I've just been wading through the current edition of the Handbook of Police Law to see if I can find anything about this, and the information available is very scant. On the subject of indicators all it says is - quote - 'All the indicators on any vehicle or its trailer must be operated by only one switch. There must be a 'tell-tale' to show that the indicators are in operation.' There is nothing to say that you need an audible buzzer, or other warning light on the dash when you have a trailer attached. It would appear that some manufacturers fit these devices and others don't - our Toyota has one but the Fiesta doesn't - so as long as your trailer electrics are connected properly and all indicators are operating you won't be breaking the law by not having one.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
The ``Tell Tale`` is the audible or visual warning.
------------- Think this year is to follow old meet friends for 2014.
If you cant do someone a good turn,don`t do them a bad one,its nice to be nice you know,and little things mean much more later in life.
Pete.
we have an audible buzzer that sounds when i am indicating left or right but i also have a cycle flag attached the the trailer which i can see in my review mirror, its one of those ones you get with the kids bike trailers.
By law all passenger vehicles should be fitted with a monitor to tell the driver that the indicators are working correctly this can be done either with a flashing light in the dash or an audible buzzer in the vehicle.
------------- Think this year is to follow old meet friends for 2014.
If you cant do someone a good turn,don`t do them a bad one,its nice to be nice you know,and little things mean much more later in life.
Pete.
When we had the tow bar fitted this year, they put a speparate buzzer in the boot area, so we always know. I presume it is a part of the electrics that get added.
------------- Think this year is to follow old meet friends for 2014.
If you cant do someone a good turn,don`t do them a bad one,its nice to be nice you know,and little things mean much more later in life.
Pete.
I've just been speaking to someone I know from the traffic division of our local force. When I spoke to him earlier he said he has never heard of such a law. He has just phoned me back now from work and this is what he told me - he said he's looked up all the information they have and there is nothing to say that there is an actual law about this in connection with trailers or caravans. Yes, it is a legal requirement to have an audio and/or visual warning in your vehicle to say that your indicators are working - which is what all vehicles have anyway - but there is no law to say you have to have one connected to your caravan/trailer indicators. So as long as your trailer/caravan indicators are all working correctly you will not be breaking any law by not having an extra warning device in your vehicle.
The first sentence in the paragraph in the above link is rather ambiguous, in that it sounds like it applies to when you are towing a caravan or trailer, but in actual fact it is just the normal legal requirement which applies to any vehicle.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
tigermouse, so if you have no "tell-tale" (audio buzzer, flashing light) you have no way of knowing that your trailer indicators are always working. so in effect you are breaking the law. even if this is one of the obscure laws that i doubt will ever be enforced or checked by the local bobby but could come into action if there is an accident involving your insurance company having to pay out.
------------- fresh air, lager and no work. who could want more?
Quote: Originally posted by Tigermouse on 20/5/2008
I've just been speaking to someone I know from the traffic division of our local force. When I spoke to him earlier he said he has never heard of such a law. He has just phoned me back now from work and this is what he told me - he said he's looked up all the information they have and there is nothing to say that there is an actual law about this in connection with trailers or caravans. Yes, it is a legal requirement to have an audio and/or visual warning in your vehicle to say that your indicators are working - which is what all vehicles have anyway - but there is no law to say you have to have one connected to your caravan/trailer indicators. So as long as your trailer/caravan indicators are all working correctly you will not be breaking any law by not having an extra warning device in your vehicle.
The first sentence in the paragraph in the above link is rather ambiguous, in that it sounds like it applies to when you are towing a caravan or trailer, but in actual fact it is just the normal legal requirement which applies to any vehicle.
Your "friend" doesn't know the law!!!
Just because some towbar fitters don't bother with the tell tale doesn't mean it shouldn't be there.
I worked in the motor trade for years and had to know the law for when fitting towbars, of which I have fitted hundreds over the years.
You MUST have a tell-tale (audible or visual) to show that the indicators on your trailer/caravan are working FACT.
You probably have more chance of winning the lottery than being caught for not having a tell-tale, but you are still breaking the law - even if some coppers don't know the laws they are suppossed to be enforcing
Most fitters install the audio device as its quicker and so cheaper.
For a visual tell-tale you need to run wiring to the dashboard unless a factory "plug n play" is available for your car.
My Nissan towbar electrics simply plugged into the loom under the car. Cost £30 - £35 for the wiring kit and meant it was a 2 minute job to wire it up - no messing about removing trim panels and tapping inot the lights wiring. It also cuts off the Fog light on the vehicle when a trailer/caravan is plugged in so you don't get glare back!
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Topic: how do you see your trailer
