Why is nitrous against the law (use on the road)???

[David_Wallis]

Paul,

Burr??

Any ideas???

I like to keep my cars pretty legal.. Ie no cats isnt exactly a gas bottle in the boot..


Would welcome the west yorkshire opinion.

David

[pauleds]

Quite a tricky one this but i think the legislation is more geared up to deal with the potential danger to the driver or members of the public by the prescence of the Nitrous bottle in the vehicle.
ie.If you are involved in an accident etc.
Section 40a of the Road Traffic Act 1988:
a person is guilty of an offence if he uses,or causes or permits another to use a motor vehicle or trailer on a road when -
1.The condition of the motor vehicle or trailer or of it's ACCESSORIES or EQUIPMENT or
2.the purpose for which it is being used,or
3.the number of passengers carried by it,or the manner in which they are carried,or
4.the weight,position or distribution of its load,or the manner in which it is secured,
is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves a danger of injury to any person.
Hope this helps a bit.
Paul.

[Andi]

If that's the case, couldnt you just stick one of those flammable gases sticker in ya back window?

[pauleds]

Maybe if you had terrible wind but it would not conform to HAZCHEM standards.
Paul.

[Andi]

So what are the Hazchem standards? Why is carrying the bottle in the car any different to the vans you see on the road with the stickers on the back?

[pauleds]

Andi,
I'm not that clued up on the HAZCHEM stuff but i do know that vehicles carrying gas,chemicals,hazardous materials require the driver to be trained in the specific areas of the shit hitting the fan and the vehicles they are carried on have to meet certain requirements.
I love nitrous and am simply quoting the Relevant legislation as Dave requested.
Paul.

[David_Wallis]

However, nitrous isnt a flammable gas.. so can I not just have a compressed gas sign,

AFAIK NO2 (nitrous oxide)


Is nitrogen and Oxygen, when compressed (in the engine) the molecules split realising 2 parts oxygen to 1 part nitrogen, Ie Releases lots of oxgen Hence sticking the fuel in = power?

NO2 is not flammable.. but I suppose in away it could help combustion..

I carry bottles of gas (well used to :rolleyes:) in my car for the welder (co2)

So do fire extinguishers count?

David

[pauleds]

I'll try and find out soon.

[David_Wallis]

Cheers...

Either that or the bottle is going in a fake sub box... ;)

David

[Rich]

thought you could have this in your car legally if you had a sticker and the bottle was disconnected :?

[David_Wallis]

i'm not interested in nitrous systems with a disconnected bottle..

David

[Sam]

HAZCHEM is aimed at carrying dangerous substances in bulk rather than the odd bottle (caravans/campervans all carry gas but don't display stickers). Last months Jap Performance had an article about Nitrous and said it has to be disconnected on the road and you need to display a N2O sticker.
Sam :

[Rich]

Well its then always easy to reconnect it when on track/strip ;)

[Spooky]

ISTR that the new MG X-Power SV will have a factory fit nitrous injection kit available.

I'm guessing that wouldn't be on the options list if it was illegal in any way, even if there were a proviso that it would have to be disconnected when the car is driven on the road...

[Danbo]

I didnt think there was any laws relating to nitrous for use on roads yet. As far as I am aware it is legal.

Something else to check on now! :roll:

[David_Wallis]

As far as I was aware it was legal, until I read it in jap performance car..

Its not on their for the track, its fitted to my car for the road..

FFS the slicks are for the track :D

Might as well sell the bloody kit if I cant use it...

David

[Katana]

I've always thought that NO2 was legal as its considered as a fuel (even though its an oxidiser) like lpg. The one area that will give you problems is insuring the damn thing. Oh and the fact that the jets can sometime ruin airflow making you lose power is another thing..

[David_Wallis]

just like your 5th injector :p

[Katana]

just like your 5th injector :p :(

One day I'll figure out a way to get it going. You'll see. As for now, I'll just make do with anti-lag. :p

[Rich]

I'll just make do with anti-lag. :p

if you actually concentrated at the lights you wouldn't need anti-lag :roll: and you never know you might even win some :P

[Rich]

Its not on their for the track, its fitted to my car for the road

why in gods name would you want nos for the road :?

are them saxo/nova's giving you a hard time out there ;-)

[Katana]

I'll just make do with anti-lag. :p

if you actually concentrated at the lights you wouldn't need anti-lag :roll: and you never know you might even win some :PIf you had the time slips on you, you'd realise that I haven't lost to you yet. :p

[David_Wallis]

I tell you what... if you read up on why I have nitrous.. then you'd understand...

Its their as my antilag...

however with the new engine :D

Oh and there will be only about five subarus in the uk running similar / more power than me...

So :p

[David_Wallis]

I tell you what... if you read up on why I have nitrous.. then you'd understand...

Its their as my antilag...

however with the new engine :D

Oh and there will be only about five subarus in the uk running similar / more power than me...

So :p

[jonathan]

OK, can't comment on nitrous, but my work as a nurse sometimes brings me into contact with families whose kids are on oxygen. So long as they inform their insurance, and have the green diamond compressed gas sticker, then the insurance is happy. I'd guess that there is more of a risk from o2 then there is from nitrous (ever burnt anything in an oxygen rich environment in school) but from the insurance point of view with nitrous there is also the extra power. My point, however, is that compressed gases can be carried in cars if care is taken.

[Anonymous]

Nos is not ilegal there is now law saying its not

[Mice_Elf]

Personally I was under the impression that NOS was illegal for road use, but perfectly OK on the track, obviously. I thought that for NOS to be in the car, it had to be disconnected when the car is being driven on the public road.

[Nathan L]

Nos is not ilegal there is now law saying its not

Can you point me to where this is please ?

Thanks

Nathan

[Katana]

Nos is not ilegal there is now law saying its not

Can you point me to where this is please ?
Its a really tough one mate. NOS is an oxidiser and thats what it primarily do. The thing is if there is a law against using an extra oxidser, this can also be said about certain brands of octane booster. A friend of mine from the US says that some states bans certain brands of octane booster and needless to say NOS.

I think he got the info from the Highpower website btw. But personally, you can get the same effect of NOSsing by merely turning the boost up. Best thing about this method is that you don't have to spend cash on refilling your limited bottle every day..

[MickWRX]

I do believe Nitrous oxide comes under pkgIII its hazardous classification is 2.2 and identification number is UN1070 therefore if the weight or volume exceeds 25kg/25ltr and the product is to be moved on a public highway, Regulations do apply as far as transport is concerned.

the clssification being 2.2 explained

2 being the primary hazard

http://white-elephant.homeip.net/pics/primary.bmp

and the .2 being the secondary hazard

http://white-elephant.homeip.net/pics/secondary.bmp


This means that if weight or volume exceeds the above the driver needs to be haz chem trained, the vehicle needs to display an orange board back and front, and a copy of the relevent trem card must be diplayed on the dashboard. These regs apply weather it is or is not connected to the engine.

If the volumes are below the above regulations do not apply.

I think this is pretty accurate.

[Anonymous]

most nos bottels. i have seen aint anywhere near 25kg

[gizmouk]

You could just get rid of it & buy a TVR Cerbera..... ;-)

[outlaw]

You could just get rid of it & buy a TVR Cerbera..... ;-)

may be some dont like fiberglass and prefer a car mad out of metal.

[the astraboy]

interesting thread.
FYI, the astra has had nitrous for the last 3 years.
Insurance are happy (its declared loaded the premium by 72 pounds, they were interested in the amount of power, not how it was gained)
has passed 3 MOTs since then.
never had any problems, apart from using the gas too quickly!
astraboy.

[stanford]

I have just looked into this and again got insurance quote based on % of hp that it would increase the car by.
They already had it on their systems and classed it as liquid injection system.
I asked if it was illegal and they laughed not going to insure illegal stuff now are we.
quote was £192 for 25% increase.

i also know 4 others that all have nos fitted and have had no problems with their insurance either.

[Aidy]

N02 is road legal. Not much else to say. *shrug*

[XDC]

I thought it was legal. Dunno, not really my field. :|

This is interesting though! :D

http://www.stealth-3000gt.st/FAQnitrousX.htm

[ChRoMe]

bttt- any conclusive legal updates on this yet ?

[Maverick]

I will speak to my mate Nigel on Wednesday, He is my forces top bod on HAZCHEM and will know the answer, I'll try to get something on papaer too.

[Maverick]

Ok i have got some info... As fdar as we are aware its legal. I have searched the Police legal database and cannot find anything that outlaws it except for offences such as dangerous driving, careless driving etc.
As regards to carriage, As long as it is for personal use and does not exceed 25kg then thats it.
Anything over 25 or for business needs to carried in accordance with Carriage of Dangerous Goods - eg all the HAZCHEM cards, data, signs etc etc.
The green compressed gas diamond for the rear of the car is not compulsary so you don't leggal yhave to have one as the law stands at the moment.
Hope this helps.

[Andy Tang]

My investigations about nitrous, has only been from the other perspective... insurance! :o

I spoke to my broker (Greenlight) who were happy to insure me if my car were to run nitrous.

They said it was perfectly legal to have in the car, have it connected up and EVEN use it on the road, as long as it was a declared modification and I paid the additional premium.

They wanted proof that it was installed by a garage or a letter to from a garage to say that the installation is ok.

They told me no sticker would be required, as I'm not transporting the gas, but rather it was part of the fuelling system.

The two big brokers who now see nitrous as a common and coverable (is that a word) modification are Greenlight and Adrian Flux. I'm sure that there are others, but these two have been publised.

[Mice_Elf]

Andy - by how much did your insurance go up when you declared the nitrous?

[Deano]

Whats the difference between NoS in a bottle in your car and having a LPG car surely thats just a big bottle of gas ?

[jamesedga]

And liable to injury. LPG is extremlly cold when de-pressurised and will burn you if the liquid hits you. It quite litually boils at atmospear pressure. The energy (heat) needed for this is taken from its enviroment and hence why it tends to freeze things.

NOS is probally simular but I have never experinced it before. Do not touch leaking NOS therefore as its liable to freezing and check all pipe work for damage regualar expically where the pipe could rub. The metal braiding is easily damaged and then damages the inner pipe.