Van Speed Limit?

[Thogg]

Don't worry it takes a lot to offend me, a forum post won't do it It's all rather confusing I think I'll just phone the dvla when I pick it up, I'm not VAT registered so it's more to do with the speed limits, I'll read through all this later again I seem to confuse myself the more I read

"A dual purpose vehicle
is so constructed or adapted that the driving power of the engine is, or by the appropriate use of the controls of the vehicle can be, transmitted to all the wheels of the vehicle; or"

That's what made got me thinking with the 4motion aspect of it but looking online it's unladen weight is 2297kg so that puts it over anyway

To put it another way.
Over 2040kg unladen - not dual purpose

Under 2040kg unladen - and 4wd dual purpose

Under 2040kg unladen and looks like a Kombi (and has seats) - dual purpose

Under 2040kg unladen and looks like a kombi without seats - NOT dual purpose

Dual purpose = same limits as car
Not dual purpose = commercial speed limits

 

[T6 Dave]

Nice summation @Thogg , only addition that I would add, is that if it looks like a kombi, but using without the seats in it, I would then apply the van limits to be on the safe side of things.

 

[Thogg]

Nice summation @Thogg , only addition that I would add, is that if it looks like a kombi, but using without the seats in it, I would then apply the van limits to be on the safe side of things.

Like that

 

[T6 Dave]

Thanks @Thogg . @Pauly , I know that there are reasons not to do this, but might I suggest a sticky with the above summation to stop this going round in circles all the time? You could add the note that it's not legally research, and forum won't be held accountable etc.. You might also want to include the DVLA letter to @Thogg etc Just a suggestion

 

[Captain Mainwaring]

From what I can work out from my researches, the 'mass in service' figure shown on the V5 is given to them by VWCV and is arrived at by adding up the weights of all the options that are specced. So obviously a Highline will weigh more than a Trendline, but it will also include weights of things like towbar, aircon, LED lights, etc. IIRC it means that pretty much any Kombi with 4Motion or any 204ps with DSG will be more than 129kg over the 2040kg unladen weight threshold

As @Thogg said, if you are stopped by the police you may be able to argue the case if you have a weighbridge cert with you, but I reckon if it's a camera you are toast as some junior clerk will just look at the 'mass in service' figure for your specific van, subtract 129kg and go on that. I did have an email exchange with the Scottish police and one of their points is that even if you weighed it they can't tell if it was modified at the time of weighing (like removing seats) so again it would be tough to argue in court

 

[T6 Dave]

There's a song by Alabama called "I'm in a hurry" that seems applicable here..

What's 10mph or 6points worth to you? And now I'll do an impersonation of Zippy on this subject for a while

 

[Caravellet6]

My main problem is staying the right side of any damn speed limit with 204ps DSG, it's sooo easy to forget what speed I'm
doing....

 

[DaveyB]

My main problem is staying the right side of any damn speed limit with 204ps DSG, it's sooo easy to forget what speed I'm
doing....

isn't that why there is a big ole speedometer in front of you @Caravellet6 ?
I know you can use VCDS to put the big digital speedo on the MFD, don't think there is an option to throw it up as a Head-Up Display.

 

[Caravellet6]

isn't that why there is a big ole speedometer in front of you @Caravellet6 ?
I know you can use VCDS to put the big digital speedo on the MFD, don't think there is an option to throw it up as a Head-Up Display.

Oh yes and my mantra, check your speed, check your speed said repeatedly....

 

[T6 dork]

mph = 33 in a 30 limit 44 in a 40 limit etc etc 10% over in other words is acceptable
so 55 / 66 / 77 is all fine as most speedos are up to 10% fast
so im told by a very good friend who has tried and tested this for over 15 years

 

[Scruffy]

mph = 33 in a 30 limit 44 in a 40 limit etc etc 10% over in other words is acceptable
so 55 / 66 / 77 is all fine as most speedos are up to 10% fast
so im told by a very good friend who has tried and tested this for over 15 years

Yes thats all "fine" but I bet we all know people who were caught doing 32 or 33mph, and were done for it.

 

[DaveBos]

Used to be zero tolerance in North Wales for speeding. 31mph and you would get done by an arrive alive van.

 

[T6 dork]

i have a friend who is a bobby and he told me this years ago..

Speed Enforcement
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) issued revised speed enforcement policy guidance in 2013. It suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. The particular margin is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph. The guidance sets guidelines for when it would be appropriate to issue a fixed penalty notice or for the driver to attend a speed awareness course, and when it becomes appropriate to issue a summons. These are guidelines only and a police officer has discretion to act outside of them providing he acts fairly, consistently and proportionately.

 

[T6 Dave]

Ok my two penny's worth, if people regularly take the Micky out of rules that are designed to give a bit of leniency on the matter, this then leads to it being withdrawn, clamped down on or more rules.. Whatever it is about, the few harm the majority, and also complain the loudest..

When on the subject of speed, with the tighter and tighter tolerances available, the speed measurement is more accurate, or do you think that tyre pressure sensor is guessing when it can detect the small difference in rotational time between wheels?

The above is NOT meant to offend, merely make people think!

 

[T6 dork]

none taken..but thats off tinternet and word of mouth..

 

[Loz]

Can we please keep on topic, light and non-personal please...

 

[T6 Dave]

Ok @Loz , but the words to note on the bit off the internet are :

These are guidelines only and a police officer has discretion to act outside of them providing he acts fairly, consistently and proportionately.

So before anyone gets done for thinking they have the right to speed, you CAN still be nicked, and where you might get away with a word of caution due to not understanding the rules of N1, and you are doing "only" 10mph over the van speed limit, you probably wouldn't if it was 16mph over the van speed limit (66 instead of 50).

 

[Roadrunner]

Truth is that you may well get away with 10% rule at the 30 & 40 limits but I feel it is pushing it on higher ones so stick to what the speedo says anyway. How about when towing a caravan. How often do you see some numpty blazing away on a dual carriageway at 70. I hate taking it up to 60 when towing mine and that is the legal limit

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Roadrunner I found an interesting article through Google as to why UK limit is 60mph. It is lengthy but interesting especially when US parallel versions of European cars have a lower towing capability. http://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611

 

[Roadrunner]

@T6 Dave's Dad I can see it was written by a yank, keeps talking in Lbs and not kilo's like we have here (sorry I changed over in the 1970's) and he obviously does not know where Oz is because the first car he referred to with a caravan on was in the UK. It was all a little over my head for me but face it they tend to tow houses with their cars or trucks (the airstream is as heavy as a house) and our caravan's are lighter so you could use a fiesta so to speak.