Long Vehicle Sticker

[theothertom]

Any one know if it leagal or illeagal(not the sick bird) to have a Long Vehicle sticker on the rear of the van .

The type of one i am thinking of putting on is those seen on HGVs.

Many Thanks .

Tom .

 

[Phillipcharnwoodforest]

Hiya Tom, yes mate I'm affraid that it is illegal. I can't remember the dimensions for the use of them or for the smaller reflective red and yellow ones on shorter vehicles, but if the angled ones are put upside down they are illegal and won't pass an MOT at the test station either.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

won't pass an MOT at the test station either.

Caravans dont need an MOT Do they??????

 

[Phillipcharnwoodforest]

Graham, I didn't say that a caravan requires a MOT, I mearly pointed out that they are illegal, and that a goods vehicle trailer or goods vehicle requiring them would not pass the Ministry test.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Tom

Why do you want such a sticker? Isn't it obvious you are towing a caravan? I don't think it will do much for the caravan's looks.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[theothertom]

Thanks Folks.

As i said it was only a thought,the combined lenth of my car/caravan is just over 41 foot .

Can you see the reason for my thoughts,i have seen other combinations with this sort of sticker on .

Many Thanks.

Tom

 

[Happy-Lappy]

To All,

In the 'Overseas Parks and Touring' section there is a debated discussion whether outfits that measure over 12m require these warning stickers whilst driving in Spain,

best regards, Martin

 

[Lutz]

The issue has been cleared up regarding stickers for Spain. Stickers do not meet Spanish requirements. They are asking for aluminium signs.

 

[KnL]

Tom,

As far as driving in the UK, there is no legislation making it illegal for you to display a long vehicle sticker on your caravan.

You could drive round in a Smart car and have one displayed on the back if you want.

Certain sizes of LGV's have to display them by law, but the rules don't prevent smaller vehicles displaying them.

 

[theothertom]

Thanks Ken

I was talking to a V.O.S.A. Inspector at a road side check to-day and was told by him they are not illegal most officers would regard them as Advisory and informative.

Tom.

 

[tffwkends]

it would seem that toms question was misunderstood he tows a combined unit of over 41ft, unlike dustydog i do not think and neither is it obvious that once commited to over take said unit could any one have taken into consideration the safety of such a manoeuvre i feel dusty dog ignorant in his assumption that units are of a similar length therfore over taking one is like over taking all, on an unknown road or lane would you honestly consider overtaking an articulated vehicle, i think if we were to show the lenght of our unit it may make drivers think again about unnecessary overtaking,as a final note if caravaners drove to correct speed limits on all roads an conditions the need for other road users to overtaking us would not be there , i therefor agree with tom the lenght shown of a towed unit would be a great safety addition.

 

[theothertom]

Hi All

Re the LONG VEHICLE sticker actually got a compliment from Hampshire Police @ Ringwood regarding the sticker.

Good idea the officer said and wished more t/a had them to inform other road users that IT IS A long vehicle and just as long as the average artic(which have to have them by law).

Happy caravanning he said as he got a call on his radio and had to go.

Tom.

 

[Icemaker]

the back of a lorry looks just the same as the back of any other lorry hence the reason for displaying a long vehicle sticker on the longer ones, it could be a 20 foot 7.5 tonner or a 40 foot artic they all look the same so the sticker is needed.

regarding caravans if a driver is too stupid to not know that the outfit could be too long then they should not really be driving, the majority of outfits will have a car of at least 15 feet length and a van averaging 18 feet so an average of 33 feet is not unusuall !.

my outfit of ford s max and coachman vip 530/4 is totalling 38 feet and i would never cosider putting something as ugly as a long vehicle sticker on the back, what comes next slow moving vehicle stickers on cycles or slightly unstable stickers on the elderly before they can cross the road.

i think its called common sense!.

 

[mauron]

Icemaker,

I can remember when people used 'common sense'..........but only just ;-)

Ron

 

[Guest]

Since my younger wilder biker days I've always regarded caravans outfits as being "long". The average for car/caravan combo must be thirty feet and when overtaking 30 or 41 makes little difference as from behind "overtaker beware" as you do not know the caravan length or the tow vehicle length.

No matter what the length all but a few outfits are going to be long.

Fixing signs to the rear of your van will only give the Plods and Legislators another idea to 'tax' road users.

I admit to having discrete high mounted reflectors on our caravans rear ends. But long vehicle signs are over the top and not needed.

 

[KnL]

Getting away from the legality issue asked by the OP, our train length is just under 42 feet and I wouldn't have such a sticker on the back of mine.

As Euro has correctly stated, it's "overtaker beware" and the onus remains on them to get a view and to ensure they know where their gap is, irrespective of what length of vehicle they are overtaking.

 

[theothertom]

Hi All

I think i have caused some confusion with this ,the sticker is of the same dims as a regulation number plate .yellow and red diagonal reflective stripes with (long vehicle) in 1 inch letters across it in black and not the ones seen on the hgvs.

Sorry.

Tom

 

[chris_374398963]

caravans are different lenghts so i think a sticker or some sort of warning is okay

 

[Guest]

Well, why not have purple flashing light on the caravan roof or a man walking in front with a bell!

Nearly every caravan outfit on the road is LONG, the outfits only travel at around the speed of an articulated lorry that are longer than touring outfits.

Are motorist to dim to work that one out?

There is just no need to saddle caravanners with silly signs.

 

[theothertom]

Hi All

My Caravan My Choice

 

[Guest]

I've NO problem with that.

But why not keep these sort of ideas to ones self rather than give EU and government authorities more barmy ideas to saddle us with!

Also consider that a "LONG VEHICLE" sign may indicate to some bullish drivers that you are indicating a slow moving dawdling obstacle to pass whatever the risk.

The sign may end up being like a red rag to a Bull and hand you more trouble and sticky sittuations than it's worth.

 

[Lutz]

Do I detect a hint sarcasm in the reference to the EU here? There are no plans to make a 'Long Vehicle' sticker an EU requirement. Indeed, even if there were, it would probably take years to agree on the language to appear on the sticker, or should the sign appear in all 23 official EU languages? On the contrary, the EU is actually trying to help us reconcile local requirements, like the absurd Spanish law for outfits over 12m, in declaring them a hindrance to free movement within the EU.

 

[Gafferbill]

We have had 2 warning signs on the rear of UK trailers for years..........the reflective red triangle.

They are to show the vehicle is being towed and therefore longer.

These are being diminished on some newer caravans by incorporating them in the lighting cluster, a backward step in my opinion.

 

[GregClaire]

As you say "my van my choice"

I think people here sometimes type without thinking.

I also think you mean this sticker to be a considerate idea for other road users and for that I agree with the idea to display such a sticker.

Its fine to say that its obvious that a caravan and car are longer to overtake but some people just dont see it, as im sure everyone here can speak of someone overtaking them and not giving themselves enough time or space.

Another thing to remember is some new twin wheeled vans can be as long on there own as a small car and van combined.

 

[Gafferbill]

I was once driving a 55ft long artic and I was stopped on a hill at some temporary traffic lights at roadworks on the A25 in Surrey.

On the back of my trailer, which was 14ft high was a 3 feet long fluorescent sign saying Long Vehicle.

I was 5 feet behind a stationary car and about ten vehicles back from a red traffic light.

I was last in the queue and the lights had just changed, the oncoming traffic had just cleared when a car towing a caravan drove round me, only to come to a halt on the wrong side of the road as the driver realised I was in a stationary queue.

Due to being on a hill and fully loaded I was slow moving off.

The driver nonchalantly pulled in front of me.

So much for signs on the back of vehicles!