Article heard on CBC Canada today...

B.C. tries to put brakes on right-hand-drive cars
Last Updated: Friday, December 22, 2006 | 1:44 PM PT
CBC News
They are in excellent mechanical shape with low mileage, but used right-hand-drive vehicles from Japan are raising safety concerns in British Columbia.

Provincial officials are concerned the vehicles might be dangerous in passing situations and have asked Transport Canada to step in.

Mike Woods, manager for vehicle inspections in the province, said that while there's no evidence of accidents caused by right-hand-drive vehicles, officials need more time to determine their safety record.

"There is some concern, and the Insurance Corp. of B.C. is probably looking at that quite closely, and I'm certain that the Insurance Bureau of Canada is also looking into it," Woods said.

Some officials worry the cars may be dangerous when passing because the driver's range of vision is limited on the outside of the road.

All cars imported from Japan ùwhere motorists drive on the left-hand side of the road ù are at least 15 years old because federal laws place restrictions on newer cars.

However, B.C. officials have asked Transport Canada to extend that to 25 years in an attempt to reduce the number of right-hand-drive cars entering the province.

About 175 Japanese right-hand-drive cars are registered in B.C. every month ù a number that has grown steadily, provincial officials say.

One of them is owned by Thomas Nottelman, who imported his 16-year-old Toyota Corolla and several other cars from Japan. Because Japan has tough mechanical regulations and regular inspections, he said, its second-hand cars are prized.

Many of them have "never seen an accident, they've never seen dirt, they certainly don't have any rust, and they're exceptionally low mileage," Nottelman said.

"So you can't buy anything comparable here, unless you happen to find a little old lady's car."

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2006/12/22/japanesecars.html#skip300x250

In another post when I warned everybody about what the ICBC and Customs people told me turns out to be more than just rumors.

That bites. I was dreaming of eventually upgrading to a 93 or 94 XRII, V26WG... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> . I esp liked the part where the official said there was no evidence of safety issues, but they were going to be looking more closely (ie making up some BS). What a bunch of crap. This is being driven by the auto industry, plain and simple. Well they can kis... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> I better stop, before I get to the end <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> . Heheh.... get it?

Sorry. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

yea well. this $hit is bound to happen sometime, I already have my pajero so I'm happy, they can't take it away from me. it would be nice to import a 96 or 97 Hilux Surf down the road but oh well.

Guess I better get hopping before I become a permanent groupie. This is the same kind of crap we gun guys have been dealt for decades. "We have no evidence, but they look dangerous so we're going to restrict/ban them" Never mind that criminals are using whatever stolen or smuggled gun they feel like using.

Any idea how fast the Feds will co-operate with BC, if at all? A year? less?

The used auto industry in Calgary have jumped on the importing bandwagon. Most imported RHD cars I see in the Auto Trader are on dealer lots!

WRONG - it will be very easy for them to show that Nissan Skylines have a much higher accident rate than other vehicles. Remember - these are predominantly imported by young men who want fast cars... The meaningful comparison is for a given cohort of drivers was there a higher incidence of accidents after purchase of RHD vehicle. What are the odds that ICBC is up to snuff on inclusion bias in studies? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

ICBC will have a lot easier time of pulling something like this off. They are a monopoly insurance carrier in BC with very few checks and balances to their power. One day they will double the insurance rates for RHDs and BC'ers will just have to suck it up and say "yes sir..." But in Alberta, we have a conservative government who has already kicked the insurance agency's asses a couple times over rates as well as over mandatory vehicle inspections (now illegal in AB for an insurance agancy to demand you get a vehicle inspection before they insure it.)

So they will have to do some fancy footwork before they can hike rates here.

As to extending the import age to 25 years, I agree that this is auto makers whispering in politician's ears. And RHD owners don't have a large enough lobbying force to influence politics. We are the freaks who drive on the "wrong side." I, too, was looking forward to a 3ltr Toyota Surf sitting beside the Paj in the driveway.

I guess we'll see.

Just to be clear, It's illegal for them to ask for the result of any inspection prior to insuring? So, I should be able to insure it before it passes the OOP inspection?

im pretty sure out of province they can say no until you get it done...or you may get the 14 days grace just like a normal safety inspection. im not entirely sure