Towing a car

lucker57
lucker57 Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited March 2017 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

I will be towing a car on an 'A' frame through France.  I know that Spain is a no-go area but has anyone any actual experience in other European countries?

Comments

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,394 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #2

    No experience myself but spoke to a Brit in Spain who was towing a car on a frame who was on his way to the Costa Blanca and he had not had any problems crossing France. I have not heard of anyone having problems in France and don't know if he made it the rest of the way across Spain without being stopped.

    peedee

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #3

    There's a wealth of information on this via Google, but best to ignore the ones before 27 May 2014 when the question was asked in the French parliament and the answer was given that it is illegal. Whether the gendarme who meets you will enforce this law is up to him. 

  • Lyke Wake Man
    Lyke Wake Man Forum Participant Posts: 238
    edited March 2017 #4

    I have heard you can't use one in France, you have to put your car on a trailer.

     

    If I where you I would contact the French Embassy for their advise

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2017 #5

    There have been reports in various forums that outfits have been stopped and given a reprimand in Germany, where they are definitely illegal, but to my knowledge none that they were actually fined there.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585 ✭
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    edited March 2017 #6

    My understanding is that A frames are illegal in France as they are not type approved. You could try the clubs advice service though for their take on the subject.

  • freddie
    freddie Forum Participant Posts: 25
    edited March 2017 #7

    I can confirm that Germany is a no go I was escorted to a police area from the autobahn told to disconnect the car and was fined 25 euro 3 years ago. I don't tow in Europe now.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2017 #8
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  • AJB
    AJB Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited March 2017 #9

    Now that's what I call sense wink If you had all done the same then 'the club' would not have needed to change its' name !! (LOL)....yes I AM JOKING....

  • JohnM20
    JohnM20 Forum Participant Posts: 1,416
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    edited March 2017 #10

    What would happen if you were stopped because of an A frame tow? Presumably you couldn't continue the journey towing the car which could be a problem if there was only one person able / willing to drive. If I was going to tow a car using one I think I would want it in writing in English and French that it was permissible from, as suggested, the French Embassy so that I could show the letter if stopped.

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited March 2017 #11

    I think the chances of getting a letter like that is zero and I don't think it would make any difference anyway. Most of us who A-frame tow only do it in this country as we know the well documented results of doing so abroad.
    The answer to the question is most likely yes, you would have to uncouple and have a second driver.

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #12

    We are not MH owners but holiday with friends who are. They use a trailer for their scooter but considered an A Frame and decided against that following an explanation in the MMM magazine about the 'legality'.

    This was that it was actually a quite simple, but massively important, difference in approach to what is legal here and over there.

    In the U.K. if there is no law saying you cannot use an A Frame then you can. Sur Le continent if there is no law saying you can then you cannot.

    In regard to people using them and not having an issue it may be the same as driving in excess of the speed limit where you may be stopped, you may not,and those stopped can be dealt with in different ways from a friendly word to a summons.

    In regard to having a letter, for me that would not reassure me sufficiently.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #13

    The simple answer to the OP is that it is illegal across Europe. We have been stopped in Germany and Belgium by police, even producing the documents we got with the A frame saying that under the Vienna convention as we were only visitors to the country we were permitted  to use the A frame, we were told no its illegal. We no longer tow with an A frame, it really isn't  work the bother of ruining a holiday, if you must take a car put it on a trailer. The other choice is to rent a car as and when needed.

  • David2115
    David2115 Club Member Posts: 548 ✭
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    edited March 2017 #14

    Or get a caravan lol

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #15

    What a wonderful example of the European harmonisation that never happened in all those years and may be why citizens have voted to leave.

    [If this posts is thought to be "political" it can only be considerd such with a small "p"]

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #16

     I am I wrong in thinking that some caravans that are over UK legal size are allowed to tour in this country and that it is in fact purely a myth? 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2017 #17
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  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2017 #18
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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #19

    Thanks David. I just wondered if that had been the case.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #20

    But we didn't  I believe ban them from our roads, telling them they are illegal in the UK wink

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2017 #21

    But 2.5m wide caravans aren't illegal in the UK any more. It was a bit of an anachronism anyway as trucks are 2.5m wide so why should caravans be treated any other way? They are road vehicles just like any other.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2017 #22

    Actually, there's nothing in the legislation in any country that even mentions A-frames so there's nothing to harmonise.

    Fact remains that most countries, for want of any specific legislation, treat A-frames attached to cars as trailers and require them to fulfil all requirements that apply to trailers, which they don't. In the UK the position taken is somewhat different, but there's nothing to cover it legislationwise.

  • Sumitra
    Sumitra Forum Participant Posts: 154
    edited March 2017 #23

    I rather like the idea that seperate countries can make their own rules.

     

     

  • lucker57
    lucker57 Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited May 2017 #24

    Just got back after 4 weeks.  Travelled from Cherbourg to Narbonne and back.  Passed, and was passed by, many police.  No problems at all.

     

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