Decent Socket Set

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

That'll be Construction & Use (1986), then.

Unless your A-frame happens to apply the brakes on the car? In which case, all the other trailer regs come into play.

Its not an unbraked trailer, its a broken down car on a straight bar.

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It's tied to the arse of your car - it's a trailer. It doesn't *automatically* brake when you do - it's an unbraked trailer.

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Adrian saying something like:

A difference could be drawn here between a car being towed on a straight bar but with a driver in it ready to apply brakes - I don't see the coppers taking any particular interest in that - and the use of an A-frame towing an unoccupied car.

I towed my Scim from the SE England to Fishguard on an unbraked A-frame, was passed by several cop cars and not stopped once. Mind you, I was doing it sensibly and not exceeding 60mph, so maybe the cops decided it wasn't worth the hassle, especially given the Irish plates (not much chance of a fine being paid).

Nope, its not a trailer, its a broken down car. Not the same thing in fact. Not the same thing in law.

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

True. Law gives you the opportunity to recover it a short distance, AIUI.

That's if it's a rope or solid bar, with somebody "driving" the towed car.

However, if it's strapped to an A-frame or dolly, it becomes an unbraked trailer.

AFAIK there is no restriction on the distance

Yep, A-frames are illegal

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No *hard and fast* restriction - I've always seen it quoted as being for emergency recovery only, and you do need somebody in the towed car braking/steering.

No, they're legal - as long as they're either braked (you can get 'em to link the towed car's brakes to the over-run) or under 750kg MAM - which means an Aixam only...

The message from Adrian contains these words:

How do they do that?

Guy King ( snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No idea.

I think it's some horrific linkage from the tow coupling to a mechanical foot.

The message from Adrian contains these words:

That was what worried me, too!

Didn't it used to be the case that when a car was towed with a rope, it was classed as a car, but when towed with a solid bar it was classed as a trailer and therefore didn't need to be taxed, MOT'd, etc.?

Steve W