Motorhome Weight Check by European Police

[Rds559]

As anyone had their motorhome by the police anywhere in Europe to see if it is overweight.

 

[kingoftheroad]

As anyone had their motorhome by the police anywhere in Europe to see if it is overweight.

Yes Germany, I was a sweet paper under legal weight, if I'd stopped to fuel up 20 minutes prior to getting pulled in, it would have been a different story, I've since stripped the van of all none essential items

 

[tonka]

There are definitely members on here who have been stopped and fined, the subject has been raised before but I can't find the actual threads.
Been stopped but not weighed, it was during a period when motorhomes / campers were being used for drugs. !
Once met a couple who were done for 90 euros and had to leave some items like books at a roadside bin.

 

[Rob Turner]

Although not weight related, I was stopped on the Autobahn a few years ago in a Carthago when I was averaging 150kmh over a 3km stretch.
The copper was fine and explained that although there was no speed limit for cars there was for motorhomes.
I left with a flea in my ear.

 

[pappajohn]

Although not weight related, I was stopped on the Autobahn a few years ago in a Carthago when I was averaging 150kmh over a 3km stretch.
The copper was fine and explained that although there was no speed limit for cars there was for motorhomes.
I left with a flea in my ear.

when autobahns first appeared in the 1930s there was a speed limit of 160kph (100mph)
I bet there weren't many speeding fines imposed then.

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[nicholsong]

Although not weight related, I was stopped on the Autobahn a few years ago in a Carthago when I was averaging 150kmh over a 3km stretch.
The copper was fine and explained that although there was no speed limit for cars there was for motorhomes.
I left with a flea in my ear.

Is that a general speed limit over the whole autobahn system, if so what limit? Or was it just for a section?

 

[gus-lopez]

Yes. North of Bordeaux

 

[f6c]

Pray tell what was the outcome.

 

[bobnick]

Them that have are few and far between.
Don't make it obvious you are overweight. Front stuck up in the air and rear scraping the ground might be a clue to the rozzers you could be overweight.

 

[Next Stop]

Yes Germany, I was a sweet paper under legal weight, if I'd stopped to fuel up 20 minutes prior to getting pulled in, it would have been a different story, I've since stripped the van of all none essential items

Curiously, what was the reason for being stopped, was it just to weigh? Did you look near the limit?

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[kingoftheroad]

Curiously, what was the reason for being stopped, was it just to weigh? Did you look near the limit?

Hi
Police stationed along a main route/road, a few hundred yards away from a layby pull in area, guided into a coned area, then into the layby, there were several vehicles, commercial vans mostly, but there was a caravan with the occupants, busy unloading gear out of their caravan, when finished a police woman smiled and said I could go, I asked how was my weight, she smiled and, just ok, just, I was reasonably low on fuel and was going to fill up at the next convenient station, I'd just passed one, but it was an expensive service station, so gave it a miss, a full fuel tank, would have put me well over, dont know whether Germany is more keen for weight check points, only been the once.
Check the van's weight before every trip now.

 

[bobnick]

Got stopped twice in France in 2001 (i know that year as that was the year i tried to semi retire).
Had a Relay van, stopped to check the diesel. Had 2 containers full in the back as back in them days diesel was so much cheaper than UK. Took awhile for the eqiv our people that check diesel to decide it was clean stuff (i kept the receipts

 

[dunnah01]

Although not weight related, I was stopped on the Autobahn a few years ago in a Carthago when I was averaging 150kmh over a 3km stretch.
The copper was fine and explained that although there was no speed limit for cars there was for motorhomes.
I left with a flea in my ear.

100mph on the speedo - that sounds horrendous in any moho

 

[cyberyacht]

And very, very thirsty I'd wager.

 

[gus-lopez]

Pray tell what was the outcome.

For me 800kgs under. Pulled in as they thought I was a commercial vehicle. he spent more time haranguing the bloke who waved me in.

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[nicholsong]

For me 800kgs under. Pulled in as they thought I was a commercial vehicle. he spent more time haranguing the bloke who waved me in.

Well it is a Transit Richard

 

[DerryW]

Pray tell what was the outcome.

Oh it’s you Gus, sorry on your way.

 

[Rob Turner]

100mph on the speedo - that sounds horrendous in any moho

It was absolutely fine to be honest.

 

[Rob Turner]

Is that a general speed limit over the whole autobahn system, if so what limit? Or was it just for a section?

For vans over 3.5t on the autobahn it is 100km/h and 80km/h on expressways and out of town. I think that vans >3.5t it is 130km/h

 

[nicholsong]

For vans over 3.5t on the autobahn it is 100km/h and 80km/h on expressways and out of town. I think that vans >3.5t it is 130km/h

Thanks, but I think that maybe in your last sentence you meant '....vans < 3.5t

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[Funnymunny]

It was absolutely fine to be honest.

Try a quick stop at 100 mph in a van you will be all over the road

 

[Lenny HB]

Try a quick stop at 100 mph in a van you will be all over the road

Not if you have full 4c air suspension.

 

[Funnymunny]

Not if you have full 4c air suspension.

Even then I reckon Lenny, an emergency stop at that speed no matter what suspension you have will almost certainly have you going all shapes in a motorhome

 

[bobnick]

Think i touched 80mph once in Billy.
Very happy on a M.W at 65/75 max.

 

[Lenny HB]

Normally cruise around 60-65 but have a occasionally gone over 90 downhill when not concertraing, not problem with braking completely stable with full air suspension.

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[cyberyacht]

Bit different from braking and emergency braking, I'd have thought. How much do you trust your ABS? Anyway, those high speeds don't half slurp the dinosaur juice.

 

[dunnah01]

I get nose-bleeds over 60mph

 

[x17ken]

Hi
Police stationed along a main route/road, a few hundred yards away from a layby pull in area, guided into a coned area, then into the layby, there were several vehicles, commercial vans mostly, but there was a caravan with the occupants, busy unloading gear out of their caravan, when finished a police woman smiled and said I could go, I asked how was my weight, she smiled and, just ok, just, I was reasonably low on fuel and was going to fill up at the next convenient station, I'd just passed one, but it was an expensive service station, so gave it a miss, a full fuel tank, would have put me well over, dont know whether Germany is more keen for weight check points, only been the once.
Check the van's weight before every trip now.

Out of curiosity, was the check on total weight only ? or did they also check individual axle loadings. What sort of equipment did they use? Drive over scales or a platform for total weight measurement?

 

[WESTY66]

Normally cruise around 60-65 but have a occasionally gone over 90 downhill when not concertraing, not problem with braking completely stable with full air suspension.

Bit different from braking and emergency braking, I'd have thought. How much do you trust your ABS? Anyway, those high speeds don't half slurp the dinosaur juice.

We have the bigger brakes so it’s not really too bad, just the loose stuff in the back to worry about

 

[Brains]

I was pulled over on a French autoroute.
By French Customs & Excise, even though we were at least 100 miles from the ports
I was driving a LWB Luton van with a 5t or 7.5t limit.
Even though we had 3 or 4 pallets of wine (well over 1,000 bottles) on board we were not even close to the weight limit.

I never quite worked out why they stopped us, they did not seem particularly interested in our cargo (which was all properly declared in Dover, but that is another story)