We are over governed in my opinion, but I also fall on the side of the government on this one. A commercial operator goes through a great many hoops and great expense to set-up, insure, market and grow a compliant, safe and viable company. I wouldn't have the foggiest what the profit margins are like but wouldn't imagine they'd be massive and they do not need competition that doesn't have the same overheads, compliance or even safety level doing it for less and taking valuable customers from them. This isn't about someone taking their nephew/son/daughter/kid next door to their formal for nothing and out of the goodness of your heart.
The issues of the levels of maintenance of these "backyarders" is a very good one and I'm sure some of them will say "Nah mate, it's good enough"... It might be good enough if the person looking after it is a qualified mechanic or even a fairly switched-on amateur, but then again who is liable if (when) a bodgied-up backyard steering/suspension/brake repair goes really wrong and someone gets really hurt or even worse? The person who did the work and the person who authorised the work are the ones the law and insurance companies will chase.
I'm not sure if it is still going (just googled it and it is) but there are some companies that do this sort of vehicle hire anyway and have gone to extraordinary lengths (and spent really big money) to get these cars to an industry standard and try to earn a living with them. These type of operations are the ones that loose out the most when back yarders get involved: http://www.classicchevyhirecars.com.au/
Nunc est bibendum...
There is nothing new as far as red tape is concerned. The people who are making money out of their cars were either unintentionally unaware or were cutting corners. Every business needs a public liability insurance. Nothing new there. That no doubt was only one corner that is being cut.
I am pretty sure that the way around the red tape that lots of people "may" do, off the record lol, is if your a member of a car club and have club registration you are "supposedly" ok to accept payment as long as it's a "donation" to the car club of which you are a financial member.
I know the club I'm a member of used to do it, but it got knocked on the head for most of the reasons above.
A very nice looking Chevy !!!!
Ps. A mate of mine wants me and my ute to help him move house. He said he would pay for the fuel and give me a couple of bottles of rum. Do I need a special licence.? Does this constitute running a 'business'?
As a one off between friends, no.
True it's stupid. It's reality though. If you take money to provide a service then you have an obligation to provide all the required things.
It costs me nearly 15000 a year to insure my farm for public liability and general insurance. Two years of no insurance and I would be lucky enough to restore my Sandman ute like everyone else.
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