The Caravan Owners Club

[Doc]

it seems sad that there is this them and us outlook to any van above a 540, surely we should be trying to get the law brought upto date and not keep knocking people that have been missold oversize vans,how many 560s and over do you see advertised as being able to be towed by normal cars,when i joined this site i was under the impression that it was a site for hobby owners large and small all on a level plane but this is not so which seems a shame and i await anyone to tell me any different.
yours john

John, the only 'us' and 'them' that folks, here, bother about are the Hobby owners/customers 'us' and the rather unscrupulous dealers, who are decidedly economical with the truth, 'them'!!

There were lots of wide Hobbys at our First Rally (piccies in PC March issue) and the only person to make a 'pointed' comment was the president of the Camping and Caravanning Club who happened to be visiting the site, and felt compelled to come and look at all the wondrous Hobbys, . . . of all sizes!!

There certainly isn't an us and them attitude within our Club; just honest advice about the ins and outs of towing 2.5m wide caravans.

It's because I have a friend associated with all the towing regulations that I knew about the 2.5m wide 'van issue some years ago, but I'm afraid that 'not a lot of people knew that' as Michael Caine says.

An undoubted reason for seeing a lot of 'wide' Hobbys, Tabberts, Fendts etc in mags like Exchange and Mart is the late realisation, by owners, that they are not towing legally and they wish to sell on.

In fact I met a guy at the local storage compound who had got his 'wide' Hobby out to wash it and take some piccies of it on the grass. I got chatting, as you do, and it transpired he had bought it through E & M without being informed of the 'width' issue and he was not 'happy' at towing it with his Discovery and was selling it (through E & M again!) to get a narrower version. I have this vision of the same 2.5m wide Hobbys circling through E & M as buyers realise the implications (too late) of their 'bargain buy'!! But if you are happy towing your Hobby 'van whatever it's size, then fine; you are in the 'us' NOT the 'them'.

[beejay]

Hi
Have just found out that foreigners are NOT allowed to operate their 2.5 wide vans in the U..K. and are breaking the law. ALL vehicles entering the U.K. are required to comply with U.K. regulations. However, the chances of being stopped are low and of being prosecuted, virtually nil. HH please note!!

[Doc]

Quite true beejay, but there exists a sort of 'gentleman's agreement' whereby if it's legal in the country of origin then the UK police won't bother.

Now this applies to Fog-lights as well. I have seen NO Hobby caravan in any UK dealers that has got the UK offside fog-light active. If towed by a UK registered vehicle, in the UK, then this should be active to comply with UK regs. Hence my, and others, modification to have both fog lights active.

Another example of dealers not fully complying with the regs.; they should sell the 'vans with the UK offside fog-light working, but they don't.

[beejay]

Look at www.preloved.co.uk website..forum..."hobby caravans again". page 26 One owner done for exceeding towing width in Nottinghamshire, £30 fixed penalty, offence code 4280 !!!!!! Almost makes it worth it.

[denjo]

He could appeal to the EU court of appeal. Now that would be interesting.

[Chubbs]

.............and he was pulled over for towing it with a Merc Sprinter too !!! Wow.

[keith]

I wonder what Sprinter it was my Sprinters have a MAM of 4,600kg