50mph and 60mph stickers?

[oBladeo]

Hi
As a new caravaner i never knew the maximum speed for towing was 60 mph until i bought my caravan.

So the question is does anyone on the forum stick the 50mph and 60mph stickers on the rear of the caravan to warn other car users (so they get less angry)?

Thanks

 

[otherclive]

No. Why should they get angry? Modern outfits dont tend to hold up traffic and if you do find a queue forming behind you then think about pulling in to a layby or if you enter a dual section dont speed up too quickly so vehicles can pass. To be honest though I dont find it difficult to keep up with traffic flow and if you are doing up to 50mph on a normal A road then most cars are quite happy to stick with it. On an M road 60 mph keeps you in front of HGVs and you are not affecting other traffic unless you hog the middle lane. Just drive considerately.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi, good answer Clive, I found this on the boating forum I use, just about sums up the question -:

" > I seem to remember that it's compulsory to have a numerical speed

sticker on the light board. Is this right, and if so, what should

it be? 60 seems to spring to mind, but I'm sure I've seen 50 ones

too.

>

To the best of my knowledge the advice already given is correct:

speed limits as per Highway Code, i.e. max 50 on single

carriageways and 60 on dual carriageways or motorways, and no need

for a sticker.

The speed sticker still seen on some older trailers is for historic

reasons, and is no longer required.

When I started driving there were only two motorways in the country

(the M1 and the Preston Bypass, the first part of the M6 to open)

and the UK speed limit for towing any sort of trailer anywhere at

all was 30 mph. Imagine an extensive caravan touring holiday with

that limit, or towing a boat from the northwest down to

Cornwall ... Yet we did so, the former quite regularly.

Then in (I think) the very early seventies the limit was lifted to

40 mph.

In about the mid seventies it was further raised to 50 mph, but

this increase was confined to those vehicles which could comply with

certain criteria. Those drivers whose vehicles did comply and who

wanted to avail themselves of the higher limit were required to

display a 50 sticker; for everyone else the limit remained at 40

mph.

This increase was designed to reflect the improvements in design and

handling of caravans and trailers in domestic use - boat trailers

and light luggage trailers - but not to offer the same increase

to, for example, heavy agricultural or builder's trailers.

Consequently most caravans of the day, and most boat trailers and

light luggage trailers duly acquired their stickers.

With the later rise in the limit to 60 mph the restrictions were

dropped, and all trailers once again had the same limits, so

stickers were no longer required.

Nowadays I have the impression that caravanners generally observe

the towing speed limits, but most drivers with lighter trailers

generally do not - and many seem quite unaware not only of the law

but of the fact that in most cases their tyres are rated for use

only up to 100 km/h, i.e. about 62 mph...

Regards,

please note the last paraghrph "how very true"

 

[otherclive]

Colin,
I believe that there's a law/regualtion that allows light trailers into Motorway lane 3 and at speedswell in excess of 70mph, but cannot find it for the life of me on Google/Bing/Yahoo etc !!!! (LoL)

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Colin,
I believe that there's a law/regualtion that allows light trailers into Motorway lane 3 and at speedswell in excess of 70mph, but cannot find it for the life of me on Google/Bing/Yahoo etc !!!! (LoL)

hi Clive I think you mean 60mph dont you!!!! the only Vehicles allowed above 70mph are those with flashing blue lights,

 

[otherclive]

Colin,
No 60 mph relates to all tow-ers bar those who tow light trailers, where as I said there is a law somewhere that THEY THINK THEY HAVE SEEN that allows them to even exceed 70mph and drive in lane 3 too!!!!

PS tongue firmly within cheek here.

 

[NigelHutson]

The maximum for any trailer on a motorway is 60 mph. No trailers are allowed into the outside lane on a motorway, unless lanes one and two are blocked (or to pass something like an abnormal load which is taking up lanes one and two).
However, the confusion comes due to the fact that this regulation does not apply to a three laned dual-carriageway (but the 60 mph does!).
There are all kinds of myths about, which include:-

• twin axle trailers/caravans are allowed into the outside lane
• trailers towed by 4X4's or other large vehicles are allowed into the outside lane
• small trailers under 750kg are allowed into the outside lane

The list could go on, but they are all myths!

 

[Raywood]

TRhe stickers are used in some foreign countries but would mean nothing to other motorists here so there would be no point in fitting them.

 

[Lutz]

Nowadays I have the impression that caravanners generally observe

the towing speed limits, but most drivers with lighter trailers

generally do not - and many seem quite unaware not only of the law

but of the fact that in most cases their tyres are rated for use

only up to 100 km/h, i.e. about 62 mph...

The lowest tyre speed rating is 140km/h, so the tyres are not the criterion. It's the brakes that are only designed for speeds up to 100km/h.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Nowadays I have the impression that caravanners generally observe

the towing speed limits, but most drivers with lighter trailers

generally do not - and many seem quite unaware not only of the law

but of the fact that in most cases their tyres are rated for use

only up to 100 km/h, i.e. about 62 mph...

The lowest tyre speed rating is 140km/h, so the tyres are not the criterion. It's the brakes that are only designed for speeds up to 100km/h.

hi Lutz,
the passage above was borrowed from a "boating forum" as it related to the OP question regarding speed stickers, I left the last part in as it mentioned caravanners, and their ability to keep to the speed limits, (something not all trailer users do!!!) it may or may not be of interest but most small sports boat trailers, don't have brakes as the combined weight boat /trailer is less than 650kg and it is not uncommon for such trailers to use tyres that are more suited to a wheelbarrow than a motorway eater,
as caravanners we strive to encompass all the lastest rules and regulations, going to extraordinary lengths to make sure everything is spot on, from noseweight to tyre age, unfortunatly not all trailer users think they need to comply, and some firmly believe the "rules apply to caravans only" which they don't. trying to convert them sometimes is like talking to a brick wall, but some of us that know better keep trying.

 

[RogerL]

The lowest tyre speed rating is 140km/h, so the tyres are not the criterion. It's the brakes that are only designed for speeds up to 100km/h.

The full tyre speed rating table starts at A1 = 5kph (3mph) - code J = 100kph (62mph)

 

[Lutz]

I have yet to come across a caravan (or car) tyre with less than an 'N' rating (=140km/h).

 

[Lutz]

I have yet to come across a caravan (or car) tyre with less than an 'N' rating (=140km/h).

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

I have yet to come across a caravan (or car) tyre with less than an 'N' rating (=140km/h).

and not all trailers are caravans!! (or cars), come to think of it I dont ever remember seeing a car or caravan with 8in wheels either. exept of course the odd "static" but I think theres a clue in the name there