Scooter Racks & Payload

[keninpalamos]

StuartO - 2015-03-20 4:30 PM

 

Charles - 2015-03-20 12:32 PM

 

If the booking system asked then I would certainly tell them. I'm not going to include scooter rack in 'motorhome length' and make a rod for my own back. The general consensus on other forums is if not asked you tell them your manufacturers shipping length. I never told them about the bicycles on the back and they're the same thing.

Also it's not just the ferry charges, all the toll roads would be dearer, also how big are the wheels on the trailer? What happens if one of those blew out? You might not even notice until the wheel is destroyed or worse.

We have a payload of 600kg with a short overhang and common sense tells me it will be fine, I've driven commercial vehicles for years. If people arn't aware of what they're driving, that's when things go wrong.

 

I doubt there would be a big risk with the castoring wheels under the scooter rack because those will be supporting just some of the weight of the scooter but if they are pneumatic tyres them I suppose there could be a potential problem, as with any pneumatic tyre.

 

As far as quoting length to a ferry company is concerned clearly their purpose is to know how much space to allocate for you on the ferry, so using the artifical figure of the which the manufacturer publishes as the length when the vehicle left the factory will be misleading if you have added accessories things which extend the vehicle. Why not use the wheelbase as the relevant length, which would save you even more on the quoted fare? The length they expect you to give is pretty oviously the actual, overall length, which is the space you will need on the ferry. And as far as I know vehicle length is not a factor in toll charges; they are usually determined by permutations of vehicle weight, height and the number of axles. (It would be interesting to hear if anyone has ever been promoted to Class Four on French toll motorways on the strength of an attached scooter rack; I suppose technically it is an extra axle.)

 

I suggest that applying "common sense" to decide whether you are overloading your MH is nothing like as reliable as taking it to a weighbridge.

It's good to read what is basically a common sense approach to this subject as apposed to a "bury my head in the sand" outlook. The length of a vehicle is determined by the length of a vehicle. Just like a boat is measured to include davits, diving platform, bow sprit, (have I spelt that correctly) etc I'm going to say it...what if we all miss led the ferry companies? There would be some very grumpy people stood on the dock side. Peage tolls are determined in practice by weight and the number of axles which are counted by sensors at the toll gate. It used to be by the staff sticking their head out the toll booth and having a look. This I discovered on my third crossing of the Milliu Bridge in France when it first opened. Twice I was charged 7€ the third time it shot up to 28€! and I protested, I was asked for my vehicle log book, where upon I paid up :-S I now drive through the town below. But there is cheap diesel down there so it's not all bad. So all in all "Wise words mate.