Please measure your RV for us - PLEASE ??

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Hi Dick kingswell has just posted this on the ARVM site:

Treating the additional awnings as 'load' would seem to be the answer - as long as the base vehicle is 2.55 metres or under. 

As long as your 'load' does not project more than 305mm (12inches) beyond the width of the vehicle (or as long as your vehicle + load is not greater than 2.9 metres (9ft 5ins)) you do not need to either sign it (little red/white triangles) or notify the Police.

(Authority - once again  -  The Official DSA Syllabus for driving Goods Vehicles 2002 edn).

So - buyer beware - as long as your base vehicle is 2.55 metres or less you can 'widen' it by up to 12 inches to a maximum of 2.9 metres without fear or failure of being stopped.

Problem solved  !!!!!  as long as your base vehicle is 2.55metres or less  !!!!!


Dick
[unquote]

Seems even better.

Olley
Click to expand...
 
Hi Patduff on ARVM has suggested that if we carry a "Load" we could be classed as an HGV with all that entails, ie. tacho, "O" licence ect. any thoughts on this?

Olley
 
:) If that is true as suggested (ie: carrying a load)? Then I will be a VERY happy bunny.? ;D

I wouldn't mind being classed as an HGV (MFU Mutual insurance already did that before I changed insurance company), If that then meant I could legally register our Newmar without all the hassle of taking the Awnings off? The tachometer meter and other such, would not really be a problem. Who drives for more than 10 hours a day in an RV or don't stop every so often for a meal break? I have been known to drive for 19 1/2 hours non-stop in the past. But not now I'm retired.? ;D
 
Hi Jsw been thinking about this  :eek: we already carry a "Load" ie. water, clothes, maybe bikes on the back, so what the difference with awnings on the side?

I assume that a "Load" has to be removable but is this defined in law? A HGV carries "Goods" for hire or reward, we don't.

Olley
 
Olley,

I have seen that posting on ARVM and posted my own.

Basically you would have to carry the goods for hire and reward to require an operators licence.

The chap on ARVM also starts calling RVers hauliers how he works that one out  ??? ???

Eddie Stowbart is a haulier NOT John, Mary, Fluffy the dog in their Winnebago  ;D ;D

Eddie Stowbart for our American friends  is a large UK trucking company that most Brits would know the name of.
 
Hi Guys

When investigating this option, there are several mentions of a car (and car with trailer etc) carrying a heavy load.

The "load" being refered to is actually an "abnormal load". This is defined as a load which cannot be practically or cost-effecively split between 2 vehicles.

I would think it easy to show that the cost to remove/replace the awning (lets say ?200) would not be cost-effective against the total cost of the "load" (awning at ?1000 or less).

I cant seem to access ARVM (I subscribe to mag but dont have subscriber info for site), so please keep me informed as to progress.

Thanks

Paul
 
olley said:
.... we could be classed as an HGV with all that entails...
Click to expand...

Olley,

Does that mean you'd need a HGV licence? IIRC John and Paul both have HGV licences, but what would that mean for prospective motorhomers who don't have a HGV licence?

BTW what is "tacho, "O" licence". I've been away from the UK too long.
 
Hi Tom the power's that be (DVLA) have already decided that over 7.5 tons we need a "C" licence, unfortunately they can't show the law that backs them up, so up till now no RVer has ever been prosecuted.

We have two HGV licences in the UK a "C" and "C+E" a "C" is any weight rigid up to the maximum allowed (32 tonnes?) and a "C+E" which allows you to drive an Articulated Lorry (44 tonnes) you have to pass the "C" before you can take the "C+E" cost for a 1 week course is about ?1000.00 for each licence. (I have just done the "C") You must also pass a medical and if over 45 you have to have another one every 5 years up to 70 then I think its yearly.

All vehicles in these groups have to have Tachograph fitted, (except for some exempt cat. Rv's are one) this is a recording device to show how many hours you have been driving. An HGV drivers hours are rigidly controlled in Britain and all of Europe. Typically a max. of 9 hours driving per day.

To operate an HGV you need an "O" or operaters licence, this covers such things as where the vehicle is to be kept when not working, servicing etc.

If the Law was changed to include Rv's over 7.5 tonnes needing a "C" licence, then quite a few Rver's would have a problem, especially the older ones as the medical is quite strict.

Hope that's understanderable, I have rambled on a bit sorry.

Olley
 
Olley

Congrats on passing the test.

If I understood it correctly, you cannot tow a car/trailer behind a HGV - you need a C+E for that.

Have you come across that too ?

Thanks
Paul
 
Hi Paul if the GVW of the trailer is over 750kg then yes, seems barmy to me, I can tow my trailer+car 1300kg behind my old kentucky camp 3500kg but pass my "C" and I can't behind my Brave 9250kg.  :mad:

I believe only the french axioms have GVW under 750kg so they could be towed on an "A" frame but that's another can of worms.  :-\

I intend to take the "C+E" later this year or next, as I think that sooner or later they will sort the licences out. Their's a load of new regs. going through the European Parliament at the moment, for implementation in about 2 or 3 years.

olley
 
Paul,

This has been posted on the ARVM forum this morning in a thread titled : RV's & the DVLA.
Hi everyone who has contributed to this thread,

I have measured my Brave as Paul Dudley instructed, i.e. open the driver and passenger windows and pull the tape across and then deduct the thickness of the rubber seals, it is (within a nats whisker) 100".  Legal, I am pleased to say.  Forget what the brochure says.

Paul said that in the jurisdiction that he works, he is not having any problems whatsoever with registering new Winnies, and they are all measured for clarity, to and for, one and all.  So they are legal too.

He went on to say they are measured flat wall to flat wall.  Forget all the bull about handles, awnings, toppers, etc., the authorities have to be realistic and sensible (not always possible I guess!!) and that it is patently unnecessary to remove peripheral bits and pieces as the authorities know they will be refitted.  It is all about having a proper, honest and professional relationship with the authorities with which you work.

If JIMBO would like to contact Paul or Chris at Dudleys, they will help him with UK registration if they can, without any prejudice.

However, the matter is still in quite a delicate stage with so much goings on between all sorts of authorities.  It is important (personally speaking) that no-one (I mean us, RV owners etc.) does anything to antagonise the situation.  I believe the 'professional' dealers are doing their bit as I said in an earlier post and that fingers crossed (everything crossed actually), all will be sorted in due course.  I may be proved wrong though!!

So, if you have an RV already registered and on the road, I don't think you will have any problems.  However, if you are importing one from the USA, you may find your local DVLA may or may not be obliging!  Depends on where you live.

Hope this will help someone out there, even if it is only to sleep!

Richard
Click to expand...

JIMBO's earlier posting within the same thread on ARVM is shown on page one of this thread.
 
Thanks Olley,

It is crazy that you can drive a 30T vehicle on a C, but cannot drive an 8T plus 2500kg car.



Thanks Mick,

It would be good if you can measure from window to window - but the statements Jimbo was told by the authorities do seem to conflict with those of Dudley's.

Dudleys made the comment of 'dont rock the boat' which could be to save their skin, or hopefully will be as stated to calm the whole thing down and hope it loses some of the high profile it is getting with the authorities.

We will just have to watch what happens over the next few months.

Unfortunately, for those of us currently in the US, there is nothing we can do as anything could happen the day prior to our import - we can only investigate those other options like the 'load' etc.

Thanks
Paul
 
hi paul I am a bit sceptical about jimbo's post, he didn't try very hard to get registered, and he seemed to be shipping it back almost before he got here.

He's only ever made one post on the forum and that was it.? :-\

Olley
 
Has anyone got any very recent experience/updates on the width problem. My Fleetwood Terra 27 feet long and according to the manufacturers spec 102" wide without awning. It's currently in storage in the US, so I cannot measure the actuals as you have been discussing.
Has there been any slackening of the rules?
Colin
 
Colin,

Hopefully Paul will see your question and respond. My understanding was that folks like Paul were considering registering their coaches in Ireland as a back door. I wasn't sure if that was the north or Eire.
 
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the reply, I had also thought about Spain or Portugal ( they might not be as rectal retentive as the Brits). I will be stableing it on the Continent anyway, so apart from language problems with the paperwork it could work out. Has anyone tried this?
Colin
 
Hi Colin

Not too much has changed since June last year.

The UK RVDA (Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association) have been having "productive" (their word) meetings with the DVLA in Bristol.

They claim that good news will be forthcoming in "very, very early 2007" (their words again).

You could take a look at their website (www.uk-rvda.co.uk) which they promoted to everyone in the December issue of the ARV Magazine to get an idea of their professional standard of work !!

In mid-December, their "press spokesman" stated on the ARVM forum that the website would be upgraded within "a couple of weeks" (their words again) - so we will see.

You could take a look at Itchyfeets related website at Roamin-Times to read what the RVDA and Itchyfeet have to say on the Registration issue.

There you will read that RVs are exempt from C&U - but contact the RVDA, DVLA or even Itchyfeet and you will see they are NOT (currently) exempt at all - but they wont remove the statement from their website (together with other "untruths").

I hope they do manage to come up with something, but in the meantime Im chasing my own solutions.

Regards
Paul


 
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the current heads up!
I am also scrambling around, so lets keep each other updated.
I have contacted Fleetwood in the USA and hopefully will get some feedback from them. I have seen some rigs on the same chassis as mine advertised on the web, so if they are the same width somebody knows a way round this.
I am also going to the Caravan & Motorhome Show @ the GMEX in Manchester next week to see what I can smiff out.
Will stay on the case.
Colin
 
Colin,

Please let us know what you find out so we can pass it along to others who follow you. TIA.
 
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