Can passengers move around when driving?

Kerry9

Kerry9

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Rimor Sailer 645 2.7 TC fixed rear bed on Mercedes chassis and engine.
Our motorhome has a fixed rear bed so the dining area has two seat rows facing, with the table in between. Three of the seats have proper seat belts so we can legally travel with driver, navigator, and 3 passengers in the rear.

Can they or the navigator vacate their seats to use the loo, get something from the kitchen etc, whilst I'm driving and the motorhome is moving?

Or does the law states everyone must stay sat and seatbelted until the vehicle pulls over and stops?

(I think I could guess the answer but thought it best to check.)
 
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OH remembers the days when you were allowed to leave your kids in the caravan whilst towing :LOL:
 
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pappajohn said:
Old Lada Riva & Niva's went better than that.. They had a hand throttle fitted at factory.
Just like an old type choke knob but connected to the throttle linkage.

Type approval would have a fit these days. :LOL:
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My Fiat 128 had a hand throttle and it was fun standing up head through the sunroof steering like a U Boat captain.......
 
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Many years ago when I had a Romahome and worked shifts we would leave at say 3 a.m. and I would kip in the back on the side bed for a few hours whilst my lady drove. I don't think I'd do that now.
 
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An honest and very sensible answer from us
Should any of the following happen Sue is allowed to get up and go into the back
1) Fridge door swinging open
2) Overhead locker spills its contents.
3) The dog requires attending to
4) Sue needs the loo urgently
5) She has an overwhelming desire to use the lap dancing pole
6) A sudden desire to take part in wild rampant sex on the move.

All the first four have happened frequently.

No. 5 happened twice. once on a roundabout on a fairly fast French N road.
Once on a contraflow chicane.

No. 6 I still wait in hope for
 
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Duck Truck said:
An honest and very sensible answer from us
Should any of the following happen Sue is allowed to get up and go into the back
1) Fridge door swinging open
2) Overhead locker spills its contents.
3) The dog requires attending to
4) Sue needs the loo urgently
5) She has an overwhelming desire to use the lap dancing pole
6) A sudden desire to take part in wild rampant sex on the move.

All the first four have happened frequently.

No. 5 happened twice. once on a roundabout on a fairly fast French N road.
Once on a contraflow chicane.

No. 6 I still wait in hope for
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Who allows her?
 
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if you want a charge of driving without due care and attention, go for it. you might be lucky hundreds of times, but all it takes is one accident etc
 
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depends if you drive a pre or post 2007 van

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Spriddler said:
Many years ago when I had a Romahome and worked shifts we would leave at say 3 a.m. and I would kip in the back on the side bed for a few hours whilst my lady drove. I don't think I'd do that now.
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We did that many times on the long drive down here. Long 4 days and we did 4 hours on and 4 hours off. Obviously, the dog did double sleep shifts ;)
 
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Many years ago my passengers used to kip while travelling. Never really thought about it. There were no belts in the back then Anyway.
I wouldn't do it now though SWMBO gets up quite often for fridge door etc. I remonstrate with her of course, though obviously without success.
The law is quite clear though.
 
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We got pulled over by Police in Spain on the AP7 a few years ago when the other half got up to get something from the fridge , on her return the police car spotted her out of her seat and and made us pull over at the next junction . after checking our documents and inspecting the vehicle from the outside he said it was a 200 euro fine for not wearing a seatbelt also our dog(perro) was not harnessed another 200 euro fine but today was our lucky day as he was only going to warn us . Yes she still gets out of her seat on occasions but is much more vigilant about her surroundings.
 
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Ismbardbrunel said:
I drive pre 2007, what are you saying, that it's okay...?
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in respect to adults in motorhomes, in 2007 the term 'designated travelling seat' became the industry standard so you now had to have a seat belt for every designated travelling seat but to this day this still allows manufacturers to build 4 berth vans with 4 seats but only 2 designated travelling seats so anyone wishing to occupy the other 2 berths during the holiday are legally not permitted to travel in the vehicle
pre 2007 there was no requirement for all rear passenger seats to have seat belts, in fact there was no requirement for there to be 6 seats in a 6 berth for instance
pre 1989 there was no requirement for seat belts on any rear seat, forward facing or otherwise

the problem arises when a policeman decides you are endangering a passenger by allowing them to walk around in your van but the same could be said about unrestrained seated passengers and ones without seats at all...both of which are legal in certain ages of vans

your insurance wont ask you how many people you will carry (unlike a minibus) but will most certainly be annoyed if you crash with 30 people on board

so in a pre 2007 van you could have 10 people standing in the back, as long as you are not overloading the vehicle but the policeman could still use the cover all rule of 'endangering a passenger' and then its down to you to argue your case

common sense would need to be used, there is no specific law against the cooker and gas fire being on whilst driving but i personally would not want a hot roast dinner flying towards me under heavy braking

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Duck Truck said:
An honest and very sensible answer from us
Should any of the following happen Sue is allowed to get up and go into the back
1) Fridge door swinging open
2) Overhead locker spills its contents.
3) The dog requires attending to
4) Sue needs the loo urgently
5) She has an overwhelming desire to use the lap dancing pole
6) A sudden desire to take part in wild rampant sex on the move.

All the first four have happened frequently.

No. 5 happened twice. once on a roundabout on a fairly fast French N road.
Once on a contraflow chicane.

No. 6 I still wait in hope for
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An honest and sensible question regarding (5): How did you fix the pole at the top? Did your fixings penetrate the roof and if so, how did you prevent water ingress?
 
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We used to do hot seat swapping when on long journeys, too fat now to pass Lyn lol

You have to get up and move around if only to switch on the pump to discharge the grey water when you have the correct amount of inexperienced motorcyclists behind you

Long straight bits of motorway always make for the best lunches served up en route
 
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Wife gets up for the toilet, to make tea or sarnies. You have to make your own decisions about safety, ours are pretty wide.
 
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Is that why our new Moho has black windows so SWMBO can’t be easily seen while nipping to loo or getting me snacks?
 
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If I was on the passenger seat, it would mean I have JJ as driver and of course no chance for me to fly away. His table can be full with things on, when JJ drives not even one would move from point A to point B:Eeek::Eeek:, let alone me:doh::laughing:!
BUT right now, if he was driving in France with me on board.... I would just put a yellow viz on, and everybody would stop to let us go.... Gilets jaunes.... the answer for every problem:sneaky::whistle::party:

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I have used the loo...especially in traffic jams! I’ve also poured out coffee from a flask and got up and shut the fridge door! Sometimes needs must!
 
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If you are intending on carrying passengers, then look for belted seats.
You can get 6 berth 6 belted seats.
If you intend to carry children, then the rules supersede everything.
 
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I had a Passenger that didn't move at Ulton Park !!! we ended upside down in the gravel trap :whistle:
 
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Can passengers move about.............. simple answer yes ;)

Should passengers move about.............personal decision

Is it against the law to travel in a mh without a seatbelt on.............. Yes

There you go simple question simply answered.
 
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Jim said:
We did have a Funster who was stopped because a copper thought he saw someone walking around in the back of the van Thing was she was driving on her own, copper searched high and low for this mystery passenger. If she did have a belted passenger no way would he have believed that he wasn't walking around!!
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I have heard some very dubious excuses for stopping for a breath test, but that takes the biscuit.

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Mr Chrysalis said:
An honest and sensible question regarding (5): How did you fix the pole at the top? Did your fixings penetrate the roof and if so, how did you prevent water ingress?
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Another sensible question. We used over the counter sticky sticky to anchor the
the lap dancing pole and as for water leakage.
Sue is instructed never to have a pee whilst upside down on the pole.

Hope this helps others.
 
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normanandsue said:
Can passengers move about.............. simple answer yes ;)

Should passengers move about.............personal decision

Is it against the law to travel in a mh without a seatbelt on.............. Yes

There you go simple question simply answered.
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Might be simply answered, but if you're MH is pre 2007 then it's not accurate... apparently?
 
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Mattyjwr said:
I am sure that there are some grown-ups online ... but they aren't here yet ;)


However, from if you want a serious answer, I believe that no, people cannot move around in a vehicle. Seat belts, if fitted, must be used. You can't use them if you are moving around.
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why do coaches have toilets then?
 
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mitzimad said:
why do coaches have toilets then?
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Because they’re not classed as private vehicles whereas motor homes are. The seatbelt laws only apply to private vehicles. In reality, it’s as dangerous travelling without a belt in a bus as in a motorhome.
 
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