Driving overweight van

Author
Discussion

oceanview

1,512 posts

132 months

Friday 25th August 2023
quotequote all
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.

bigothunter

11,415 posts

61 months

Friday 25th August 2023
quotequote all
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
Some cars share virtually the same GVM.

Range Rover P460e AWD AUTOMATIC PHEV has a GVM of 3480kg (unladen 2770kg).

Sensible to increase van ICEV GVM to 4250kg with EV vans at 5000kg. But can't imagine the EU permitting those improvements.

tommytaylor

191 posts

19 months

Friday 25th August 2023
quotequote all
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
The 3.5T limit is probably based on it having Ford Anglia brakes.

bigothunter

11,415 posts

61 months

Friday 25th August 2023
quotequote all
tommytaylor said:
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
The 3.5T limit is probably based on it having Ford Anglia brakes.
Do you mean those rod activated affairs? Always thought they worked well hehe

colinrob

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

252 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Just an update and thanks for everyone not judging me, we have sold our van and have all our products delivered direct so will not have the issue of being overweight again, court was more than fair £452 fine including costs and victim surcharge no points

MDMA .

8,955 posts

102 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
colinrob said:
Just an update and thanks for everyone not judging me, we have sold our van and have all our products delivered direct so will not have the issue of being overweight again, court was more than fair £452 fine including costs and victim surcharge no points
Lucky with no points. A lot of our customers use this:
https://www.vwsltd.co.uk/vops2

LosingGrip

7,840 posts

160 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
MDMA . said:
colinrob said:
Just an update and thanks for everyone not judging me, we have sold our van and have all our products delivered direct so will not have the issue of being overweight again, court was more than fair £452 fine including costs and victim surcharge no points
Lucky with no points. A lot of our customers use this:
https://www.vwsltd.co.uk/vops2
Weirdly it doesn't carry any points which I find a little bit weird if it's massively overweight.

Not a bad result in my mind. Thankfully from your point of view the courts don't fully understand that side of traffic stuff.

Sebring440

2,055 posts

97 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
LosingGrip said:
Weirdly it doesn't carry any points which I find a little bit weird if it's massively overweight.
Thankfully from your point of view the courts don't fully understand that side of traffic stuff.
Thank goodness (for the OP), the courts didn't appoint you as their expert witness!

rofl

colinrob

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

252 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
LosingGrip said:
Weirdly it doesn't carry any points which I find a little bit weird if it's massively overweight.

Not a bad result in my mind. Thankfully from your point of view the courts don't fully understand that side of traffic stuff.
Thing is van drove perfect and did not feel overweight or dangerous, anyway my mistake hands up guilty as charged will never do it again

Obviously could have had points or ban but I think they may have taken my clean license into consideration
Edited by colinrob on Saturday 17th February 23:57


Edited by colinrob on Sunday 18th February 00:01

alfaspecial

1,132 posts

141 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
No points, money into system to cover cost of prosecution and a lesson learned. All things considered a 'fair' result.


About 20 years ago a friend was an agricultural engineer in rural Cumbria. Driving from Lorton towards Keswick on the Whinlatter,
Pass carrying a tractor engine (yes) he got 'pulled' - his van, an old underpowered Renault Traffic was barely moving up the steep pass.

The police took him to a weighbridge and he was (way) over weight. He was still overweight when they removed the tractor engine! An agricultural engineers kit is all really heavy duty and his tools alone made the van exceed it's GVW.

Fortunately, being rural Cumbria the police only prosecuted him for the van and his 'kit'. Fine only. He would have been in big trouble, licence needed for job, had he been prosecuted for the tractor engine excess as well.
Lesson learned, bought a new van.

LosingGrip

7,840 posts

160 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
Sebring440 said:
Thank goodness (for the OP), the courts didn't appoint you as their expert witness!

rofl
Struggling to see what's so funny with what I've put?

colinrob said:
Thing is van drove perfect and did not feel overweight or dangerous, anyway my mistake hands up guilty as charged will never do it again

Obviously could have had points or ban but I think they may have taken my clean license into consideration
Edited by colinrob on Saturday 17th February 23:57


Edited by colinrob on Sunday 18th February 00:01
Unless it was more than just being overweight that you got dealt with (dangerous condition for example) being overweight isn't an offence that carries points. So your clean licence won't have made a difference.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-t...

Edited by LosingGrip on Sunday 18th February 09:20

caley64

121 posts

223 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
We're the same.
MAN with Luton box. On the weighbridge with full tank of fuel and driver is 2,800 kgs. I suspect a lot of people will inadvertently be over limit quite often.

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

68 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
The 3½ ton wasnt an issue back then, but vans being specified by soft handed ignoranious bean counters was. Our base mk3 transits couldnt legally take a ton IIRC.

Take for example the current transit custom, payload is 700-1400kg The first is probably fine if youre delivering flowers to a wedding, the cake might be pushing it a bit though.

Little Pete

1,543 posts

95 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
Police and DVSA are stopping 3500kg recovery trucks too. These are often overweight.

bigothunter

11,415 posts

61 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
Teddy Lop said:
oceanview said:
At work ,our new transit tippers weigh 2800 with just a few tools in the back and a light passenger.

That means we can only legally carry 700kg in the back before we hit the 3500kg limit.

The trouble is, the modern vans are much heavier than from say 20-30 years ago but, the 3500kg limit has stayed the same.
The 3½ ton wasnt an issue back then, but vans being specified by soft handed ignoranious bean counters was. Our base mk3 transits couldnt legally take a ton IIRC.

Take for example the current transit custom, payload is 700-1400kg The first is probably fine if youre delivering flowers to a wedding, the cake might be pushing it a bit though.
The simple 1978 Transit Mk2 LWB had a 190 variant. That meant 1900kg payload in a 3500kg GVM. Modern vans have lost their way rolleyes

KTMsm

26,951 posts

264 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
It's a farce, most vans are regularly significantly over weight ie builders, scaffolders, landscaping and recovery

Everyone knows it, because the vans are better and safer, they're heavier

The laws haven't kept up and now fines are just another business cost, thankfully vans aren't pulled that often


bigothunter

11,415 posts

61 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
KTMsm said:
It's a farce, most vans are regularly significantly over weight ie builders, scaffolders, landscaping and recovery

Everyone knows it, because the vans are better and safer, they're heavier

The laws haven't kept up and now fines are just another business cost, thankfully vans aren't pulled that often
bigothunter said:
Some cars share virtually the same GVM.

Range Rover P460e AWD AUTOMATIC PHEV has a GVM of 3480kg (unladen 2770kg).

Sensible to increase van ICEV GVM to 4250kg with EV vans at 5000kg. But can't imagine the EU permitting those improvements.
EU have suggested tachographs with drivers' hours restrictions for vans under 3500kg GVM. Already imposed for vans over 3500kg alongside 56mph hard speed limiter. I can't believe EU will ever relax light van latitude beyond 3500kg (unless EV).

KTMsm

26,951 posts

264 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
bigothunter said:
EU have suggested tachographs with drivers' hours restrictions for vans under 3500kg GVM. Already imposed for vans over 3500kg alongside 56mph hard speed limiter. I can't believe EU will ever relax light van latitude beyond 3500kg (unless EV).
I'm not looking for the EU to change their rules, just the UK government


bigothunter

11,415 posts

61 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
KTMsm said:
I'm not looking for the EU to change their rules, just the UK government
Unfortunately UK government still follows EU directives on traffic regulations.

Fast Bug

11,754 posts

162 months

Sunday 18th February
quotequote all
bigothunter said:
The simple 1978 Transit Mk2 LWB had a 190 variant. That meant 1900kg payload in a 3500kg GVM. Modern vans have lost their way rolleyes
Modern vans have a heck of a lot more safety items than a 1978 Transit. They also have to comply with emissions regulations that mean more and more complex components. All of which add weight. I'd much rather crash in a new Transit than a 1978 Transit that's for sure...