Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat
Towing with a rope.
paul_humphreys:
I have gotten an answer back from the police. Saying that it is legal to use a rope, chain or strap to tow with. There is NO limit on how far you can tow either, but you can still get nicked/fined If you are deemed not to be doing it in a safe manner. There is no reference to a ‘place of safety’ in the law.
--- Quote ---Basically, anything you tow becomes, in the legal definition, a trailer (although confusingly, a motor vehicle always remains a motor vehicle but is still a trailer! - I'll explain when I see you (so I will have to wait till I see the policeman I asked)). As such, there is no set maximum distance that you can tow.
The maximum length of rope/chain that you can use is 1.5 metres unless the rope is clearly visible from the side ( that's why you see little flags/rags tied in the middle), in which case the maximum length is 4.5 metres. This is covered by Regulation 86 Construction and Use regulations 1986.
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Paul
Rich_P:
Not on the hunt of Brucciieee are you? :afro:
adafish:
saying that Paul, on the Rhydaer Hunt we did 2007, when Dom got water in his engine, i towed him all the way from the end of STRADA (up the steep bit and down the steep twisty bits) on a tow rope, thats about 26mles...That was a bit scary but under control with Dom , braking for both of us down the hills...the drive across the mountain road was fun tho
Gordo:
--- Quote from: paul_humphreys on January 12, 2009, 23:09:58 ---
I have gotten an answer back from the police. Saying that it is legal to use a rope, chain or strap to tow with. There is NO limit on how far you can tow either, but you can still get nicked/fined If you are deemed not to be doing it in a safe manner. There is no reference to a ‘place of safety’ in the law.
--- Quote ---Basically, anything you tow becomes, in the legal definition, a trailer (although confusingly, a motor vehicle always remains a motor vehicle but is still a trailer! - I'll explain when I see you (so I will have to wait till I see the policeman I asked)). As such, there is no set maximum distance that you can tow.
The maximum length of rope/chain that you can use is 1.5 metres unless the rope is clearly visible from the side ( that's why you see little flags/rags tied in the middle), in which case the maximum length is 4.5 metres. This is covered by Regulation 86 Construction and Use regulations 1986.
--- End quote ---
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I was going to say much the same thing. It's not the towing that's dangerous as such, it's the way you're doing it. High-speed towing in the outside lane of the Motorway with a scraggy rope probably isn't safe.
Low speeds with a driver who knows what they're doing, with a proper rope, not causing an obstruction nor a danger to anyone else shouldn't be a problem.
I towed a Citroën C5 home from Biggleswade up the A1 when its engine self-destructed. Proper rope, experienced drivers, appropriate speed (30-40), and no bother from anyone. All that was missing was the orange beacon :)
Got shot-down in flames for being irresponsible and it being illegal on another forum though.... :?
tom38:
only place you in trouble towing a long way is on motorway only allowed to tow to first exit then rst of way by other roads as far as im aware :doh: :-k
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