Towing with an A-Frame is Illegal in Spain (1 Viewer)

[Jim]

Towing a car on an A-Frame with your motorhome is illegal in Spain. Of that there is no doubt. Read it on our own Governments web site https://www.gov.uk/living-in-spain

Given all that, I heard an A Frame manufacturer lie to potential customers on a number of occasions at a recent motorhome show. Paraphrased....

"Don't worry about that, it's like them gassing stories. It's just people sat on sites with nothing better to do and gossiping; making stuff up. It's always happened to friends of friends, its a myth. No one gets stopped in Spain using A-Frames, just like no one is gassed and robbed"

 

[eddie]

I wouldn't take my "A" framed car out of the Country nowadays. I have in the past taken it to France and Spain.

Normally only bother now when we go to the NEC and we are there for nine days or so

 

[Mel]

We have a law in Belgium that uf you tow on a motorway you must leave at the first exit.
So A frames where/are ilegal.
But we are starting to see a few Belgium registerd MH with toads.
I spoke to one who goes often to Spain he has never had a problem.
Is it possible its only UK registerd MH's that get stopped?

Mel

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

 

[Forestboy]

All the more reason to get a nice little scooter or motorbike and so much more fun than boring cars.

 

[Speve]

Glad we decided on a trailer there has always been so many conflicting opinions it's just not worth it and this has now clarified the situation.

 

[mariner]

In some parts of Spain the Guardia, are stopping anyone with an A-Frame and in others they seem to have better things to do with their time.
If you decide to go with an A-Frame, it is a Lottery, so do have a plan B just in case.

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

 

[Billy23]

It seems to me, illegal is just that, illegal so why do it.

I do wonder sometimes just how many motorhome owners report to the insurance company that they have modified the Motorhome by putting a tow bar on, and how many tell them that they are towing a car on an A frame. Also what happens in the event of a serious accident, when the insurance company find out that you broke the law of the country that you had tha accident in.

Of course, I guess most owners do in fact tell the insurance company..........don't they?

 

[maxine and jo]

Hear in spain you can be asked for the registration and paperwork for all trailers , which must show an identity plate that matches the paper work ,it there law.

max

 

[GJH]

In some parts of Spain the Guardia, are stopping anyone with an A-Frame and in others they seem to have better things to do with their time.
If you decide to go with an A-Frame, it is a Lottery, so do have a plan B just in case.

Q. Given the straightforward advice given in Jim's OP, what type of idiot is going to ignore it and need a plan B?
A. The type of idiot that deserves all the fines he gets.

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

 

[big map]

We were stopped and fined in Germany for towing a car on an a frame. (Car not motor functional) 23 (^) StVO fine 25 euros.

The Police officer told us "that like Spain it was illegal to tow a car using an a frame in Germany". They told us to cross the border into The Netherlands where it OK and lots of motor-homers use them. So we un-hitched and I drove the car to the border and we then reconnected.

Our Insurers are aware that we have a tow-bar on the motor-home and are aware that we tow a car on an a frame.

The car insurers are also aware that it has been adapted for use on an a frame.

 

[mariner]

Q. Given the straightforward advice given in Jim's OP, what type of idiot is going to ignore it and need a plan B?
A. The type of idiot that deserves all the fines he gets.

I agree, but plenty still do it, even though it's been illegal in Spain for a few years, though rarely enforced until a couple of years ago.
I can guarantee, that I will see quite a few A-Frames in the coming winter season in Spain.
Plan B can save you having to leave the car where you are stopped, or paying for it to be recovered to storage.

 

[GJH]

I agree, but plenty still do it, even though it's been illegal in Spain for a few years, though rarely enforced until a couple of years ago.
I can guarantee, that I will see quite a few A-Frames in the coming winter season in Spain.
Plan B can save you having to leave the car where you are stopped, or paying for it to be recovered to storage.

More fool them then Much more sensible to avoid the need for plan B in the first place

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

 

[motor roamin]

I knew there was a reason I always use a trailer, though I do understand many Motorhomes don't have the towing capacity for a trailer.

Like Jim I have heard so much rubbish spouted by dealers about both A frames and driving licenses in order to secure a sale the only thing to say is buyer beware.

 

[filopastry]

This summer a friend was stopped in Spain with an "A" bar advised it is illegal and given the option to go buy a trailer and continue his journey .... OH and by the way, he and his MH and "toad" are all French registered. He returned to the Charente Maritime with a trailer and his "A" bar "MERDE"

 

[Billycompo]

What about the Vienna convention if it's legal in your home country then it's legal in all the EU countries this is a condition of EU law and I suggest hgv driving licences from Romania and other eastern EU members do not comply with most of EU members or is just a money grab by Spain

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

 

[Judge Mental]

its not legal here either as has never been tested in court.

our law based on statute..theirs Napoleonic. have explained in the past and accused of sending everyone to sleep, so if you want to "know" read up on it

 

[filopastry]

What about the Vienna convention if it's legal in your home country then it's legal in all the EU countries this is a condition of EU law and I suggest hgv driving licences from Romania and other eastern EU members do not comply with most of EU members or is just a money grab by Spain

Ohh don't think I would want to argue that with a spanish "gendarme" "copper" sorry don' t know the Spanish version but for myself I speak, in front of numerous gibbering foreign types WITH GUNS I personally tend to say "yes sir" and leave political and international arguments to those better placed than I. My shoulders are wide ...... very wide ...... but only so they can more easily carry my yellow stripe

 

[pappajohn]

Hear in spain you can be asked for the registration and paperwork for all trailers , which must show an identity plate that matches the paper work ,it there law.

max

Agreed.....for Spanish nationals only.
Even the Spanish realise we do not have compulsory trailer registration as they do and waive the law in that respect for visitors.
You cannot have a trailer registration document if your countries authorities dont require one.

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

 

[DuxDeluxe]

What about the Vienna convention if it's legal in your home country then it's legal in all the EU countries this is a condition of EU law and I suggest hgv driving licences from Romania and other eastern EU members do not comply with most of EU members or is just a money grab by Spain

1) Spanish law and 2) it rarely pays to argue with a foreign copper with a gun

 

[Billy23]

Agreed.....for Spanish nationals only.
Even the Spanish realise we do not have compulsory trailer registration as they do and waive the law in that respect for visitors.
You cannot have a trailer registration document if your countries authorities dont require one.

I stand to be corrected but, as I understand it, only trailer over 750Kg has to have a registration document, I guess that most trailers that are behind a MH are less than that, so no problem.

 

[vwalan]

you can argue with them many do. they wont shoot you . in fact a few have taken it all the way to the higher courts in spain and won . uk residents with uk vehicles are supposed to be able to pass through any eu country with an a frame . but of course you have to be prepared to go through with it or dont bother. only last winter i was on the ferry to spain with an ex uk transport policeman . he was prepared to take the chance and argue if need be . he wasnt stopped atall as far as i know.
the police work on you being afraid of them .

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

 

[pappajohn]

I stand to be corrected but, as I understand it, only trailer over 750Kg has to have a registration document, I guess that most trailers that are behind a MH are less than that, so no problem.

But many are car transport trailers, well in excess of 750kg, to get round Spains A frame laws.

 

[pappajohn]

uk residents with uk vehicles are supposed to be able to pass through any eu country with an a frame

Maybe so Al, but to do that it has to be legal in your country of origin......and they aint legal in the UK, merely tolerated.

 

[vwalan]

I stand to be corrected but, as I understand it, only trailer over 750Kg has to have a registration document, I guess that most trailers that are behind a MH are less than that, so no problem.

no any trailer in uk abroad , mine doesnt have registration , the one in the avatarspanish police know we havent got any papers . we are only visiting and can travel around the eu just like we do in uk.
pappa,
they arent illegal here thats the key. if you stand and argue and shout enough they will take you in but later let you go. or you take it further.

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

 

[Billy23]

no any trailer in uk abroad , mine doesnt have registration , the one in the avatarspanish police know we havent got any papers . we are only visiting and can travel around the eu just like we do in uk.
pappa,
they arent illegal here thats the key. if you stand and argue and shout enough they will take you in but later let you go. or you take it further.

I am sorry that I didn't make myself clear, I didn't mean UK trailers, I meant that all Spanish trailers didn't need to be registered, only the ones over 750kg.

I guess that if you are visitors from any country, they would not take any notice...if it's a trailer.....then it's a trailer.

I will say though, it is a brave man ( or woman) that would fight ANYTHING through the Spanish legal system.........or a fool, as he might not live long enough for a result.

But an "A" frame.............

 

[Speve]

I have a certificate for mine it was supplied when I received trailer earlier this year it weighs in at 500 KG,it's also type approved like everything else has to be now.

 

[maxine and jo]

I am sorry that I didn't make myself clear, I didn't mean UK trailers, I meant that all Spanish trailers didn't need to be registered, only the ones over 750kg.

sorry this is misinformation , any trailer that you pull with a spanish reg must carry eu manufacturer plate and the trailer papers also carries your car reg . alog book of sorts

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

 

[Billy23]

sorry this is misinformation , any trailer that you pull with a spanish reg must carry eu manufacturer plate and the trailer papers also carries your car reg . alog book of sorts

I stand corrected. Having said that, in the ten years I have pulled one, on a Spanish car, the police have never required that info when they have pulled me up.

 

[tonyidle]

My simplistic understanding of the difference between A-frame use here and on the Continent is that in the UK the toad is regarded as a trailer so (although as yet untested in the Courts) trailer construction and use regulations apply. In most Continental countries the toad is regarded as a car so car towing regulations are applied (and, just as in the UK, these regulations relate to towing broken-down vehicles because there's no other reason to do so). IMO this doesn't point to any lack of logic, mis-application of the law, or awkwardness on the part of Continental counties' authorities - if anything it's the UK authorities that are stretching reality (in our favour) to allow cars to be regarded as trailers.

 

[Emmit]

The difference is the legal system.
On the Continent (simplification) they have a system where, if it isn't written down that it's legal, then it's illegal.
Over here if it's not written down as illegal, then it's not illegal and therefore by definition, legal until a Court decides otherwise.

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