Towing on a Dolly

[paulharrison]

Time to change my tow car and one option looks good a braked tow dolly, then I can tow any car and not have it converted I have seen one were the wheels steer to follow the RV cant find much info about the law only the tow car must weigh less then 50% of the RV anybody tow on a dolly
Paul

 

[Geo]

Im sure someone will point you to the relevent threads but in a nutshell, Dolly's are for recovery only and are speed restricted to 20 mph and 40 mph respectivly depending on road type
Geo

 

[paulharrison]

Im sure someone will point you to the relevent threads but in a nutshell, Dolly's are for recovery only and are speed restricted to 20 mph and 40 mph respectivly depending on road type
Geo

Hi Geo
His that in the Highway code I must have overlook it when I had a look do you know what page its on
Paul

 

[moandick]

Towing Dolly

Hi Paul

You will see one or two people using a towing dolly but it is very, very definitely illegal - in as much as it is a trailer (the car) mounted on a trailer (the dolly) therefore you are towing two trailers - an absolute no-no - totally restricted, as Geo says, to Break-Down firms at a restricted speed - and is also restricted in distance to the nearest point of repair!

The reason it is considered to be a trailer on a trailer is, I believe, to do with the braking system. You can arrange to have a braked dolly but there is no way you can apply the brakes to the car at the same time as the brakes to the dolly and the brakes to the towing vehicle.

I can't lay my fingers on the actual references, without leaving this site and going to my own, to find the links to the Rules and Regulations.

In any event, Paul - forget it, I'm afraid it is a total non-starter.

 

[moandick]

The Reference I was looking for comes from the UK Construction and Use Regulations as quoted by the Department of Transport in a fact sheet in October 2005:

The use of dollies is intended for the recovery of broken down vehicles, not for the transportation of a vehicle from A to B. Under Regulation 83 of C&U a motor car is permitted to tow two trailers when one of them is a towing implement and the other is secured to and either rests on or is suspended from the implement. Therefore as a trailer, if the maximum laden weight of the dolly exceeds 750 kg it must be fitted with operational brakes, additionally the brakes on the wheels of the second trailer (the towed car) must work and meet the specified requirements. Again this would be very difficult for the rear brakes of a motor car, on their own, to meet the 50% braking efficiency required for a trailer. The dolly would also be required by Regulation 22 of C&U to be fitted with suspension. Regulations 19 and 22 in C&U permit a broken down vehicle to be recovered without complying with these requirements. However, there is further legislation under the Road Traffic Act that introduces a limitation on the maximum speed that the combination can be driven; this is 40mph on motorways and 20mph on other roads.

We do not supply copies of legislation but I have included some information on various sources where they can be obtained. If you would like to purchase printed copies of Statutory Instruments these are available from TSO:

The Stationery Office Tel: 0870 600 5522
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[olley]

Hi Dick it maybe illegal but their's a guy who goes to the shows in the ARVE section, who's been using a dolly for a few years without any trouble from the law.

Olley

 

[moandick]

Hi Olley - I think I have met him, at Carvynick - and yes, I agree there are several people that I know who have used proper dollies for some time now BUT if the A Frame is considered to be a 'grey' area the dolly very definitely is not.

The DOT has categorically stated that they are both speed and distance restricted.

As with every other grey area, nobody I know has ever been prosecuted BUT I really do think that in the event of an accident, the Insurance Companies would be very quick to deny responsibility for anybody using a dolly.

The silly thing is, that I totally agree with the idea of using a dolly - no car to convert, no whopping great trailer to store etc., etc., etc - I was quite tempted myself until I read the rules and regulations a bit more deeply. I am going down the A Frame route instead of my current trailer but I really think that the dolly is one step too far - especially as I think Phil wants to use it on the Continent - definitely dodgy

 

[paulharrison]

Thanks Dick it looks like its back to a A-frame and my 7series or a grand chek jeep
Paul

 

[vanessa]

The laws on towing vehicles are definitely interesting.

A-frames are illegal in France, although if fitted to a UK registered car and motorhome, the gendarmes are happy to "let it go".

We have a French friend who is determined to have an A-frame fitted to his car, and says he'll tell the Gendarmes "we're all in Europe now, and here's a receipt for legal-fitting in an EU country"Not sure I'd want to risk doing thatoh:but it's his life - and he's rich enough to pay a few contravention fines

 

[moandick]

The German and Spanish Police are also a bit anti A-frames too, by all accounts - but as you say - most are happy to let things rest as they are for the time being.

Mo and I spent £2000 on a trailer only to sit and watch it go rusty for about 11 months of the year - so we have decided to go about it a different way........

We are about to purchase a purpose built American Tow Frame for our Volvo V70 estate (Blue Ox with 10,000lbs limit) which we will use throughout our UK trips.

On the occasion that we visit Europe, we shall hire a trailer for the necessary period.

The sale of the trailer will just about cover the cost of the A Frame - which we will no longer have to sit and watch self-destructing and the cost of hiring for overseas has yet to be determined but we do have friends in the business. :thumb:

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[Geo]

Hi Mo and Dick
With all the research you have clearly done with regards to towing and licencing regs
Why oh why have you not come up with some old Roman statute covering Charriots that we could use to our advantage
Geo

 

[moandick]

Hi Geo

The chariots not the problem....... easy-peasy........no - it's health and safety that is causing the problems!

twofold: 1st..... The horse droppings cause too much of a skid problem on the Highways and nowadays there are very few gardeners willing to clean up after me.

2nd.... The police keep stopping me concerning the length of my sword.... apparently one is not allowed to carry, in public, an unsheathed weapon that is longer than 4 inches. :Blush: