Overweight ! (1 Viewer)

[GRUMPY OLD GIT]

Having established via several weighbridge visits that for the past 8 years l have been
travelling at between 100 and 150kg overweight.(even more when returning from Europe).
I'm plated at 3500kg and have confimed via Svtech that it's a paperwork exercise to uprate
to 4000kg.My licence is ok for this but am l correct in thinking that in 3 years time when l hit
70 medicals become involved ?
Just out of curiosity has anyone actually been stopped,checked and 'done' by VOSA ?
Or is it another version of them gassing threads ?
Over the years l've asked the question to motorhomers both home and abroad,
'What do you weigh', Seems most have no idea.

Your thoughts on this !
Cheers Bob.

 

[Badknee]

I have just done my CPC for LGV driving and asked the question. It seems that it is foreign trucks and scaffold trucks that they have a bee in their bonnets over at the moment apart from the obvious ones, like dragging your rear bumper along the ground!
But here's a thing that's deffo 'big brother', they have a camera on a gantry/pole and sensors in the road and they can measure your weight as you drive over them! They check your reg number, find out instantly your MGW, your axle weight, taxed,ins,mot and if you are very much overweight will stop you and give you a GV9 which stops any movement till sorted.
We were shown a picture of a six wheeler towing a twin axle trailer that was loaded with two porta cabins. All axles were fine apart from the front axle. It was found out that the crane (Hiab) that was used to load/unload the cabins was retro fitted by the owners and had made the overload. They should have used an eight wheel chassis. This was found out in an instant @ 56mph.

 

[Judge Mental]

de-clutter or buy lightweight van

wish I had taken a photo but was in a hurry. Years ago at eurtunnel this side, was a coachbuilt and the back end was sitting on the ground, wheels/axle were right up into rear body

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[DBK]

If you are only a little overweight you might consider not doing anything at all and claim ignorance if stopped. You might be lucky and get away with a warning.

The point is the upgrading exercise in this case doesn't physically change the vehicle, so there is no safety issue.

Of course, trying to lose a bit of weight won't do any harm. Have a good look at everything you carry and be ruthless about chucking away the things you hardly ever use. Of what you do need to carry see if there is a lighter alternative.

 

[Hotelman]

We were stopped at the autoroute 'peage' at Metz , so it does happen

 

[gus-lopez]

I have just done my CPC for LGV driving and asked the question. It seems that it is foreign trucks and scaffold trucks that they have a bee in their bonnets over at the moment apart from the obvious ones, like dragging your rear bumper along the ground!
But here's a thing that's deffo 'big brother', they have a camera on a gantry/pole and sensors in the road and they can measure your weight as you drive over them! They check your reg number, find out instantly your MGW, your axle weight, taxed,ins,mot and if you are very much overweight will stop you and give you a GV9 which stops any movement till sorted.
We were shown a picture of a six wheeler towing a twin axle trailer that was loaded with two porta cabins. All axles were fine apart from the front axle. It was found out that the crane (Hiab) that was used to load/unload the cabins was retro fitted by the owners and had made the overload. They should have used an eight wheel chassis. This was found out in an instant @ 56mph.

Always been a problem with scaffold lorries. They always use under 7500kgs vehicles that can use the outside lane & it used to be a hell of a job getting past them when they are cruising at 90 !

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[Landy lover]

Having established via several weighbridge visits that for the past 8 years l have been
travelling at between 100 and 150kg overweight.(even more when returning from Europe).
I'm plated at 3500kg and have confimed via Svtech that it's a paperwork exercise to uprate
to 4000kg.My licence is ok for this but am l correct in thinking that in 3 years time when l hit
70 medicals become involved ?
Just out of curiosity has anyone actually been stopped,checked and 'done' by VOSA ?
Or is it another version of them gassing threads ?
Over the years l've asked the question to motorhomers both home and abroad,
'What do you weigh', Seems most have no idea.

Your thoughts on this !
Cheers Bob.

Yes at 70 you will have to go for a medical - best with your own doctor find out the price first - licence renewed for 3 years. I have just done all that.

Yes you do have a risk of being stopped - there is a check point at J27 on the M5 - often see caravans and Motorhomes in there. Once they have you in for a check they usually go over everything. Don't forget it is an offence to be overloaded and the cost of uprating is probably a lot less than the fines and you have peace of mind.

 

[Larrynwin]

In the event of an accident your insurance would probably be invalid if the weight were checked, probably far more costly than any fine.

 

[denisejoe]

Worth uprating the vehicle now which will also reduce your RFL to £165 as it'll then be PHGV.

If necessary at age 70 it would just be another paper exercise to downrate it again to 3500 but of course you'd then need to do the decluttering thing then.

Denise

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[Badknee]

Always been a problem with scaffold lorries. They always use under 7500kgs vehicles!

Yes, that's what was said, the authorities realise it's not the drivers fault but they have to go through them to get to the gaffers. It's the rear axle loads that are usually massively overweight because of the length of the tubes. £100 fines are being dished out because they run without tailgates and being accused of insecure loads.

 

[bartiny]

Worth uprating the vehicle now which will also reduce your RFL to £165 as it'll then be PHGV.

If necessary at age 70 it would just be another paper exercise to downrate it again to 3500 but of course you'd then need to do the decluttering thing then.

Denise

As above, I have done the same myself

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just checked the plate on our van and slightly dismayed to read that it's rated at 3200kg, should have checked before we bought, but there's only the 2 of us plus a dog, no bikes or rack, no wind out awning( yes I did buy the only van in Britain without one) and we travel fairly light.

I'd be very surprised at any MH being pulled for being overweight but as said above a lot of it is automated with weigh bridges in the road and ANPR cameras, but I think they actually have to pull you over at the time, but I could be wrong.

I could uprate the van but then I'd have to do all the driving and I wonder if it's rated at 3200 because that's actually what it can carry as opposed to any licensing reasons which would allow others to uprate.

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[martin2603]

The friendly VOSA Galaxy will be parked within 1/2 mile of the WIMS weighing system, watching it all on his TV. I have seen motorhomes in the Leatherhead checkpoint, but Johnny Foreigner is of far greater interest to them. They are now a self funding organisation so bonuses are in the vocabulary. They can fine the trucks much more as they have taco s and maintenance in their sights. Uncle William will take the driver to the nearest cashpoint to extract the relevant sum, before the driver can continue his journey.
A couple of weeks ago at the tunnel I also saw a MH with the rear end almost trailing on the ground, and that was going out!

 

[gus-lopez]

The friendly VOSA Galaxy will be parked within 1/2 mile of the WIMS weighing system, watching it all on his TV. I have seen motorhomes in the Leatherhead checkpoint, but Johnny Foreigner is of far greater interest to them. They are now a self funding organisation so bonuses are in the vocabulary. They can fine the trucks much more as they have taco s and maintenance in their sights. Uncle William will take the driver to the nearest cashpoint to extract the relevant sum, before the driver can continue his journey.
A couple of weeks ago at the tunnel I also saw a MH with the rear end almost trailing on the ground, and that was going out!

Most I see look like that. Up to 30% is a fixed penalty top whack £300
Long as he has a proper policeman with him to stop you then no problem, as they do not have the power to stop campers/motorhomes of any weight ; They Only have the authority to stop commercials & heavy goods vehicles.

 

[GRUMPY OLD GIT]

Thanks for your views on this.
Have been down the declutering route,if l ditch the Webber the Water the Wine and the Wife
I would be ok. No chance of that as when away for 6 months all essential !
Going to uprate to 4000kg.£300 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Regards: Bob.

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[Judge Mental]

The friendly VOSA Galaxy will be parked within 1/2 mile of the WIMS weighing system, watching it all on his TV. I have seen motorhomes in the Leatherhead checkpoint, but Johnny Foreigner is of far greater interest to them. They are now a self funding organisation so bonuses are in the vocabulary. They can fine the trucks much more as they have taco s and maintenance in their sights. Uncle William will take the driver to the nearest cashpoint to extract the relevant sum, before the driver can continue his journey.
A couple of weeks ago at the tunnel I also saw a MH with the rear end almost trailing on the ground, and that was going out!

Difference being one we saw was not going nowhere! Probably a write off