a case of using whats already there (albiet inconsideratley from a petrolhead's perspective).
Most 4*4s have ample space in the back for bales. As for farmers being too lazy to open a gate well maybe the exercise will do them good and if you are worried about paint/bodywork then don't drive through a hedge!

They are not needs - they are wants!

alias no.9

Tails142 wrote:

The other car, a Ford Fiesta/Ka was a complete wreck, front totally mangled, driver was OK. The jeep had a broken spotlight that was fixed onto the bullbars and the bullbars were slightly bent. Having to buy a new car vs. no repair bill... hmm I know which I'd prefer.

The impact energy doesn't just disappear, it has to be channeled somewhere. It's the same story with a hitch on the back of the car, people think they offer protection against damage in a rear shunt. The reality is they channel the energy into the chassis rails and can result in chassis misalignment in minor collisions which should really not have amounted to any more than a little pannel damage. Replacing a few panels v's chassis realignment... hmm I know which I'd prefer.

OldmanMondeo

Car manufactures are trying to make cars safer for should a pedestrain be knocked down. They fitting of bullbars or A-bars removes this added "protection" from injuries. Shold a 4x4 hit a car, the car will usually come out worst because of the sheer weight of the 4x4.

The should be banned on all vechiles on public roads, with exception to vechiles that will be used in off road situations, i.e ESB, Forestery Farm etc.

Victor

Vegeta wrote:

What do you mean by "worse" what's worse than dead?

Several people dead.

MadsL

I several people voted for aftermarket fitting being allowed. Why? Any reasons?

Rowley Birkin QC

Where is the option in your poll for "No ban on bull bars" ???

I think they should be allowed on farm vehicles and commercials, very useful in my experience, but I think the poll should be impartial.

Seth Brundle

@ bigkev49 & oldmanmondeo - I still haven't seen a convincing argument for allowing farm/commercial vehicles to keep them - maybe you can provide one?

MadsL

Where is the option in your poll for "No ban on bull bars" ???

Go fight the EU on that one - but aftermarket fitting remains legal, hence the poll options. The poll was about what the Govt should do next.

mik_da_man

kbannon wrote:

@ bigkev49 & oldmanmondeo - I still haven't seen a convincing argument for allowing farm/commercial vehicles to keep them - maybe you can provide one?

Kbannon - i see you said you worked on farms and seen no need for them?
How often did you try herd wild cattle from one place to another in a jeep?

I'm from a farming background and the bullbar on the jeep has saved thousands of euro of damage to it. it had been hit on numerous occasions and has saved the front of the jeep from being mangled.

We breed bulls at home - try getting 40 of them out of a field, in a jeep with no bullbars, when they don't want to go and let me know how you get on :eek:

And for anyone who suggests that farmers are lazy to use jeeps to herd cattle I invite you to my farm, but ya in a field of bulls and see how ya get on:D

I do agree that there is no need for them on non farm suv's/jeeps but there is a need for them on farm vehicles

Mik

maidhc

mik_da_man wrote:

Kbannon - i see you said you worked on farms and seen no need for them?
How often did you try herd wild cattle from one place to another in a jeep?

!

Walk/run. Its good for you! I'm not being smart, but it is what I do when a mad b1tch of a Limousin heifer doesn't do what she is told. Most cattle on irish farms just do what they are told anyway, call them and they come, no need for cowboy stuff.

peasant

mik_da_man wrote:

We breed bulls at home - try getting 40 of them out of a field, in a jeep with no bullbars, when they don't want to go and let me know how you get on :eek:
Mik

You don't need a bullbar, you need a Kelpie

Rowley Birkin QC

MadsL wrote:

Go fight the EU on that one - but aftermarket fitting remains legal, hence the poll options. The poll was about what the Govt should do next.

I stand corrected.

@kbannon, they serve as a first point of contact on jeeps. personally we don't have a jeep on the farm at home but have seen them to be of vital use on other farms herding cattle who don't want to go where they are told.

mik_da_man

maidhc wrote:

!

Walk/run. Its good for you! I'm not being smart, but it is what I do when a mad b1tch of a Limousin heifer doesn't do what she is told. Most cattle on irish farms just do what they are told anyway, call them and they come, no need for cowboy stuff.

Fair enough, but I take it you don't breed bulls

mad b1tch of a Limousin heifer = walk/run
40 angry bulls = Jeep with BULLbar

Mik

overdriver

Then there should be an option for "Only in VERY specific circumstances - i.e. breeding bulls"

There's no bulls here in Firhouse, but lots of mammies with bullbars.

Seth Brundle

Just to clarify I have worked with bulls on several farms of varying breeds including limousin - on one farm we rounded up yearlings (IIRC predominantly romagnola) for surgical castration. Anyhow the owner didn't need/want to use his jeep. We brought a good dog and a tractor!

mik_da_man wrote:

40 angry bulls = Jeep with BULLbar

angry? what are you doing to them to make them angry?

littlejukka

mloc123 wrote:

They are not bolted to the chassis and do not channel the force into one area like strutural ones do.

you are forbidden from posting further on this topic due to a lack of any grasp of physics.

littlejukka

kbannon wrote:

angry? what are you doing to them to make them angry?

ramming them with a jeep, heavily adorned with metal bars.

overdriver

kbannon wrote:

angry? what are you doing to them to make them angry?

Has he the front fogs on?

mloc123

littlejukka wrote:

you are forbidden from posting further on this topic due to a lack of any grasp of physics.

Oh enlighten me then :rolleyes:

Biro

maidhc wrote:

!

Walk/run. Its good for you! I'm not being smart, but it is what I do when a mad b1tch of a Limousin heifer doesn't do what she is told. Most cattle on irish farms just do what they are told anyway, call them and they come, no need for cowboy stuff.

It's always the stupid limousin... dognammit... every time! And she'll then drive the rest wild.

prospect

I know several farmers who do not even own a 4x4, let alone one with bull bars.

I think your methods leave a lot to be desired if you resort to ramming your animals with a bull bar!

Anan1

Even if bull bars are useful on the farm, they are still dangerous on the road. As such, they should be banned for use on public roads..

RobAMerc

Designers now have to raise the bonnet sufficiently that a pedestrian if hit wont dent the bonnet enough they clout their head off the rocker cover underneath it - bye bye sporty looking cars - and then we allow folk mount a fekin 2 inch diameter bar to the front of their cars at head height to insure we knock their block off !

Ban em completely

prospect

RobAMerc wrote:

Designers now have to raise the bonnet sufficiently that a pedestrian if hit wont dent the bonnet enough they clout their head off the rocker cover underneath it - bye bye sporty looking cars -

Not necessarily (sp?)

Citroen incorporated a clever design on the new C6 that lifts the bonnet when there is an impact. This gives a gap between the bonnet and the engine block that protects a pedestrian. With this design, you can continue to have lower bonnets.

mik_da_man

prospect wrote:

I know several farmers who do not even own a 4x4, let alone one with bull bars.

I think your methods leave a lot to be desired if you resort to ramming your animals with a bull bar!

I have never rammed an animal with bull bars.
Now them ramming the jeep is another story.

And trust me if you have been attacked by a bull and lucky enough to get away with a few broken ribs you would be using a jeep to herd them.

I do not have anything against the animals, I just know from expierence how dangerous they can be

Seth Brundle

If you have been attacked by a bull then you are at fault for not following proper practices. Sure the bull can be angry but you should not put yourself in a situation where you will be attacked. I had heard of tazering them but this clearly shows how they may not be as good on bulls as peole!

Anyhow, getting back on topic, as Anan1 said, bull bars should not be used on a public road as they have no beneficial function there.

prospect

mik_da_man wrote:

I have never rammed an animal with bull bars.
Now them ramming the jeep is another story.

And trust me if you have been attacked by a bull and lucky enough to get away with a few broken ribs you would be using a jeep to herd them.

I do not have anything against the animals, I just know from expierence how dangerous they can be

Well, in that case I still don't see any argument for the use of bull bars.

Unless of course, your 'angry', 'wild' bulls always wait until you are in your jeep, and then only attack the front.

OldmanMondeo

kbannon wrote:

@ bigkev49 & oldmanmondeo - I still haven't seen a convincing argument for allowing farm/commercial vehicles to keep them - maybe you can provide one?

I was thinking more for forestry workers, ESB when they need to get to remote locations off road. I was not thinking of the adverage account who buys a 4x4 and sticks a set of bull bars on the front. The usage of these should be strictly controlled. But then again, the goverment don't even want give the funds and resourses need to the Garda to much else.

littlejukka

mloc123 wrote:

Oh enlighten me then :rolleyes:

hitting a soft object (like a child's head) with a big lump of steel like a bullbar is going to cause massive damage whether it's bolted to the bumper or bolted to the chassis. for that matter, it'd still cause injury without the van/4x4 attached to it.

mloc123

littlejukka wrote:

hitting a soft object (like a child's head) with a big lump of steel like a bullbar is going to cause massive damage whether it's bolted to the bumper or bolted to the chassis. for that matter, it'd still cause injury without the van/4x4 attached to it.

Oh well I'm glad you cleared that up because my very basic knowledge of physics had me thinking that force = mass x acceleration... now I know that the force of the van/4x4 hitting a child is completly irrelevant and that the important thing is if its a 'big lump of steel' or a nice smooth bumper....