# Size is Important.



## dangerous (May 1, 2005)

The great width debate is still going strong but surely the important question is, are these over width motorhomes which are already registered and on the road, legal or illegal?
Having just purchsed one. am I breaking the law? did the dealer I purchased from break the law? Or is this now getting out of hand and we should enjoy our RV's and life which is why we bought one in the first place.
8)


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## zaskar (Jun 6, 2005)

dangerous said:


> The great width debate is still going strong but surely the important question is, are these over width motorhomes which are already registered and on the road, legal or illegal?
> Having just purchsed one. am I breaking the law? did the dealer I purchased from break the law? Or is this now getting out of hand and we should enjoy our RV's and life which is why we bought one in the first place.
> 8)


When you find out, let me know will ya!  
Love the bus, love the lifestyle...........but that little voice keeps saying "what if........". :roll: 
I suppose to some degee, it depends on the SMMT list for your rig. I asked yesterday about mine and luckily I'm "in", at least on sidewalls, so at worst, the awning and fittings might have to come off. Not really that big a deal - especially the awning being as how it tries to take off like a demented hang glider if a mouse [email protected] 4 miles away!


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"are these over width motorhomes which are already registered and on the road, legal or illegal?"
Illegal, if the total width excluding mirrors and lights exceeds 2550mm/ 100.4".

"Having just purchsed one. am I breaking the law?"
If using it in the UK, yes.

"did the dealer I purchased from break the law?"
No, not unless you asked whether it was legal and he affirmed it was.

"Or is this now getting out of hand and we should enjoy our RV's and life which is why we bought one in the first place."
Personal decision, I'm afraid!

Dave


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> "are these over width motorhomes which are already registered and on the road, legal or illegal?"
> Illegal, if the total width excluding mirrors and lights exceeds 2550mm/ 100.4".
> 
> "Having just purchsed one. am I breaking the law?"
> ...


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Mick,

I said what I did on the basis of that infamous bit of case law in Bramhill v Edwards and Edwards (Destination RV), in which the RV buyer took the dealer to court for selling a too-wide vehicle and lost the shirt off his back.

A readable summary of the case is here, for those unfamilar with it:
http://lawzone.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=109596&d=11&h=207&f=23

My relevant posts are here:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-108004.html#108004
As you can see from point 2 above, that the dealer got off scot free because the buyer was expected to know about these things really wound me up. But the dealer won!

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-108044.html#108044

Whether if the RV owner had pursued the case under the Road Traffic Act instead of the Sale of Goods Act the outcome would have been any different, we shall never know!

Dave


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Dave,

My friend please don't go all techie and George T on me 

If dangerous wishes to view the entire case of Bramhill v Edwards and Edwards (Destination RV) he / she can read it here http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/judgmentsfiles/j2455/bramhill-v-edwards.htm

I visited my local RV a few weeks ago and mentioned the 'warning' given on the SMMT site, the salesman just laughed and said," We've got all ours registered"

I can only presume that nothing will happen until the authorities take a dealer / customer to court as a test case.

Until then the dealers will continue to get away with murder and the private iimporter will get hammered by the DVLA.


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