The dreaded toad (1 Viewer)

[schojac]

Just watched caravan finder broadcast on the 22nd and the section on the forthcoming legislation regarding toads was aired. Although not fully sorted yet it would appear that A framed towing post November 2014 will be illegal and the only acceptable outcome will be a trailer.

However, pre November 2014 will be excluded from the legislation. If you buy a motorhome or a car (as a toad) registered post November 2014 then this will also only be legal if transported on a trailer.

This is supposed to be Europe wide - tell that to the Spanish. The parting comment was basically "watch this space"

 

[scotjimland]

I post for info only.. I sold my toad and not planning on having another one..

Apparently the new legislation is not specifically about toads but the outlawing of inertia braking on trailers with more than one axle and are more than a meter apart.. so it won't apply to twin axle caravans, boat trailers, horse boxes etc. who's axles are generally closer than 1 meter ... but will apply to cars being towed with A frames.

More info here from Link Removed

and a discussion on the Caravan Club Link Removed

 

[schojac]

Many thanks for the useful links. It's a minefield; think I will just continue to use the toad until some jobsworth with the correct hat tells me "you can't do that!"

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[scotjimland]

Many thanks for the useful links. It's a minefield; think I will just continue to use the toad until some jobsworth with the correct hat tells me "you can't do that!"

apparently it won't be applied retrospectively .. so you should be ok in the UK.. for a while.

Abroad, and particularly Spain.. I wouldn't take the risk..

 

[Larrynwin]

I also watched the Caravan Club representative on the caravan channel at the show and I understood him to say that "all new cars registered from November could not legally be fitted and towed with an a frame" .
I understood from that that cars registered before that time could still be fitted and towed on an a frame.

 

[schojac]

apparently it won't be applied retrospectively .. so you should be ok in the UK.. for a while.

Abroad, and particularly Spain.. I wouldn't take the risk..

Never felt the need to take the toad abroad as motorhomes are well catered for re. sites close to amenities, parking in towns etc. The UK, well that's another story.

I'll be pleased if the law is not applied retrospectively but this has to be a clear warning to any one thinking of investing in an A frame at this moment in time.

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[LARRY99]

So can I ask (being a relative newbie) does anybody know why they want to outlaw "A" frames? Has there been lots of accidents or any deaths? With the use of A frames. oh:

 

[DBK]

So can I ask (being a relative newbie) does anybody know why they want to outlaw "A" frames? Has there been lots of accidents or any deaths? With the use of A frames. oh:

See the second post above, it is not about toads but about how they are braked. This being the case I suspect the A frame manufacturers will be looking at how to get around the legislation, powered braking perhaps?

 

[Trikeman]

Many thanks for the useful links. It's a minefield; think I will just continue to use the toad until some jobsworth with the correct hat tells me "you can't do that!"

Yep, and so shall we.

Trikeman.

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[LARRY99]

See the second post above, it is not about toads but about how they are braked. This being the case I suspect the A frame manufacturers will be looking at how to get around the legislation, powered braking perhaps?

I think what they are trying to say is ,overrun brakes are not suitable,

Then this would make all trailers/ caravans over 750kg illegal?

And as far as reversing a caravan with overrun brakes , as soon as you reverse the caravan the brakes on the van disengage ,and stay disengaged until the van is towed forward again.

I think I,d rather a have a 1000kg toad trying to pull a 5000kg motorhome backwards down a steep hill ,than a 1800kg twin axle caravan trying to do the same to a 2000kg saloon tow car

I think this is Eurocrats gone stupid again,,, Unless there is a genuine safety issue. , ie. accidents or death.
:thumb: