Registering your TOAD as a trailer.

[TonyEmm]

Registering your TOAD (towed car) as a trailer (as recommended by one leading a-frame supplier) is now, officially, illegal. The DfT have issued an amendment to The Trailer Registration Regulations 2021 which states (3) After regulation 4(7), insert— “(8) In paragraph (1), “trailer” does not include a trailer that is a mechanically propelled vehicle.”. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1043/made


Yesterday, I also received an email from the DfT confirming that existing trailer registrations made in this manner will be cancelled by the DVLA. The applicants will lose their £26 fee. #TowLegal #TowSafe #TowSafe4Freddie

 

[EzeeRider]

Is that because it is registered already.

ezee

 

[Carpmart]

What is your agenda with the whole TOAD ‘thing’ TonyEmm and what outcome would you personally like to see?

 

[Badknee]

I do believe in Germany a toad is illegal because it has an engine so can’t be a trailer. In Spain any towed vehicle has to have all four wheels off the road.
Having seen quite a few toads in Spain this past few years it seems that it’s not enforced.

 

[Badknee]

Oh before you ask I run a trailer because my car isn’t suitable for an A frame attachment.

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[Phill D]

I was not aware that you could register a vehicle in 2 different categories at the same time.
Surely its one or the other.
And
It's a motor vehicle 1st and foremost

 

[olley]

Registering your TOAD (towed car) as a trailer (as recommended by one leading a-frame supplier) is now, officially, illegal. The DfT have issued an amendment to The Trailer Registration Regulations 2021 which states (3) After regulation 4(7), insert— “(8) In paragraph (1), “trailer” does not include a trailer that is a mechanically propelled vehicle.”. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1043/made


Yesterday, I also received an email from the DfT confirming that existing trailer registrations made in this manner will be cancelled by the DVLA. The applicants will lose their £26 fee. #TowLegal #TowSafe #TowSafe4Freddie

Never knew you could register it as a trailer, would that mean no mot or tax? Seems bonkers to me.

 

[Jamesh]

Never knew you could register it as a trailer, would that mean no mot or tax? Seems bonkers to me.

So long as you never drove it on the road!

 

[Manic]

We were on a Aire in France the weekend and the French van that parked next to use had an Toyota IQ on an A frame.

 

[olley]

Does that mean if you fit motor movers to your trailer as fitted to some caravans it has to be registered as a car?

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[TonyEmm]

What is your agenda with the whole TOAD ‘thing’ TonyEmm and what outcome would you personally like to see?

My Agenda with the “Toad thing” extends beyond that! I’ve been campaigning on trailer safety in general for many years.

Specifically with reference to TOADS though, I want the DfT to have a different vehicle classification for them, other than a trailer. The DfT say they’ll accept them as legal provided they comply with trailer legislation, which they can’t in it’s entirety.
At that point, they can have their own, relevant rules & regs, including checks, minimum standards and if necessary, approvals.

The ultimate aim is that everyone knows whether or not, their product is safe & legal.

Pipe dream? Maybe…. But I’ll continue campaigning!

 

[TonyEmm]

I was not aware that you could register a vehicle in 2 different categories at the same time.
Surely its one or the other.
And
It's a motor vehicle 1st and foremost

There has been a loophole being exploited by a few, to register their TOAD as a trailer, with the intention of trying to ‘put one over’ the Guardia Civil or whoever stops them.
The fact is though that a VIN number is unique and it should not be possible to have it firstly as a car, and then optionally, as a trailer.

I do actually know someone who went through the process, paid his £26 and had his TOAD registered as a Toyota Aygo trailer! I’ve informed the a-frame supplier who was advocating it and he now accepts the position. He will be updating his website accordingly.

 

[Carpmart]

My Agenda with the “Toad thing” extends beyond that! I’ve been campaigning on trailer safety in general for many years.

Specifically with reference to TOADS though, I want the DfT to have a different vehicle classification for them, other than a trailer. The DfT say they’ll accept them as legal provided they comply with trailer legislation, which they can’t in it’s entirety.
At that point, they can have their own, relevant rules & regs, including checks, minimum standards and if necessary, approvals.

The ultimate aim is that everyone knows whether or not, their product is safe & legal.

Pipe dream? Maybe…. But I’ll continue campaigning!

I like to think of myself as responsible and someone who maintains their ‘vehicles’ properly adhering to best practice, legislation and common sense.

With your undeniable experience and my relative layman position, please can you offer some advice as to what I and indeed others, should be doing with my TOAD and it’s flat tow system to ensure the above please?

 

[TonyEmm]

I like to think of myself as responsible and someone who maintains their ‘vehicles’ properly adhering to best practice, legislation and common sense.

With your undeniable experience and my relative layman position, please can you offer some advice as to what I and indeed others, should be doing with my TOAD and it’s flat tow system to ensure the above please?

What a-frame do you have? Is it inertia braked or electronic activated?

 

[Carpmart]

What a-frame do you have? Is it inertia braked or electronic activated?

Electronically activated..

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[TonyEmm]

Electronically activated..

All the suppliers of electronic activated systems are now offering an inspection regime. My advice simply, would be to take advantage of it!
Regular inspections of the a-frame to car interface are vital and that will mean, at least once every 2 years, having the front bumper removed for a close physical inspection.

As a user, you can check the eye bolts on a regular basis (every use) for early signs of movement or fatigue, and it should be a part of your setting up routine to check that the emergency breakaway system is fully operational.

 

[gus-lopez]

Having seen quite a few toads in Spain this past few years it seems that it’s not enforced.

Once the guardia find the UK has made a "car" as a "trailer" illegal they will.

Never knew you could register it as a trailer, would that mean no mot or tax? Seems bonkers to me.

To go abroad now you have to register a "trailer" .normally only if over 750kgs &/or commercial. People were doing it to get around the illegality of A frames in most countries.

 

[Larrynwin]

A man on a mission to stop others using what he doesn’t want to use. Thousands use a frames in the US and here with no problem, why meddle.

 

[Carpmart]

All the suppliers of electronic activated systems are now offering an inspection regime. My advice simply, would be to take advantage of it!
Regular inspections of the a-frame to car interface are vital and that will mean, at least once every 2 years, having the front bumper removed for a close physical inspection.

As a user, you can check the eye bolts on a regular basis (every use) for early signs of movement or fatigue, and it should be a part of your setting up routine to check that the emergency breakaway system is fully operational.

So, reading between the lines a little, there is nothing inherently wrong with a flat tow system, more regular maintenance and periodic inspection is what you are advocating, is that correct?

I was assuming as you are campaigning with DfT to adopt key legislative standards that you would share what those standards are that you are asking DfT to adopt? What is it you are asking to change with the legislation and why is that important to improve safety?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[chaser]

How the hell do you register a trailer

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[TonyEmm]

I do believe in Germany a toad is illegal because it has an engine so can’t be a trailer. In Spain any towed vehicle has to have all four wheels off the road.
Having seen quite a few toads in Spain this past few years it seems that it’s not enforced.

There was a case in Germany that resulted in questions being asked in the European Parliament. The fine was upheld.

In Spain, enforcement is sporadic. It depends on your luck! All the police forces were issued with a document (by their equivalent of the Department of Transport) advising them of a number of regulations around motorhoming, including towing with an a-frame.

Paragraph 8 Refers to General Vehicle Regulations article9.3 which outlaws the towing of one motorised vehicle with another unless broken down.


Asunto: Autocaravanas

Instrucción 08/V-74 refers to the transportation of Auxilliary vehicles. An extract of that paragraph
“Se han formulado también consultas en relación con la posibilidad de que una autocaravana circule remolcando

a un turismo, dicha posibilidad está prohibida en el artículo 9.3 del Reglamento General de Vehículos que no

permite la circulación de un vehículo a motor arrastrando a otro, salvo que ése se encuentre averiado o

accidentado y no pueda ser arrastrado por otro específicamente destinado a tal fin, en cuyo caso se permite su

arrastre hasta la localidad o lugar más*próximo donde pueda quedar inmovilizado sin entorpecer la circulación y

siempre que no se circule por autopista o autovía.”

 

[TonyEmm]

So, reading between the lines a little, there is nothing inherently wrong with a flat tow system, more regular maintenance and periodic inspection is what you are advocating, is that correct?

I was assuming as you are campaigning with DfT to adopt key legislative standards that you would share what those standards are that you are asking DfT to adopt? What is it you are asking to change with the legislation and why is that important to improve safety?

Many thanks in advance.

Type approval and testing would be a good starting point! Towbars on M1 class vehicles have needed type approval since 1998. That was extended to motorhomes in Oct 2012.
if towing equipment at the rear merits type approval, surely towing equipment fitted to the front does too, particularly when it has the potential to affect crumple zones and airbag deployment…

 

[TonyEmm]

A man on a mission to stop others using what he doesn’t want to use. Thousands use a frames in the US and here with no problem, why meddle.

What is the issue you have with ensuring they are safe & legal?

To say they are used without problems is incorrect. I had 8 reported incidents last year of failed eye bolts or crash protection beams. One of those resulted in the car breaking away, out of control, crossing a central reservation before mounting the opposite pavement. Only divine intervention prevented pedestrians being directly involved.

 

[Pausim]

What is the issue you have with ensuring they are safe & legal?

To say they are used without problems is incorrect. I had 8 reported incidents last year of failed eye bolts or crash protection beams. One of those resulted in the car breaking away, out of control, crossing a central reservation before mounting the opposite pavement. Only divine intervention prevented pedestrians being directly involved.

The failed crash protection beams suggests that some A frames are not using an additional purpose built beam. I was told by two installers that the extra beam was essential. What is your view on using an existing member and towing eye fittings?

 

[Bluemooner]

How the hell do you register a trailer

With the DVLA my fifth wheel has it's own number plate, only got it in case i had to drive through France never put it on as yet

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[Phill D]

With the DVLA my fifth wheel has it's own number plate, only got it in case i had to drive through France never put it on as yet

agreed, but its not a motor vehicle. which is the point with TOADs. they are already registered as a type of motor vehicle.

 

[TonyEmm]

The failed crash protection beams suggests that some A frames are not using an additional purpose built beam. I was told by two installers that the extra beam was essential. What is your view on using an existing member and towing eye fittings?

I’m no expert on the structural integrity of each vehicle that’s likely to be a-framed but it’s clear the original, unmodified crash protection beam isn’t adequate for the stresses & strains imparted by a-framing, on certain vehicles. Only appropriate testing can separate the adequate from the inadequate! One a-frame company I’m aware of do their own in house testing on their reinforced towing eyes so it is possible without resorting to heavy structural fabrications.
if a small country like New Zealand can have approvals and certification through their LVVTA scheme, it begs the question why the U.K. can’t implement something similar.

Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc. | Documents

 

[Bluemooner]

agreed, but its not a motor vehicle. which is the point with TOADs. they are already registered as a type of motor vehicle.

I was just telling chaser how you register a trailer

 

[scally]

Wonder where that leaves me. I tow my trike with its front wheel in a non swivel bracket on the back of my moho. The back wheels are trailed on the road. The swivel point horizontally is the trike headstock bearing and in the vertical plane is the front wheel axle

 

[TonyEmm]

With the DVLA my fifth wheel has it's own number plate, only got it in case i had to drive through France never put it on as yet

If your 5th wheel has a VIN plate, it will refer to a trailer, not a motorised vehicle! Voluntary registration of a trailer on DVLA is quite acceptable.

Register your trailer to take it abroad

Check if you need to register a trailer to take it abroad, create an account to register your trailer, manage details of registered trailers.

www.gov.uk

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