regulations and laws regarding motorhomes

[UGLYBUG56]

I am thinking of buying a motorhome in the near future.Is there any guidelines available anywhere which I could buy.For example seatbelts and carrying passengers.Laws on this sort of thing.Often when Motorhomes advertised for sale they dont always seem to explain how many people can travel in the vehicle .Does the number of berths reflect that.Also information on weight restrictions etc.

[mags]

Hi When I bought my motorhome last year I was told that , weight limit permitting, I could carry as many passengers as I wanted - so long as all the fitted seat belts were in use then I would be within the law. Not sure that my passengers would feel safe !!!!!! I suppose it's like the old cars without seat belts - you can't wear one if they aren't there. The dealer also told me that from this year you are only allowed to carry the same number of people as you have seat belts. My van is a 5 berth (it can sleep five) but has 3 passenger seat belts so if I carried me plus 4 there would be one passenger without a belt. Hope that helps. :-S

[Mel E]

Be very concerned about weight restrictions: there are two key ones. 1. Anyone who qualified after 01.01.1997 may only drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes (3500 Kgs) Maximum Allowed Mass (MAM) without taking an extra test. There are also restrictions on towing. Many motorhomes have a higher MAM. The same restriction applies to anyone over 70 who cannot pass a fairly stringent medical every 3 years - the equivalent of the Heavy Goods Vehicle medical. 2. Many motorhomes, even when new, have inadequate load capacity. Used motorhomes are often even worse because some of the capacity will have been taken up by very heavy add'ons such as awnings, tow bars, scooter rack, and so on. For example, take a motorhome with a seemingly adequate 400 Kg capacity (i.e., MAM less empty weight). Four adults at 75 Kgs each (some much more!) use up 300 Kg, fill the water tank (or waste tank) with 100 litres and that's another 100 Kg, and you haven't even loaded the gas bottles, any food, clothes, bikes, etc. So check the load capacity VERY carefully. If it's used, ask to see a current weighbridge certificate before parting with your cash.