DVSA issuing illegal breakaway cable notices
There may be another discussion somewhere on the forum regarding this....but thought it warranted its own discussion.....
Stopped today, 1st July (with caravan in tow) by the DVSA at Cherwell Services for a Roadworthiness inspection. Was told that the breakaway cable was incorrectly connected to the towing vehicle... ie looped around the tow ball. This prompted a prohibition
notice to drive the vehicle on public roads and a further inspection of lights, tyres, steering, nose weight and brakes. Fortunately I was one of the good guys and passed the inspection. However the prohibition notice stood until I could demonstrate , and
have the capability of attaching the cable directly to the car. Fortunately again I could and I was then issued a prohibition removal notice....The point the DVSA were making is a loop attachment is not legal and voids insurance. There are other issues around
fixed and detachable(mine) towbars with regard to suitability of the cable/clip. Perhaps the club could make members aware. Happy to show the PG9 notices. As I left the service area, other caravans were being pulled over...
Comments
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That's very interesting, thanks. Were they also checking that towing mirrors were fitted ?
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Hmmmm, having previously had caravans and a variety of tow cars we always used to loop it around the ball except for when we had a citroen BX which had a dedicated pigtail on the towbar. The last 2 cars we had were skoda octavia estates, the whole of the rear end of the car is covered in plastic valances etc as are many modern cars .. so how does fastening it to the car work in practice ?
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In Holland you'd have received a fine for looping round towbar.
I've always had detachable towbar so have always used the proper eyelet, but if you don't have one of those you have to secure with a loop around the towbar bracket behind the rear facia.
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That's very interesting, thanks. Were they also checking that towing mirrors were fitted ?
Yes they did...there were about 6 inspectors who did various tasks. The inspector who issued my notice was very impressed that I had Tyre Pal sensors fitted to both car and caravan....but he did give me a warning when I told a caravanner who pulled up behind
me what was happening ( he quickly rectified his cable attachment which drew the attention of the inspectors). Just looked at the Clubs help sheet on this subject...which does point out that
unless there is now where else to attach the cable..never loop around the tow ball..The DVSA says not acceptable under any circumstances.0 -
In Holland you'd have received a fine for looping round towbar.
I've always had detachable towbar so have always used the proper eyelet, but if you don't have one of those you have to secure with a loop around the towbar bracket behind the rear facia.
Lesson learnt....fortunately there was a dedicated eyelet for me to attach the cable...partially hidden by plastc bumper etc..apparently when it was fitted the dedicated cut out section of the plastic bumber should have been removed to exposed the eyelet....
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Yes they did...there were about 6 inspectors who did various tasks. The inspector who issued my notice was very impressed that I had Tyre Pal sensors fitted to both car and caravan....but he did give me a warning when I told a caravanner who pulled up behind
me what was happening ( he quickly rectified his cable attachment which drew the attention of the inspectors). Just looked at the Clubs help sheet on this subject...which does point out that
unless there is now where else to attach the cable..never loop around the tow ball..The DVSA says not acceptable under any circumstances.Perhaps the Club could comment? This is important.
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I'm surprised that no-one has challenged the DVSA to come up with some sort of proof that the practice of looping the cable around the towbar is actually illegal. What piece of legislation do they make reference to in order to back up their claim?
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That being the case explain this leaflet direct off the alko website?
http://www.al-ko.co.uk/pages/how-to-tutorials-2.html
and open how to attach your breakaway cable
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Blimey, we like the OP have always looped around the towball
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I got told by a vosa inspector that the towball bolts could snap,
Can't say I've heard of many M16 bolts snapping.
Strange logic on the part of the VOSA inspector. So it's quite in order for the towball bolts to snap, but illegal to loop the cable around the towball itself? Leaving aside for a moment whether such practice is advisable or not, I'd be interested to learn what piece of legislation says it's an offence.
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Agree with you there Lutz having been in the recovery industry and automotive training industry for a lot of years i have read Ec94/20 and the updated amendments in EC55 both applying to type approval for tow bars and there is no mention in either document about the requirement to have a seperate breakaway cable mounting on the tow bar or vehicle, So i to would like to know where they are getting there legislation info from. (p.s. not advocating fitting it around the towball, rather just pointing out that it is not illegal)
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Towbar type approval since at least 2001 has required secondary 'breakaway cable' fixing points. Unless you have a really old car you should have a fixing point.
Really, are you sure ? I bought a brand new Skoda Octavia in 2012, I had a Westfalia detachable swan neck fitted by a towbar specialist a few doors away at the skoda dealers recommendation.... there was NO additional fixing point fitted and under the car there is nothing but plastic at the rear end other than the exhaust pipe.......
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Does anyone know where on a Westfalia towbar the looping point would be? I'm assuming it will be in a common location, but on looking at a cutaway drawing of one, I can't see it.
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Ignore my last comment, I;ve found the eyelet. It's in a pig of a location though.
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I really am amazed that the DVSA are issuing prohibition notices because a breakaway cable is looped around the towball, yet few are aware of any change in legislation. There is something very wrong here. I would have thought that both clubs, and indeed towbar fitters and caravan dealers would have been made aware and this change and new requirements would be very much known about in the industry and published in the caravan industry magazines, yet there has been nothing that I have seen. Something just does not add up in my book.
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There has been a recent amendment to the regulations requiring a dedicated anchorage point for the breakaway cable, but it's not retroactive and there are quite a lot of towbars in service which don't have one.
So like you stated originally although the legislation now states there should be a mounting point there is no reference to it being a requirement to use it or that it is illegal to loop around tow ball ( don't you just love regulations and directives)
p.s. thanks for the info Lutz
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This point really needs an answer from the club and should be referred to them by one of the champions or by the community manager. As its the weekend I expect that we won't get an answer until Monday at the earliest but the looping of the breakaway cable
around the towbar is a practice that many people do.0 -
Interesting one this , i am sure in the CC handbook there is reference to looping the cable over the swan neck t/bar.Will check my 2012 BMW X 3 with the electric swivel out t/bar when it stops pouring down to see if there is any other fixing point unless
someone can advise in the meantime.0 -
Not sure after reading again , did the OP have a swan neck bar or bolted on tow ball ?
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Interesting one this , i am sure in the CC handbook there is reference to looping the cable over the swan neck t/bar.Will check my 2012 BMW X 3 with the electric swivel out t/bar when it stops pouring down to see if there is any other fixing point unless
someone can advise in the meantimeIf it's a Westfalia, have a look above right of the swan neck. It could be possibly hidden by the bumper valence.
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I am not aware of any legislation to this effect and I might just ask them to quote it if confronted. It is for them to justify the prohibition if they issue one.
They cannot it say it would void your insurance as that would be between you and the insurer.
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Land Rover kindly supply TWO attachment points on the chassis of the Discovery but the snap hook on the cable is too small to hook on and two big to pass through. I use a small shackle to join them together so it looks as though I am in line for a notice
as well.0 -
Thanks Catherinef for swift reply ,my t / bar is a factory fitted one , may well be a Westfalia one. Still raining so not checked as yet. I am sure i am correct in stating the cable must be fitted so a direct pull is achieved, this cannot happen if the attachment is somewhat off the centre line.
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When I did a CC towing course two years ago I was shown to loop the cable around my swanneck towball. Ive just been out and had a look and there is a small hole (little finger diameter) and I looked at that and thought the clip won't pass through the hole
to loop it. Am I supposed to just clip into the joke rather than right through?0
