We are getting right off the track here but a couple of comments from Down
- Under, where the bullbar equipped 4WD is endemic in suburbia.
I have a friend who is a accident and emergency nurse who tells me that
it's routine procedure for paramedics transporting an injured pedestrian to
forewarn the A&E department if the vehicle was fitted with a bullbar
because the injuries (including internal injuries) are almost always much
more severe.
Even here in open plan Canberra, where kangaroos in suburban streets are
very common (they feed on my lawn most nights) the numbers of 'roo strikes
is still fairly small - of the order of 50 per month in a city of 300,000
population with one of the highest per capita car ownerships in the world.
Bullbars are often fitted to ordinary cars here too, where they can
transmit accident loads in ways that the designers never intended, often
negating the carefully contrived crumple zones, and also leading to
improper function of airbags. Both effects increasing occupant
injury. There are the odd silly examples of people disconnecting their
airbags so they can fit a bullbar! They are also used for attachment of
things like driving lights, fishing rod holders, radio antennae and other
sharp and stiff objects. Those of you familiar with "Roy and HG" - very
Aussie humourists and sports commentators who now also regularly appear to
commentate on Wimbledon in the UK - will be amused to learn of the spoof
advert they did once for the "Slaven-Nelson spiked bullbar - really brings
home the bacon..."
Arthur Brandwood
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