# Which MHF owners have been pulled over to be weighed?



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

It would be interesting to know the frequency of MHs being stopped at the roadside to be weighed and the experiences of those who have been stopped.

Who on here has been stopped? What MH and weight?

Which country? By whom stopped?

What was the result?

If overweight, what action was taken? 

Was that action different if the infringement was over the plated weight but under the design weight?

Was any interest taken in the information on the Tax Disc and compared with that on the weight plate?

I realise there may be minimal replies but even that may be of interest.

Geoff


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Pulled over in Spain when I had a UK reg Hymer.As soon as the police saw the reg plate they waved me on.


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## PhilK (Jul 1, 2005)

*pulled over*

geoff, this is a great topic. I have spoken to many motorhomers about this in the past and never found one who has been pulled in the UK.

I know staff at trading standards, locally, and they dont pull recent motorhomes, only clapped out overloaded ones.

Phil


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

I've wondered this too.

You might get a better idea of the incidence of stopping if you did this as a poll. Then you'd see how many say they haven't been stopped and weighed as well as those that say they have. Otherwise, you won't know whether few responses means few incidents of weighing or lack of interest in the topic.


Chris


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

ChrisandJohn said:


> I've wondered this too.
> 
> You might get a better idea of the incidence of stopping if you did this as a poll.
> 
> Chris


Rather than start a new one add to >this one<

peedee


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes, we got stopped at the Swiss border coming in from Germany. They took us round the back of the border station and had us on a wieigh bridge for about 15 minutes. The van was full of diesel and water and I had just stacked the overcab bed full of cheap German Beer from Lidl. 

I dont think they beleived a 7.5 metre van with a motorbike on the back was under 3500KG. They were somewhat dumfounded when the results came back as 3460KG. We were 60KG overweight but they didnt seem fussed about that and we were allowed to carry on. Everytime we crossed the border we were questioned about our weight and luckily the border guards at Bagen had left us the print out so we just showed them that and they let us through.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Not in mh but a ford escort estate.
I was 5 kg over back axle limit. Moved a tin of paint and was ok

dave p


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Which MHF *owners* have been pulled over to be weighed?

Me, dammit and at 12 stone 1lb I was heavier than I wanted to be - useless diet!

Luckily they didn't weigh the missus as she is not the owner.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

I live near Scotch Corner on the A1/A66 junc ,where there is a regularly manned VOSA weighbridge.I have passed them many times in my MH and frequently in a car.They only ever seem interested in stopping commercial vehicles.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Could do better*

Now do come along everyone. This is the UK and you have to live in fear. That's why we need a Goverment. Being weighed, being gassed, suffering from migraine, boils and nut allergy are your right. Where are you all, you're not supposed to be happy!

Ray


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I have tried to make everybody happy with my frivolous reply.

My father (RIP) used to say that the importance of any *question* is the consequences of getting the *answer* wrong!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have not been pulled over but thought the response validates your very interesting question.

Dave


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Friend of mine in a small Rapido was stopped 18months ago on way back home to Cambridge. He was under by a long margin as he was picking it up empty from storage prior to loading for his trip.

Question, If you are stopped, can you drain the water tank either before or after the weighing?


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

To complicate matters- the original Poll is almost 3 years old so would the result reflect Trading Standards' (or equivalent abroad) RECENT practices?- assuming that's what the op wanted to know.

Not being "picky" but.....

(and I'd be interested to know results too)


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Andrew

IF stopped you will be weighed "as is" you will not be permitted to alter the weight (draining your water etc) prior to being weighed, and that includes passengers !

IF you are overweight then you will be required to reduce the weight of your vehicle, by whatever means you choose, prior to resuming your journey. 

Remember 1 litre of water weighs 1Kg 100 litres of water is therefore 100Kg you probably dont need to haul around all the time (thats about 2Cwt in old money  !!!


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I haven't been stopped but have bought the Reich Caravan weight Control portable scale and for those interested have found it to measure the same as my local weighbridge.
Really easy to use and gives huge peace of mind for £160.


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*had a few pulls*

pulled over once on russian norway border( my fault for being there i s,pose) and once outside chamonix for having 2 foot of snow on roof and stupid grin on face...no action taken by feds as it slid off when pulled over


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## gaz44 (May 21, 2009)

weve not been weighed and dont want to be,
the dogs in the back must weigh about 200kg :roll: 
but we have been past a few manned checkpoints,
think they tend to leave new mhomes alone.


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Whilst at the french passion site 'les Deax caps' on coast road between Calais and Bpulogne , on a French bank holiday, we sat and watched a number of m/homes pulled over at the adjacent roundabout.
They appeared to be checking papers but two were 'esccorted' away possibly to be weighed?


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## MorrisMotorhome (Mar 4, 2009)

Pulled over just south of Berlin.

100 kg overweight. Fined on spot and allowed to continue. The police had portable scales which we had to drive over.

The whole experience was very unpleasant, not helped by the language barrier


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

What MH and weight?---- _Hymer 3850_

Which country? By whom stopped? ---_Bidart, France, police_

What was the result? --- _250kgs overweight_

If overweight, what action was taken?---- _€90 fine but allowed to continue journey[/I

]Was that action different if the infringement was over the plated weight but under the design weight? ---- No

Was any interest taken in the information on the Tax Disc and compared with that on the weight plate? --- only checked Log Book, didn't check vin plate

In my defence, the literature with our van stated payload as 740kg. As a result of above action and fine we stripped our van and put it on a weighbridge and discovered that our payload is actually 520kg.

Sal_


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

pete4x4 said:


> I haven't been stopped but have bought the Reich Caravan weight Control portable scale and for those interested have found it to measure the same as my local weighbridge.
> Really easy to use and gives huge peace of mind for £160.


But the sales blurb says that it weighs 1500kg. Thats a bit heavy to carry round and will ceratinly take you over the limit! :lol:


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Why are you guys so boring,if over weight,so what .
Tin Hats on.


Les


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi

I drove out of some UK services, sorry I can't remember which, last year and they had just weighed a caravan but had no interest in us.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

This post is address the possible reasons why, so far, from the replies to my OP there seems to be little interest in the authorities weighing MHs.

I accept what MrPlod said about not being allowed to empty the tank before being weighed.

Possible reason 1
However if someone pulls out the drain plug before driving onto the weighbridge it would be very difficult to establish the amount of water that had 'escaped'. 

Likewise it would be difficult to establish who had 'obstructed'. Is there an offence of obstructing VOSA?

Possible reason 2
Once any passengers are out of the vehicle can VOSA and/or any Police Officer force them to re-enter the vehicle before weighing?

I am not suggesting that MH owners resort to such tactics, but it seems that the ability to use them to avoid an overweight of say 200kg, compared with the inability to offload an overweight of say 2t on a 44tonner may account for the low level of stops.

Possible reason 3
Is there a statuatory 'tolerance' in the legislation to allow for weighbridge inaccuracies? From my basic knowledge of mechanics it seems to me that to design any weighing machine that can accept 44t+ loadings and, at weights of 3.5thave, not to have inefficiencies requiring a tolerance to be applied would be impossible.

Possible reason 4
If the relevant legislation in any jurisdiction does not permit an on-the-spot fine the difficulty in prosecuting foa 'de minimis' offence is inproportionate to the inproved safety achieved.

I have thrown my hat into the ring.

Knock me down or come up with other reasons for the apparent lack of interest in MH weights.

Geoff


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

lifestyle said:


> Why are you guys so boring,if over weight,so what .
> Tin Hats on.
> 
> Les


Shell fire approaching 

Vehicles are designed to run at certain maximum weights.

One of the features included in the design are the brakes.

An overloaded vehicle, be it a heavy commercial vehicle or a motorhome, has less braking ability over one within the designed limits.

If motorhomers are happy to carry their families in overloaded vehicles with reduced braking ability - that's their call but not for me.

I really can't understand discussion about trying to outwit/dodge/get away with, running an overloaded mh.

:?


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

As usual Tony, you have hit the nail on the head.

End of discussion!


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Totally agree with your comments tonyt and pippin, but as included in the original post quite a lot of vehicles are designed, made and originally plated as say 4000Kg but to get around various taxation, licencing etc classes will be "downplated" to 3500 by the converters, so unless they are over their design weight they will not be unsafe although over their "plated weight". 
This is the reason you will often see that companies are able to "re-plate" a van with no extra work other than taking your money.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Tonyt

One reason to exceed the plated-weight of 3500kg, but not the design weight of 3850kg, would be to avoid the oncoming (2012) London Emission Zone charges of 200 pounds a day based on registered weight of vehicle over 3.5t with same engine as those under 3,5t. Or a conversion cost of 3,000 pounds plus.

If I start from home in London at under 3.5t I cannot be emitting more than an under 3.5t vehicle and if I then fill the tanks and run outside LEZ up to my design weight I am not a safety hazard, but I am still 'illegal', for no valid reason.

Geoff


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