Towing mirrors

treetop
treetop Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited October 2017 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Hi everyone

I've been caravanning for some years now and always used one mirror and now we have to have two ! Fine but I've just bought a Mitsubishi Outlander and it has big mirrors ! Do I still have to have extended mirrors ? Do my mirrors have to be winder than my outfit ? Any thoughts please 

Comments

  • NevChap
    NevChap Forum Participant Posts: 180
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    edited October 2017 #2

    You need to be able to see along both sides of the caravan from the driver's seat. If your car enables you to do that then you are OK, but I doubt it as most caravans are a little wider than even the biggest cars/4x4s.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2017 #3

    You need to see down both sides of your outfit and unless you have a very narrow caravan ,no towing vehicle will give you adequate angle of view to comply with the law except maybe a  wider transit  style vehicle

  • Shuckford
    Shuckford Forum Participant Posts: 63
    edited October 2017 #4

    Hi Treetop, we have an Outlander in fact our third!

    Unless you have a very small van you will need extension mirrors fitted to comply with the law. 

    We use Milenco Aero mirrors, easy to fit very secure with little vibration.

    Happy travels!

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2017 #5

    https://www.caravanwise.co.uk/caravan-tips/towing-mirrors.html

     

    Good advice here.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2017 #6

    Remember, TT, it is the field of vision that is the legal requirement, not the act of merely having or fitting mirrors.

    The diagram in the link supplied by Kjell shows it well.

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
    500 Comments
    edited October 2017 #7

    The Mitsubishi Outlander is the same width as a Ford Mondeo. I don't understand why anyone should think extension mirrors would not be needed for either car towing a standard width UK caravan..

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2017 #8

    I didn't know the UK had standard width caravan  innocent

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited October 2017 #9

     The vast majority of touring caravans are wider than the width over the mirrors of a Mitsubishi Outlander. 

  • PhilHeller
    PhilHeller Forum Participant Posts: 267
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    edited November 2017 #10

    Can I just ask TT which side did you used your 1 mirror on, was it the drivers or passengers? I have never had a tow-car that I felt I didn’t need both sides covered for my own peace of mind.

  • tracyp
    tracyp Forum Participant Posts: 45
    edited November 2017 #11

    it is a £5o fine per mirrow if you get caught with out touring mirrows, bloke at nec had posters up,he assists police when they pull people over for routine caravan checks  

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2017 #12

    See my post on page 1. It is not necessary to fit mirrors but it is a legal requirement to have the requisite field of vision. Although most units will need them, some may achieve this without extension mirrors.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2017 #13

    Unless the car was built before 1983 it's got to have two outside rear view mirrors.

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited November 2017 #14

    If your mirrors are not wider than your Caravan how are you going to see past it or wants beside you on the road. frown

  • Lyke Wake Man
    Lyke Wake Man Forum Participant Posts: 238
    edited November 2017 #15

    Why are some caravaners reluctant to have proper towing mirrors, I have the milenco grande aero, even with these I thought I would get better view if they stuck out more, I checked and milenco do a longer arm, you fit your mirror head and clamps on a longer arm, and I can see perfect now

  • treetop
    treetop Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited November 2017 #16

    I'd like to thank everyone for their thoughts and info ! I'm not wanting to not put mirrors on its just if I don't need them then why put them on . The new Mitsubishi Outlander just has large mirrors so it was just a thought. If my mirrors are wider than my outfit then I'm OK.thanks 

     

  • Shuckford
    Shuckford Forum Participant Posts: 63
    edited November 2017 #17

    Further to my previous post. I tow a Bailey U3 with our 2017 Outlander, the van has an overall width of 2,280mm the Outlander overall width including mirrors is 2,120mm. A difference of 160mm. As can be seen from these dimensions I know that I need to use extensions to complement and enhance the rear view that is required under current regulations. However if the original poster tows something totally different to ‘the norm’ and is able to see unhindered then it’s their choice.

  • LeTouriste
    LeTouriste Forum Participant Posts: 348
    edited November 2017 #18

    I use Milenco mirrors, but I have had to add a rubber strap to pass around the rear of each mirror to prevent force of slipstream from pushing it off. It seems that lots of cars suitable for towing have such silly-shaped mirror bodies.

    The law states that the maximum allowable extension of the mirror is 250mm beyond the width of the van on each side.  But for cars registered before 26 Jan 2004 it is only 200mm.  Wonder how that bit of legislation happened?

  • PhilHeller
    PhilHeller Forum Participant Posts: 267
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    edited November 2017 #19

    I think you totally misunderstood what I was asking, the OP said he has only ever used one mirror (towing) and I was interested to see which side of his car he was using it on.

  • Vulcan
    Vulcan Forum Participant Posts: 670
    edited November 2017 #20

    I agree and if you require extension mirrors and cannot see through the caravan with the internal mirror a nearside mirror is mandatory anyway.

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
    500 Comments
    edited November 2017 #21

    Its best to fit mirrors i.e. conform with the law, if you are involved in a serious accident which might have been avoided by having them you will be on a loser before you even start!

  • LeTouriste
    LeTouriste Forum Participant Posts: 348
    edited November 2017 #22

    Considering the distance from the car's internal mirror to the caravan's rear window, would not the resultant narrow angle of vision be so restricted as to put the tow car driver at risk of prosecution for the outfit being unsafe.  An overtaking vehicle would be outside the visible angle well before coming alongside the caravan, and without extension mirrors it could well be totally invisible to the driver of the tow car.

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