Bullbars: are they necessary?

[cyberess]

In our 4WD club we drive a lot of tracks may get driven only once every 2 to 3 yrs  -- being in the tropics where at times the spear grass, scrubs and small trees can make a track disappear, yes our front bars, bash plates do take a hammering.  Without our bars we simply couldn't drive these tracks  -- plus I wouldn't have anywhere to mount my winch.

  

[GraemeL]

Well I fall into the new 4x4 owner category and have just posted a thread about all the extras I have added and a bull bar and winch are among them.
If you looked at my car, you would think that I too am a "Bitumen Cowboy" because the car is nice and shiny, but it does have a couple of bush pin stripes, although they are fairly light.

The reason for fitting one is because our new Dmax will be used as a tourer in the very near future. Hopefully I won't need to do a lot of night travel, but I would still prefer to have it just in case.
The down side of  having the bar and winch fitted, meant I also had to do a suspension upgrade, but I am guessing I would have had to get that done eventually anyway, even without the bar.

[Mallory Black]

we have an alloy bar so it looks the part but it ain't the part if you know what I mean

[tanz]

Must have Bullbar for sure! Just this evening before I left work, I witnessed a mum picking her child up from the dance class opposite work reversing her Prado into a sign post out the front. Didn't even phase her as she broke off the post!

[nbd73]

Must have Bullbar for sure! Just this evening before I left work, I witnessed a mum picking her child up from the dance class opposite work reversing her Prado into a sign post out the front. Didn't even phase her as she broke off the post!

Forgive me if I read this wrong, but you said she was REVERSING, so I am a tad confused how a bull bar would help. Or is that your whole point?

[chisel]

Interesting, this would imply every vehicle on the road in this area should be fitted with a bar.
So far most people have stated the very valid safety aspect, which as I said in the OP I am not disputing, but 4wd's are not the only style of vehicle to travel the roads in these high risk areas or times of day. So why do so few passenger vehicles get bars fitted in comparison? Are the drivers/owners of these vehicles less safety conscious than 4wd owners?

^^^^
This
Go to any largish country town and you might find a few cars with bullbars but many/most do not.  When I was young we lived in the bush but never had bullbars on our cars.  Didn't stop us driving when we wanted.  I recall many roos and cows on the road but can't recall ever hitting one.  Maybe we were lucky.
I'm now a city-slicker that gets out in the bush now and then and I have a bullbar on my current 4wd (came with one).  Great for putting a rod-holder on for fishing and for protecting the front when occasionally bumping things in the scrub but I'm not sure I'll get one on any new 4wd.  For a start the steel ones weigh a bloody ton ... which comes straight out of your GVM.  But if you want a winch or spotties they are almost a necessity (but cue the debate about needing those things...).

[duggie]

One other thing to consider for town users - cars are designed to minimise damage to pedestrians, cyclists who inadvertently decide to become a hood ornament. Bull bar - no chance. If the bull bar is for decoration and not going to be used in the bush - then any advantage given to saving life's in an accident is worthwhile.
If roos are most likely accident - get a bar.
Driving round town - no bar.

Living in far north Queensland and traveling the roads that I do I will not have a 4x4 without a decent bullbar, thats correct a BULLBAR. Most bars sold today are showpony bars, they may stop damage from a small roo but they will not proctect you much from a BULL. But  they may still save your 4x4 enough to be able to keep on driving.

I was put in an unfortunate position two years ago when a bloke that I worked with on the mine site happened to walk from behind a bus and waltz straight out on the road in front of me, he had just came of a twelve hour night shift and had been asleep on the bus when his driver woke him up at his stop. Still half asleep he got of the bus and just walked across the road.

I did see him untill he had cleared the by now turning out busses rear end and was in the middle of the left lane in dirrect line with my bull bar.

As he went under my field of vision, I was waiting for a bump from his body been either run over with my wheels or at least a bump from his body hitting the underside of my Nissan. It did not come, the bull bar saved his life , He may not even been aware of how he reacted at the time but as he got hit and started to fall , he wrapped his arm around the tubing of the bullbar and hung on until I came to a fullstop. Burised and blue for a few days, yes he was, but he was alive. Without the bullbar been upfront he would have went under the Nissan and came out the rear a hell of a lot worse for wear.

Bullbars are a hell of a lot more than looks.

Cheers duggie

[grafy82]

If you're worried about spendin 2k on a bullbar remember, 1 decent animal strike and you'll be up for a lot more than that. Also, you usually take into account any accessories that are or may be fitted before getting the right spring rate with your suspension lift. Probably best to get the bullbar first. If it only saves you once a year, its a good year.

[SteveandViv]

Forgive me if I read this wrong, but you said she was REVERSING, so I am a tad confused how a bull bar would help. Or is that your whole point?

I think it was to save him if she decided to revers into him as she did the post - quite funny really.

[PeaBrainPete]

As he went under my field of vision, I was waiting for a bump from his body been either run over with my wheels or at least a bump from his body hitting the underside of my Nissan. It did not come, the bull bar saved his life , He may not even been aware of how he reacted at the time but as he got hit and started to fall , he wrapped his arm around the tubing of the bullbar and hung on until I came to a fullstop. Burised and blue for a few days, yes he was, but he was alive. Without the bullbar been upfront he would have went under the Nissan and came out the rear a hell of a lot worse for wear.

Sometimes wearing a seatbelt will hold you in the car rather than being thrown clear - goes to show if your number is up (or not)  your number is up (or not).  I would still wear a seatbelt and take the risk on being 'the rule' rather than 'the exception'.

[duggie]

Sometimes wearing a seatbelt will hold you in the car rather than being thrown clear - goes to show if your number is up (or not)  your number is up (or not).  I would still wear a seatbelt and take the risk on being 'the rule' rather than 'the exception'.

It was a bit hard for the guy to wear a seat belt, as stated in my story he was on foot, he walked out on the road in front of me  ??

[UR-50-LO]

Organised to buy one Saturday. A bit of reading and I come to realize I can't get it now as I have airbags in the car and need a compatible bullbar, and they are only $1000 dearer then this non compatible bar   Soooo disappointed!!!

[GraemeL]

Had mine fitted today and it looks great, certainly adds a bit of length to the car.

[markymark]

We have bullbars on both of our 4wds as we pass roo's nearly every single day to work and back home. This morning we had about 50 of them in the front paddock! On occasion we get deer and loose cows and sheep.

On a similar note (driving light debate) we have good lights. Both vehicles have Phillps 100+ globes, the missus a pair of Blitz 240's and I've recently put some HID's in my old no-name driving lights.

[Barry G]

It was a bit hard for the guy to wear a seat belt, as stated in my story he was on foot, he walked out on the road in front of me  ??

Duggie, PeaBraiinPete was making an analogy with the exceptions which were used to justify not wearing seatbelts.  He was saying that your experience would appear to be the exception in terms of pedestrian interaction with bull bars.

[Barry G]

If I might define 'necessity' from the perspective of a city highway driver (me) who is kitting out his beast for the big trip.
Can I do the lap safely without a bull bar... IMO 'yes', on the basis that I intend driving only in daylight hours and at a cruising speed, rather than on the limit all the time.
However,I may fit on alloy one for better approach angles and a bit more security anyway.

[alnjan]

Plenty of vehicles do big country miles without bullbars.  Just for the extra confidence if you don't want a steel bar, which I can understand then look at on of the smart bars before an alloy bar.  Just my thought. 

http://www.smartbar.com.au/

We have them on the work vehicles and they seem okay. 

Just looked, don't worry about the smart bars as they don't seem to have one for the subarus

[PeaBrainPete]

Thanks B&B, the shortness of my response did make it a little cryptic.
Thanks Duggie, good story. Is your sleepy mate who attached himself to your bullbar still a friend? 
I bet you were relieved when your friend was OK.

[#jonesy]

It is interesting the number who "see" Roos regularly vs the ones who actually hit them. One my way to work I regularly see Roos but have never hit one.  100's or 100's of cars travel the same roads every day and also only on the odd occasion does someone clean one up.  I'd say odds are in favour of NOT hitting one in many circumstances.

Many bars also reduce the impact absorption of vehicles, thereby increasing the injury risk to occupants and/or the occupants of the other vehicle.

No doubt some locations are more prone to striking Roos and bars are needed

[GeoffA]

.......... I'd say odds are in favour of NOT hitting one in many circumstances.........

Possibly, but when your number is up.......

We all make an assessment of the risks based on our experiences and perceptions. Don't assume that things will always happen the way you expect. It's when the unforeseen happens that you can get caught out......

[nbd73]

It is interesting the number who "see" Roos regularly vs the ones who actually hit them. One my way to work I regularly see Roos but have never hit one.  100's or 100's of cars travel the same roads every day and also only on the odd occasion does someone clean one up.  I'd say odds are in favour of NOT hitting one in many circumstances.

Many bars also reduce the impact absorption of vehicles, thereby increasing the injury risk to occupants and/or the occupants of the other vehicle.

No doubt some locations are more prone to striking Roos and bars are needed

Jonesy, what about wearing seatbelts? Applying this logic would suggest we don't need to wear them either. Fair enough vehicles come standard with them and its law to wear them at all times, just that the theory is the same. The comment about "when your number is up..." is spot on: if you regularly or intend to drive in an environment where wild life is an issue then the ramifications of that one off incident probably outweigh any costs involved in fitting protective gear. My OP was not really questioning the merits of bar fitment under those circumstances, more asking about the plethora of shopping trolley/people mover 4wd's that still have them fitted. For 95% of suburban duties they seem an absolute must for so many, yet people are always looking for bargains and tight on $ when it comes to other accessories that would or could be so much more beneficial for the majority of their motoring time.

[markymark]

It is interesting the number who "see" Roos regularly vs the ones who actually hit them. One my way to work I regularly see Roos but have never hit one.  100's or 100's of cars travel the same roads every day and also only on the odd occasion does someone clean one up.  I'd say odds are in favour of NOT hitting one in many circumstances.

A good point. For all the ones we see we've only hit one but had many near misses where they've jumped out seemingly nowhere (heads down feeding on the long grass) and appear right in front of the vehicle. Seen many dead ones that neighbours have hit. Roos are very unpredictable with no road sense and many times we've sat behind some as they jump from one side to the other and back again! Our 5km road home is a winding single vehicle wide dirt track, long grass and trees both sides. No doubt I'll go pass a few this morning on the way to work.

Mark.

[GeoffA]

A good point............. Roos are very unpredictable........

Sheep are smarter........

[nbd73]

Sheep are smarter........

Kiwi in disguise

[SteveandViv]

I had never hit any either until we lived up here. We hit nothing going across aus twice on our way here but now I drive these roads every two week. It could be to Cape Leveque or to Halls Creek or up the Gibb. I must say I've only got two up here but it's the cows that worry us as even i n the day they can really ruin your day. They have a habit of just blending in and then walking out in font of you. That's why you'll see us that live up here slow right down even when the cow is looking the other way. As for the Roos, the worst I'v seen was heading from Catherine to Dailywaters, we hit three on the way and missed three.