Who weighs their motorhome? And where? (1 Viewer)

Oct 7, 2013
5,867
36,736
South Wales
Funster No
28,463
MH
Swift Escape Compact
Exp
Since 1988
We use a cement company near our location.

It costs us a box of biscuits for the weichbridge operators tea break!:)(y)
 

Tincataylor

Free Member
Jul 9, 2012
639
1,360
Devon
Funster No
21,869
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Never leave a campsite with your clothes line tied to a lamp post.
For those who are not sure if getting their van weighed is worth the bother then I can inform you of a way of getting it weighed accurately and entirely free of charge. First load your MH up for a long trip and make sure both the water and fuel tanks are full. Then go out and have an almighty accident where many thousands of pounds of damage have been caused. At this point your insurance company will weigh your vehicle entirely free of charge and then walk away from any claim you wish to make.

The TIncas
 

PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
Local Farm. Take my vehicles there from time to time, Which was why I decided to upgrade the Rapido to 3850kg!!. When I collected and loaded it it was Soooooo close to 3500kg it was ridiculous!!. I have known the two farming brothers for many years they dont "ticket" me, as if they did they would have to charge. (not quite sure why that is).

For those who are close, IF you tow ("A" frame warning!!:D:whistle:) you can distribute some load to the "toad". and remain legal, which is how SWMBO`s Mobility chariot travels.

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Pia

Free Member
Jan 16, 2017
855
725
staffordshire
Funster No
46,919
MH
Adria Coral Supreme 680ST
Exp
2017
We use Ed Weetman Haulage 2 miles down the road they have a plate weighbridge and it costs £7 for the printout. We'll be using it once we load up for the coming 9 week Continental trip mid March. Wouldn't want to leave home not knowing how much we weighed.
 
Feb 19, 2017
911
2,217
Leighton Buzzard
Funster No
47,391
MH
A class
Exp
Ten years
For those who are not sure if getting their van weighed is worth the bother then I can inform you of a way of getting it weighed accurately and entirely free of charge. First load your MH up for a long trip and make sure both the water and fuel tanks are full. Then go out and have an almighty accident where many thousands of pounds of damage have been caused. At this point your insurance company will weigh your vehicle entirely free of charge and then walk away from any claim you wish to make.

The TIncas

Yes of course they are, whilst your on your way to hospital (assuming you've survived your almighty accident) there going to pick all the pieces of your former pride and joy that are currently scattered all over the road put them on a low lowder and straight off to the weighbridge!
Absolute tosh, as Donald Trump would say "false news"
 

PORKSTER

Free Member
Sep 15, 2009
1,951
4,772
Sussex coast
Funster No
8,475
MH
Lowline
Exp
learning
Screenshot_20170225-172840.png
That's commercial & for 800 quid he must have been seriously overloaded as a 15-30% over is fixed penalty & 300 fine. For 800 quid I'd have shot him.:LOL:

More recent guidance says that overweight of between 5 and 10 % should be dealt with by Graduated
Fixed Penalty. Whether dealt with by way of GFP or prosecution, being overweight
(vehicle not driver) is not an endorseable offence.


GRADUATION OF FIXED PENALTY NOTICES
£100 FP -- 5% to 10% or over 1 tonne on axle, gross or train if less than 5%
£200 FP -- Over 10% and up to 15%
£300 FP -- Over 15% and up to 30%
Prosecute over 30% or over 5 tonnes on axle, gross or train if under 30%

NON COMMERCIAL DRIVERS
In genuine cases of ignorance e.g. moving house, and where the offence is unlikely to be
repeated, a prohibition should be issued and an overloading guidance leaflet handed to
the driver. To take into account the Public Interest Test no Fixed Penalty Notice should
be issued in these circumstances.
Also if no copper they cannot ask you to stop.& weigh.They only have the power to stop commercial vehicles . They need a police officer to stop/weigh a non-commercial.

Right because I am bored I looked back at my messages I got fine wrong it was £300 not £800 I didn't have my readers on so my bad. He was 600 kg over because he couldn't get materials deliverd to job he's young so can't get bigger vehicle or trailer without big expense and time. He's a hard working young man made a mistake got shorty with the guy so is now of to court. Life lesson right there as we all proberly know by our own mistakes.
Hers a photo of what he had to unload

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Sheldon C

Free Member
Mar 30, 2016
61
182
Aberdeenshire
Funster No
42,207
MH
Euromobil 695EB Profila
Exp
Since 1995
I live near the weighbridge in lancing on a27 in my sprinter camper I use for motocross I have been pulled on 3 times and been just under thank the lord I had emptied the jet wash tanks life isnt as easy and forgoing as it once was especialy if your a motorist.

That takes me back some years, we had a standing order to give 'biker vans' the 'Follow me' illuminations. Not for one minute suggesting that you Sir, are anything other than a god fearing pillar of your community, however some of your fellow sportmen can be little rascals at times and forget that red diesel is not to be used on the road, and a habit of hoarding engines and bike frames onboard, usually for a friend whose name they could never remember and who was frequently not the registered keeper or owner.

Keep it clean, don't have bits hanging off or sticking out where they should not be and keep to speed limits, enough others out there doing it to catch the attention of the most bored Traffic Officers.
 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
I have to admit I didn't consider payload limits on the old MH so we probably would have got hammered if it'd been checked. With the new one payload is already tight, at 395Kgs with empty water & waste tanks and only one person allowed for, so some serious thinking (and weighing) is going on at present. I reckon it's manageable if we're ruthless with clobber and don't drive with full tanks, but it's going to mean a change of some our habits, like not stockpiling food and drink.

Failing that we'll have to uprate it, but that will cost us more in road tolls abroad. I keep an open mind.
 
Feb 19, 2017
911
2,217
Leighton Buzzard
Funster No
47,391
MH
A class
Exp
Ten years
I have to admit I didn't consider payload limits on the old MH so we probably would have got hammered if it'd been checked. With the new one payload is already tight, at 395Kgs with empty water & waste tanks and only one person allowed for, so some serious thinking (and weighing) is going on at present. I reckon it's manageable if we're ruthless with clobber and don't drive with full tanks, but it's going to mean a change of some our habits, like not stockpiling food and drink.

Failing that we'll have to uprate it, but that will cost us more in road tolls abroad. I keep an open mind.

I read somewhere that as many as 50% of moho's are overweight, some on gross weight, but more usually on the rear axle. With new vans reportedly having a payload as low as 250 kegs from the factory its hardly a surprise. In our Hymer the kitchen, bathroom and most of the storage is in the rear of the van so if we carry our scooter on the rack were sailing close to the wind, fortunately we have air suspension so the Moho rides well and doesn't look tail heavy.

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Oct 2, 2014
575
1,722
West Yorkshire
Funster No
33,675
MH
Rapido 866f
Exp
Since 2014
I went to a local farm that has gone into landfill instead of farming. Mine was surprisingly close to capacity without me, the dog and missus but loaded with everything else.
Afterwards I thought about the two lads who were having a lunch break watching the proceedings. The "weigh office" bizarrely didn't have a view of the weighbridge itself, so I began to wonder if they had jumped on it when I'd gone inside the office.
Later I took it to the waste transfer station in Halifax but sadly the weight was similar. I have now upped the ticket weight to 4000kg and now we load even more in it! I have over 10 years before the license problem kicks in and reasoned that either me or the van would be knackered before then.
 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,684
147,582
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
I read somewhere that as many as 50% of moho's are overweight, some on gross weight, but more usually on the rear axle. With new vans reportedly having a payload as low as 250 kegs from the factory its hardly a surprise. In our Hymer the kitchen, bathroom and most of the storage is in the rear of the van so if we carry our scooter on the rack were sailing close to the wind, fortunately we have air suspension so the Moho rides well and doesn't look tail heavy.
Our van had an MIRO of 2920 giving us a payload of 580kg before extras. People grossly under estimate pay load required, we travel daily light but do run with full tanks couldn't keep to 3500 so we upgraded to 3850 only gained 150kg of use able load due to rear axle loading.
As you have to take the weight of options and extras off the payload, I recon you need a minimum of 700kg for two people.
 
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May 22, 2015
1,417
2,576
Wem Shropshire
Funster No
36,507
MH
Carthago E Line 51QB
Exp
Been getting away since 2008
How I look at it is my van is 3500kg and will go to 3850kg on a paperwork exercise. I am probably over 35 but under 3850.
I can't be bothered to uprate it but if I do it'll be cheaper tax.
If I get weighed, what actually will vosa prosecute me for??

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DanielFord

Free Member
Jun 1, 2013
3,020
3,086
Funster No
26,287
If you are over weight there is the potential for a big fine and inconvenience. You want evidence you go find it,
We went over a WIM outfit on our way back from Scotland the other week. No problem because I knew I was well within our payload limits. Didn't see any MH's stopped, but there were plenty of White Vans that had been stopped.
 

Lorryman100

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 29, 2015
640
1,015
UK/Scotland
Funster No
40,467
MH
Rapido A class
Exp
27/11/2015
VOSA regularly have days for different vehicle classes at Carlisle and Beattock summit weighbridges on the M6 and M74. Have been pulled into both of them with the caravan and was ok (twin axle with Landrover tow car) but have to date missed the Motorhome/coach days. At one point when I was on the wagons it was a monthly occurrence. This was the main reason for up plating our Rapido to 3850Kgs, 1850kg on the front and 2240kg on the rear, though if I was to load the axles to the new weights I would be over the GVW of 3850kgs. Now with full water/fuel and everything but the kitchen sink including me, Elaine and Daisy the cocker the highest i have recorded is GVW of 3790Kgs with 2050kgs on the rear axle.
 

TheBig1

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2011
17,509
42,755
Dorset
Funster No
19,048
MH
A class
Exp
many many years! since I was a kid
as already said dvsa target specific vehicle types in campaigns. each summer round here they regularly target horse boxes, horse trailers and cars/vans and the obvious boats on trailers. drive past rownhams services on the m27 or fleet on the m3 on the wrong day and expect to get pulled in

my niece was at a horse event last year and dvsa stopped nearly every horse carrying vehicle leaving the field

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DanielFord

Free Member
Jun 1, 2013
3,020
3,086
Funster No
26,287
drive past rownhams services on the m27 or fleet on the m3 on the wrong day and expect to get pulled in
Have to agree, they seem to do a lot of operations here, most days when I travel that route I pull in to have a leg stretch, and 9 times out of 10 VOSA are doing an operation of some sort there!
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,357
43,865
Scottish Borders
Funster No
29,703
MH
Without at present
Exp
On and off for many years.
We get ours done at least once a year at a local haulage company. They have a certified flat plate weighbridge and they do the overall van then the back axle. It costs £8.50 for the certificate which I put in the documentation file with a note of what we had on board load-wise.

Generally we have always weighed new (to us) vans with both of us, full fuel and water early on so we know how much we have to play with, then every year when we fully load before a big trip (not always full of water) and we make sure we are legal before we set off.
 

Langtoftlad

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 12, 2011
8,832
148,802
Langtoft, South Lincs
Funster No
16,024
MH
WildAx Aurora FB [PVC]
Exp
Since 2015
It would be a lot easier if there was an up-to-date list of public weighbridges.
It's all too vague, depending on what county you're in, whether you can blag a freebie from a commercial scrappie for a donation to the biccy fund.

If VOSA are going to prosecute drivers, then they should also provide calibrated & publically available facilities to all drivers & their vehicles in all counties.

I had my (now ex) MH weighed three times, all unofficially in different locations/businesses but each time I felt I wasn't welcome, or was being a hassle... nor did I feel I could "bother" them for three weighs, front back & total. Luckily the weighs I did have demonstrated that I was well under maximum so I didn't have to fret.

It shouldn't be so hard for some of us to ensure we are weight compliant.

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Beakster

Beakster

Free Member
Feb 19, 2017
67
234
Brighton
Funster No
47,394
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
I'm new!
We weighed in today at 3130kg - with us, bikes and fuel, but not too much else. Gives us 270kg to play with. Just about enough with a bit spare according the list on my spreadsheet.
 
Aug 18, 2014
23,537
131,293
Lorca,Murcia,Spain
Funster No
32,898
MH
Transit PVC
Exp
16 years since restarting
How I look at it is my van is 3500kg and will go to 3850kg on a paperwork exercise. I am probably over 35 but under 3850.
I can't be bothered to uprate it but if I do it'll be cheaper tax.
If I get weighed, what actually will vosa prosecute me for??
If you are under 3850 then you wouldn't be 10% over. max. would be 100 Fixed penalty. anyway as long as your axle weights are under the plated weights vosa can't touch you, they wont prosecute on gross weight overloading only.
as already said dvsa target specific vehicle types in campaigns. each summer round here they regularly target horse boxes, horse trailers and cars/vans and the obvious boats on trailers. drive past rownhams services on the m27 or fleet on the m3 on the wrong day and expect to get pulled in

my niece was at a horse event last year and dvsa stopped nearly every horse carrying vehicle leaving the field

Have to agree, they seem to do a lot of operations here, most days when I travel that route I pull in to have a leg stretch, and 9 times out of 10 VOSA are doing an operation of some sort there!


Same going up towards Colchester. Amazing how this lot can be all over the place on a daily/weekly basis yet you can't find a copper anywhere.:rolleyes:
 

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