General Approval Overdimension Agricultural Vehicles Pursuant to regulation 49 of the Traffic Regulations 1976, and by way of a subdelegation from the Director of Land Transport Safety dated 18 December 1996, I, Wayne Robert Pettersson, Senior Engineer, hereby approve the operation of the vehicle types described in this notice contrary to the provisions of regulations 48b to 48d. Vehicles of the types described in the First Schedule and which exceed the dimension limits described in the Second Schedule cannot operate unless a specific approval has been issued to that vehicle under regulation 49a. This notice comes into effect on the 1st day of September 1998. First Schedule Types of Vehicles Overdimension Agricultural Vehicles within the dimension limits described in the second schedule, including those not covered by the existing exemption in the Traffic Regulations 1976. Definitions In this schedule ``Agricultural machine'' means a motor vehicle (but does not include hedge trimmers, verge mowers and overwidth fertiliser spreaders) not being a trailer that has been designed exclusively for agricultural operations and is only used on a road when proceeding to or from a farm, or when being inspected, serviced or repaired. ``Agricultural operations'' means operations concerned directly with the management of a farm. ``Agricultural trailer'' means a trailer that has been designed exclusively for agricultural operations and is only used on the road when proceeding to or from a farm, or when being inspected, serviced or repaired. ``Agricultural vehicles'' include agricultural trailers and agricultural machines. ``Auger'' means a loading conveyor on a trailer used for agricultural purposes. Second Schedule Dimension limits Overall width 4.3 metres (see note below) Overall length 12.5 metres for an agricultural vehicle not towing a trailer 20.0 metres for an agricultural vehicle towing a trailer 25.0 metres for an agricultural vehicle towing an auger Rear overhang 6.0 metres for all vehicles except rear wheel steer harvesters which may exceed 6.0 metres [tn,2]Front overhang (distance ahead of front of driver's seat) 5.0 metres (see note below) Height 4.25 metres Note The maximum permitted front overhang of 3.0 metres and/or width of 2.5 metres specified in the Traffic Regulations 1976 may only be exceeded if: The driver has a virtually unobstructed 180 degree field of view when facing forward, or this view can be satisfactorily obtained by small head movements, and the implement is not a dangerous projection and is not readily detachable. Projecting forks and exposed cutting surfaces are regarded as dangerous and must be removed and carried separately. Implements attached by hydraulic linkages, or those fitted by mechanical means and able to be detached in less than 15 minutes, must be removed. Permanently attached implements, which are an integral part of the machine, must not be dangerous fittings. Third Schedule Operating Conditions The agricultural vehicles described in this notice must be operated in compliance with the requirements set out in the document ``Overdimension Agricultural Vehicles: A Guideline to Operating Requirements'' dated August 1998 produced by the Land Transport Safety Authority. Signed at Wellington this 19th day of August 1998. W. R. PETTERSSON, Senior Engineer, Safer Roads.