Anybody been weighed?
Hi would be interested if any CTer’s had the experience of being pulled by the authorities and been subject to weighing of their outfit. Questions are:
Did they weigh the whole vehicle (car and caravan)? Or
Was the caravan weighed separately?
If the caravan is on the hook does this affect the vans gross weight because the nose is supported by the towing vehicle?
TIA for any thoughts on this subject. (Any Trading Standards folk out there that are members!
Shuckford...
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Only once when we had the caravan and that was in the Netherlands. They weighed the car and caravan seperately, but still hitched and wanted to see all documentation (and then some) ... they were really surprised British caravans don't have registration doc's (log books).
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I was pulled over once for a weight check. They only measured the axle load of the caravan and compared that with the car's towload limit. They didn't have me unhitch so that they could weigh the caravan on its own. They just asked me if I had checked the noseweight before setting off. I told them that I set it at the limit. That seemed to satisfy them.
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We have seen vans being directed off the M5 and also the A303 for road checks, this involves checking the whole outfit, not just the weight. This was done at Strensham services last year when we called in for a break, so quite recent. A lot of vans had been pulled off, it's quite a thorough process.
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A few years back I was pulled at M5 Jct 27. It appears they were pulling as many as possible at the time. Only weighed the caravan axle. I was driving a car that was less than 1 month old with a caravan that was 3 months old. Towing ratio 65%. We were slightly overweight (250kg) Police asked to look inside and no equipment was visible, they said they were used to seeing them loaded to the window level!! Even with the extra weight we were still only 77.5%. They let us continue the journey but suggested we got the plates on the caravan checked. When back at home I emptied the caravan and took it to be weighed, MRO was spot on. So since then I always choose a caravan with a good weight upgrade.
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No, it's quite a controlled operation and random vans are escorted off the motorway/A road and taken to a checking area. You are signalled to follow the police car.
When it was done on the A303 in our area the details were reported in the press locally, a lot of faulty overloaded outfits etc. On the M5 we happened to pull into services for a break and saw the action taking place, we followed an "escorted" van as we drove in.
It does happen and for some it appears to seriously curtail their holiday journey.
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There’s a dedicated VOSA check area just off the M5 Jcn 27. It’s beside Minnows club site and you can see it clearly on the Google satellite view.
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OH remembers seeing watching the documentary on the A1 recently a van was pulled in and weighed as it was snaking, The police found 4 bikes an awning and accessories inside. They were made to empty the bulk of the load allowed to continue on their journey and return for the excess load later..........oh yes, and the fine for an unsafe load with points on the licence. a costly error!
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I have to confess when we emptied our m/h recently to switch to the caravan I was horrified at how much stuff we were carting around! Which is why we are off to the local weighbridge on Saturday ahead of our first 'proper' holiday in the caravan ;-) That will give us our basic starting point with full gas, motormover fitted, battery and electric cable. On the towing course it was suggested that we only pack into the van the things that we will take every time, weigh them and keep a spreadsheet. Then the variables (clothes, toys etc) can go in the car and we don't have to work out caravan weight every trip. Reading this thread perhaps it would be worth me keeping a copy of the spreadsheet in the car? We have a small tow car and limited payload in the van so very conscious of weight.
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Yes, pulled over and escorted by a police car to the weighbridge. As a motorhomer they weighed each axel in turn with all passengers on board at the time being required to remain in their seats. Luckily, I was just, and only just, under the combined weight. Not an experience I would wish on anyone, but with my van in holiday mode I did get a free printout of the weights taken and some sound advice after which we continued on our way thanking my lucky stars that I had no water, waste or a great deal of fuel on board. It did sharpen my thoughts about what really needed to be carried and lots of 'stuff' is now in the garden shed. Travel light as possible became my mantra.
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My post disappeared so repeated.
The workshop manager at the caravan dealer we used to use told us about one of his customers who was stopped on the Autoroute. The van was overweight and he had to unload the van until the weight was reduced to the maximum before he was allowed to continue. Couldn’t do that with a Motorhome of course unless you could get away with draining down the water.
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Thanks to all contributors, really interesting experiences recounted. Think that with modern caravans the payload is very small. No wonder we need large towcars to carry the surplus and some goodies home from the holidays.
Thanks again, here's hopeing we are never subjucted to the 'percieved trauma' of getting pulled over.
Thanks again...S
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Yes. A smidgen over 11 stone, so I'll have to go easy on the puddings.
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My combined Gross weight of car and caravan is just over 3500kg but the likelihood of reaching this weight when towing is unlikely. I have a BE licence but I am over 70yrs old. Do I need a medical to continue towing? Any over 70's in this position?
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There are test sites throughout the UK.
There was a report in the press at end of last year about stolen caravans having been found being used as permanent homes by itinerant people during such checks, so perhaps not all bad.
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No misprint, just fact!
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Many years ago I was followed out of the services on the M5 by a car /caravan combo with the car rear nearly on the road within 300yds he overtook me and disappeared in the distance,caught up with him about 10 minutes later with the car facing the wrong way on the hard shoulder and the van across the first lane. Pulled in passed them and the family were still in the car,got them out and up the bank then went to unhitch and move the van but found the towbar had snapped off about 9inch from the ball,inside the van was a set of garden furniture,awning,four bikes and the rest, One holiday ruined as the van was well overloaded and a lesson learned by me.
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Life keeps conspiring against me to get our caravan weighed at the nearest weighbridge that opens on a weekend. I really want to weigh it before we start loading it properly - we've only been away once to visit the NEC show and put very little in the van, so did a rough estimate on weights. Before we start loading properly though I want to be sure of our starting point as the MIRO doesn't include the battery, different gas canisters and I've fitted a motor mover. I know this is probably a daft question, but is there any way I can weigh it other than taking it to a weighbridge?
Thanks
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I've never been pulled over to have the caravan weighed, however I do periodically take the caravan to a weighbridge. On a different subject, I am at present sitting at the Outpatients at Coventry & Warwick hospital...... and Yes, I've been weighed!!! 😀😀
David
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