Driving tests & legal vehicles

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mrfxit, Mar 3, 4:47am
Son just informed me of several ppl going for their driving tests that have been failed on the test for things like no high level brake light on a vehicle that legally does not need 1 because it wasn't fitted at the factory.(not OEM)

mrfxit, Mar 3, 4:57am
SO. the question would be how would it be possible for the driving testers to fail such a vehicle that does NOT legally need a high level stop light.
Howe could they override the govt regs

cammey, Mar 3, 5:02am
They possibly thought the vehicle should have had one, when it did not, and just liked the idea of an paid hour off, and a new test fee.

Formal complaint to NZTA required I would suggest.

noswalg, Mar 3, 5:17am
They can't but if it does have one and its not working they can, on what info is your son basing these allegations? Is he in the industry?

franc123, Mar 3, 5:26am
They're not overriding them, if the light doesn't work it will be chucked out regardless of whether its required to have one or not. If its not required to have one as per the above criteria there's nothing stopping you ripping the unit off and shoving it in the testers pocket or else getting the race tape out and covering it up. Common sense I'd have thought.

snoopy221, Mar 3, 5:39am
mmmm presumption is they are sitting the test in a class MA vehicle first registered in NZ after 1 Jan 1990.
This you need to confirm FIRST.
And incidentally have actually personally noticed a lot of em out there recently that should have had a hi stop fitted and haven't and are warranted.

smac, Mar 3, 6:29am
3rd hand info, not worth worrying about mrfxit.

franc123, Mar 3, 6:46am
Got a sticky rectangle on the back window have they? Ye old body mount tape dun like the UV rays too much and does the part company thing is da biggest cause of that issue.

snoopy221, Mar 3, 6:54am
nah seen a lot of class MA vans without that should have.

mrfxit, Mar 3, 7:48am
Yea my 95 Nissan van doesn't have a high stop light & pass's wof.
The bolt holes are there but theres a factory black round sticker over the cable hole. (there are the same stickers in other places)

mrfxit, Mar 3, 7:52am
A little more clarity, Apparently the vehicles in question simply don't have high stop lights because they are pre 90's & were never fitted later.
Son is getting right in to the retro scene these days because he's got a 1980 Mk4 Cortina & his best mate has a 1978 Lancer

mrfxit, Mar 3, 7:53am
Agreed mostly not of concern but with all the other issues going on with the AA in all sorts of fields . yea maybe a bit of clarity is good.

franc123, Mar 3, 8:11am
In which case there is no issue, it should be obvious to anyone that the first rego date is before 1990, heck if its still got the original black and silver Jxxxxx plate on there it should speak for itself. They have to come up with a better reason than that to reject the car.

franc123, Mar 3, 8:13am
This is a Caravan/Homy van? Its not a MA class if so.

noswalg, Mar 3, 8:14am
i'm no expert in the field and I have heard stories around pass/fail quotas for AA testers, but recent experience ws my son (19) passing his full licence test first time round, he could of failed for passing a stationary school bus at 29kph (he thought the limit was 30kph) but the tester was impressed with the rest of the test and chose to lecture him instead, also pointed out 3 other minor areas he should focus on and gave him a pass. A very human approach I thought. This was not done through AA though, on a side note I did some hazard i.d training last week and a random question thrown at us was what is the legal speed limit past a stationary school bus. 6 out of the 9 adults got it wrong. myself not included :)

snoopy221, Mar 3, 8:45am
They are challangeable on that and NEED to have their testers CHECK the date of first registration showing on the registration sticker
Note pre 1990 imports first regoed 1991 in N Z are NOT exempt from MA hi stop rules.
Make a case and get a refund-

kazbanz, Mar 3, 9:27am
Ive had no end of trouble with those little Nazi's In one case a customer came storming in to me -test officer refused to take him for his test because the "indicators" didn't work in a jeep Cherokee.
This was a fresh complied vehicle -new wof.
The indicators worked perfectly --the fake plastic covers on the corners --with not even facility for a bulb-not so much
Thing is that they have all the power regardless if right or wrong.

smac, Mar 3, 9:57am
Y'all are either thinking too much, or ranting just a little too easily.

A poster's son told him SEVERAL (my emphasis) people he knows (or knows of?) failed their tests because they showed in non-complaint vehicles, things like no high-stop brake light when none required.

And you go with that?

pfft

tamarillo, Mar 3, 10:58am
Snoopys comment might be the clue, just because it's a 1985 car if it was imported here after 1990 it still needs a high stop. Problem with that is the tester wouldn't know when it was first nz registered.
Surely it's up to wof station not driving instructor to check this.
OP, can your son verify any of this with his mates as fact? Not being rude but stories can get twisted in teenagers (ok and adults) minds. If factual you could provide the kid with evidence they need to complain.

mrfxit, Mar 3, 7:46pm
LOL yep agreed, teenagers often get things a little twisted but crud like this comes up often enough that theres probably some truth to it there somewhere.

1 daughter got failed for going through a pedestrian crossing while somebody was on it & fair enough too normally, but in this case it was a crossing with a pedestrian island in the middle & the person was just starting on the opposite side of the road to her, (far right side).
Daughter gave up & wouldn't let us follow up on that little gem.

mrfxit, Mar 3, 7:50pm
Mmm yep noted that when I brought it but it appears to have never been fitted, also because it's an 8 seater passenger vehicle, I was shocked to see that there was NO release latch/lever for the inside of the back door.
As supplied from the factory, it appears.

martin11, Mar 3, 7:58pm
The AA do not do testing the are just agents for it NZDL are the testing agents till 01/05/15 then VTNZ take it over .
There is no quota for the testers they are just on an hourly wage with NZDL .

kazbanz, Mar 3, 8:02pm
Mate honestly the tester gets it in their head the vehicle is not road legal then they refuse to do the test. RIGHT THEN it doesn't matter how right the person sitting the test may be or how the car may be 100% road legal
simple fact is they allocate a time slot to do the test. You argue with them for a couple of minutes then get their supervisor involved to confirm you are right. Then the 5 minutes is up and you have to rebook.
More time off work etc
even if you win the argument-you loose

snoopy221, Mar 3, 9:01pm
Not really kaz as the year of the vehicle won't change and the written reason for failure on the cancelled test report won't change either-so a precedent can be set-and a new regime.

martin11, Mar 3, 9:08pm
What a load of rubbish you say !