Home > Off Topic > Trailer laws changing? |
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Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 |
I could stand to be proved wrong but I'm pretty sure the trailer rules aren't an EU thing.
The agricultural trailer rules definitely aren't, I can buy and drive a tractor and trailer in Germany that's perfectly legal and break a different set of rules in each EU country I drive it through to bring it home. EU's not perfect but don't blanket blame everything on them As for caravans, if you want to tow a caravan with a B+E then buy a small car. Simple. Something like a Jeep Renegade has an MAM of around 2t and a towing capacity of 1.5t and a quick bit of research shows quite a few caravans that fall within that. Ford Focus, Kia Sportage and I'm sure many others are the same. |
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18th May 2016 2:11pm |
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custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20460 |
A lot of the lighting rules are EU related for example though, some defy sense in certain cases.
Many laws with grey areas as to say no one, not even the authorities know right and wrong with. These days one minute your doing everything by the book and no problem, the next you could be prosecuted for doing the same thing a year later and no one is even made aware of any changes. If safety on the roads is such an issue why is it they are more bothered about an 'E' mark on a light lense than a damn great pothole that could kill someone by causing them to loose control. It's all about money, us paying more, them saving more and paying out less. That goes across the board from the EU to the UK system. |
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18th May 2016 2:20pm |
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blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17457 |
I did say "could", not "will". It could just as likely get worse! I thought that the changes to the UK driving entitlements were due to a desire to bring the UK regulations in line with Europe, but I may be wrong. I am lucky, I got my licence in the 1970s and have B, BE, C, CE, as well as C1 and C1E and various other things I now forget, so trailers etc aren't really an issue. I can also make the young folk a tad green by pointing out that I went straight from a car licence to an HGV1 because in those days that's how it was. I have long maintained that any person who actually wants to become a politician should be banned from doing so (in fact probably incarcerated somewhere) since generally such people are fundamentally unsuited to the job. I have no intention however of being drawn into a discussion on politics since (a) forum rules prevent it (thank goodness) and (b) I wouldn't give the time of day to any politician at the moment, I have such a low opinion of them! |
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18th May 2016 3:28pm |
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custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20460 |
Yes, keep politics separate.
Back on issue concerned, I put all these things down as reasons as to why younger people aren't interested in taking up such jobs. That is my concern for the future, far too much red tape. And even if you do get over the hurdles. (And can afford to) chances are there won't be a job. Often you hear if shortages here and there and then if anyone tried to get said work they'd be turned away. |
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18th May 2016 3:36pm |
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chopcat Member Since: 11 Sep 2012 Location: Pembrokeshire Posts: 412 |
So can someon help me on this
My globemaster has a breakaway cable for the brakes but also a retention chain to keep the think attached in the event of a hitch failure.= by dropping it over the ball. I am told by the company that sold me the trailer that it is illegal to have the chain over the ball hook. Is it and why? CC |
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18th May 2016 4:50pm |
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Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 |
it's bad practice to have the breakaway cable (the thing that pulls the brake on) attached to the tow ball because it can come off, and if the tow ball were to part company from the tow vehicle the breakaway cable would go with it and fail to do anything useful.
I've never come across a chain to stop the thing escaping if the hitch fails, but I'd guess it was for the same reason. If the ball falls off, the chain's useless. |
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18th May 2016 4:55pm |
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Romadog Member Since: 07 Jul 2011 Location: Powys Posts: 1749 |
Chopcat - The breakaway cable should be connected to the vehicle to activate the brake mechanism should the trailer hitch come off the ball. Its not advisable to put the cable around the ball if it is that type of cable and long enough. However the cable can be put round the pin on a ball/pin combination hitch as long as the retaining clips/pins are maintained. The bolts coming away from the tow hitch is less of an issue as its to do with the trailer hitch parting company with the vehicle. The tow hitch frame is bolted to the body or chassis of the tow vehicle so what if they came loose ?!! The bolts should be checked on service and MOT.
You can buy a plate to bolt between the tow ball and vehicle which has a loop that you can connect or loop the cable through, if there isn't a hole as on 13 reg transits - no-one at Ford seem to have an answer, but towbar manufacturers tell me that they have to have a hole to pass type approval. http://www.ate-uk.com/vehicle-couplings/ve...acket.html As far as the chain is concerned that of approved design should be used with unbraked trailers ONLY. They should be of a length so that if the tow hitch detached from the ball it will not dig into the road, but stays attached to the vehicle. |
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18th May 2016 6:51pm |
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lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006 |
Chains are really for unbaked trailers such that in the event of the trailer becoming detached from the hitch the draw bar is kept from digging into the road an flipping the trailer. Also the chain is to keep the prime mover and trailer together in the event of hitch failure as without brakes and a breakaway cable the trailer would otherwise be free to cause any amount of carnage. This is why any secondary means of attachments need to be secured onto something other than the tow ball or jaw. With a braked trailer The idea is that in the event of hitch failure as the prime mover and trailer begin to separate the breakaway cable automatically applies the trailer brakes full on and the trailer comes to a fairly immediate stop. Also on single axle braked trailers the draw bar is obliged to have some forms of skid to prevent it digging into the road and flipping. It is however not appropriate to use a chain on a braked trailer as a means of preventing the draw bar digging in as it will remove the functionality of the breakaway cable in stopping the trailer independently of the prime mover. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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18th May 2016 7:15pm |
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blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17457 |
I like to use both the breakaway cable and a chain when towing a braked trailer, but the chain must be long enough to allow the breakaway cable to do its job before the chain pulls taut. What I usually do is bunch up the chain on a cable tie which would break and allow a lot of slack to allow the breakaway cable to pull the brakes on then part, before the chain is tight.
It gives me peace of mind because I feel if the trailer did come off it will still tend to follow and there might be some ability to steer it as the vehicle and trailer comes to a stand. |
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18th May 2016 9:41pm |
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jimbob7 Member Since: 06 Jul 2013 Location: uk Posts: 2055 |
But the authorities are quite right to introduce tougher standards for driving,what is wrong with that? There sensibly, has to be a cut off point,otherwise every car driver would have a bike and HGV license the moment they passed their car test at the age of 15?,cant' be bothered looking for the lowest age over the entire history of driving in the UK,but I would guess 15.Also the number of cars on the road today has made driving at least 100% harder than it was when I passed my test (back end of the 80's). Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5. |
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19th May 2016 9:19am |
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custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20460 |
I'd say the test age should be 18 too, even that is young but in line with everything else.
I also find it a bit of a strange that a much higher percentage of females pass first time at a young age than young men. Especially more so the fact the majority of examiners are middle aged men. Any funny part is I myself had a female examiner that passed me. But that maybe because she chose me due to taking my 90 for the test. |
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19th May 2016 10:59am |
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chopcat Member Since: 11 Sep 2012 Location: Pembrokeshire Posts: 412 |
absolute sense |
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19th May 2016 12:17pm |
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jimbob7 Member Since: 06 Jul 2013 Location: uk Posts: 2055 |
I don't care what the age is,it should be very,very,mega,ultra hard,including night and motorway driving.Which, a Hugh amount of drivers still don't have the hang of. Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5.
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19th May 2016 2:49pm |
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LoveTheMud Member Since: 19 Feb 2015 Location: Weybridge Surrey & Pontefract West Yorkshire Posts: 411 |
I'm not disagreeing, just that when the same logic is applied to pensions or job contracts, there is an awful lot of spilt milk |
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19th May 2016 3:11pm |
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