Has anyone been stopped for van being over weight (1 Viewer)

[2657]

Whilst it may be rare in practice it would be more than a little inconvenient to be stuck in a compound or lay bye miles from home and having to unload stuff to become legal.

DVSA do have targeted operations and caravans and and motorhomes are sometimes the target of these.

I have driven LGV's in the UK for over 40 years and been weighed around 6/7 times and in the days before the fixed penalties it cost me over £600( **** magistrates) for an 11% overload on the front axle of a 7.5 tonner 'dangerously overloaded' according to VOSA, apparently not so dangerous now.

I had to spend 10 minutes moving around 20 cartons to the back to correct the overload.

 

[eddie]

Maximum length UK trailer combination 18.75 meters Europe 20.50 meters

Just in then

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Just an observation,the "Speed ? humps,that you cross coming off the Ferry at Dover,have a Dual purpose,they can draw attention to "Overloads" by the way the springs sit going over them. Phil O,used rubber blocks on the rear of his estate car on Booze cruises,no trouble,Terry O,got followed from the docks in his car,to the weighbridge up the hill,pulled in and made to unload in the lay bye until the weight was right. On enquiring what would have happened,had he waited and carried on,he was told that by the time he had got to Dartford Tunnel,he would no longer have a licence and would be walking back to Nottingham.
So,TRY not to be overweight,and "Gently" over the humps.
Tea Bag

 

[Lenny HB]

But upgrading isn't an option for everyone whether it be licence type or practicalities of use or storage.

So are you suggesting they break the law?

 

[Gorse Hill]

So are you suggesting they break the law?

For a 20k upgrade, yes

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[GWAYGWAY]

They must operate a different system to the UK, where in such an example, your motorhome does not automatically become the responsibility of the police. A prohibition order would be put on it, either by the police themselves, or VOSA and if necessary, the vehicle clamped, or otherwise immobilised, until the illegality was resolved.
Obviously they wouldn't leave you in the middle of a busy motorway, but could escort you in to a nearby service area, or other safe place, before the prohibition would take effect.

I do believe that the Police are the only ones to be able to stop us in Motorhomes as VOSA only can stop COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. Around here they are so busy trying to catch the Foreign lorries they would not bother trying it on with us. KCC trading standards also try it at Brenley corner at the end of the M2. interesting point if the vehicle empty weigh 3420 kgs what could you empty from it apart from dropping water over his clean shiny shoes. My friend was stopped in a minipickup carrying pig manure in the back and they mad the passenger get out, he got fined for not having a plate on it. As he had made it up from a new bodyshell with bits from other car and scrapyards there was never a plate for it.
They did not want hime to stay around the weighbridge as it was summer and it was getting warmer.

 

[mpdcymru]

sorry to start another thread on this as there are a few going right now , but thought this might get overlooked if put in one of those.
Has anyone on here ever been stopped by vosa or there counterparts in Europe and been found to be overweight, if so what happened?

DVSA procedure in the UK would be to issue a certificate of weight with the words "Verbal warning" written on to it if the vehicle or vehicle combination were found to be overweight by no more than 5%, If it were more than that they would prohibit movement of the vehicle through the issue of a TE160 (or variant thereof) or issue a direction notice allowing the vehicle to proceed with some limitation to a place where it may be safely unloaded. Nowadays the vehicle could also be secured by means of a wire placed through the wheels. The vehicle would not be the responsibility of DVSA unless it was removed by them to a pound or other place.

Depending on exact circumstances the driver of the vehicle may be offered a Graduated Fixed Penalty or sent for prosecution.

Once the vehicle is offloaded to comply with all plated weights it would be released and a clearance notice given.

 

[mpdcymru]

To be honest, am not quite sure. They were more concerned that I did not have long vehicle plates and am almost sure the "fine" was more of a back hander. I did used to run a bit close to the limits as the photo below will prove.View attachment 150768

Maximum length in the UK is 12 metres for a rigid vehicle or a trailer with an overall maximum length of 18.75 metres for a road train (Rigid vehicle and trailer). Looking at the picture @Snowbird, I think you are right, the enforcement authorities were more concerned about the lack of "long vehicle" markers or (and it is impossible to tell from the photograph) the fact that the outboard motor overhung the rear light board by more than a metre.

 

[Kingham]

I do believe that the Police are the only ones to be able to stop us in Motorhomes as VOSA only can stop COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. Around here they are so busy trying to catch the Foreign lorries they would not bother trying it on with us. KCC trading standards also try it at Brenley corner at the end of the M2.

That's correct, but in circumstances where police want a vehicle immobilised, if they don't have the equipment themselves, they can invite VOSA to assist.

 

[Emmit]

To be honest, am not quite sure. They were more concerned that I did not have long vehicle plates and am almost sure the "fine" was more of a back hander. I did used to run a bit close to the limits as the photo below will prove.View attachment 150768

As an Ex Tugger I can understand why you were fined.
You were towing a trailer and the overall length of the unit was over 12.5 Mts. That's why you will see long cars towing long caravans with a pair of 'Long Vehicle' Plates on the back.
It's a regular source of income for the Spanish Police to stop and fine UK Tuggers.

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[mpdcymru]

I do believe that the Police are the only ones to be able to stop us in Motorhomes as VOSA only can stop COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. Around here they are so busy trying to catch the Foreign lorries they would not bother trying it on with us. KCC trading standards also try it at Brenley corner at the end of the M2. interesting point if the vehicle empty weigh 3420 kgs what could you empty from it apart from dropping water over his clean shiny shoes. My friend was stopped in a minipickup carrying pig manure in the back and they mad the passenger get out, he got fined for not having a plate on it. As he had made it up from a new bodyshell with bits from other car and scrapyards there was never a plate for it.
They did not want hime to stay around the weighbridge as it was summer and it was getting warmer.

Yes, true. DVSA have power to stop any commercial vehicle and that includes a small fiesta based van but does not necessarily include a motor home. The fact that a motorhome may be licensed as a PHGV has no bearing on this as it is the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) definition that comes into play for the purpose of stopping a vehicle. However, DVSA often work in tandem with the police and they have power to stop any vehicle. once stopped of course DVSA can then look at various aspects of the vehicle concerned and take independent action on it or the driver.

I do remember stopping a transit pick up with loaded with dead chickens (foul pest epidemic in Suffolk many years ago. Driver and operator were both prosecuted for the offences (axles and gross weight) but the vehicle was allowed to proceed to its destination as there was no way that it could be safely unloaded at the weighbridge site (the chickens were falling apart at this stage. Though we did put conditions on the movement that it was to only be a direct route between the bridge and the named place, no passengers were to be carried, it was not to be driven at night and at no more than 30 MPH.

 

[Lofty1]

So are you suggesting they break the law?

for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools.

 

[Gaston aires]

Once in Austria. All was OK and proceeded onwards.
The Austrians are quite strict and devious in my opinion.
Phil

 

[gus-lopez]

Years ago, it was always "coffee" pleas driver .

Having tasted the rubbish that comes out of there machines I'd be begging for some as well ! Chicory tasting barley sugar.

I really don't see the point of this thread, if you are overweight it is illegal - end of story.

We found we were running 50-100kg over with full tanks so we upgraded, the sensible thing to do.

But upgrading isn't an option for everyone whether it be licence type or practicalities of use or storage.

& if it is absolutely empty & you are looking at it already overweight ? What is the answer ?

View attachment 150785

Just in then

I'd get them off my back by pointing out your lack of a V20 sign for overlength on the engine.

So are you suggesting they break the law?

Once you've been fined you've paid to be overweight.

 

[chaser]

From other threads we can see that maybe half the 3500 vans are going to be overweight and yet as far as I can see only an over long rv and a pvc, have actually been stopped and fined, does this mean that actual coach built motorhomes are never stopped let alone fined.

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[Kingham]

From other threads we can see that maybe half the 3500 vans are going to be overweight and yet as far as I can see only an over long rv and a pvc, have actually been stopped and fined, does this mean that actual coach built motorhomes are never stopped let alone fined.

The number is probably going to be very low, if any, but I don't think you can take 40+ responses on Fun to be the definitive answer

 

[DBK]

They don't need to pull you over. Just driver over a WIMS.
http://www.transportsfriend.org/enforcement/wims.html
However, does it work with LGV vehicles, which is what most MHs are in a sense? If these devices were catching MHs I think we would have heard about it. Perhaps they are not sensitive enough to pick up the odd hundred kilograms?

 

[chaser]

The number is probably going to be very low, if any, but I don't think you can take 40+ responses on Fun to be the definitive answer

Quite agree but from the "weight" thread it would appear that there must be thousands of vans that are over weight yet we just don't see any that have been fined, don't the police know about this or they just turning a blind eye or what, and another point someone pointed out they would not be insured but has anyone who has a claim had their van weighed , ?

 

[mpdcymru]

Not sure of the current figures but there were only a little more than 300 or so Traffic Examiners in the UK (and it is the Traffic Examiners and not the Vehicle Examiners that weigh vehicles) therefore the likelihood of a goods vehicle being stopped are very low so the likelihood of a motorhome type is probably much lower still. How many of the LGV/HGV PSV/PCV drivers on here have been stopped for weighing and how many miles have they driven on UK roads in a commercial vehicle?

 

[Kingham]

Quite agree but from the "weight" thread it would appear that there must be thousands of vans that are over weight yet we just don't see any that have been fined, don't the police know about this or they just turning a blind eye or what, and another point someone pointed out they would not be insured but has anyone who has a claim had their van weighed , ?

I don't think they are turning a blind eye, they just don't have the numbers and as relatively few motorhome collisions occur, because we are pretty much a responsible and self policing section of road users, they are unlikely to be aware.

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[chaser]

I don't think they are turning a blind eye, they just don't have the numbers and as relatively few motorhome collisions occur, because we are pretty much a responsible and self policing section of road users, they are unlikely to be aware.

It would be a very easy way of getting some revenue in though

 

[busby]

The OP has a point. Although it's possible, it's rare in practice. A bit like gas attacks?

No gas attacks are fantasy being prosecuted for being overweight is reality,,My son has been prosecuted for being overweight in a panel van,,BUSBY.

 

[Snowbird]

From other threads we can see that maybe half the 3500 vans are going to be overweight and yet as far as I can see only an over long rv and a pvc, have actually been stopped and fined, does this mean that actual coach built motorhomes are never stopped let alone fined.

I hardly think there would be many that would admit to being done for overloading on an open forum .

 

[Snowbird]

Not sure of the current figures but there were only a little more than 300 or so Traffic Examiners in the UK (and it is the Traffic Examiners and not the Vehicle Examiners that weigh vehicles) therefore the likelihood of a goods vehicle being stopped are very low so the likelihood of a motorhome type is probably much lower still. How many of the LGV/HGV PSV/PCV drivers on here have been stopped for weighing and how many miles have they driven on UK roads in a commercial vehicle?

When I was in business hardly a month went bye without one of my vehicles being weight checked. They were almost always running at top weight, so not surprising. Fortunately I only ever had 2 convictions for being overweight, and both times it was not by much.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I hardly think there would be many that would admit to being done for overloading on an open forum .

Not if they were deliberately doing so, no...
...but I wouldn't have any problem admitting being caught out unaware.

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[mpdcymru]

DVSA carried out 2,712 weight checks of HGVs during 2014, 1578 of these were prohibited and 4,802 graduated fixed penalties were issued.
They carried out 25 weight checks on PSVs, 6 of which were prohibited
they carried out 3,031 weight checks on vehicles under 3.5 tonnes of which 2,543 were prohibited and 1,877 received graduated fixed penalties.

This demonstrates the very low rate of weighing for any group (especially Buses and coaches which bring extra difficulties) and it also shows the very high percentage of smaller vehicles (under 3.5 tonnes) that are overloaded. This in turn shows that these smaller vehicles are themselves likely to be used overloaded giving, as they do, a very large space for goods but a rather narrow range between unladen weight and Maximum Permitted weight even before they have all the stuff associated with motorhomes added to them.

 

[Gorse Hill]

I hardly think there would be many that would admit to being done for overloading on an open forum .

Fortunately I only ever had 2 convictions for being overweight, and both times it was not by much.

 

[mpdcymru]

When I was in business hardly a month went bye without one of my vehicles being weight checked. They were almost always running at top weight, so not surprising. Fortunately I only ever had 2 convictions for being overweight, and both times it was not by much.

Yes, a lot was about proximity to the weighbridge, with some operators catching the eye simply because they were regularly running past the bridge.

Without wishing to cast aspersions, some operators were known to be regularly overloaded (the Dutch in our area were always bad but that was before we increased our limit to 44 tonnes). farm produce, particularly sugar beet was another good hunting ground as were small builders trucks. Of course there were also those who were rarely weighed because the goods they carried were bulky but not weighty.

 

[maison]

We were not overweight but we're stopped for a check on the A38 a few years ago.

That evening we found the alarm went off as soon as it was set. Turned out that the people who did the spot check had broken the bonnet microswitch when they were checking the axle weight plate. We had to hurriedly find a new switch the following morning as we were booked onto the afternoon ferry to Spain!

Edit
Having read the posts about DVLA not having the power to stop private vehicles. In our case a Police Constance stepped out into the road and directed us into the lay by for the check. The weighing operators said they didn't know why he had pulled us in as they were not checking caravans or motorhomes that day. They still weighed us though!

 

[Snowbird]

Yes, a lot was about proximity to the weighbridge, with some operators catching the eye simply because they were regularly running past the bridge.

Without wishing to cast aspersions, some operators were known to be regularly overloaded (the Dutch in our area were always bad but that was before we increased our limit to 44 tonnes). farm produce, particularly sugar beet was another good hunting ground as were small builders trucks. Of course there were also those who were rarely weighed because the goods they carried were bulky but not weighty.

I can think of a few that took the micky and really should not have held an O licence. Our problem was more the way we looked with 1000 litre fuel tanks on the donkey, belly tanks under the trailer, snow chains hanging off the back of the chassis, solid bar in case of breakdown or recovery and 4 spare wheels complete with tyres. Its a wonder we had any payload left .

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