[Klean07]

I was chatting to another wc this morning that I know. He was saying that the police were checking vans the other day in his area for defaults and being overweight etc. Anyways they stopped him in his vivaro and was told to follow police to a weighbridge. The guy knew he was overweight but crafty as he is turned system on from cab area and whilst driving to weighbridge 6 miles away dumped a few litres of water out of his back doors in the proccess.
Anyway when he finally got on weighbridge he was about 5 litres under so copper let him off. So he saved himself a hefty fine.
MMm maybe try that myself if I ever get pulled.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

I was in the car transporting business for a while.
Dont risk it is my advice.
the police arnt daft!!!!!!!!
You can get pulled into a layby straight away and they can weigh you there and then.
Find out what your payload is and then work out what you can carry.
1 litre of water = around 1 kg in weight
Remember the total weight includes you and any passengers. you cant get out and just have the van weighed.
Hope this helps.
1st offence will cost ya around 150.00 BUT could go all the way up to 5000.00+

[barry mallett]

you joking , the police arent daft,you  obviously dont know many plus they are also useless

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

sisters an inspector, been pulled over 20 times intruck. they know all the tricks. i have found thro experience to keep the right side of the law.
Your not insured if you are over weight and will do time if you injure someone whilst driving overweight!!
Fancy a bit of that Barry!!

[darren clarke]

get one over on the police and u will be amazed how many times u get pulled for routine inspection,  or u just happen to be the 7th car along that they are pulling

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

joking apart, any overweight or un secured load issues can be dealt with in a severe way if the particular police force are having a CLAMP down on them.
Every so often the police will go out and target particlar offences.
Did you know carring an unsecured 25ltr container FULL of water is an offence! in a commerical/business use setting!!!
Take care lads keep an eye out in that rear view mirror!!

[Matthew Bateman]

Your not insured if you are over weight and will do time if you injure someone whilst driving overweight!!

What about an unsecure load?

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

if your unsecured load causes death or injury. i.e you are travelling to a job with your work partner or employee and god forbid you are involved in an accident, that unsecured 25ltr drum can do you or your passenger alot of damage flying about at speed.
not a nice thought.
would be a freak accident but they do happen.

[Matthew Bateman]

I mean isn't that an imprisonable offence like you mentioned in your previous post about being overweight.

[dd]

I was chatting to another wc this morning that I know. He was saying that the police were checking vans the other day in his area for defaults and being overweight etc. Anyways they stopped him in his vivaro and was told to follow police to a weighbridge. The guy knew he was overweight but crafty as he is turned system on from cab area and whilst driving to weighbridge 6 miles away dumped a few litres of water out of his back doors in the proccess.
Anyway when he finally got on weighbridge he was about 5 litres under so copper let him off. So he saved himself a hefty fine.
MMm maybe try that myself if I ever get pulled.

Very irresposible attitude.

[chopsie]

I cannot work out which numbers on the plate in my Transit is the payload?

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

what model trannie is it chopsie

[chopsie]

its the smallest one. think its a T260, 55 plate

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

you will have a total weight limit of 2.6 tonnes. Thats you the van and the system. so easiest way for you to see if you are running legal is fill up with water and go to a public weigh bridge.
hope this helps

[Paul Coleman]

joking apart, any overweight or un secured load issues can be dealt with in a severe way if the particular police force are having a CLAMP down on them.
Every so often the police will go out and target particlar offences.
Did you know carring an unsecured 25ltr container FULL of water is an offence! in a commerical/business use setting!!!
Take care lads keep an eye out in that rear view mirror!!

Really.  What about an unsecured hose reel or an unsecured bag of rock salt?  Or my unsecured rubber matting that goes over hoses for safety purposes.  Surely it's not possible to secure everything n the back of a van?  That would be ridiculous.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

unsecured hose reel in the back of your car travelling to your mothers for dinner, no problem.
unsecured hose reel in the back of your car travelling to your next customer, different matter all together.
Dont get me wrong i am not trying to be a scare monger.
I am just showing that ,god forbid if you did have an accident while operating (in business time) and something unsecured or overweight was found at scene or during further investigation you will be prosecuted!
Fact!
Involuntary manslaughter! death caused by an insecure load. Google it! it will open your eyes. I wouldnt fancy my chances if my 2 hose reels came flying towards me in an accident!
 

[bad trippy]

Bloody police. always poking their noses into other ppls business

[chopsie]

you will have a total weight limit of 2.6 tonnes. Thats you the van and the system. so easiest way for you to see if you are running legal is fill up with water and go to a public weigh bridge.
hope this helps

cheers, i will do that one day (when i find a weigh bridge)

[Nick Wareham]

Bloody police. always poking their noses into other ppls business

Yeah, how dare they uphold the law.  The sheer cheek of it.

[Klean07]

Just goes to show that we shouldn't ever get complacent as you never know whats round the corner.

[Paul Coleman]

unsecured hose reel in the back of your car travelling to your mothers for dinner, no problem.
unsecured hose reel in the back of your car travelling to your next customer, different matter all together.
Dont get me wrong i am not trying to be a scare monger.
I am just showing that ,god forbid if you did have an accident while operating (in business time) and something unsecured or overweight was found at scene or during further investigation you will be prosecuted!
Fact!
Involuntary manslaughter! death caused by an insecure load. Google it! it will open your eyes. I wouldnt fancy my chances if my 2 hose reels came flying towards me in an accident!
 

I think the tank would block anything from flying through the metal bulkhead anyway.
Most drive betweens are a fairly short distance and on low speed roads so probably not such an issue but the odd far away job or the journeys to and from first and last jobs might be.
I suppose I will have to go to my friends' places for cups of tea between every job 

[Rob_Mac]

You stop being complacent when you have an accident.

Metal bulkhead on a Transit LWB van, 1000litre IBC tank, full, ratchet strapped But as we found out not tight enough.

Had a crash at 30mph and lost about 18 inches of the cab space as the tank moved forward on impact.

Rob

[Matthew Bateman]

Was the tank hard up against the bulkhead?

Have you got any pictures of this please?

Matt

[Rob_Mac]

It was a Y reg transit just after we went over to wfp, over six years ago now. I may have been doing forty but no more. I think there was a gap between the bulkhead and tank. Long time ago.

I know I ended up right up against the steering wheel.

Rob

[Smart Carpet]

So there goes the argument that carrying barrels instead of properly fitting a tank means that you are just carrying 'cargo' and don't have to insure it differently..  

The unsafe load of barrels etc could invalidate any insurance anyway!


The penalty for carrying an unsafe load can range from a verbal warning to a £60 fixed penalty notice. Drivers can also be issued with an immediate prohibition notice.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/safetyloadsonvehicles.pdf

page 111 on the above PDF link states this:

Regulation 40A of the Road Traffic Act1988
introduced by the Road Traffic Act 1991

40 A. A Person is guilty of an offence if he uses, or causes or permits another to use, a motor vehicle
or trailer on a road when:
(a) the condition of the motor vehicle or trailer, or of its accessories or equipment, or
(b) the purpose for which it is used, or
(c) the number of passengers carried by it, or the manner in which they are carried, or
(d) the weight, position or distribution of its load, or the manner in which it is secured,
is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves a danger of injury to any person.


Appendix A
111

[Klean07]

Wonder how many wcs have read this post and are now worried that their tank either isn't secured properly or they're overloading their vans by carrying too much water.

[Dave Willis]

http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/2007/07/van-crash-test-at-30mph.html

[Matthew Bateman]

It was a Y reg transit just after we went over to wfp, over six years ago now. I may have been doing forty but no more. I think there was a gap between the bulkhead and tank. Long time ago.

I know I ended up right up against the steering wheel.

Rob

But it was strapped down somehow yeah? Ratchet straps through the lugs that are in the floor?

[Steve_c]

When i brought my system i had already put a deposit on a ford Transit 260 Ex Gas board, ionics told me the pay load was not sufficient i needed 280 plus. Luckily the van center had a Ex bt van a T300 i just transferred the deposit over to that van. All wfp companies that fit systems won't fit them unless your systems weight matches your vehicle.

[Spruce]

I cannot work out which numbers on the plate in my Transit is the payload?

Chopsie
Not sure of the very latest T260 but the 2005 Tddi has a payload of 988kgs. So the weight of a tank of diesel, driver and passenger and any other fixed accessories fitted, ie bulkhead, roofrack etc, removed from that figure will be what you have left to work with.
IMO if you have a 650l tank fitted and fully fill it, you could very well be overloaded.
Spruce

[mark mann]

just leave your wallet on path when they come to weigh you 

[Dave Willis]

Isn't the clue in the numbers?

T260 = 2.6 tonnes
T300 = 3 tonnes

My Toyota is a 280 - 2.8 tonnes

[Klean07]

The other important thing to remember here is how full your fuel tank is. My fuel tank only ever gets filled to halfway hence me be able to carry more water.

[chopsie]

Chopsie
Not sure of the very latest T260 but the 2005 Tddi has a payload of 988kgs. So the weight of a tank of diesel, driver and passenger and any other fixed accessories fitted, ie bulkhead, roofrack etc, removed from that figure will be what you have left to work with.
IMO if you have a 650l tank fitted and fully fill it, you could very well be overloaded.
Spruce

Cheers, Mine is a 2005, So that will do, I got a 400 litre tank in,could do with a bit more really, I have also had a rear bench seat fitted so that will reduce my payload even more.

Isn't the clue in the numbers?

T260 = 2.6 tonnes
T300 = 3 tonnes

My Toyota is a 280 - 2.8 tonnes

I assume this is the total weight of the vehicle and permitted payload, As I am dam sure my van could not handle 2.6 tonnes in the back