Ford Ranger......the story so far....

[Dommo]

So long as you tow the trailer and don't pop it on the bed, that's fine. Trailers add to gross train weight or gross combination weight as opposed to gross vehicle weight.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towing-a-trailer-with-a-car-or-van/towing-a-trailer-with-a-car-or-van-the-basics

 

 

[Steve (sdh2903)]

So why did @Jim RSget fined then? 

[Dommo]

It reads like VOSA perceived it as being for commercial purposes and so applied tacograph rules which is based on 3.5t train/combined weight. It shouldn't be a problem for personal use

[jeff oakley]

What has happened is that VOSA merged with other parts of government to become DVSA and at the same time they were made to become self funding.

 

Since then they have ratcheted up the enforcement in everyway they can as any fines they levy they keep. 

 

They have a lot of power an can catch the unwary out easily. For example my trailer is self built, before self built trailers had to be inspected, like the IVA. They can make you prove it. Also axle weights are listed on some trailers, if you load your car too far forward or back that is a fineable offence.

 

AIUI their fines do not carry licence points so most just cough up and move on and if you appeal they make it difficult to do so.

 

No one wants grossly overweight vehicles or badly loaded one on the road but like when speed camera partnerships were first set up, they got to keep all the fines and that eventually got stopped as they simply rolled out more and more way to catch people for minor infringements raking in the cash.