Stopped by the police

[stevewagner]

When I had a PVC I had to have air suspension fitted to the rear axle to uprate to 4250kg

You are absolutely right except in the case of some PVCs , and I presume others but I only know about PVCs, to up-plate to 4250 it’s purely a paper exercise. So one day my van is safe at 3500 and then the next day it’s safe with 750kg more stuff in it just because of a bit of paper. Some rules are silly but I am very law abiding and stick to them.

ir

 

[PaulyP]

I wonder just how many accidents or injuries are caused by overweight motorhomes.

Probably not many, same as for overloaded HGV’s but should they just be left to be overloaded and let them get on with it or is it better that they are checked !

 

[bigwood]

This is ironic because I am off to the weigh bridge next week. The way our Transit based motorhome rides I don’t think I have an issue with weight. I need the weights to sort out tyre pressures before the new tyres are fitted.
With a lot of vans being front wheel drive it can cause problems towing a heavy trailer if the van is already near its load limits.
I know of a guy towing a loaded car trailer behind a Talbot Express on a wet day on the A46 near Lincoln. When he got to the roundabout at the bottom of the hill he couldn’t steer or stop and finished up on the roundabout.
The van was full of tools and garage equipment so adding the loaded trailer was not a good idea.

 

[Nigel P]

You are absolutely right except in the case of some PVCs , and I presume others but I only know about PVCs, to up-plate to 4250 it’s purely a paper exercise. So one day my van is safe at 3500 and then the next day it’s safe with 750kg more stuff in it just because of a bit of paper. Some rules are silly but I am very law abiding and stick to them.

I don't follow your logic, the van was always safe at 4250kgs just not labelled as such.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Trail and mini digger was confiscated while we were there as the trailer was not braked and was dangerously over the weight limit for an unbraked trailer.

Luckily they never had me on a weigh-bridge, was towing with my Range Rover that is good for 3.5t but the digger was 3t plus add buckets trailer some tools and probably close to the limit.

Have been stopped a fair few times over the years towing plant but always make sure it’s all legal

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[Nigel P]

Tax, insurance, mot will show on anpr so no need to stop and I guess red diesel wouldn’t be checked by police.

ANPR might be good but it does not tell you who is driving, hence the stops.

 

[PaddyM]

Are we to assume you would be equally pissed off if you were upside down in the outside lane and the traffic bobby was busy at Tesco with a shoplifter?

If I was in that situation I would much prefer the attendance of a fire crew , ambulance and traffic officer NOT a copper .

 

[gus-lopez]

I follow quite a few police Facebook groups and this update popped up the other day

That's the thing I hate with them.,"van was fitted with air bags to hide any visual overload". No it wasn't ,dont jump to spurious conclusions. At 6,3 t.thry wouldn't make any difference it would still be on the bump stops
It is the 5tonne springs that hide the overload .bags are just to improve the ride.

Thanks that’s good to hear then. But how are you supposed to know how much stuff is ok and how much will take you over?

Weigh it empty. Then all additions Weigh them in including water diesel passengers, awning,tv etc,rtc

Its DVSA now and once upon a time they needed the police to pull vehicles over .

Still do unless a qualified stopping officer. VOSA were never averse to attempting "stops" without one leaving the motorist to think they had the right without actually saying anything.

Is a ”fixed penalty offence” really a crime and recorded as a detected crime?

Yes

 

[David and Sally]

traffic officer NOT a copper .

I don’t get that, traffic officers are coppers.

 

[David BW]

I don't follow your logic, the van was always safe at 4250kgs just not labelled as such.

This only applies to SOME PVCs. Our Ducatto on a Maxi chassis and 16" wheels would need no mods to be up-plated, this is not the case with all Ducatto based conversions.

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[Nigel P]

If I was in that situation I would much prefer the attendance of a fire crew , ambulance and traffic officer NOT a copper .

Precisely my point, none of those would attend until scene made safe by police.

 

[busby]

Good to see the boys and girls in blue not wasting time and energy on assaults, burglaries, petty theft and making their presence felt in our towns and villages.

Think road safety is very important,,an overloaded vehicle can be dangerous.
BUSBY.

 

[Nigel P]

We kill 5 people a day on our roads, not sure how many fatal shopliftings there are.

 

[Stoosal]

I don’t get that, traffic officers are coppers.

Think he may mean Highways Agency officers rather than ‘real’ police?

 

[Northernraider]

Is a ”fixed penalty offence” really a crime and recorded as a detected crime? Times have obviously changed!
I have stopped vehicles for checks and found victims of murder, body parts, a kidnapped child, firearms, amounts of Class A drugs and even the occasional poached deer. Those that like to scoff and mock the police doing their job obviously prefer to encourage crime rather than allow them to attempt to prevent it.

Well done .youve personally solved more crime than the average local force.

I hope you got medals.

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[carolyn]

When I had a PVC I had to have air suspension fitted to the rear axle to uprate to 4250kg

ir

That may be the case with yours but with ours you don’t have to. It’s a Fiat LWB something something chassis!
We both have C1 licences.

 

[busby]

The maximum gross weight may be 3500 but empty it will weigh less than that. The difference is what you can put in it. Some motorhomes the difference is not enough to be useful though. Beware of anything a salesman tells you, their priority is making a sale.

Problem is although it's not complicated many just do not understand weights and measures laws for motorhomes,,BUSBY.

 

[Paul and Val]

A overloaded mh , is a danger to the public, I am all for it checking everything

Really? First if the MH is 50kg over the weight limit is it really dangerous to drive?
No other work that the traffic Police could be doing? I don't mean manning speed traps trying to catch as many safely driving cars as possible on straight downhill sections, how about watching some of the aggressive lorry drivers who change lanes despite cars approaching with little or no warning or trying to catch actual proper criminals?

 

[David and Sally]

Think he may mean Highways Agency officers rather than ‘real’ police?

Ah. So he would not appreciate the presence of a copper when he’s upside down.

 

[stevewagner]

This only applies to SOME PVCs. Our Ducatto on a Maxi chassis and 16" wheels would need no mods to be up-plated, this is not the case with all Ducatto based conversions.

My PVC that I used to have had a maxi chassis and had to have air suspension to the rear axle to update to 4250kg

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[Stoosal]

Really? First if the MH is 50kg over the weight limit is it really dangerous to drive?
No other work that the traffic Police could be doing? I don't mean manning speed traps trying to catch as many safely driving cars as possible on straight downhill sections, how about watching some of the aggressive lorry drivers who change lanes despite cars approaching with little or no warning or trying to catch actual proper criminals?

What’s an actual proper criminal then?

 

[busby]

Thanks that’s good to hear then. But how are you supposed to know how much stuff is ok and how much will take you over?

Weighbridge,,Load van and weigh with all passengers aboard..Gross weight and axle weights.BUSBY.

 

[stevewagner]

Mine too

 

[Sapper520]

They don’t call it the Thin Blue Line for nothing.

Been there, got the t-shirt, got the injuries…….and I’ve done my bit…..obviously not good enough for some.

 

[stevewagner]

That may be the case with yours but with ours you don’t have to. It’s a Fiat LWB something something chassis!
We both have C1 licences.

Mine too

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[carolyn]

I don't follow your logic, the van was always safe at 4250kgs just not labelled as such.

That is my point, it was always safe but one day it would have been illegal if I’d had the 750kg load but not the next. Others were talking about how the law is about safety and although I agree that often that is what it’s about, sometimes it’s not the case .

 

[busby]

I don't follow your logic, the van was always safe at 4250kgs just not labelled as such.

That's the law,,why at 69 years and 11 months I can drive up to 7.5 tonnes and at 70 years and one day I am not legal.Making laws must be very difficult and keeping everyone happy harder still..How would you alter the law?BUSBY.

 

[Sapper520]

That's the law,,why at 69 years and 11 months I can drive up to 7.5 tonnes and at 70 years and one day I am not legal.Making laws must be very difficult and keeping everyone happy harder still..How would you alter the law?BUSBY.

There’s always got to be cut off points, 10 to be criminally liable, 18 for voting (16 in Scotland?) etc, so keeping everyone happy will never happen.

 

[Nanniemate]

Too simple really.

Power of arrest could be a reason. No matter what the vehicle it is either road legal or not .if the vehicle is a mh and its a hobby does 15 minute delay make any difference especially if it saves just 1 life. And if you miss a ferry/boat crossing tough you should have left earlier. We are policed by consent we agree to be law-abiding. But even knowing you have all the ducks in a row and no issues your tummy still does the cartwheels when the follow me sign comes on.

 

[Emmit]

Which documents did you have checked? I didn't know we were required to carry any.

Unless things have changed (entirely possible) a driver can be reported for failing to produce;
a Driving Licence
A Certificate of Insurance and if required,
A valid MOT

when driving a motor vehicle on a road (and possibly public space) (that was coming in as I was going out?)

HOWEVER<<<<<( BIG However)
You would not be prosecuted for that offence (failing to produce) if you produced
those documents within 7 days at a Police Station. (Count yourself lucky!!! It was only 5 days in 1971.)

As said, things may have changed with the advent of Computers but why wouldn't you carry the licence.
It would get things off to a good start if stopped. After all, you wouldn't walk into a Bank and produce your Driving Licence
alone and ask for some money out of your account.

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