Overweight againnnnnn! Sorry

[Cliffy]

I have trawled through some of the many pages of current thread on Payload. I have have not read in this thread or other previous threads a post from anyone who has actually stopped on a UK road weighed and found to be over weight.

 

I would like to hear from someone has been stopped and weighed on UK roads and what course of action was taken i.e

 

1. How much overweight were you?

2. Was a fixed penalty or a summons issued?

3. Did you have to reduce your weight before you were allowed back on the road?

4. If yes to No 3 What did you take off the van and what did you do with what you took off?

 

I am just being curious I do not run over weight generally but when I set off on a long Europeen tour full of fuel and food we will be slightly overweight on the rear axel (less than 5%) and if we got stopped forwarned is forarmed as they say

 

 

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Regarding overloading, VOSA examiners are not authorised to issue fixed penalty notices to non-commercial drivers, though I guess a motorcaravanner might end up being prosecuted by the police if his/her motorhome were so outrageously overloaded that there was no doubt it was dangerous.

 

There's plenty of stuff on-line to indicate that motorhomes have been targeted in the past during VOSA 'safety test' exercises, and it's claimed that a 2009 exercise found that 80% of the motorhomes examined and weighed were discovered to be overweight.

 

The following comment is from a 2009 MHF thread and was posted by an MHF member who was a VOSA examiner "...we were acting in an advisory capacity during those checks...the vehicles were prohibited until they got rid of the excess weight..." No details were provided as to how the excess weight was removed, though dumping water and redistributing luggage would be obvious ploys that could be employed.

 

I'm doubtful you'll find anyone on this (small) forum who will meet your reguest-for-information criteria - you'd increase your chances of getting a 'hit' significantly by asking on MHFacts and MHFun as well.

 

If you want forewarned/forearmed advice, it seems unlikely with your admitted 5% rear-axle overload that you'd be prosecuted if your motorhome were weighed at a VOSA safety check, but you'd be well advised to consider how you might 'legalise' your motorhome if it's weighed and the VOSA examiner issues a prohibition notice. For example, if the 5% overload were due to a full fresh-water tank located behind the motorhome's rear axle, it might be straightforward to legalise the vehicle merely by emptying the tank. But if the overload were due to, say, the carriage of a scooter, legalisation could be very tricky.

[mondo]

From what I remember from my days as a truck driver..Overloading is an absolute offence..(ie) It's the driver at fault..many times after going into various places to load..44 tonne all up artic..My first question was How many pallets and How much does each weigh..multiply amount of pallet by number of pallets gives payload add weight of unit +trailer gives gross..any conflict amount of pallets gets reduced..I know this isn't the same as working out the weight of your Motorhome but if your nor happy find out where your local weighbridge is and when your in total loaded and ready to roll order drop it over the weighbridge and reduce as needed..

 

Try this link for weighbridges http://www.chrishodgetrucks.co.uk/useful-info/weighbridges.htm

 

Hope this helps..