Griffo the bear Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Is it legal for someone to sleep in a fixed bed in a motorhome when traveling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Hi Griffo, welcome to the mad house! :-D I think it would largely depend on what year your motorhome is. Some older vans don't always have seatbelts in the rear, but it doesn't necessarily make it illegal to carry passengers in the rear. In modern motorhomes, however, I believe you HAVE to use the seatbelts if they are fitted and what insurance you have in place may also play a part as this would more than likely be based on the number of seatbelts fitted, which determines the number of passengers you are permitted to carry (ours is), and by default they would expect them to be used by your passengers. If you therefore have a modern motorhome and someone is travelling in a fixed bed, rather than using a seatbelt, you may have some questions to answer for Mr Plod but, possibly more importantly, if you have an accident, not only could your insurance be void, your sleeping passenger could be seriously injured. I'm sure someone out there will know for certain what the position is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 As Mel says anyone sleeping in a Motorhome whilst travelling (unless in a sitting position with a Seat Belt on or a child in a proper restraint system ) is very much more vunerable in the case of a accident. Irrespective of the legality or otherwise, please DON'T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Forgot to say, the ONLY time we have done this ourselves was due to us not having a choice. It was when we had very severe sunburn a few years ago, hubby got 2nd degree burns to his lower legs, ankles and feet, and could not sit at all due to the excruciating pain - even laying down was still very painful - so he had to lay on the dinette bed for most of the journey home from Millau. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 How many of us have snoozed while sat in the passenger seat? If drunks dont hurt themselves so much when they fall because they are relaxed perhaps if you are asleep the same applies?? Those travelling as passengers / patients inside ambulances don,t wear seat belts and frequently are in a horizontal attitude. And do Ambulances drive slow?? Food for thought. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza454 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Griffo the bear - 2010-08-08 9:32 PM Is it legal for someone to sleep in a fixed bed in a motorhome when traveling Never mind is it legal, would you feel "comfortable" sprawled out in a fixed bed if the 'van was involved in a serious accident - of course you wouldn't... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Ambulances - true Clive, but they are usually on a stretcher with some side barriers on it and I think ambulances are probably a bit better/stronger built than your average motorhome ... plus hopefully people get out of the way of them and their drivers are very highly trained too. Also, not everyone has a motorhome that is more like a great big tank. :D ;-) As for snoozing in the passenger seat ... at least you are still restrained by a seatbelt ... just don't go trying to snooze in the driver's seat!!!! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo the bear Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 thanks for the reply 's up to now I was also thinking what about coach drivers if they are on a long distace they have a driver sleeping below or as rules seem to stand at the moment if belts are fitted you have to use them but if they are not fitted to the seats you can still use the seats, also buses don't have belts!! Seems a very grey area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Tin hat on, check. Flak jacket on,check. Ready to post. I've no idea of the legal aspects, and as been posted above, insurance may be suspect. We in past have done this, although gf now says it's not to be done. By some miricle niether of us has been prosicuted or killed, I guess this is the same miricle that saved me from dieing between the years 1956 to 1980 when I never wore a seat belt ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I dont suppose there is a law against someone sleeping in a fixed bed! but if I was going to do it Id make sure I was well padded in case of an accident!! you can be thrown a long way in an emergency stop !!!!!!!!!! I know that when I was sat in the back and only travelling at less than 20 mls per hr!! I got a right wack on the head when I was thrown against the side of the cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Griffo the bear - 2010-08-08 10:23 PM also buses don't have belts!! Seems a very grey area Grey area indeed, was traveling on a bus back from Heathrow this year, all passengers had to wear a seat belt, at one stop passenger didn't put on belt, driver refused to move bus until she had, and yet the local school kids go on bus without seatbelts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 There was a nasty picture in August's MMM showing a Van that had been hit in the rear at speed by some drunk/drugged up/'Fell asleep' looney at night. The first thing the bloke driving the motorhome knew was a loud bang, it says his wife was in the back of van (I suspect sleeping through the overnight journey,although it didn't say). He was slightly injured but his poor wife was found later in a drainage ditch seriously injured. So, you can be one of the safest drivers in the world but that doesn't protect you from the Maniacs that are loose after pub closing time. Certainly made me think anyway. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 If you are ill you can get an exemption (signed by a doctor) to not wear a seat belt. If one of us was ill I would use the fixed bed and argue the point that I hadn't had time or chance to get an exemption certificate. I suppose I could use a couple of ratchet straps to lash the other half down! Hallii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 hallii - 2010-08-09 12:04 PM I suppose I could use a couple of ratchet straps to lash the other half down! Maybe I should use an arrest harness from work clipped to hard points with fixed lenght strops :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 What you are in need of is logic, reason, judgement, and common sense, not laws, or absence of same!Consider the risks, consider their consequences, and then make your decision.If you decide in favour of your significant other travelling while in bed, and you get the judgement wrong, that significant other may pay a very high price, or be killed.If you decide against, and that significant other now travels in the front passenger's seat, wearing a seatbelt, they may still suffer injury, or be killed, but the likelihood is greatly reduced.If you stop, and both go to bed, instead of driving when this significant other would prefer to sleep, I would suggest the risk of death or injury is further reduced.However, as I said, it is a judgement. I do hope you get it right! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 ... perhaps it is the significant other, rather than the driver, who should make the decision ... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 If someone was asleep in the overcab bed, then surely they would be in the safest place. 8-) You are safer in the back of an aeroplane statistically. Has anyone ever heard of somebody being killed in a motorhome overcab bed? I rest my case m`lud. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 ... just hope the driver watches out for low flying tree branches, bridges, road signs etc, etc, etc .... 8-) I ain't heard of anyone being killed in a motorhome shower either but I wouldn't get one on the move ... could be very embarrassing in an accident! 8-) :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 747 - 2010-08-09 8:01 PM If someone was asleep in the overcab bed, then surely they would be in the safest place. 8-) You are safer in the back of an aeroplane statistically. Has anyone ever heard of somebody being killed in a motorhome overcab bed? I rest my case m`lud. :D Its the weight up there that makes the difference, I have on occaision put to much stuff up there, and I really noticed the effect on the handling 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Mel B - 2010-08-09 8:24 PM ... ....... I ain't heard of anyone being killed in a motorhome shower either but I wouldn't get one on the move ... could be very embarrassing in an accident! 8-) :$ No, but there was someone who came on here and said his wife got the dinner on while they were driving down the M something or other. It sounded convincing, but being a simple soul I could never work out if it was a wind up. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 pelmetman - 2010-08-09 9:15 PM 747 - 2010-08-09 8:01 PM If someone was asleep in the overcab bed, then surely they would be in the safest place. 8-) You are safer in the back of an aeroplane statistically. Has anyone ever heard of somebody being killed in a motorhome overcab bed? I rest my case m`lud. :D Its the weight up there that makes the difference, I have on occaision put to much stuff up there, and I really noticed the effect on the handling 8-) Are you insinuating that my good wife makes our m/home top heavy Sir? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 747 - 2010-08-09 10:57 PM pelmetman - 2010-08-09 9:15 PM 747 - 2010-08-09 8:01 PM If someone was asleep in the overcab bed, then surely they would be in the safest place. 8-) You are safer in the back of an aeroplane statistically. Has anyone ever heard of somebody being killed in a motorhome overcab bed? I rest my case m`lud. :D Its the weight up there that makes the difference, I have on occaision put to much stuff up there, and I really noticed the effect on the handling 8-) Are you insinuating that my good wife makes our m/home top heavy Sir? Oop's :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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