Trailer weight plate and car towing capacity

Mickey666

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ElephantBoy57

Driving licence entitlement is also calculated on potential weight, not the actual weight, so you need to get the facts regarding both.

You might have the opinion that that is wrong, but those are the rules.

scrappy_returns

Your friend may have been on the way back from towing his completely full trailer somewhere. Plod aren't to know and that's why the rules are what they are.
With regards to your trailer depending on how much you want to put on it you could downplate the trailer so it is suitable for both vehicles.

Car_54

Mickey666 said:

I know the police cannot judge the weight of a trailer, any more than they can judge the speed of a car - that’s why definitive evidence of a speeding offence is required and they can’t rely on the top speed marked on the speedometer to infer an offence.  So how can it be right that they can infer an overloading offence based simply on a number stamped on a trailer?

What I’m looking for is a reliable reference to the actual law.  Where is it defined that towing a trailer plated at 3500kg CAPABILITY but only loaded to, say, 1000kg with a vehicle rated to tow, say, 2200kg is an offence?  

You're right: checking the mass of a trailer at the roadside is difficult and time-consuming. But that may be tha answer to your question: the law is based on maximum mass simply because that can be easily checked and is unarguable.

The law is explained here https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car

williamgriffin

Car_54 said:

Mickey666 said:

I know the police cannot judge the weight of a trailer, any more than they can judge the speed of a car - that’s why definitive evidence of a speeding offence is required and they can’t rely on the top speed marked on the speedometer to infer an offence.  So how can it be right that they can infer an overloading offence based simply on a number stamped on a trailer?

What I’m looking for is a reliable reference to the actual law.  Where is it defined that towing a trailer plated at 3500kg CAPABILITY but only loaded to, say, 1000kg with a vehicle rated to tow, say, 2200kg is an offence?  

You're right: checking the mass of a trailer at the roadside is difficult and time-consuming. But that may be tha answer to your question: the law is based on maximum mass simply because that can be easily checked and is unarguable.

The law is explained here https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car

Its neither difficult or time consuming, a quick trip to a weighbridge sorts it.

scrappy_returns

Mickey666 said:

Driving licence entitlement wasn’t the issue.   I also passed my driving test way before all the new-fanged trailer rules so can drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8500kg MAM or something like that.  

Yes, I could down-plate the trailer so it can be towed by both cars but what would then be the point of buying a 3500kg trailer?  I want a 3500kg trailer I can fully load and tow with one car or partially load it and tow with my other car.  In both scenarios I am fully licensed and would be below the maximum plated trailer weight and within the Maximum towing capacity of the car in question.  How can I possibly be breaking the law?
I know the police cannot judge the weight of a trailer, any more than they can judge the speed of a car - that’s why definitive evidence of a speeding offence is required and they can’t rely on the top speed marked on the speedometer to infer an offence.  So how can it be right that they can infer an overloading offence based simply on a number stamped on a trailer?

What I’m looking for is a reliable reference to the actual law.  Where is it defined that towing a trailer plated at 3500kg CAPABILITY but only loaded to, say, 1000kg with a vehicle rated to tow, say, 2200kg is an offence?  

Summary: you want it your own way. Not gonna happen sadly.

williamgriffin

scrappy_returns said:

Your friend may have been on the way back from towing his completely full trailer somewhere. Plod aren't to know and that's why the rules are what they are.
With regards to your trailer depending on how much you want to put on it you could downplate the trailer so it is suitable for both vehicles.

In which case plod didn't see them commit the offence and can't deal with it.

Car_54

williamgriffin said:

Car_54 said:

Mickey666 said:

I know the police cannot judge the weight of a trailer, any more than they can judge the speed of a car - that’s why definitive evidence of a speeding offence is required and they can’t rely on the top speed marked on the speedometer to infer an offence.  So how can it be right that they can infer an overloading offence based simply on a number stamped on a trailer?

What I’m looking for is a reliable reference to the actual law.  Where is it defined that towing a trailer plated at 3500kg CAPABILITY but only loaded to, say, 1000kg with a vehicle rated to tow, say, 2200kg is an offence?  

You're right: checking the mass of a trailer at the roadside is difficult and time-consuming. But that may be tha answer to your question: the law is based on maximum mass simply because that can be easily checked and is unarguable.

The law is explained here https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car

Its neither difficult or time consuming, a quick trip to a weighbridge sorts it.

It is if there's no weighbridge nearby.

scrappy_returns

It also perpetuates the crime
Plod :"you are not allowed to drive overweight. I think you are overweight. Let's go for a drive."

facade

It isn't an overloading offence, it is a technical offence based on type approval, probably somewhere in the Euro regulations, the January 2013 one is usually quoted

but feel free to read through https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/automotive/legislation/motor-vehicles-trailers_en

Certainly the The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 sets out offences of exceeding limits but not the offence of having too high a MAM.

It is one of those things that people who tow for a living seem to just know about, but always catches out the amateur, have a look at Pepipoo, there have been several people prosecuted for towing empty trailers behind a van.

Mickey666

scrappy_returns said:

Your friend may have been on the way back from towing his completely full trailer somewhere. Plod aren't to know and that's why the rules are what they are.
With regards to your trailer depending on how much you want to put on it you could downplate the trailer so it is suitable for both vehicles.

Yes, he MAY have been - but since when can you be prosecuted for something you MAY have done?

And yes, I could downplate a 3500kg trailer but then why bother buying such a highly rated one in the first place!