Legalities of Towing?

[egomeister]

My car is not rated for towing (specs show N/A) which is fair enough - I can't really fit a towbar anyway and have nothing to tow

However, would this mean that I could not legally tow a car on a rope, for example if a mates car broke down?

[mechsympathy]

Do you mean the Clio? If so I met a guy at the weekend who towed his race Caterham with a Trophy 172!

I'd have thought that towing a mate with working brakes would be fine as you're not relying on your car to slow the whole shebang.

[egomeister]

Yeah the Clio - apparently 182's aren't rated for towing. The 172 doesn't have the twin exhausts and so presumably still has the spare wheel well of the standard car (no idea if they were supplied with spare wheels though). I guess the non-rating of the 182 is because the structure would have to be retested and the inconvenience of the exhausts.

I'm not really too bothered about towing I have no intention to do so, I'm just wondering in a "what if?" way!

[wolf1]

Just because the manufacturer decided not to bother listing a towbar on the options list doesn't mean you can't fit one. Ring witter or bossal and see if they do one for your model, they won't make them for it if it can't be used as they have to conform to all sorts of regs.

[egomeister]

wolf1 said:

Just because the manufacturer decided not to bother listing a towbar on the options list doesn't mean you can't fit one. Ring witter or bossal and see if they do one for your model, they won't make them for it if it can't be used as they have to conform to all sorts of regs.

I think you misunderstand - the VIN plate doesn't list a towing rating (or so I'm told - I haven't checked ) hence my query was really in relation to whether I could legally tow using a rope and the towing eye.

I have no intention of fitting a towbar! Someone may think I own a caravan
Oh the shame!

[wolf1]

egomeister said:

I think you misunderstand - the VIN plate doesn't list a towing rating (or so I'm told - I haven't checked ) hence my query was really in relation to whether I could legally tow using a rope and the towing eye.

I have no intention of fitting a towbar! Someone may think I own a caravan
Oh the shame!

Oops sorry I missed the point again

Re tow rope as far as I'm aware towing with a rope is now illegal. It has to be a solid link to towed vehicle such as a straight bar or A frame. I may be wrong but the info was gleaned from someone I trust in this stuff.

[egomeister]

wolf1 said:

Oops sorry I missed the point again

Re tow rope as far as I'm aware towing with a rope is now illegal. It has to be a solid link to towed vehicle such as a straight bar or A frame. I may be wrong but the info was gleaned from someone I trust in this stuff.

No problem! It matters not whether it is a rope or solid bar really, as its more to do with whether towing is (legally) allowed with my car at all - besides it's only curiosity that causes me to have any interest anyway! Might write an email to VOSA or whoever it is that is responsible for these things tomorrow....

Time for a beer and an episode of American Hotrod now I think!

[gridgway]

as I understand it, when cars are type approved the manufacturer can choose whether to include the tow bar/towing in it. So I am assuming that because Renault made the renaultsport 182 with exhausts that meant the standard clio towbar would not fit, they decided not to bother with that part of the type approval. BTW I have seen a 172 with a caterham on a trailer at Rockingham. I assume you didn't really mean Trophy 172 as the Trophy is a 182 (I got a badge for pedantic anal retention at scouts)!

OTOH the Impreza P1 is also not type approved for towing (but was euro type approved), but the standard scooby tow bar will fit. I think that makes it illegal to fit a tow bar and or tow with it.

Interestingly, I wonder what happens to imports/kit cars/low volume cars that are SVA'ed? If they are fitted with a tow bar at the SVA test would that count?

When I had a P1, I wanted to tow (my caterham on) a trailer with it, so was thinking about seeing if it could be SVA'ed with a tow bar. However I decided to give up the idea as I would have to declare all that to the ins co! Anyway, it was better to bung all the track-day claptrap into the Galaxy of SWMBO!

Sorry to go on so!!

Graham

[LRdriver II]

interesting that is an anomoly with the SVA.. you couldnt get a car thru it as it protrudes too much and would fail the radius/ball test. Yet..its legal on mass produced cars

[matchless]

if these Laws are EU directives, ignore them as they are NOT valid here , just refer the BIB to the Queens Coronation Oath for a start, a sure Sign that an Oath (ala Court) is meaningless nowadays

[Dwight Vandriver]

Does not the handbook give any information about towing a bdv?

Interesting so lets have a look at it from BiB point of view.

There is an offence under Reg 100 Con and Use Regs 84 of using a vehicle for any purpose which is so unsuitable as to cause or likely to cause danger. So if the manufacturers would be prepared to say vehicle not intended to be used for towing and if done such and such danger could occur, then it could be one for the book.

Sensible suggestion above for full problem to be outlined to VOSA and get their definative answer.

dvd

[gridgway]

when I was considering putting a tow bar on the P1, I wondered what road laws I might transgress if any. It could easily be fitted, it clearly wouldn't fall into the unsuitable/danger bracket.

Anyway the P1 is long gone and there's no chance (or reason) to fit a towbar to the Tiv!

Graham

[tigger1]

egomeister said:

Yeah the Clio - apparently 182's aren't rated for towing. The 172 doesn't have the twin exhausts and so presumably still has the spare wheel well of the standard car (no idea if they were supplied with spare wheels though).

As a slight aside, I know that the New Clio 197 comes with a can of tyre-weld (or equivalent) in lieu of a spare wheel...and I don't think you can fit a tow bar (easily) because the rear bumper is quite an odd shape, with no solid vertical pieces.