Passengers

[2Novices]

Ok I can probably guess the answer but here goes. I've only just joined the family having just bought a 2002 Ducato 2.8L. It's described as 4 berth but only has 2 seat belts, driver and front passenger. The seats in back are side facing bench seats. I'm guessing I'm not allowed to carry anyone in the back anymore but thought I'd check.
Also, we have an Old English Show Cocker is he OK in the back and does he need to be in a container or can he travel untethered?

 

[David and Sally]

Welcome - this has been discussed here recently. Regardless of the legal side would you really want unsecured missiles in the back of your Moho?

 

[Googlebot]

You’re right, only two people can travel. You can add belts but it is an absolute pain and wouldn’t be cheap!

Ref the dog, ours travels under the bench seat but unrestrained. Others views will differ, my own is that a poorly fitted restraint is as bad as none and dogs vary so much it’s very difficult to get one that fits properly.

 

[AndyPK]

Welcome from Ciren!
As David and Sally said above......no unbelted passengers, and better to have your dog tethered/crated and secure, just in case....

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

2 people only in the front and it is best to tether your dog with a harness.if you do stop quick ,then you don't end up choking him to death. Find a suitable location in the rear to fasten the tether to ,such that he is not under your feet etc when driving.
If it's a small dog ,like ours ,I built a parcel shelf between the passenger seat side and the door.our dog sits on there, harnessed to the seat belt anchor.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[HugoBNB]

Welcome

 

[xsparks]

It's a highway code requirement to secure a pet whilst travelling for its and your safety.

 

[Nanniemate]

Kicking myself!! - Deep scratch in side

Morning all, So moved house recently, lots of bushed etc on drive, had to move the MoHo this morning for the builders, thought I had enough room and was concentrating on the bushes, thought I have caught a branch but it was the corner of the carport :mad: Gutted, deep long scratch in the side...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

have a look at the 26th post on this thread , why wouldn't restrain a loved one human or animal ?

 

[Just smiffy]

Would you drive down a road in a car with two passengers in the back not wearing seatbelts...?

why anyone wants to drive down a motorway with unrestrained passengers in a reinforced cardboard box at 70mph is beyond me...
And they’ll probably be kids...

I know your a newbie but surely common sense prevails...

 

[AndyPK]

Ok I can probably guess the answer but here goes. I've only just joined the family having just bought a 2002 Ducato 2.8L. It's described as 4 berth but only has 2 seat belts, driver and front passenger. The seats in back are side facing bench seats. I'm guessing I'm not allowed to carry anyone in the back anymore but thought I'd check.
Also, we have an Old English Show Cocker is he OK in the back and does he need to be in a container or can he travel untethered?

Going back to your original post......why do Motorhome builders design 4-berth ‘homes, with only two ‘travel seats’.......???

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Nanniemate]

perhaps its supply ad demand 'oh darling I would love to take your children away in my MH for a week for you to have a parenting break but unfortunately they can sleep but not travel


I am soooooooooooooooooooo sorry NOT

 

[Gellyneck]

Going back to your original post......why do Motorhome builders design 4-berth ‘homes, with only two ‘travel seats’.......???

'cause common sense is not a mandatory qualification for motorhome designers!

 

[nicholsong]

perhaps its supply ad demand 'oh darling I would love to take your children away in my MH for a week for you to have a parenting break but unfortunately they can sleep but not travel


I am soooooooooooooooooooo sorry NOT

I can say nooooooooooo without that excuse - in fact their parents and the grandchildren probably know better not to ask.

Geoff

 

[scotzsue]

Had always planned to take grandchildren away now and then, so first requirement was a minimum of 4 seatbelts. wes till have 4 seatbelts, but now the van is a 2/3 berth, so they all sleep in the awning. We get the extras delivred to site and picked up again at the end of the holiday, these trips are the highlight of our year in the UK, we don't get to see them often. Did think they would eventually be 'too old to go with gran' eldest 18 and still wants to holiday with us.
oops hijacked the post sorry. dog needs to be secured and seatbelts on side facing seats are, I believe, illegal in the uk although I noticed one foreign manufacturer has one with only a side belt.

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[wigster]

 

[mitzimad]

20 years ago unrestrained rear passengers were the norm

 

[EuroTrotters]

20 years ago unrestrained rear passengers were the norm

Still is, if you use public transport!

 

[AndyPK]

Still is, if you use public transport!

.......can you imagine the chaos if compulsory seat-belt wearing is introduced on buses & trains.....?!!

 

[busbuddy]

Ok I can probably guess the answer but here goes. I've only just joined the family having just bought a 2002 Ducato 2.8L. It's described as 4 berth but only has 2 seat belts, driver and front passenger. The seats in back are side facing bench seats. I'm guessing I'm not allowed to carry anyone in the back anymore but thought I'd check.
Also, we have an Old English Show Cocker is he OK in the back and does he need to be in a container or can he travel untethered?

I've posted before on this subject so here's the short version....
2006 was the change year for seatbelt rules in motorhomes so 07 on the new 'designated travelling seat' specification came in which meant Van's built after that could only carry passengers if there were designated belts available for them (not sideways)
As yours is before that date you can carry unrestrained passengers in the rear, if you carry children then you should restrain one in the front passenger seat
A picky policeman could use a cover all law of 'endangering a passenger' or 'unsecured load' but you would probably need to be carrying 20 people in the back or give him some abuse to warrant it

So legally you can carry unrestrained passengers in your 2002 motorhome and the choice is yours as to whether you want to........no idea on the dog

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gellyneck]

20 years ago unrestrained rear passengers were the norm

100 odd years ago the personal use of opium consumption, taking of arsenic, etc were all the norm.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

So legally you can carry unrestrained passengers in your 2002 motorhome and the choice is yours as to whether you want to........no idea on the dog

Saw a clip of a 30mph simulated crash with a (big) guy holding a housebrick on his lap. It was impossible to hold onto due to the multiplication of force and it went straight through the windscreen.
A low speed crash would make short work of a spaniel or any dog for that matter. Ex traffic cops and ambulance personnel on here will tell you grisly tales of things found a long way from the actual crash scene . (You dont want to know, change the subject with them quickly)
Harness and clip are about 15 quid from your local pet store.
Lets all arrive in one piece when we can travel!

 

[Emmit]

I've posted before on this subject so here's the short version....
2006 was the change year for seatbelt rules in motorhomes so 07 on the new 'designated travelling seat' specification came in which meant Van's built after that could only carry passengers if there were designated belts available for them (not sideways)
As yours is before that date you can carry unrestrained passengers in the rear, if you carry children then you should restrain one in the front passenger seat
A picky policeman could use a cover all law of 'endangering a passenger' or 'unsecured load' but you would probably need to be carrying 20 people in the back or give him some abuse to warrant it

So legally you can carry unrestrained passengers in your 2002 motorhome and the choice is yours as to whether you want to........no idea on the dog

I'll go a little further on what busbuddy has posted.
I'm not doing this in order to score points. I'm only slightly clarifying for accuracy.
The Law relating to sideways seats and their use changed in October 2007. Prior to that (which therefore can include 57 Reg. vehicles first Reg. in Sept. I had such a vehicle) sideways facing seats are lawful in their use. This remains the case.
Secondly, a small child (under 12yrs) cannot occupy a rear seat if that seat is not equipped with a seat belt. That Law was enacted in 1992.

 

[kevenh]

Need to transport more people than seatbelts? Do what I did: -
1) What is the “number of seats (inc driver)” on the v5c logbook?
A: Our 2006 4 berth motorhome has: 2
2) call your insurer and ask if adding more people to seats without belts affects cover.
A: you’re not covered.

A minor bummer but so far there are only 2 kevenhs

 

[Ian Bosman]

You’re right, only two people can travel. You can add belts but it is an absolute pain and wouldn’t be cheap!

Ref the dog, ours travels under the bench seat but unrestrained. Others views will differ, my own is that a poorly fitted restraint is as bad as none and dogs vary so much it’s very difficult to get one that fits properly.

First you need a harness for the dog then obtain the retainer to fit to seat belts in a car. You might have to be a little adventurous in finding how to restrain the dog in the motorhome. If you have a fixed table then legs might be substantial enough. An alternate ride is to have an ”eye” bolt secured with to a strong part of the body shell, preferably metal if you can find any and a good spreader plate of substantial thickness. Anything as long as the dog does not become the missile that kills the occupants

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[uzsnowdrop]

I’ve attached a reverse facing seat belt buckle ( £10 off ebay ) to the left of the passenger seat , through to the seat mounting. The clips that come on the dog harness extension fit in the buckle. Hope this helps,

 

[Ian Bosman]

I’ve attached a reverse facing seat belt buckle ( £10 off ebay ) to the left of the passenger seat , through to the seat mounting. The clips that come on the dog harness extension fit in the buckle. Hope this helps,

That seems like a good idea as close to the driver/passenger but behind the seat.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

That seems like a good idea as close to the driver/passenger but behind the seat.

Thanks Ian , another bonus is that clipping the dog on from outside the door is easy without having to bend over, and if she is muddy she can’t get near the cab !