Driving with boot open

lamialex

Hello,

I'm working on this low budget feature and for our shoot on Sunday, we need to film a car from the boot of an other car driving in front of the first one. We are gonna need to have the boot open so we can have a clear view. I have found here that it was legal to drive with a boot open as long as lights and licence plate were clear and we won't have anything sticking out but I was wondering if anyone could point me to a legal document saying this so I could show it to the police just in case we get arrested. Or is there a number I should call?

Thanks for your help.
Alexandra

Notmyrealname

I take it by boot you mean hatchback. As long as there is nobody sat in the boot and that the gear in it is secure, and that the boot lid itself is secured so it can't move about there is no issue.

You are doing exactly the same as the camera crews that shoot the road sections on Top Gear and Fifth Gear do.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Top Gear were stopped in London to have their permit checked.

Hintza

I'll rent you my Cherokee perfect for the job with a split rear door and window!

vikingaero

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

Top Gear were stopped in London to have their permit checked.

Not only do TG/FG have permits, they use Ranger Rovers where the rear glass hatch only is opened so that the cameraman is still secured and the licence plate is showing. Also the cameraman wears a harness and is secured to the boot load mountings.

I imagine it will be at the discretion of the Police Officer who may stop you as to whether you can continue. I wouldn't think that an unsecured person in the boot of an open hatch is reasonable given that they could fall into the road in the event of an accident or evasive manoeuvre.

s_b

vikingaero wrote: »

Not only do TG/FG have permits, they use Ranger Rovers where the rear glass hatch only is opened so that the cameraman is still secured and the licence plate is showing. Also the cameraman wears a harness and is secured to the boot load mountings.

I imagine it will be at the discretion of the Police Officer who may stop you as to whether you can continue. I wouldn't think that an unsecured person in the boot of an open hatch is reasonable given that they could fall into the road in the event of an accident or evasive manoeuvre.

tell camera man to keep filming if he does fall out though as harry hill still pays £25o a c o ck up:D

forgotmyname

Dont forget the exhaust fumes may get sucked into the car.

Make sure you have plenty of fresh air coming in from the side windows to push it back out.

Anything in the boot area must be secure, Passengers properly belted in.