Matt Greenop: Let's all get in on WoF proposals

Warrant of Fitness changes are being proposed. Photo / File

Don't poke the bear. That sage advice, meted out by someone who probably bore a claw mark or two, usually works well.

We seem to have poked a bear at NZ Transport, and another, larger, one at the Beehive with last week's cover story about the proposals for re-jigging the Warrant of Fitness system.

A letter from the industry bigwigs this week tore us a new one for not revealing the names of two people who shared information with us.

The fact that we made some of these possible changes to the system public was also a bone of contention, it seems. But we're not going to sit on information like this that could affect all of us so drastically. The WoF rule changes are only in the discussion and proposal stages, and won't be getting to a select committee for months.

Giving new cars a two year warrant could work. There are things to consider, like rentals and company cars that tend to get cared for to a lesser degree than privately owned cars.

If you pay for a shiny new machine yourself, it's likely to be treated like one of the family. But picking up a shiny new rental is a different proposition. Most of us know people who take exceeding factory operating parameters as a challenge. And company cars, well, we know what happens to them two years down the track, what kind of shape are these vehicles going to be in? You can guarantee that they won't get past Team Clipboard at VTNZ.

Things need to be looked at from every angle - as the Government is obviously trying to do. We're not trying to wind up the powers that be in the NZTA or the Ministry of Transport - we'd like our readers to add to the conversation though.

So join the Driven Select Committee - use the 'comment' link to add your ideas. We'll compile the best for next Saturday's issue and give you the chance to vote on the best in a poll on the website. Then we'll call on the Ministry and add Driven readers' views to their tower of discussion documents.