trailer question

[venzsel]

Hello everyone sorry if this has been asked before

If a trailer is braked does this prove the weight of it is over 750kg or can smaller trailers be braked also, i was pulled over towing a trailer and they never took me to a weighbridge or could find the MAM weight of trailer or the van I was driving they still wrote me a ticket and now i have a court date but they are using the fact it was braked to try and prove it was over 750kg.

Thanks very much for any help

[Watchman]

I think the fact that the trailer *can* cope with more than 750Kg doesn't mean it's loaded to that maximum. Isn't the restriction only on you actually carrying loads that heavy?

[GreigM]

What was the ticket for?

I doubt their logic would stand up in court, that because a trailer has brakes it must be >750kg, but I feel there is more to this.

[venzsel]

venzsel said:

Hello thanks for the replies the ticket was for towing a braked trailer in excess of 750kg it was a fuel bowser, they have said in court documents it was a 100 gallon water butt trailer i have no idea how much it held as there is no information about that on the trailer they simply put this on the form

They could not find a MAM weight on it either

Thanks

[oldcynic]

I've just sold a braked trailer tent which was only 650KG or so.

100 gallons of water is only 450KG (assuming it was filled). I suggest you either get to a weighbridge yourself or check with the manufacturers what the trailer would weigh.

Was the trailer full or empty when you were pulled?

[GreigM]

If you go to court and say "I reckon it was xxx kg" you will lose.

Go get it weighed - if it is under 750kg then take the evidence to court. If not, go and plead guilty. You need hard evidence either way.

[venzsel]

Hello it was empty they have put unladen on the court form aswell to say this.

[TobyLerone]

Or you could get a plate made up to state MAM 740kgs...

And hope that the dry weight if the trailer is less than 140kgs (to allow for 100gal of water).

Might be tricky.

[venzsel]

I always assumed it was up the officers to prove its weight, that is why they usually take you to a weighbridge

[oldcynic]

I've just googled "100 gallon water bowser trailer" and they weigh in at 200-300kg unladen, mostly nearer 200kg, so even with a full 450KG load you'd be in the clear. Of course they have brakes to keep them in place when unhitched - nothing to do with weight.

Go get it weighed.

[TooMany2cvs]

Trailers <750kg don't have to be braked, but can be.
Trailers >= 750kg must be.

Trailers need VIN plates with a MAM, unless they're OLD (pre 1982), in which case the max load of all the tyres is used.

[venzsel]

Thanks for the help on google but shouldnt the officers have weighed it, they are just assuming its over 750kg and really have no idea it was a fuel bowser but they have put water butt trailer as they asked me what it can be used for and I said water , as it can be used for either but its not a water butt trailer i cant find a water butt trailer on google

[venzsel]

Thanks alot for the help but how can they prove what tyres are used on the trailer ?

[oldcynic]

venzsel said:

i cant find a water butt trailer on google

oldcynic said:

I've just googled "100 gallon water bowser trailer"

Anything else you need help with?

[venzsel]

Thanks again did not see your post i meant a water butt trailer that looks like mine, my bowser is a metal fuel bowser that can be used for water , water bowser trailers are plastic they must have got mixed up because i said it can be used for water Thanks again for the help sorry for any bother

Edited by venzsel on Friday 12th September 19:43

[Ed.]

Some might interpret getting mixed up as being misled, get the trailer weighed.

[kambites]

The restriction on a B licence is on the maximum weight the trailer can take so weighing the trailer would prove nothing useful.

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 20:13

[cptsideways]

kambites said:

Watchman said:

I think the fact that the trailer *can* cope with more than 750Kg doesn't mean it's loaded to that maximum. Isn't the restriction only on you actually carrying loads that heavy?

No, the restriction is on the maximum weight the trailer can take.

But the law is the actual weight of the trailer at the time

I'd suggest weigh it empty & laden you never know it might be under 750kg.


What tyres does it have & give us the load ratings

[kambites]

OP, have you been ticketed for driving a category of vehicle which your licence doesn't permit (B+E) or for towing a trailer too heavy for the vehicle towing it?

A category B licence permits you to tow a >750kg trailer anyway, as long as the MAM of the trailer is less than the unladen weight of the tow vehicle.

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 20:18

[jagracer]

You need ROG to explain it to you but there's nothing illegal about towing a trailer that is more than 750kg MAM providing it meets certain criteria.