Outfit length?

[JeremyClarksson]

Hillhead CC site has a ban on outfits over 28ft because of pitch size and access.

I went there in the car and could not see why.

Outfit to me means the combined length of car and van, which at 28ft, I guess, would rule out most of the CC membership.

Our van and car combined are over 40ft in length.

28ft would be the length of something like a Focus towing a 14ft caravan.

Have I got this right or are they talking about the length of the caravan/motorhome?

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I would take it to mean the length of the caravan

 

[RogerL]

When the CC introduced restrictions on "outfit" size it was pointed out to them, by many members, that outfit has always meant car + caravan. They have since clarified that they mean caravan or motorhome length, not outfit length.

They should have stopped using the term "outfit restriction" but clearly haven't.

In the case of Hillhead, the ban is on any caravan (shipping length) or motorhome (overall length) that's over 28ft or 8.53m

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Thanks all - I thought it seemed wrong.

 

[Guest]

Just a comment. Somewhere on this Forum someone made the comment that In Spain outfits over 12 meters in length (ie both car and trailer) required 'long vehicle' signs to be attached to the back. I don't recall seeing any absolute answer on the question, but if you plan on going abroad with a 'package' in excess of 12 meters you may wish to check, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

total combined length of 12m also applies in Switzerland if a caravan is towed with a car rather than a 4 x 4.

 

[Guest]

Where are these regulations fouind for Switzerland and Spain ?

There are regulations for only using 4 WD on mountains and regulations re vehicles over 18 metres in Switzerland but I know of nothing re 12+ metre caravan rigs in switzerland or Spain.

TCS (Touring Club Suisse)seems to have nothing about this and nor do any of the travel guides or car insurer advice pages for travelling in Switzerland or Spain. Even advice for boating and trailering through Switzerland and Spain seems to have no reference re any special regs ors signage for 12 + metre outfits.

So where are the facts, our rig is over 12 metres and I've towed in Switzerland and Spain for years and have never heard of these regs.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi Euro

I recently received the Select Sites brochure and on the bottom of the first page on the 'Switzerland' section there is a piece entitled 'Special Information' as follows:-

'There are certain restrictions on the size of caravans permitted to enter Switzerland. Maximum length of car and caravan, including the tow bar, towed by a light vehicle must not exceed 12m and 18.35m when towed by a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The maximum permitted width of a caravan is 2.5m. Several passes are closed to caravans. Vignettes or motorway passes have to be purchased at the border when entering Switzerland.'

 

[Guest]

There are restrictions for going into the mountains and only using 4 x 4 etc and as a regular visitor to Switzerland I always have vignettes as you need one for car and another for the caravan in summer, we drive to Verbier to ski with friends every January equiped with winter tyres and chains.

Some passes are closed to all traffic in winter and some passes are not advised for caravan use at all times but you can still use them with care if you choose.

Normal UK vehicles etc do not come wider than 2.5 metres and I think your guidelines are advisory and based on an interpretation of winter and mountain driving rather than actual through route driving and towing for summer travel.