Igor Morzharetto, Sergey Smirnov
How many copies were broken when they discussed “their own” regulations (ЗР, 2010, No. 10). The drafters of the new document, it seems, immediately forgot about it. But an international document will have more power than a national one - this is directly stated in our Constitution. So, the project should be discussed as widely as possible. But his text was found with great difficulty.
And in it - the right wheel is again prohibited! As an exception, “vehicles for utilities and road maintenance, the right-hand steering arrangement of which is determined by technological necessity,” are indicated. Yes, the signatory states are also allowed to use right-hand drive buses. Which, in principle, is unacceptable from the point of view of passenger safety - they will have to go directly to the carriageway. Fine!
In a word, the document, entitled as a “safety regulation”, is again used as a means of economic pressure. After all, the increased potential danger of such cars is not confirmed. I would like to see test or research data, but they are not. And what should the owners of the "right-handed" Japanese women do in such a situation, of whom about one and a half million are in the Russian park?
“We have Belarusian and Kazakh partners who have resolved this problem unequivocally: only the left-hand drive is allowed in their countries, and we cannot help but reckon with this,” explains the position of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, head of the automotive industry department Alexei Rakhmanov. - But we are not going to refuse those provisions that are enshrined in current Russian legislation. I don’t see any reason to worry. A direct ban on the right wheel in our country will not be introduced. But everyone should understand: the general rules for the import of even single copies of such cars will be tightened.”
So, according to Mr. Rakhmanov, Russian motorists who already have a registered right-hand drive car will not infringe on their rights. For them, apparently, they will only restrict entry to Kazakhstan and Belarus (however, formally the restrictions are valid now). But the government will steadily strive to ensure that the requirements imposed by the TRP are fully respected. “Cars that do not meet these requirements have no right to drive on our roads, and it doesn’t matter which side they have a steering wheel on! - the official is getting excited. “We are not going to invent any special measures to get rid of the“right-handed”.”
According to A. Rakhmanov, the general principles of car safety in the country, approved by the current regulations, for the most part simply migrated to a new document. The project also prohibits the use of “kangarins” in cars and trucks (weighing up to 3.5 tons). But the restriction does not apply to all-terrain vehicles and heavy trucks. Why? Are they less dangerous in the event of a collision?
Again, as far as we know, no studies and tests on this subject have been conducted. It is incomprehensible and inexplicable that the requirement to install anti-lock brakes on all cars … except for cars! Cars without ABS are allowed to be manufactured and imported until 2020 (the same has been prohibited in the EU since 2004). But the regulations set out in detail the requirements for the operation of the air conditioner, up to the minimum and maximum air flow rates in different parts of the cabin. Is that a safety concern too? Or the desire to load familiar labs involved in certification?
