Law is an ass.

[Steve L]

Hi 602.

The law might be an ASS, but for better or worse, we have to follow it.

Most people might tow with an average family car, which does not go beyond the 3500Kg gross train weight.

I'm currently looking for a Rover 75 Diesel estate to tow my caravan. These are plated to 3600Kgs gross train, but can tow 1600Kgs of caravan. My Abbey 540SE comes in at 1436Kgs fully laden. So as long as we stay below 3500Kgs gross train my daughter can drive the car and caravan. A van of 18ft internal length should satisfy most peoples needs.

Now Zafiral, I can understand your sentament about Renault as I've towed with 17 of them over the years. Renault have gone the basic comercial route in plating their cars and unless you havebeen in the transport industry it can be a nightmare working out what you can tow. But by using the gross train weight and loading our Caravan 36Kgs light we have been legal everytime. I have been over a weighbridge and varified it too. Also the local law have checked me out and found the same.

However, I do wish that motor manufacturers, DSA and VOSA would all get together and publish clear cut guidance for motorist's to make things clear cut.

Atb Steve L.

 

[NickinFrance]

Steve,

"are plated to 3600Kgs gross train, but can tow 1600Kgs of caravan. My Abbey 540SE comes in at 1436Kgs fully laden. So as long as we stay below 3500Kgs gross train my daughter can drive the car and caravan"

There seems to be a lot of confusion (in my mind, at least) about towing weights, I have been told that the 3,500 kg limit for the B license is the Plated (Max train) weight, not the actual weight but have no idea if it's true or not.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Nick,

You are right, the B licence refers to the combined MAM, not the GVW.

In Steve's example though, he quotes the Gross train weight limit is 3600, The cars GTW is not the combined MAM, it is only what the car manufacture rates the car to handle.

Continuing, the rated tow weight is 1600Kg, so the cars MAM will 3600-1600 = 2000Kg. He then relates the caravan's MAM of 1436Kg

so the combined MAM will be 2000(car) +1436 (Caravan) =3436Kg Combined MAM This is compliant with cat B Licence

 

[Steve L]

HI Nick.

Your quite right the law is very confusing indeed. This is because there are two interpretations in the same legislation.

First off the 3500Kg max gross train weight which is the weight of car, trailer and occupants, plus fuel as the vehicle stands being inspected. This is the interpretation that VOSA use when doing roadside inspections.

Secondly, you may find a police patrol using what is called capability law. So in my case because the tow car has a plated tow gross train weight of 3600Kgs, it is theoretically possable to exceed the 3500Kg gross train weight. However, given that there is an allowance for error of +5% or 175Kgs of 3500Kgs allowed before a case vcan be brought to court, the car does still remain "just legal".

Now having worked as an engineer and within the motor chassis construction industry, producing Aston Martin DB9 and Lotus Elise chassis and working within the homologation regulations, more simply known as construction and use regulations. I can with knowledge tell you thta all motor manufacturers selling cars to the public have to have a design weight for their cars in unladen, fully laden and trailer towing mode. This is strictly controlled and calculated to make towing a trailer both capable and safe to do so, to satisfy all the various regulations in countries throughout the world. Even AML and Lotus have to have towing capacities for their cars, but who realistically would want to tow a caravan with one. You might want a camping trailer with an Elise though as they have no boot. I agree though that some manufacturers (renault for one)do their best to confuse the situation.

Basically it is the roadside checks run by VOSA that bring prosecutions for overloading as they are the qualified inspectors. The police use their powers of law enforcement to support VOSA.

Atb Steve L.