Sleeping On The Move

[Graeme Mckay]

At a recent show I saw a bloke advertising his new overnight sleeper mini coach. Merc sprinter with 12 beds.
Got me wondering whether people can sleep in camper conversions and motorhomes (rock n roll bed).
Can't find anything definitive online. Lots of opinions and anecdotes.

 

[Tourershine]

At a recent show I saw a bloke advertising his new overnight sleeper mini coach. Merc sprinter with 12 beds.
Got me wondering whether people can sleep in camper conversions and motorhomes (rock n roll bed).
Can't find anything definitive online. Lots of opinions and anecdotes.

As in whist you are moving?

Might make roundabouts a bit difficult.

 

[Teesix]

At a recent show I saw a bloke advertising his new overnight sleeper mini coach. Merc sprinter with 12 beds.
Got me wondering whether people can sleep in camper conversions and motorhomes (rock n roll bed).
Can't find anything definitive online. Lots of opinions and anecdotes.

Do you mean laying the seats flat and a passenger having a kip? If so, no, if you're carrying passengers the seats must be in the upright position for driving. They need to be wearing their seatbelts for the duration of the journey and that won't be possible if the bed is flat.

The merc sprinter probably has seats that simply recline rather than flat beds, as such.

 

[Fish]

 

[Graeme Mckay]

Do you mean laying the seats flat and a passenger having a kip? If so, no, if you're carrying passengers the seats must be in the upright position for driving. They need to be wearing their seatbelts for the duration of the journey and that won't be possible if the bed is flat.

The merc sprinter probably has seats that simply recline rather than flat beds, as such.

Yes, i was watching the boy falling asleep and the position he was in meant his seat belt would be ineffective. Wondered the legalities of stopping and using the bed so he can sleep. Not my preferred option by any means. Just remember the pre seat belt days when me and my sister slept on the luggage in my dad's estate car. I know if there's a seat belt fitted it must be worn but wondered how sleeper coaches and tour buses got away with people in bed.

 

[Teesix]

but wondered how sleeper coaches and tour buses got away with people in bed.

I think it's because they're not beds as such, I don't think they lay fully flat. They just recline in the way an airline seat does.

 

[RAD]

Megabus did do a sleeper service, u sure if they still do

 

[Long tall John]

So what does the law say? Is it legal or not? I thought you could on a big coach for the rich and famous as well as visiting the loo? Yes, the law says you must wear your seatbelts at all time.... but only for some travellers???

 

[MicP]

Not legal on the move. Here's when your allowed not to wear a seat belt:

Seat belts: the law
When you don't need to wear a seat belt
You don’t need to wear a seat belt if you’re:

• a driver who is reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing
• in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services
• a passenger in a trade vehicle and you’re investigating a fault
• driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops
• a licensed taxi driver who is ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers

Medical exemptions
Your doctor may say you don’t have to wear a seat belt for a medical reason. They’ll give you a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’. You must:

• keep this in your vehicle
• show it to the police if you’re stopped

You’ll also need to tell your car insurer.

Talk to your doctor for more information and read ‘medical exemptions from compulsory seat belt wearing’.

Wearing a seat belt while pregnant
You must wear a seat belt if you’re pregnant, unless your doctor says you don’t have to for medical reasons.

Wearing a seat belt if you’re disabled
You must wear a seat belt if you’re a disabled driver or passenger, unless you don’t have to for medical reasons. You may need to adapt your vehicle.

 

[MicP]

Converting a van to carry passengers in the rear

Side-facing seatbelts
Our advice is that passengers are safest in a forward or rearward facing seat equipped with a lap belt or, preferably, a three-point belt.

Although side facing seats, with or without seatbelts, are not illegal, we would not advise that they are used. This is because seatbelts are not designed to be used with such seats. In the event of an accident, seatbelts on these side facing seats may help to prevent the wearer being thrown around the vehicle or from being ejected, but in a frontal crash they can increase injury risk by subjecting vulnerable parts of the body to higher loads than seatbelts used on forward facing seats. You should also bear in mind that child restraints cannot be fitted to side facing seats. In order to fit the required child restraints, you would need to have forward or rearward facing seats with full three-point seatbelts.

 

[Deaston]

Interesting post.

I know when bands are on tour, they finish a show, get on a bus and the bus drives, over night, to the next location. The band/singers sleep on the bus. The buses have bunk beds and can even have a complete bedroom.

I wonder how that works with regards to seat belts...?!

 

[Graeme Mckay]

So after all this time we are still no further forward. Lol. It doesn't matter to the boy now as he's shot up in height and can find a comfy sleeping position while wearing the belt In an effective position.

 

[Nick Fox]

"a licensed taxi driver who is ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers"
or carrying passengers? that makes no sense

 

[Teesix]

"a licensed taxi driver who is ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers"
or carrying passengers? that makes no sense

Just means the driver doesn't have to wear a belt if he's got passengers on board. The same exemption applies if he's plying for hire but, when he's not (when he's not effectively 'working') he'd have to wear one.

 

[Long tall John]