[boxhead]

This is 100% correct, they exist and I have been asked if I wish to be a member in such clubs in both NSW and Victoria.

I am on Committee for local car club in Alice, we have approx 130 active members, of which there are about 80 cars on club plates (my Cobra and Valiant wagon included), As a club, we police this very heavily and if anything are "over the top" as we do not want to lose the club plate system, but in saying that, the club and plates have been around for 6 years now, and not a single member has been pulled up or asked to show log book at time of rego renewal.
So at the moment people could be "getting away with it" but we hope to pick up on any in our club.

I dropped full rego about 8 months ago on the Cobra ($920 in NT) and went to club plates, due to lack of use. I think I used it less than a dozen times last year. And with a planned paint job, I could not justify the extra cost ($90 for club plates) I did ring MVR in Darwin with concerns of what needed to go on full plates again, I was advised to re register in NT was as simple as applying again, with no time limit.
My car has been engineered.

Originally Posted by Treeve

You only need 8 people to form a club. If your club gets 'booted out' then someone else from your other 7 mates forms a club... and off we go again.

If you honestly believe that 8 random blokes who want to get around the system couldn't possibly exist, then you're deluded. Also, to think that these blokes would make sure their cars were all modified legally also seems to be a bit naive.

It won't root out the bad clubs, the authorities wouldn't be able to completely deal with who runs what clubs. The simplest solution for them is to cancel the club registration scheme - less paperwork all along. Remember the other fun part about dealing with government departments (or people in general with lots of authority and no responsibility): If they can say No to something to make their lives easier they will.

Your comment regarding a helmet making you safer also seems to be a bit blind too - there's figures to prove that helmets save lives. Hopefully the fact that it is legislated means you wear one, and although I hope you don't end up in an accident, if you do I hope it serves to protect you. Then perhaps you will learn the value of one. This comes back to my point about some lessons having to be learnt the hard way. I cracked three teeth before I learnt to wear a helmet.

Treeve