Age exemption for mudguards etc?

[ChemicalChaos]

Just wondering - how old does a car have to be to be exempt from needing things like lights and mudguards?

I regularly see stuff like this driving around on the road near VSCC (vintage car) events and presume the drivers would not be so daft as to do it illegally.

[Slidingpillar]

As far as I know, there is no age exemption for mudguards, although logic suggests there may be one on really old cars, ie Brighton eligible ones.

However, the offence under construction and use is not a big one, and prosecutions under this are a bit fraught as age exemptions apply all over the place.

For example, my vintage car does not have, illuminated instruments, indicators, linked brakes, crash padding, amongst may other things. It also has a sharp pointed mascot that became illegal to fit unless to an older car in 1934.

It does now have 'brake lights' but they were fitted by me and are only active on the rear brake. Anybody who objects - I remove the switch, no brake lights at all, and a perfectly legal car.

As said, it's a minefield.

PS - I'd be more concerned with the lack of a chain-guard on the car in the photo.

Edited by Slidingpillar on Sunday 27th April 20:09

[EW109]

A quick look suggests that there does not appear to be an age-exemption from regulation 63 of the C&U Regs ("... every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with wings or other similar fittings to catch, so far as practicable, mud or water thrown up by the rotation of its wheels...").

[imagineifyeswill]

Dont know about the mudguards but no car actually has to be fitted with lights, if a vehicle isnt fitted with sidelights it doesnt require any lights, You can get an MOT for a vehicle with all lights removed/blanked but in can only be used in daylight/good visibility. I think the original thinking behind this was a fleet of small delivery vehicles used by the railways in days gone bye which werent fitted with lights, nowadays its mainly to cover one venue rally cars which have to have an MOT certificate but are generally trailered to events but if taxed and insured could legally be driven on the road using hand signals. Are learner drivers still taught hand signals?.

Edited by imagineifyeswill on Sunday 27th April 20:28

[Slidingpillar]

imagineifyeswill said:

Are learner drivers still taught hand signals?

Evidence suggests not as when driving the vintage car and making them, most folk seem to have no idea. Perhaps they do, but forget straight after the test.

[Willy Nilly]

Please get a speeding ticket from a camera in that, then get the picture framed.

[ChemicalChaos]

EW109 said:

A quick look suggests that there does not appear to be an age-exemption from regulation 63 of the C&U Regs ("... every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with wings or other similar fittings to catch, so far as practicable, mud or water thrown up by the rotation of its wheels...").

the bit I've highlighted seems to suggest it doesnt apply to everything?

Willy Nilly said:

Please get a speeding ticket from a camera in that, then get the picture framed.

Apparently that Panhard (a 12.5 litre GP car) will do well north of 100mph! Not sure I'd like to be in charge of it at that speed though.....

[EW109]

It applies to cars (reg 63(1): "this regulation applies to ... (b)heavy motor cars, motor cars and motor cycles, not being agricultural motor vehicles or pedestrian-controlled vehicles").

There are exceptions in reg 63(4), but none likely to be relevant ("(a)a works truck;(b)a living van;(c)a water cart;(d)an agricultural trailer drawn by a motor vehicle which is not driven at a speed in excess of 20 mph;(e)an agricultural trailed appliance;(f)an agricultural trailed appliance conveyor;(g)a broken down vehicle;(h)a heavy motor car, motor car or trailer in an unfinished condition which is proceeding to a workshop for completion;(i)a trailer used for or in connection with the carriage of round timber and the rear wheels of any heavy motor car or motor car drawing a semi-trailer so used; or (j)a trailer drawn by a motor vehicle the maximum speed of which is restricted to 20 mph or less under Schedule 6 to the 1984 Act)".

[Snowboy]

I'm on thin ice here; but I think there are exemptions for replicas of foriegn spec cars.

I vaguely recall a custom beetle with open wheels and blue dot brake lights being a US spec car, so it had to follow US laws even though it was UK registered and built.

This was a long time back, so laws might have changed.

[wibble cb]

Willy Nilly said:

Please get a speeding ticket from a camera in that, then get the picture framed.

I managed to get a speeding fine in my Frogeye 3yrs ago.....the fine was 36$.