However it may be useful to you if you cannot remember something as simple as the MTPLM and braked towing capacity of your vehicle but then you should not be driving as you are not being legally responsible.
Cheeky
------------- If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 07/3/2011
Quote: Originally posted by Crankyhorse on 06/3/2011
VOSA have electronic weigh bridges built in to the tarmac of many Motorways and A roads. They can measure the weight of each axle and read the reg plate and take a picture (you often see them before a bridge, you will see lines in the tarmac in a box pattern)
They are currently used to catch overweight HGVs
It's only current software limitations that stop them automatically weighing your caravan and then working out if it is too heavy for your car, from it's reg plate.
Despite having searched the internet about this, I can find no reference to these " electronic weigh bridges built in to the tarmac ".
I am most interested in this phenomena. Please tell me more!
They are capable of recording the reg number as well as speed, gross weight & axle weights as vehicles pass over them.
Some speed cameras have them & will catch an HGV on a single carriageway road which has a speed limit higher than the 40mph an HGV is restricted to on such roads.
All they'll do now is change the software on the equipment they've currently got & everyone will be monitored. We live with it running lorries, all we do is run legal & get on with it. I do the same when we go away with the caravan for a long holiday, if we want to take everything with us & I think it needs two vehicles, we take two vehicles. I'd rather pay the extrra fuel & pitch charges for the extra vehicle than get done for being overweight.
The guys that do this checking aren't fools and I would imagine that they don't need a weighbridge or any other device to spot an ill matched outfit, a knackered caravan or car for that matter.
I don't have a trained eye in these matters, but with nearly 30 years experience as a caravanner I can tell a wrong 'un believe me.
Probably what initially alerts them is how the outfit is travelling - is there any sway going on. Then the general appearance of both car and caravan. I think it's fair to say that if these criteria don't hold up, then a check is well and truly justified.
Agreed. One of the telltale signs is when the caravan and car form a V, The back of the car is almost dragging on the ground, no doubt full of people, bikes, and maybe something like an awning in the boot as well as normal luggage.
Sometimes you see an outfit that just doesn't seem right, with a small car and big caravan.
If it looks right, you probably won't be stopped. No guarantee of course.
You don't have to rely on this, the time I was pulled we were running perfectly level and my caravan (technically) was only 67% of the car weight. Car was 1 month old and caravan 1 year old. There was nothing stored in the centre of the caravan but I was still 250kg over weight.
Quote: Originally posted by rushallmanor on 14/3/2011
You don't have to rely on this, the time I was pulled we were running perfectly level and my caravan (technically) was only 67% of the car weight. Car was 1 month old and caravan 1 year old. There was nothing stored in the centre of the caravan but I was still 250kg over weight.
We got pulled over once: 4:30 am leaving the end of our street. The milkman thought someone was nicking our 'van!!
Interestingly the Police was quite shirty, even when faced with 3 kids trudging out of the house with pillows and teddies. I kinda lost patience with him then...and the fact that it was 50 minutes since the milkman had reported the theft..if I was serious, I'd would have been a long way away.
Interesting to read:
"However it may be useful to you if you cannot remember something as simple as the MTPLM and braked towing capacity of your vehicle but then you should not be driving as you are not being legally responsible."
I check these figures before I purchase items of my outfit, but I don't memorise them...why should I?? If I change 'van or car, I'll check again. I can't see how that makes me irresponsible, especially as its engraved on the nearside of my 'van! Some of you guys take it a bit far I reckon.
Only our usual equipment, this is why I continually post here saying that most caravans will be overweight and the owners don't know.
I took the caravan to a weighbridge while it was empty and confirmed the MIRO. Then loaded it for a weekend and repeated the procedure to find I was over the plated weight by 21kg. For a longer holiday we would always carry more. So my conclusion is that the payload is not adequate for most users. I now have all my new caravans uprated where this can be done. My current Bailey Senator Wyoming has been uprated from 1649kg to 1800kg.
We also no longer take the kids with us so we don't have their clothes and equipment.
But like most weekend ralliers carry things for every eventuality.
We have jest receaved our 2011 Citroen new C4 VTR+ Manual 6 speed 110 bhp, and are geting a real prob to get a towbar 4 it.
Our new to us 1998 Swift Fairway 390 2 berth has not yet been used by us got it xmas and we hope it is a great mach lol the c4 has a nose weight of 75kg and tow weight of 1500kg
Quote: Originally posted by abbeyex360 on 14/3/2011
We have jest receaved our 2011 Citroen new C4 VTR+ Manual 6 speed 110 bhp, and are geting a real prob to get a towbar 4 it.
Our new to us 1998 Swift Fairway 390 2 berth has not yet been used by us got it xmas and we hope it is a great mach lol the c4 has a nose weight of 75kg and tow weight of 1500kg
The manual is okay but the same car with the auto gearbox the maximum braked towing weight drops to 1100kg! This is what coudl confuse drivers.
Quote: Originally posted by Prospector on 14/3/2011
Quote: Originally posted by rushallmanor on 14/3/2011
You don't have to rely on this, the time I was pulled we were running perfectly level and my caravan (technically) was only 67% of the car weight. Car was 1 month old and caravan 1 year old. There was nothing stored in the centre of the caravan but I was still 250kg over weight.
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Topic: pulled over
