7.5 ton flatbed bought it to use for my own work part time Hi all just seeking some advice…I passed HGV1 in 1981 drove for 18 months …then went into different career! BUT have just bought a second hand Merc Atego 7.5 tonner flatbed bevertail for my own part time use moving my own things and vehicles . So any advice fellas? DO I need to use the taco (didnt need one in 81!) do I need an O licence? or should I go for exempt as its private goods? what sort of records should I keep in the cab to show Vosa/Police etc?
what are the basics? max speed? (lorry will go over 70mph! not fitted with restrictor) driving hours? etc
Any help and advice would be much appreceated as not driven hgv for 35 years !
if all your own use and not revenue earning no tacho or O licence needed
what age is the truck as any 7.5t registered after june 2001 must be limited to 56mph other wise its
Goods vehicles (not more than 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight)
30 (48) single built up
50 (80) single
60 (96) dual
70 (112) motorway
60 (96) if articulated or towing a trailer
ROG:
As no speed limiter is fitted you can use all lanes of a motorway
Really? Thought it was 3.5t max in 3rd lane on Mway, and no double tyres!!! If it’s supersingles on the rear you should be ok, even a 3.5t transit is NOT allowed in fast lane if it has double tyres on an axel!!
Oldschoolbrit:
Really? Thought it was 3.5t max in 3rd lane on Mway, and no double tyres!!! If it’s supersingles on the rear you should be ok, even a 3.5t transit is NOT allowed in fast lane if it has double tyres on an axel!!
Where’s this rule come from? Never heard of that restriction ?
Oldschoolbrit:
Really? Thought it was 3.5t max in 3rd lane on Mway, and no double tyres!!! If it’s supersingles on the rear you should be ok, even a 3.5t transit is NOT allowed in fast lane if it has double tyres on an axel!!
Where’s this rule come from? Never heard of that restriction ?
Got made aware of this one by west midlands traffic unit that followed me up M6 when I were a lad, used a sprinter usually, running single tyres, swapped into a crap LDV (with doubles on rear!), sat behind me, pulled me over, told me of the rule, returned to base, TM checked the rule book, and confirmed it!!!
No vehicles over 3.5t
No towing vehicles at all-ever!
No vehicles with double tyes (and that’s on towing vehicle OR trailer!)
And if it’s got ANY trailer or towable it is NOT allowed in lane 3
If memory serves, double tyres has blanket 60mph max speed regardless of weight
Oldschoolbrit:
Really? Thought it was 3.5t max in 3rd lane on Mway, and no double tyres!!! If it’s supersingles on the rear you should be ok, even a 3.5t transit is NOT allowed in fast lane if it has double tyres on an axel!!
Where’s this rule come from? Never heard of that restriction ?
Got made aware of this one by west midlands traffic unit that followed me up M6 when I were a lad, used a sprinter usually, running single tyres, swapped into a crap LDV (with doubles on rear!), sat behind me, pulled me over, told me of the rule, returned to base, TM checked the rule book, and confirmed it!!!
No vehicles over 3.5t
No towing vehicles at all-ever!
No vehicles with double tyes (and that’s on towing vehicle OR trailer!)
And if it’s got ANY trailer or towable it is NOT allowed in lane 3
If memory serves, double tyres has blanket 60mph max speed regardless of weight
I would like to see the new laws they are referring to …
Oldschoolbrit:
Really? Thought it was 3.5t max in 3rd lane on Mway, and no double tyres!!! If it’s supersingles on the rear you should be ok, even a 3.5t transit is NOT allowed in fast lane if it has double tyres on an axel!!
Where’s this rule come from? Never heard of that restriction ?
Got made aware of this one by west midlands traffic unit that followed me up M6 when I were a lad, used a sprinter usually, running single tyres, swapped into a crap LDV (with doubles on rear!), sat behind me, pulled me over, told me of the rule, returned to base, TM checked the rule book, and confirmed it!!!
No vehicles over 3.5t
No towing vehicles at all-ever!
No vehicles with double tyes (and that’s on towing vehicle OR trailer!)
And if it’s got ANY trailer or towable it is NOT allowed in lane 3
If memory serves, double tyres has blanket 60mph max speed regardless of weight
I would like to see the new laws they are referring to …
motorway, which has three or more lanes open for use by traffic travelling in the same direction are:
a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes,
a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter
a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which exceeds 7.5 tonnes;
a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which does not exceed 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter.
a motor vehicle drawing a trailer
a vehicle which is a motor tractor, a light locomotive or a heavy locomotive.
There are exceptions to this rule, which are:
when it is necessary for the vehicle to be driven to enable it to pass another vehicle which is carrying or drawing a load of exceptional width.
for a vehicle to change lane during a period when it would not be reasonably practicable for it to do so without involving danger of injury to any person or inconvenience to other traffic.
C &P from policenet.co.uk
Can’t seem to find the wording but I promise that the tyre rule was confirmed thoroughly by the only decent and honest TM I’ve ever encountered, he took the information up to the board room (as we had a few double tyres pick ups 3.5t, used for nation wide deliverys) as they liked the job done quick and at 70mph min, changes were made to the fleet, LDV’s leases were ended early, all replaced by Merc sprinters! On singles! “No excuse not to get your foot down now is there lad?”
ROG:
If there is a tyre rule then it will be in the HC - but it is not
will check my HC when I get home, but the words still ring in my ears from the 2 coppers I got a bollocking from, to be fair, I was 17, and had been in lane 3 for way too long, It seems other than lane hogging I’d done nothing wrong, as they pulled me in for a Very thorough check and found nowt wrong or loose (6m pipes over cab roof!)
Was told clearly that doubles were not allowed in lane 3 due to a higher risk of tyre explosion (low pressure causing 2 paired sidewalls to rub I guess?!) And a higher mass should they become detached,
Must be some truth to it as my employers were tight as hell, yet purely because of this experience they changed at least 3 vehicles, and refused rentals that had duals, it became hard to find dropside pickups that were not duals, and most of the stuff we delivered simply could not fit in a panel van
Can’t see any mention of twin wheels, but It’s probably because most VANS with twin rear wheels will be over 3.5t and probably restricted now days so fall into the prohibited category?
I dont think they were speed restricted years ago.
