G-Wiz safety

[Phil]

This is just plain daft! It's surely stating the bleedin' obvious to say that a car which can't exceed 40mph in normal driving conditions is less likely to suffer a fatal or serious accident than the average gas guzzler which does 70 (or more). As for the school run, I have two things to rant: firstly, every time you put your kids in any car and drive off you are putting them at a lot more risk than using public transport; and you are also encouraging a sedentary lifestyle which will probably kill them a lot earlier anyway. (Yes, you've guessed, I feel strongly about this particular issue, sorry!)
On my more usual flippant note, I'm fascinated by GoinGreen's mention of the average speed of a G-Wiz journey being 10mph, as I believe that the average driving speed around London these days is considerably less than that - it seems it really is quicker to go electric, as well as cleaner!

[aminorjourney]

I'm really rather disappointed at the BBC for this attack. Perhaps we (am I counted?) should give a public statement?

When we went to Southall in November the guys and girls there could only quote a broken arm as the most severe injury sustained in an accident. No fatalities.

The same is true of the City El which is now in it's 20th year of manufacture. They've had no deaths at the wheel of a City El and it's even smaller than a G-Wiz (but similar numbers have been made throughout Europe - mine's serial number is in the 8000s and was made in 1998).

When you drive an EV your driving style is not one which promotes the sort of driving that leads to a head on collision at 40mph anyway. At least, it doesn't for me. I'm too busy trying to keep the current consumption low and fuel efficiency high!

It's also interesting to note that Top Gear picked the G-Wiz to have a go at and not any of the other microcars, trikes or quadricycles on the market.

Hmm.. That leads me to another point. Am I the only one who thinks Quad bikes on the road are just dumb? Being a farm girl I know how useful they are off road but I've seen them tipped over oh-so-easily before....

[bakerstreet]

I have made comments about this else ware on the site without realising it was being discussed here. Having read all the comments I wanted to give my initial thoughts. After seeing last nights ITN news I have to say it worried me. I use my g-wiz for my company and allow my staff to take customers out in it. I can not afford to have a ‘car’ that is capable of crashing in such a style, it would ruin me, my company and anyone else who was in that ‘car’. I can no longer call it a ‘car’ as this seems now to be a misrepresentation. I assumed, like some other people, that it was as a safe as a car and now I see it is not. I can not accept the ‘it is safer than a bicycle/motorbike’ argument, this vehicle is neither of these and I am one of many people who own a g-wiz who would never get on a motorbike (sorry if it sounds snobby but I know those things are dangerous). I appreciate that in central London you are unlikely to achieve over 20mph on Park Lane and 10-15 mph in general, but it’s not me who I worry about, it’s the other drivers. Yes a head on crash is unlikely but what about the person on the mobile phone who doesn’t realise the traffics stops and shunts into me causing me to shunt into the next vehicle and so on, that’s what I am really worried about. Sorry, but hear is one G-Wiz lover who is going to sell. I loath the way this country is getting health and safety mad, I feel we have gone too far, but I am s**t scared of being mangled in a vehicle crash and having my legs cut off to get the rest of me out. I expected a response from G-Wiz, any company that received the type of press they did last night and today had to comment. I too would like to know what tests REVA carried out and what extra measures they took to make the car safer before they launched it here, rather than the ‘we have sold X amount of cars, we have had no major accident’ press release. I feel they should have offered more reassurance than that, especially to the clients they already have.

[gilburton]

there have been all sorts of small vehicles on our roads for years on 2/3/4 wheels from bubblecars to kit cars and everything in between.Have kitcars with big engines been tested for safety? NO! but hundreds of people happily drive around in them.I think Top Gear is just anti anything that is not fast and expensive as any small car test barely gets a mention.If the G-Wiz was tested according to its weight/speed it would pass.Are people crashing in to mopeds etc.on a mass basis? NO look at the cycles/scooters in London do you see carnage on the streets? As others have commented you drive accordingly and avoid potential roads/hazards where the vehicle is out of place.I believe the Aixam has passed the "car" crash test although it doesn't need it

[Matt]

Keith Johnston was being telephone interviewed by Radio 4’s You and Yours earlier today about - guess what?. I can’t imagine he’s been getting much sleep lately.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours ... thu_07.ram

Matt

[sergei]

It is obvious that the G-Wiz frame is not as safe as other modern vehicles. Those who bought it for innovation, environmental impact, fun will continue to love it; those who were misled by its safety will sell. The good thing that may come out of this is that the price will go down, at £9,000 it is hugely overpriced, and we have paid because we love it. If there were at least 1 competitor to GG its true value should be around 6K.

[aminorjourney]

I do hate to say this but...

(Here's a disclaimer... it's my opinion below and not that of the GWOC or BVS or BEVOB or anyone else!)

I think it's astonishing that people are selling their cars immediately because of this, claiming ignorance on the car's legal status. Anyone with a mite of common sense or research skills would know that the G-Wiz is a quadricycle and doesn't have the same safety features as a high-spec car would. They would also know (or should have asked) about crash tests and saftey as part of researching the G-Wiz prior to purchase. They would have found out that the car is a town vehicle and designed for low speed roads.
Whenever we buy something, be it a TV, a new car or book a holiday we research first.

Those who went ahead and ordered one presumably did so after doing research and test driving one. Those who brought blind and didn't research deserve every penny loss they from selling their G-Wiz. It strikes me as rather fickle that someone would act in this way!

People here know that I'm not a great fan of the G-Wiz (I don't like the driving position) but even I wouldn't partake in this pointless deconstruction of what is a very usable and popular city vehicle. There are lots of happy G-Wiz drivers who researched and worked out just what the G-Wiz could and couldn't do and love their green transport. Those who didn't do their research and thought the G-Wiz was something it isn't are, IMHO, idiots....

[Wizard]

Well, I think that's slightly unfair. If I buy a Vauxhall Corsa I don't research what crash tests it has had first. I rely on legislation and that it has passed crash tests etc etc. The GG website maintains that the G-Wiz is safe, tubular steel protection etc etc. And there are 2 kiddie sits in the back.

I think all owners are prepared to accept that there is not as much protection as a 4x4 (and we don't drive like 4x4 drivers either!!) but we would like some reassurance that a crash at say 25mph is likely not to result in serious injury.

I won't be selling but I think GG need to get up to speed on this(so to speak!!) and (a) get the facts from India (b) mount a more robust defence (c) participate in the debateabout safety.

Wizard

[aminorjourney]

Point made - I think perhaps in the case of people selling because of this it's down to a breakdown on both sides?

I do think though, Wizard, that in general consumers maybe don't do all the research they should

But I'm glad to see some people are staying with the Wiz.

[bakerstreet]

Aminorjourney - Whilst you are welcome to your opinion I suggest you keep it that way. We all make decisions based on trust, that trust has been blown out of the water via the media. Guess what, the media tend to come out with the truth. How dare you imply that people are idiots. Were you given any crash test data before you made your purchase? I asked about the safety issue at the time and was told the car has a crash cage made by ABS, therefore I was either lied to or miss-understood what I was being told. Please remember that G-Wiz people a salesman, there job is to sell and like any car sales person they are in it for profit. If I am not mistaken they are up there with Estate Agents for trust. I do feel stupid for accepting what they said as gospel but to call people idiots when you have no personnel knowledge of them merely shows your level of IQ.

I feel even more stupid having seen what G-Wiz want for selling my car, 10% of any price they get along with more money for servicing (something I pay for annually) and £50 per week storage charge, more profit for G-Wiz. They seem happy to take your money on the way in and happier to take your money on the way out, be warned.