A question regarding trailers and untaxed cars

[drivin_me_nuts]

Forgive the dumb questions...

1. Can an untaxed/uninsured car be left on a trailer that is attached to a car?

2. Can a non legal car (say for example a track car) be left on a trailer on the road?

[GreigM]

I believe the answer to both is yes, however if the trailer is parked illegally it can be clamped/towed

[jbi]

if the wheels are not touching the road, yes it is legal

[cptsideways]

If a trailer over X size is parked by itself on a public highway it needs to display a valid reg plate that refers to the road legal tow car. Other tyan that you can stick what you like on the trailer.

[cahami]

cptsideways said:

If a trailer over X size is parked by itself on a public highway it needs to display a valid reg plate that refers to the road legal tow car. Other tyan that you can stick what you like on the trailer.

So in theory provided the trailer displays reg no of any taxed vehicle, it can be parked indefinatly on the road thus providing a parking space for a non road legal car ?

[perdu]

cahami said:

So in theory provided the trailer displays reg no of any taxed vehicle, it can be parked indefinatly on the road thus providing a parking space for a non road legal car ?

I rather think you'd have some balls to try that one for very long

Trust me, there's bound to be a "reasonable use" reg somewhere and a Traffic Hound with a nose for a bad 'un!

Good luck with that

[GreigM]

perdu said:

I rather think you'd have some balls to try that one for very long

Trust me, there's bound to be a "reasonable use" reg somewhere and a Traffic Hound with a nose for a bad 'un!

Good luck with that

I believe after a while the police can decide its an "obstruction" and try to do something about it, so be careful where you're doing it, but it'd be an interesting argument

Highway Code said:

242

You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.

[Laws RTA 1988, sect 22 & CUR reg 103]

[drivin_me_nuts]

Well it seems a practical solution to keeping a car that I want, but I am not in a position to do anything with, off the drive that I want to use for something else. So it would appear that if I leave it on a trailer outside my house then that would be fine. Handy to know.

[jbi]

I think it really depends upon how quiet the neighbourhood is, how wide the road is and how friendly/approachable your neighbours are before someone decides it is a nuisance.

At that point I expect it would be a civil matter.

[andy-xr]

If you left a car on a trailer parked in a lot of places it wouldn't be there when you went back to it

[rallycross]

andy-xr said:

If you left a car on a trailer parked in a lot of places it wouldn't be there when you went back to it

exactly.
trailers get stolen all to often.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Fair enough... something I hadn't thought about.

[jbi]

Make sure the wheels are clamped on both sides, or alternatively remove the wheels and stand it on blocks

[andy-xr]

drivin_me_nuts said:

Fair enough... something I hadn't thought about.

'They' even nick them from motorway service stations! s favourite shopping place for a new caravan

[GreigM]

jbi said:

Make sure the wheels are clamped on both sides, or alternatively remove the wheels and stand it on blocks

I'd clamp both sides, and put on a substantial hitch lock device.....as with others, this would be my biggest concern as compared to getting a ticket. I have a trailer in my garden, its in a quiet area, is clamped, hitchlock, under security cameras and 2 bike padlocks attaching it to a fence and I still expect it to go walkabout sometime!

[Dwight VanDriver]

Firstly a trailer left for a prolonged length of time on the highway may be deemed to be causing an unneccessary obstruction - an offence.(reg 103 MV (Con and Use) regs 1986)

Secondly a trailer left by its own on a road between sunset and sunrise requires front position lights ( Reg 24 (3) (b) RV Lighting Regs 1989. A trailer alone is not a permitted vehicle to be parked without lights in a 30 mph limit (reg 24 (7))

dvd

[caziques]

So an untaxed car can be on a trailer, and the wheels can be removed from the trailer (to prevent theft) and it's legal (subject to obstruction and lights).

Can the same untaxed car be left on four skateboards? The wheels aren't in contact with the road.

[Pontoneer]

Hmmm , I'm not sure that it is legal to leave a trailer on the highway without the towcar being coupled to it . It makes no difference which ( or whether any ) numberplates are displayed on a trailer , whether or not any numberplate relates to a road legal car - it bears no relation to the trailer when not coupled . I have two trailers , and used to have a caravan as well , all displaying the numberplate of my towcar ( plus have a trailer board with my plate so I can tow other trailers ) - both trailers are kept off road when not in use - my car could never 'cover' all of them when not coupled up .

Apart from the lighting aspects , the towcar's insurance will not cover the trailer while it is disconnected - so if anything hits it ( or if the trailer rolls into anything else ) you're on your own as far as any claims arising are concerned .

Some caravanners have the 'vans insured in their own right , but there are laws about 'overnight stopping' of caravans on the highway .

As others have said , a vehicle being transported on a trailer need not be road legal as long as none of its wheels are on the road .

[streaky]

andy-xr said:

... parked in a lot of places ..

Isn't that against the laws of physics?

Streaky

[sim16v]

Surely £220 worth of tax is cheaper than £1500 worth of car trailer that is a likely target to be stolen?