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Hi All

  Has anyone ever been checked by the police for be-ing overweight with their m-home,I weighed my van recently and it was slightly over -----do the police give you any lee-way and what do you think about be-ing stopped abroad for it ?

                           Thanks,

i think its something like upto 5percent get a telling off and not allowed on your way till weight down to correct limit .if over 10 percent a prosecution will follow. the fine for being over weight is up to 5,000quid. this is based on information in a transport managers and operators handbook. its what the transport industry use as a bible.

cheers alan.

OH dad got fined £120 for being 7% overweight in his white van, alittle overweight like said above youll get a slapped wrist unless youve done it before, but you go stuiply overweight then they come down heavy.

mike

Now you know, you need to get rid of the extra.

Jim

Yes,as Jim says,at least you can now do something about it before you get pulled..

I friend of ours' got stopped once and just had to drain their freshwater tanks before they could proceed..

It is surprising just how much "stuff" we end up stuffing in our vehicles!(..just how many awnings/canopies/BBQs/chairs/kitchen stands etc do we need?! )

If however there is nothing that you feel you could easily "ditch",then maybe look at the possibility of getting the 'van replated..?

As I believe on some vehicles it is just a paper exercise(ours' has been increased from 3.5t to 3.85t )

Although with this route there are considerations to take into account(...driving license,speed restrictions etc)

Hi all

           Thanks for your reply,s I will now see what I can get rid off out the van i/e the wife etc, ( Kidding )

                                Thanks

Never been checked (fortunately), but having just had the charger unit replaced on our MH, I felt rather embarassed when they told us we had a lot of stuff in it when they were looking for where the charger was located (it wasn't obvious).  When we got the van back home, I went through it from front to back, and took out loads of stuff that we had never used, or never would use or which were surplus to our needs.  Toys for the kids, books, a hibachi barbecue that was still in it's box, 3 bottles of washing up liquid  (in addition to the one in the sink!), more than a dozen china & plastic cups (it's usually only 3 or 4 of us travelling now) and loads of other paraphanalia that was just adding weight and being dragged around and never being used.  I still want to convince hubby that we don't need to take the awning, ground sheet, etc with us unless we are actually going to be staying somewhere.  We often go just for days out, and all that lot just adds weight and uses more fuel into the bargain.  I aim to get my way and leave it behind in future.

It's amazing how much stuff we cleared out.

It doesn't help that we have to carry my electric scooter on board either.  Still, we are lighter than we were, and still working on it.

Sara

If you're not certain, it would be best to get it weighed.

Overweight penalties can be quite severe.

Jim

When you do have it weighed, ensure you get a certificate to show the police you are trying! It costs me £6.00 at the local weighbridge.

I'm told that the maximum weight should be -5% of the total gross, including passengers. We normally run with 3/4 tank of diesel and 1/4 tank of fresh water. Also ensure the waste tank is drained before travelling.

When the wife stocks up with Bottles, etc, yes it's her that does it. I check them all for weight. 1 Litre bottle weighs 1Kilo.

Brian

if you have not used it for 12 months take it out and save in shed that's my rule