Joe's NB8B

[greenMachine]

Thanks Joe. Big loss!!

Knowing a little of the history of motorsport in that precinct, and the tight controls on the hillclimb next door, I suspect

1. exclusion (or possibly just non-inclusion) of motorsport in his insurance policies (possibly his lease too);

2. ACT government sensitivity to noise complains from residents across the NSW border (see hillclimb), especially if he has a lease renewal coming up soonish.

As you say, MGCCC have run these for donkeys years with no drama, paid their hire fees, providing lots of fun for and training for grown-ups and not-so-grown-ups. Including me (not saying which category I fall into!)!

I wish you and your colleagues good luck with a replacement venue, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!!

[ManiacLachy]

That sucks, and ultimately short-sighted. I'm thinking insurance pressures as well.

[Jeo]

And the 2023 Australian Motorkhana Championship is run and done.

Is the second time I've run this event but the first was almost a decade ago. A couple of flag hits saw me well off the pace, but even without those penalties I was safe in my position of 4th/4 in class. End result was 47/62 overall.

Weather was stupid. Saturday practice was the first time in a years where I didn't drive the whole session. The car did fine, but I just couldn't cope with back to back runs in the heat. Still got 20+ runs in though which is more than a whole day of competition usually contains so that was fun. Also managed to spend most of my time practicing the reversing tests which we don't get to do in Canberra, so that's always a good experience.

Sunday was race day and somehow it was even hotter than the day before. The wind somewhat helped to cool things down in the morning but then later called a premature finish to the competition after gusts kept rearranging the courses. Wasn't particularly happy to only get half a day of driving in, but was very happy to get out of the sun.

[Jeo]

Soooo the car may have sat unregistered for not quite a year now...

But then I fixed that last week! Left the battery on charge over night, and then watched it fire up one the second turn of the key. Let it idle for a minute or two before moving it into the garage and changing the oil. Checked plugs, pumped up the tyres, and away we went. Drove it to work and spent most of the day pondering next steps for the car.

Being kicked out of our local motorkhana venue really killed my enjoyment of the car over the last year but I think I'm currently leaning more towards the car as an 'occasional pleasant street drive' kind of vibe. Dunno. Will see how that plays out over the next few months.

Also this happened.


Booster seat for the 7yo and her first drive today. She thoroughly enjoyed it so of course I did too.

[bruce]

Not having a go at you. But is it legal to use a booster seat in a front seat? I've never seen it done in a 4 door car.

[greenMachine]

Not having a go at you. But is it legal to use a booster seat in a front seat? I've never seen it done in a 4 door car.

Must be.



Circa 1976 photo of Markone in the 'Safensound' car seat, in the Bugeyes.

He did a few trips, including one cold night visiting friends down the other end of Canberra. The people in the car beside us at the lights in Civic were either vastly amused, or vastly horrified, it was hard to tell which. As we all know, a heater and a wind blocker are great for top down motoring in cold weather, and that seat worked well as a windblocker.

[Jeo]

Can't speak to other states but the ACT is...

Child seats
<0.5 - must be rear facing
0.5<4 - must have full harness and may be rear or forward facing
4<8 - must be forward facing, full harness recommended
8+ - child seat recommended

And then for putting child seats in the front...

For cars with more than one row of seats
8+ - Recommended to sit in the rear until 12 but not required
4<8 - only in the back unless all rears seats are occupied by younger children
<4 - only in the back

Or for cars with only one row of seats
8+ - Not recommended until 12 but no restriction
0.5<8 - no restrictions as long as you comply with all other regular seat requirements
<0.5 - only if there is no airbag and you comply with all other regular seat requirements


The thing that normally ruins you is that all seats must be properly fastened. Which means if the seat has a rear tether, which basically every seat does, then you must attach it to an approved anchor point. And very few two seater cars have an anchor point (apparently the NB did in some markets but never in Australia, no idea about other models).

Only a handful of booster seats in Australia don't have a rear tether, and they really only fit kids from ~115cm and up. So while in theory the law says a 4yo could sit in an MX5 in a booster seat - you'd be hard pressed to find one that would legally fit the kid, unless the kid in question is unreasonably tall.


This was actually a plot point in an episode of Bluey last year called The Sign. Bluey got to sit in the front seat because three younger kids were in the back, with mum searching the law on her phone before they took off. They then got pulled over and the cop had to look up the law himself, which then lead to a discussion about it. I assume therefore it's also a law in Qld? Maybe don't take legal advice from a cartoon dog though.

[rascal]

Maybe don't take legal advice from a cartoon dog though.

[bruce]

All life's problems can be solved by Bluey.