[navin]

Bull bars are those large metal extentions that many SUV owners and a few cars add to their front fender. Mostly I have seen them on the Tata Sumo, Toyota Quallis, and Mahindra Bolero and a few Tata Indica.

1. Are they legal?
2. Are there any norms (size, shape, taxis and commercial vehicles only, etc...)?
3. What are the possible implications if one has a bull bar that does not meet with the norms?

Reason I ask.

One 2 occasions in the past year I have been hit by a SUV having a Bull Bar. In both cases I was a passenger and the driver and car were different and in both cases the car we were in was standing still (once at a red light and once in traffic) and it was obvous the driver of the car (SUV) that hit us was not paying attention.

These bull bars can do a lot of damage to your car even at slower speeds. So far I have let my insurance fix my car but neverthelss it pains me to loose use of my car while the SUV driver laughs it off as his vehicle is left unscathed.

[deepakhon]

I guess they should be. Fiat Adventure has bull bars as one of its features.

[1100D]

Bull Bars , legal or illegal, unless it comes standard from the manufacturer adversely affects the working of the crumple Zones. Modern cars are designed to collapse in stages, which determines how hard or soft certain components in the line of impact are. When you add a hard component and then mount it to something behind the first soft impact component, you are definitely at risk.

Maybe you'll smile when you inflict minor injuries, but you'll suffer more at bigger impact.

[deepakhon]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Bull Bars , legal or illegal, unless it comes standard from the manufacturer adversely affects the working of the crumple Zones.

Agree with you here. The other day I and my friend were discussing about the bull bar we saw on an Innova. We just wanted to check whether the vehicle had air bags. The reason we were trying to check was that if it had air bags and if the sensors were on the front bumpers, would the bull bars not hamper the activation of air bags upon collision, if not fixed properly?

In my previous post, I was just trying to talk about the legal aspect of bull bars.

As you said, if it does not come directly from the manufacturer, there is a certain danger of having it as an after market fitment.

[kvish]

The bull bar in the FIAT adventure is fitted by the manufacturer and I was told that its the only one which is approved.... (may be the dealer was referring to the sub 7L cars)

[condor]

Originally Posted by navin

These bull bars can do a lot of damage to your car even at slower speeds.

Even without the bull-bar, a hit still hurts.
Getting a bull-bar is more for protection, but ironically, depending on the situation, the weapon of defence becomes a weapon of offence ..

Dont know abt the cars, but the UV's have factory made mount points, and the accessory manufacturers make these to the specs [mount points] for the vehicles.

I need one for the back side too - another bike rear-ended me today :(

[Mad Monkey]

Originally Posted by deepakhon

Agree with you here. The other day I and my friend were discussing about the bull bar we saw on an Innova. We just wanted to check whether the vehicle had air bags. The reason we were trying to check was that if it had air bags and if the sensors were on the front bumpers, would the bull bars not hamper the activation of air bags upon collision, if not fixed properly?

In my previous post, I was just trying to talk about the legal aspect of bull bars.

As you said, if it does not come directly from the manufacturer, there is a certain danger of having it as an after market fitment.

In theory airbags should work as the sensor is an accelerometer ...

[Mpower]

When I was in CHennai 2 weeks ago, we got scraped by a OMNI taxi's bull bar.

There was a time when the SUMO came with factory fitted bull bars, but not anymore. Also its kinda gone out of fashion now. There was a time in the 90s when people used to fit them to Maruti 800s.

Coming to the question, I dont think they are illegal when fitted as an after market accesory, otherwise the cops would have a field day stopping cars and fining them.

[navin]

Like they stop cars with windows tinted darker than the norms? Like they stop cars without functioning brake lights or indicators?

[nitrous]

There was a time when the SUMO came with factory fitted bull bars, but not anymore.

True.My '97 sumo had it until i made a major revamp and removed the bull-bar because i read on the forum that it'll cause serious injuries to pedestrians if hit.

[autozealot]

Bull bars may protect your car from being scratched/ damaged by some maniac reversing his car when you are right behind him or some learner who is not able to lift the car from a stationery position perhaps from a signal where the road is at an inclination.
Yes, how can we forget our mumbai's taxiwallas who think that all cars are ruf & tuf like their premier padminis. and also the handcarts & cyclist for whom traffic laws are just alien thoughts.

All in all, small collisions can be averted, but nothing more than that.

az

[mail4ajo]

Bull bars are absolutely nonsense. The vehicles sporting them dont require that extra front protection. It is designed to do maximum damage to the object that it touches.

Moreover frontal impact might damage the chassis. The bumpers must absorb the impact and crack. Else it puts pressure on the engine.

[vinu99@gmail.co]

Legal or Illegal, it does a great deal of damage to those who gets a hit. A real threat to the pedestrians as well as other cars.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by nitrous

True.My '97 sumo had it until i made a major revamp and removed the bull-bar because i read on the forum that it'll cause serious injuries to pedestrians if hit.

he he he

to a pedestrian, being hit by a bull bar or naked bumper doesn't make much difference.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

to a pedestrian, being hit by a bull bar or naked bumper doesn't make much difference.

Well the EU thinks otherwise and has enforced strict pedestrian impact norms which forces car designers to use soft surfaces on the cars front structure. The famous RR front grille might be at risk too.