You can drive........ (1 Viewer)

[RockieRV]

What a refreshing change............

This year at Peterborough show, most of the RV dealers have advertised their vehicles with all the particulars including-

'This vehicle requires (just a car license) (an HGV license) etc' including the weights.'

It now takes out the guess work for first time buyers and makes selection just that little bit easier

We saw some very good buys - but not in a position to do anything but look:Blush:

 

[G2EWS]

Hi Sharon,

My last trip round Dudleys and they had exactly the same. Weights, licence required etc.

Made looking, as you say, so much easier. Shame they did not unlock the vehicles so I could look around like I did with Keith last time we went.

Regards

Chris

 

[artona]

Hi

But were the weights correct?

I spent a few hours with a vosa official at Peterborough. If he weighs a van he wants to see it full of fuel and water etc not empty. I saw a few RVs at Peterborough with slides etc claiming to be under 7500, I wonder if they had actually been weighed

Chris - the vans I saw were open but there were polite notices asking for shoes off so they seem to have got the message.

The message seems to have filtered through to the families as well as I saw a van being used as a climbing frame only once this year by a chaps children as the chap looked the other way. Oh what "not" fun for the eventual buyer of that van.

stew

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[Jim]

I had a long chat with Jane of Destination RV at peterborough, she is very convincing in her argument about not needing a C class licence to drive a +7.5t Motorhome. She presently has some very senior people feeling uncomfortable with their position and the outcome might be very interesting. Lets not forget that Jane is a very clever and determined lady, many, in the RV industry at least, owe her a huge debt of gratitude for the way she fought and continues to present the case over the width issues.

 

[ruffingitsmoothly]

Hi

But were the weights correct?

I spent a few hours with a vosa official at Peterborough. If he weighs a van he wants to see it full of fuel and water etc not empty. I saw a few RVs at Peterborough with slides etc claiming to be under 7500, I wonder if they had actually been weighed

Chris - the vans I saw were open but there were polite notices asking for shoes off so they seem to have got the message.

The message seems to have filtered through to the families as well as I saw a van being used as a climbing frame only once this year by a chaps children as the chap looked the other way. Oh what "not" fun for the eventual buyer of that van.

stew

Stew I think that you will find that it is the manufacturer's gross chassis weight stated on the vehcle plate that determins the requirement for a 'LGV' licence!

As for the VOSA Official requiring the van to be full of 'fuel and water' what is he exactly weighing the van for?

If the van/RV is weighed at a roadside check it is exactly that, it is weighed as it is has been driven on the road irrespective of it is full of water or fuel! It is weighed complete with passengers and that weight is then compared to the gross vehicle weight for the chassis, if it is in excess then the official will require the excess weight to be removed before the van can be moved!

If your laden weight is very near to your gross weight then you have to reduce your payload so fuel and water are obvious ways to reduce this! I personally never carry a full tank of water as being mean why needlessly waste fuel carrying 80 gallons of water to a site where there is an abundant supply of water!

I feel that there has been some kind of missunderstanding of this conversation or otherwise this VOSA official obviously does not know what he is talking about! Sadly this is not at all uncommon as during my experience as a road haulier there appears to be no uniform interpretation of the regulations by some of the jumped up jobsworths from VOSA (formerly Ministry of Transport)! You have only to recall the farce of the RV measurement case that I believe is still not 100% settled!

Regards Pat

 

[artona]

Hi Pat

He was refering to the occassions someone brings a van into a weighbridge, maybe planning to re-plate.

He was also talking about a major change in the laws regarding the upkeep of the HGV license. Apparently, he said, soon you will have to sit a retest at scheduled times. These tests will be written and based on what is currently the haulier's license required knowledge.

He did not come across as being anything other than trying to be helpful and it was just social chat. He was of the opinion that there should be something completely different for RVers.

Me, I think I should be able to pull a 39 foot 5th wheel with a jeep on an artic set up behind that but I guess I ought to have some sort of training first

stew

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[ruffingitsmoothly]

Hi Stew

If someone brings a van in for replate the vehicle does not need to be weighed as this is usually for an up or downplate of the gross vehicle weight!!!

Also as for sitting a written test I have not seen anything regards this however it will be a requirement to have 35 hours (I believe) of vocational training every 5 years inorder to renew your LGV licence! Who will pay for this and how it will be implemented is not yet clear!!!

Also how will this affect drivers and RVers who after 65 have to renew their lgv entitlement every year is no clear.

Regards Pat

 

[G2EWS]

As ever, these things are a minefield.

The worse part is ignorance is no excuse. So for example in my business I have to read almost continuously if I am to keep up with current legislation!

Whilst I fully understand the need for some of these laws, it is truly frustrating trying to get your head around it.

You only have to look at the different opinions on 'A' frames for towing to be aware that there is no clear law for us to follow.

Regards

Chris

 

[olley]

'This vehicle requires (just a car license) (an HGV license) etc' including the weights.'

It now takes out the guess work for first time buyers and makes selection just that little bit easier

We saw some very good buys - but not in a position to do anything but look:Blush:

Hi Sharon is that a FACT or just an OPINION

Olley

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