# Backbox warning sign required for France/Germany?



## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

I am getting conflicting information regarding fixing a warning sign on the back box on the Motorhome. It sticks out 40cm past the rear lights and we are off to France/Belgium/Luxembourg/Germany next week.

Looking at a couple of sites eg Caravan Club and Gem - it looks as if I dont need one, but other forums say I do.

I am struggling to to get one which I can fix without drilling the box which I am loathe to do so would rather not put one on if I dont need it.

I expect I will get conflicting replies but hey ho!


----------



## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

Required for Italy and Spain only as far as I know.
Travel Europe every year and on our first visit to Italy this year we were advised to use one.
Lots of posts about it! :wink:


----------



## DBSS (Jun 30, 2013)

Colpot,

I can certainly confirm a warning sign is needed in Spain. I believed it to be optional until the local plod stopped me earlier this year on the motorway just outside Madrid advising me of the mandatory requirement (recently introduced I might add). 40 Euro fine and stop at the next services to buy and fit or else!! The same plod pulled another UK M/H we bought our new warning signs together. 

Cheers Ian


----------



## whenIretire (Mar 16, 2012)

To secure it without drilling the box you could use bungee cords, or several of the sticky pads that get used for securing number plates, or some VHB tape which sticks like you know what but can be removed cleanly when needed.


----------



## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

My friend was also fined 40 euro in Spain and he was in a Spanish reg car with bikes on a carrier, so it is not just the motorhomers that get a fine.

It is cheaper to fit one than to get the fine and then have to buy an expensive one from the motorway services.


----------



## Yaxley (Jul 25, 2008)

Not a legal requirement where you are going.
Ian


----------



## bigcats30 (Aug 13, 2012)

Only Spain and Italy


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Definitely *NOT required in France*, but they do aid awareness of the box (or bikes) sticking out beyond the rear of the vehicle.......

So while they are not required (they are *ONLY mandatory for Spain and Italy* and the requirement differs between those two; Spain will accept plastic or aluminium Italy supposedly requires the entire surface to be reflective which suggests ONLY the aluminium one - both are made by Fiamma - an Italian company :lol: )

You can fasten them on with bungees or even with suitable lengths of thinnish rope since they both have holes in all four corners which can be used to attach them to the box in a way that allows it to be removed easily for access.

If it aids your safety it is certainly worth considering IMO........

Dave


----------



## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

I wrote to Fiamma about my back box asking about legal requirements and got no reply despite my best efforts with Google translate.
Strange that there has been no concept of being able to fit a warning plate incorporated into the design of back boxes especially from an Italian company.


----------



## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

i have one of these

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...t=rc&uact=3&dur=1723&page=7&start=120&ndsp=20

do i still need the board even though the rack has its own number plate and lights and is effectively the rear of the van? cheers sean


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

> *seanoo wrote :-*do i still need the board even though the rack has its own number plate and lights and is effectively the rear of the van? cheers sean


My interpretation FWIW....

AFAIK rear markers have to be fitted when an item protrudes beyond the vehicle body itself, so I would say yes, as the rack is a removable or non permanent part of the vehicle, regardless of the lights and number plate..

You might as well get a marker board for the sake of a few bob and just to be on the safe side.

Pete


----------



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

We are not talking about bikes here people but a back box. 

There is a maximum distance that the tail lights can be from the rearmost point of any vehicle, (cant remember exactly what it is but I will research it and update the post) If ANYTHING protrudes beyond that point then in daylight it must be "made visible" and if night time have a light on it. Thats why Thule and similar bike racks that fit onto towballs have a lighting system built into them.

If it was me I would simply get a marker board and work out a way to fix it. Something along the lines of glueing something the box that the holes in the marker board fit over, then secure with a spring pin, simples !! No point in giving them the slightest reason to pull yopu over.

I have also heard recently that the Spanish are cracking down VERY hard on speeding. ONE KPH over the limit results is several hundred Euro's worth of fines !!


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Although I do have a fluorescent marker board on the cycle rack I also have red lights on the very back of the,bike rack - which AFAIK means nothing is extending past the rear lights, so I don't actually need the marker board - but you can be sure that if I tried driving without it being there some keen Spanish plod will pull me over . . .


----------



## DBSS (Jun 30, 2013)

seanoo said:


> i have one of these
> 
> do i still need the board even though the rack has its own number plate and lights and is effectively the rear of the van? cheers sean


IMHO if you are travelling through Spain then yes you do need a warning sign.

Ian


----------



## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

For the sake of £8 it seems silly not to put one on

They do stand out in traffic. I have bolted ours to a bracket and it just clips into place

Kev

http://www.towsure.com/product/Fiamma_Rear_Warning_Sign


----------



## klyne (May 10, 2005)

Would the best solution not be to bolt the signal board onto the Backbox with some sealant or rubber washers? It would be a lot easier than using bungees and you would not forget to fix it on!!! My understanding is that in Italy and perhaps Spain the signal board must be made of aluminium rather than plastic. 

There seems to be a whole raft of new rules coming from various countries at the moment. What is confusing is that some of the rules are universal and some are just for vehicles registered in the countries concerned.

David


----------

