Did you managed to get to 150?
Who has received an NIP for speeding in a converted van?
- Thread starter Salty Spuds
- Start date
Not quite but around 140 ish. The van is so well geared for the Autobahn - steady cruise @ 115.
How fast did it go?
Let me read the post above yours for you. "Not quite but around 140 ish"
Let me read the post above yours for you. "Not quite but around 140 ish"
Heh, thank you, pretty sure I posted that last night before your answer ... Hey ho ...
I love the irony, comparing the relatively un-regulated UK to the country that actually invented the Stasi & the Gestapo. TBH in my experience, the autobahns are distinctly underwhelming, they are horrible dual carriageway, cast concrete roads with literally hundreds of KM of roadworks (think south western section of M25). Presumably they are now upgrading them to modern standards for the first time since Speer extended them with “cheap” labour.
The majority of the autobahns are no longer concrete. The run to Nurburgring has some of the smoothest roads I’ve driven on. Having been travelling to Germany for over 30 years I can say the roads have been continuously been upgraded with the inevitable roadworks delays.
They've been upgrading them more of late to ensure they can handle the size and weight of a Leopard on a truck trailer.
Are they opening a new zoo?
I got very cheesed off in February about this definition nonsense so I contacted the Department for Transport for some form of clarification. My T6.1 was originally registered as a N1, Light Goods Vehicle, Body Type Van/Side Windows. I had it converted to a high roof camper van and I then jumped through DVLA's hoops and got the Body Type changed to Motor Caravan to be able to meet DVLA "guidance" etc (Speed limits & Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home)) and and do 60 on A roads and 70 on dual carriageways and motorways.. (The N1 and Light Good Vehicle cannot be changed because that is how it was originally registered). The legislation on vehicle definition is very confusing and ambiguous. So I wanted to know whether the speed limit was determined by N1, Light Goods Vehicle, or Body Type.
So, the DfT responded by saying that "The speed limits for different categories of road vehicle depend on how the vehicle is configured for use on the road. That generally means whether the vehicle is designed primarily for the carriage of passengers or goods. The legislation applicable is the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Schedule 6, which lists vehicle types which are restricted to speeds below the national speed limits."
"Our view is that if your VW Transporter has been converted and meets the definition of a motor caravan then it can travel at the speed limit for a motor caravan. Therefore, if your motor caravan does not exceed 3.05 tonnes unladen weight, then it is not restricted to lower speeds than the national limits, so can travel the same speed limit as a car."
BUT importantly for you guys with pop tops, Dft also said):
"I understand that the DVLA have changed the ‘body type’ on your V5C registration document to ‘motor caravan’ which means they are satisfied that your vehicle meets the definition of a motor caravan and looks like one from the outside. The ‘body type’ must describe what the vehicle actually looks like from the outside. For example, there are some vans converted into motor caravans that meet the definition of a motor caravan but still look like a van from the outside, which means DVLA would not be able to change the ‘body type’ to ‘motor caravan’, but to a ‘van side windows’, as the nearest description. These vehicles can still travel at the speed limit for a motor caravan though, as the speed limit of a vehicle is not dependent on the information on the V5C registration document but is determined by how the vehicle is configured for use on the road and the applicable legislation mentioned above."
It seems to me that DVLA (actually an agency of DfT) is misinterpreting the law because according to DfT, as long the vehicle is configured for use on the road as a motor caravan, it does not matter whether the Body Type is "van/side windows" or "Motor Caravan". And DVLA seem to have made up the "Motor caravan external permanent features" baloney just to make everyone's life a misery.
So, the DfT responded by saying that "The speed limits for different categories of road vehicle depend on how the vehicle is configured for use on the road. That generally means whether the vehicle is designed primarily for the carriage of passengers or goods. The legislation applicable is the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Schedule 6, which lists vehicle types which are restricted to speeds below the national speed limits."
"Our view is that if your VW Transporter has been converted and meets the definition of a motor caravan then it can travel at the speed limit for a motor caravan. Therefore, if your motor caravan does not exceed 3.05 tonnes unladen weight, then it is not restricted to lower speeds than the national limits, so can travel the same speed limit as a car."
BUT importantly for you guys with pop tops, Dft also said):
"I understand that the DVLA have changed the ‘body type’ on your V5C registration document to ‘motor caravan’ which means they are satisfied that your vehicle meets the definition of a motor caravan and looks like one from the outside. The ‘body type’ must describe what the vehicle actually looks like from the outside. For example, there are some vans converted into motor caravans that meet the definition of a motor caravan but still look like a van from the outside, which means DVLA would not be able to change the ‘body type’ to ‘motor caravan’, but to a ‘van side windows’, as the nearest description. These vehicles can still travel at the speed limit for a motor caravan though, as the speed limit of a vehicle is not dependent on the information on the V5C registration document but is determined by how the vehicle is configured for use on the road and the applicable legislation mentioned above."
It seems to me that DVLA (actually an agency of DfT) is misinterpreting the law because according to DfT, as long the vehicle is configured for use on the road as a motor caravan, it does not matter whether the Body Type is "van/side windows" or "Motor Caravan". And DVLA seem to have made up the "Motor caravan external permanent features" baloney just to make everyone's life a misery.
No disrespect, but you aren't telling us anything new, This has been done to death several times & rears it's head every now & then. Have a read here.
"The legislation on vehicle definition is very confusing and ambiguous. So I wanted to know whether the speed limit was determined by N1, Light Goods Vehicle, or Body Type."
Actually, the legislation is very clear and simple, only running to a few sentences, see the link above.
It is worth reading what DfT actually said. My apologies for sharing that, I won't bother again.
He did, we did, it confirms what has been said before, but always worth recording here what the official response is
Does not affect the Caravelle another reason for buying it but why should someone receive such retribution for expressing an opinion or a quote from an agency that may have been "done to death" before or written about and pointed out on another occasion so what? Just a thanks or no comment at all but maybe just a referral to an older post . Just seems unfair and harsh! Many things are repeated on this forum many times over on many topics but no slap or put down.
You characterising the initial response as "retribution" also seems harsh, @Kind of Blue.
joner847
Member
For fear of being pelted with Tomatos! I've been reading this thread and the linked thread from @Salty Spuds above. I have a T6.1 (T30 Highline if anyone is wondering!!). It had a full professional Camper Version 3 years ago by Dormobile (were Bristol Campers). It's Black, has dark tinted Windows all round, a pop-top, 6 travel seats including the driver (the rear 3-seater converts into a bed) and Barn Doors that also have the dark tinted Windows installed. The V5 was never changed and is still stating as the Body Type: Panel Van.
This question is purely for my own clarity, I have not been caught speeding {touch wood}, I'm aware of the law and speed limits for vans and that DVLA will probably tell me to sod off for attempting to reclassify my Camper as a Motor Caravan. All the conversations here (especially from those "caught") mention a Body Type of "Van/Windows". So my question is "is it worth me fannying about with the DVLA to get my V5 Body Type changed to "Van/Windows"?
This question is purely for my own clarity, I have not been caught speeding {touch wood}, I'm aware of the law and speed limits for vans and that DVLA will probably tell me to sod off for attempting to reclassify my Camper as a Motor Caravan. All the conversations here (especially from those "caught") mention a Body Type of "Van/Windows". So my question is "is it worth me fannying about with the DVLA to get my V5 Body Type changed to "Van/Windows"?
Your insurance company would definitely appreciate the change. Don't give them a get-out should the worst happen....you can also update the number of seats at the same time
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