PRACTICAL CARAVAN EDITORIAL ON 12 MT MARKINGS- CARAVAN CLUB HAS A DIFFERENT VIEW

Sep 7, 2006
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I have a January 2007 Practical Caravan techincal response saying that the 12 mt rear warning plates are not appropriate or required on caravans. The article says that the rule does not apply to vehicles with a gross weight not exceeding 7500kg and only trailers (caravans) over 3500kg. It goes on to say there are different markings according to length of vehicle and that the UK prohibits such markings on vehicles which are not required to show them.
The Caravan Club on page 178 of their 2011 summer brochure says markers are required. I simply ask who is right or where does one find out as clearly there are differing views.
Wayne
 
Dec 11, 2009
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I think you will find that the 2007 PC reply is with regard to UK registered LGV vehicles and is indeed correct. Not having read the 2011 CC brochure I can only surmise it appertains to the rear markings required by the Spanish authorities.
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Sep 7, 2006
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Thanks and wish it was.It was talking specifically abuot caravans so hence the confussion. Hopefull Practical Caravan will have a response for us all
Wayne
 
Mar 14, 2005
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If you are thinking of going to Spain with an outfit 12m. or longer I suggest you consider fitting plates regardless of the outcome of your current questions about weight limits. Although under the interpretation of the wording your outfit may be exempt, unless your Spanish is very good - i.e. good enought to argue if stopped by regional Guarda Civil many of whom speak little or no English, then I suggest it is just not worth the potential hassle. One the spot fines are levied and can easily exceed 100 euros, plus delays and 'walk rounds' which may perhaps discover other areas in which your outfit may be suspected of breaking the many rules. Vehicle attitude, loading, lights, papers, number of safety vests, spare bulb kits, spare specs. if you wear them etc. etc.
Guarda Civil is reported to be under pressure to become self financing, which, given the state of the overall economy, is quite believable. Last Spring there was a noticable increase in GC presence and checks on the roads, particularly towards the end of the months. You can of course challenge any spot fine but this will involve going to a local headquarters with the prospect of the fine being increased (perhaps doubled) if you fail to convince the officer in charge.

Quite a number of us have decided it is just not worth the stress and hassle - the cost of buying and fitting plates is well less than the likely fine - and they will last for some years. So just consider it another stange foreign tax and avoid the worry.
 

Parksy

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Nov 12, 2009
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Wayne_5133334 said:
I have a January 2007 Practical Caravan techincal response saying that the 12 mt rear warning plates are not appropriate or required on caravans. The article says that the rule does not apply to vehicles with a gross weight not exceeding 7500kg and only trailers (caravans) over 3500kg. It goes on to say there are different markings according to length of vehicle and that the UK prohibits such markings on vehicles which are not required to show them.
The Caravan Club on page 178 of their 2011 summer brochure says markers are required. I simply ask who is right or where does one find out as clearly there are differing views.
Wayne

The Caravan Club are referring to caravans being used in Spain and not the UK
http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/27A52A76-ACC4-4B65-BEAF-C1B94551332A/0/T2530FirstTimeAbroad.pdf

The relevant information from the CC is:

Spain – Outfit over 12 meters
Any car/caravan combinations or motor homes over 12m in length are required to fit marker boards to the back of the vehicle.
The marker boards which have a yellow centre and red boarder must be manufactured to ECE70 standards, and made of aluminium. You can have two boards measuring 565mm x 200mm or one large board measuring 1130mm x 200mm the boards must be placed between 50cm and 150cm off the ground, (the smaller boards can be attached horizontally or vertically.)
Marker boards can be purchased from most HGV suppliers including HGV Direct, www.ghvdirect.co.uk telephone: 0845 686 0008. Please ensure that any marker boards you purchase have ECE70 stamped on them. Further information can be found our website www.caravanclub.co.uk (practical advice/overseas)
 
Mar 14, 2005
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David the triangle sticker does not meet the rules in all respects, shape, size colour and backing. I believe you can buy rectangular yellow with red border (and no chevrons or other big lettering) in Uk - I bought mine at vast expense in Spain a couple of years ago when the 'revised requirement' was first mooted.
The degree of the check is unpredictable as it depends entirely on the individual GC officer/s making the check ( and possibly how you respond to them). They are, after all, only human, and often under quite a lot of pressure to meet targets - just like UK.
I have never (yet) been stopped for such a check, but have reliable information that measuring tapes have been used at places like toll booths. I gather that plates of UK supply may not quite meet the dimensional requirements but only by a few mm. either way.
I have checked my overall outfit length carefully and it is sufficiently above 12m. to make it not worth the risk. The documentation will show shipping length of the caravan and the normal length of the car - the bit missing will be the length of the drawbar less the ball.
In practice it is quite difficult to line a tape up 'square' to get a decently accurate reading say to plus/minus 1 cm as most cars have slightly curved front bumpers and which bit of the caravan rear do you measure to ?

All in all, if, like us, you are looking for a relaxing, trouble free holiday, then i suggest it is worth going the extra mile / kilometer to minimise the hassle factor. For the same reason we have the mandatory day-glow vests rooed up and secured to the rear of the headrests so they can be seen from outside the car, the bulb kit and spare specs. easlity to hand and so on. Some would say this is defeatist and we should stick to our 'rights' - many of our dutch friends said exactly this - if it's legal in Holland it's legal in Spain but went a bit quiet when I asked why, on this basis, I was expected to deflect my dipped beams when i visted their country.

I confess that my attitude is influenced by my only brush with GC in Spain which cost me 105 euro as my wife had not yet fastened her seat belt when a few yards from the camp exit, but I cannot argue that we had broken the law. The penalty seems excessive as the only likely victim was the perpetrator, but there you are. In the same area the GC were very active in the restaurent area after dark, often breathalysing all occupants of the car rathe than just the driver to make sure anyone who took over was safe to do so.
Not wonderful, but if you play away from home you must be prepared for local rules.
 

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