Rear Storage Box - Safety advice needed (1 Viewer)

[TMFTM]

I have bought a storage box which will be mounted on the rear cycle rack of my Motorhome. I intend to mark it with some caution tape and my question is; Is there a legal requirement regarding how it should be marked, the colours used and the dimension of the banding or should I just use common sense?

 

[DigglyDog]

If you're going to do Europe, you'll need a warning board like this:

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/fiamma-rear-warning-sign-aluminium.html

Make sure you put it on the right side with the arrows pointing appropriately - the Italians in particular are a bit fussy about this and they insist on a solid one=, not a stick on.

I don't think there's any legal requirement in the UK, I just turn mine over to point the arrows t'other way.

 

[Gizmouk]

Legally - it comes under the e Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regs.
If the box extends beyond 1m of the original design of the vehicle, then the box "must be made clearly visible"
Also - if it obscures lights / numbers plate / reflectors, then provision needs to be made - normally using a light board.

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[tacr2man]

If you want you can mark with reflective tape , red or yellow to rear and yellow or white to side . You must not use white reflective tape facing to rear .
Also
A vehicle which carries a load or equipment which projects beyond the rear of the vehicle or, in the case of a combination of vehicles, beyond the rear of the rearmost vehicle in the combination, more than–

(b)
1 m in the case of any other vehicle.
An additional rear lamp capable of showing red light to the rear and a red reflecting device, both of which are visible from a reasonable distance, shall be fitted to the vehicle or the load in such a position that the distance between the lamp and the reflecting device, and the rearmost projection of the load or equipment does not exceed 1 m in any other case. The installation and performance requirements relating to rear position lamps do not apply to any such additional lamp.

The extra stop and indicator lamps only needed if they are obscured by the projection .

 

[TMFTM]

Thanks everyone! I think I will opt for the aluminium plate as there is a strong possibility that we will be going to Italy later this year. The box will not be obscuring any lights so that's one less thing to worry about.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks everyone! I think I will opt for the aluminium plate as there is a strong possibility that we will be going to Italy later this year. The box will not be obscuring any lights so that's one less thing to worry about.

Don't forget to mount the plate the correct way for the country you are in, for the UK it needs to be rotated 90° from the standard fitting, the diagonal stripes must point downwards to the vehicle offside.

Mainland Europe.

UK

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[Sandancers]

Legally - it comes under the e Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regs.
If the box extends beyond 1m of the original design of the vehicle, then the box "must be made clearly visible"

So if I'm reading this right, any box or other load carried on the back of the MH which DOES NOT extend more than 1m from the back of the MH DOES NOT require any additional warning boards ?

 

[tacr2man]

Yes thats right In UK other countries may have differing requirements eg Italy (marker as mentioned in prev post )
Projection Marking
Abnormal indivisible loads projecting forwards or rearwards may have to be marked. A load that projects more than 2 metres to the front or rear must be fitted with an end marker.
Side marker(s) are required if the forward or rearward projection exceeds 3 metres. Rearward projections between l metre and 2 metres must be made clearly visible.
Front/rear marker boards must be fitted vertically not more than 0.5 metres from the end of the projection. They must be clearly visible and the lowest part must be a maximum of 2.5 metres from the ground. Side marker boards must be fitted on each side, and not more than l metre from the front/rear marker at its nearest point. One side of the marker must be a maximum of 2.5 metres from the ground and the boards must be clearly visible. On long projections, extra markers must be fitted so that there are no unmarked gaps of more than 2.5 metres on forward projections or 3.5 metres on rearward projections.

 

[Stroppy Bird]

The chart on here sums it up quite nicely.

http://www.transportsfriend.org/abnormal/projection.html

I believe the thing about having to turn the motorhome one around for use in the UK is a bit of an urban myth.

Even the DfT leaflet shows the centre rear marker as having the diagonals point downwards to the nearside. The side marker diagonals are likely to be reversed depending on which side of the vehicle they are placed.

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[gus-lopez]

So if I'm reading this right, any box or other load carried on the back of the MH which DOES NOT extend more than 1m from the back of the MH DOES NOT require any additional warning boards ?

In the UK yes, as long as it does not obstruct seeing both rear lights when standing 3m back parrallel to the vehicle. You should be able to see both near side & off side lights.
Mst other countries, I.e. Here in spain ,Italy .No Anything projecting rearwards past the official rear of the vehicle requires a 'V20' marker board as in @Lenny HB s post.
Here in Spain Nothing can project in front of the front bumper or bullbar if homologated on log book.

The chart on here sums it up quite nicely.

http://www.transportsfriend.org/abnormal/projection.html

I believe the thing about having to turn the motorhome one around for use in the UK is a bit of an urban myth.

Even the DfT leaflet shows the centre rearV20 on each side with the stripes pointing to centre line of road & other to the kerb.

Apart from the fact that they aren't the correct EU marker boards. You require what Lenny has posted .'V20's Stripes face to centreline of road. If rear box/bike rack has a width of 2,54m then they really like two V20's one each side ,stripes facing to centre of road & kerb

 

[Stroppy Bird]

Apart from the fact that they aren't the correct EU marker boards. You require what Lenny has posted .'V20's Stripes face to centreline of road. If rear box/bike rack has a width of 2,54m then they really like two V20's one each side ,stripes facing to centre of road & kerb

I was talking about use in the UK, not the rest of the EU, where you are correct, it is the square V20 that is required, and so is what most motorhomers purchase.

The UK triangular centre rear overhang marker board diagonals just shows that the V20 does not need to be turned around for use in the UK.

Edited to add - I have however found a reference that if using the square board then the diagonals should face the centre of the road. Ah well maybe I will spin it round then.

 

[Reallyretired]

My alli board is permanently mounted to the back box with self tappers. Fit and forget.

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[tacr2man]

The other thing to NOT do is use a trailer board for the lights and leave the triangular reflectors on . The triangular reflectors are for trailers ONLY

 

[RogerThat]

Don't forget to mount the plate the correct way for the country you are in, for the UK it needs to be rotated 90° from the standard fitting, the diagonal stripes must point downwards to the vehicle offside.

Mainland Europe.
View attachment 205339

UK
View attachment 205340

I don't quite follow this bit.

Is one orientation more or less visible than the other?

 

[gus-lopez]

My alli board is permanently mounted to the back box with self tappers. Fit and forget.

So's mine on the bike rack. Mind you it has to come off when /if I use the rack so I'd have them pointing the right way after.

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[gus-lopez]

I don't quite follow this bit.

Is one orientation more or less visible than the other?

No it is something to do with if approaching a vehicle with one fitted correctly in Dark/fog the correct orientation lets you know where the rest of the vehicle is & which side to pass on.

 

[Lenny HB]

No it is something to do with if approaching a vehicle with one fitted correctly in Dark/fog the correct orientation lets you know where the rest of the vehicle is & which side to pass on.

Yep and a legal requirement

 

[TMFTM]

Crikey, my innocent question has turned out to be a right can of worms! Have any of you actually been pulled over for not displaying the board, only having a plastic one or having it displayed facing the wrong way?
In other words how stringent are the authorities in checking?

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[Lenny HB]

My alli board is permanently mounted to the back box with self tappers. Fit and forget.

OK providing you never travel between the UK & mainland Europe and you have fitted it the correct way round.

 

[Sandancers]

In the UK yes, as long as it does not obstruct seeing both rear lights when standing 3m back parrallel to the vehicle. You should be able to see both near side & off side lights.
Mst other countries, I.e. Here in spain ,Italy .No Anything projecting rearwards past the official rear of the vehicle requires a 'V20' marker board as in @Lenny HB s post.

So therefore if you have a towbar, which obviously projects beyond the rear of the MH and it is an afterfit, BUT you are not towing anything then you have to put one of those boards on it ?

 

[Minxy]

For goodness sake this is getting silly now ... just fit a board in the right orientation for foreign use as it is they who are more likely to get 'picky' about it when doing their spot checks ... in the UK no-body is even gonna know and our coppers certainly have better things to do ... abroad they like to generate revenue!!!

More important IMV is to make sure you don't exceed your rear axle weight when you put stuff in it.

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[busby]

I don't quite follow this bit.

Is one orientation more or less visible than the other?

Don't think there can be a police officer in the UK who would have a clue about these laws,,BUSBY,,

 

[Lenny HB]

Don't think there can be a police officer in the UK who would have a clue about these laws,,BUSBY,,

Doesn't matter about coppers it's about safety and informing the driver behind.

 

[gus-lopez]

Crikey, my innocent question has turned out to be a right can of worms! Have any of you actually been pulled over for not displaying the board, only having a plastic one or having it displayed facing the wrong way?
In other words how stringent are the authorities in checking?

It just depends. I've been pulled twice whilst towing with overhanging loads. Didn't have a board first time & was using a triangle. He was ok about it. Second time they just wanted to check it was there because it was flapping.

So therefore if you have a towbar, which obviously projects beyond the rear of the MH and it is an afterfit, BUT you are not towing anything then you have to put one of those boards on it ?

No.
You can't have a towbar legally that isn't homologated with type approval , which here means it comes with its own A4 sheet CoC, & which then has to be fitted by an approved installer who can then issue another A4 CoC for the fitting which then means with both pieces of paper either he ,or you, can have the towbar added to the logbook to make it legal & then it doesn't need one. I only use one on my legal bike rack because when folded & not in use it sticks out 18" (45CM) which makes it illegal in some EU countries, Portugal being one.

Any additions here are added to the log book ,whether at the time of first registration or as aftermarket fittings.

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[tacr2man]

Doesn't matter about coppers it's about safety and informing the driver behind.

I think the number of drivers who have any idea about the information being conveyed is about the same as number of coppers