Trailer MOTs on the horizon.

[Tim Falce]

I got news from VOSA today that there is a new EU Road worthiness package looming. It's at consultation stage now with feedback from garages required by September.
Part of this will include the majority of trailers under 3500kg requiring an MOT of sorts, this'll include caravans. Other things included in the consultation will be MOTs for motorbikes, we already have them here so not a problem, and things that will mean you wont be able to modify a road car at all.
So it looks like trailer MOTs may be on the way for the UK, any thoughts?

[GORDON STREETER]

Probably a good thing, but as long as they don't want any money to check them !

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

... things that will mean you wont be able to modify a road car at all.

How will that work for a rally car?

[grantp]

Is there any chance of introducing similar types of tests for politicians and bureacrats?

[Robyn Slater]

Originally Posted by grantp

Is there any chance of introducing similar types of tests for politicians and bureacrats?

Brilliant idea Grant, How much shall we charge them and how often?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by grantp

Is there any chance of introducing similar types of tests for politicians and bureacrats?

Good idea, they could start with an IQ test

[Paul D]

Then they'd have to find a way of 'seasonally adjusting' the results when they all got crap scores!

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

How will that work for a rally car?

Given that Honest John in the Torygraph reported that one insurance company considered a car to be "modified" for just having factory fitted options, I don't hold out much hope for rally/track day/competition cars on the road.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Given that Honest John in the Torygraph reported that one insurance company considered a car to be "modified" for just having factory fitted options, I don't hold out much hope for rally/track day/competition cars on the road.

Ah, but when all cars are electric powered running on free wind energy one would, presumably, need to be a fully certificated electrical specialist to work on them and modifications might be a tad tricky anyway. (However the idea of "rewinding" the electric motors like people used to do (still do?) in the old slot cars days to gain performance does appeal somewhat ...

On the other hand why bother when the cars will be self reporting every rule transgression?

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

How will that work for a rally car?

Probably the same way as now with airbags etc, there's exemptions for modified cars.

[midgetman]

Considering some of the 5h1te I've called trailers in the past, MOTs for them can't come soon enough. Yet another tax on motoring though.

[GORDON STREETER]

I would have thought it would be difficult to prove whether a "certain" trailer had been inspected or not and I don't think that the police force would want something else to check up on,
OK the police can pull a vehicle and trailer up at any time if it looks like a pile of junk and inspect it, as for "mot's I can't see it happening !

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I would have thought it would be difficult to prove whether a "certain" trailer had been inspected or not and I don't think that the police force would want something else to check up on,
OK the police can pull a vehicle and trailer up at any time if it looks like a pile of junk and inspect it, as for "mot's I can't see it happening !

It's obvious Gordon, we will have to introduce separate Registration for trailers (like the Dutch do) with a 'small' annual licence fee, all in order to tie them to an identity so they can be MOT'ed....

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I would have thought it would be difficult to prove whether a "certain" trailer had been inspected or not and I don't think that the police force would want something else to check up on,
OK the police can pull a vehicle and trailer up at any time if it looks like a pile of junk and inspect it, as for "mot's I can't see it happening !

Truck trailers have MOT plates don't they? As David said, compulsory registration. It will come over a period of time...salami style, slce by slice.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Truck trailers have MOT plates don't they? As David said, compulsory registration. It will come over a period of time...salami style, slce by slice.

I am fully aware of trailer mot's in the UK and the continental set up on private car trailers.
What I was intimating was that it's open to abuse and I can't imagine the "pikey" brigade taking any notice as they are a law unto themselves.
As usual it's the "normal people" like yourselves (not counting me ) that put up with all this enforced bureaucracy !

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I am fully aware of trailer mot's in the UK and the continental set up on private car trailers.
What I was intimating was that it's open to abuse and I can't imagine the "pikey" brigade taking any notice as they are a law unto themselves.
As usual it's the "normal people" like yourselves (not counting me ) that put up with all this enforced bureaucracy !

Sorry, didn't intend to teach you to suck eggs, that didn't read quite how I intended it!

Yes as usual it will be our law-abiding selves who are most inconvenienced, the rest of the country who actually cause the problems will carry on with impunity.

[Stuart H]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Truck trailers have MOT plates don't they? As David said, compulsory registration. It will come over a period of time...salami style, slce by slice.

Truck trailers are requered to have an mot plate on them.

[Paul D]

I have no objection, in principle, to MOT's for trailers, but it does seem like yet more bureaucratic crap from Europe that we can happily do without, thanks. As has been said, those that don't give a sh*t will carry on not giving a sh*t and the rest of us will pay for it! Can these people (the bureaucrats, I mean, not those who don't give a sh*t!) really not find something more meaningful to do with their lives?

As for the suggestion that any modifications to a car will be deemed illegal - well, I can't wait to see how they intend to police that one! Apart from anything else, the aftermarket car parts business is a multi-million pound industry, so they intend simply putting all of those companies out of business overnight do they? That'll go down well, won't it... not!

And just exactly how would they define a 'modification', or even begin to police it? Is changing your OE plastic wheel trims for an aftermarket set a 'modification'? What about when manufacturers stop supporting older models (which many do fairly quickly) after a few years and original parts are no longer available? So the driver's seat in your ten year old BMW is ripped, the original cloth is no longer available, so you have it re-trimmed in something similar - is that a 'modification'? I could go on, but you get the point - I just don't see how it's workable.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Paul D

I have no objection, in principle, to MOT's for trailers, but it does seem like yet more bureaucratic crap from Europe that we can happily do without, thanks. As has been said, those that don't give a sh*t will carry on not giving a sh*t and the rest of us will pay for it! Can these people (the bureaucrats, I mean, not those who don't give a sh*t!) really not find something more meaningful to do with their lives?

As for the suggestion that any modifications to a car will be deemed illegal - well, I can't wait to see how they intend to police that one! Apart from anything else, the aftermarket car parts business is a multi-million pound industry, so they intend simply putting all of those companies out of business overnight do they? That'll go down well, won't it... not!

And just exactly how would they define a 'modification', or even begin to police it? Is changing your OE plastic wheel trims for an aftermarket set a 'modification'? What about when manufacturers stop supporting older models (which many do fairly quickly) after a few years and original parts are no longer available? So the driver's seat in your ten year old BMW is ripped, the original cloth is no longer available, so you have it re-trimmed in something similar - is that a 'modification'? I could go on, but you get the point - I just don't see how it's workable.

I'm with you on all of this Paul. It's a typical example of what happens when someone who knows absolutely nothing about the subject decides one day that they're going to implement some changes.
(I wonder if the people involved in this would mind if, should they ever need major surgery, I tell the surgeon what to do instead of relying on their own training, knowledge & experience?)

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by Paul D

As for the suggestion that any modifications to a car will be deemed illegal - well, I can't wait to see how they intend to police that one! Apart from anything else, the aftermarket car parts business is a multi-million pound industry, so they intend simply putting all of those companies out of business overnight do they? That'll go down well, won't it... not!

And just exactly how would they define a 'modification', or even begin to police it? Is changing your OE plastic wheel trims for an aftermarket set a 'modification'? What about when manufacturers stop supporting older models (which many do fairly quickly) after a few years and original parts are no longer available? So the driver's seat in your ten year old BMW is ripped, the original cloth is no longer available, so you have it re-trimmed in something similar - is that a 'modification'? I could go on, but you get the point - I just don't see how it's workable.

I believe the system in Germany works on the basis of "Type Approval". Ie, all parts fitted to or optional on a car have to safety tested, and when they have passed they are considered Approved and can be legally fitted. For after-market parts, they have to be submitted for Approval to ensure they don't compromise the safety tests that have been done on the car. AFAIK this means there is still an after-market, but only by companies who can afford the testing of their components before they sell them.

You could say it works a bit like buying safety gear to go racing. Needs to have been tested and approved to the relevant safety standards before you can legally sell it. We all have our views on that.... just saying is all.

As for trailers, I believe they have separate registration numbers for trailers and treat them as a road vehicle in their own right. Ie, taxed and mot'd separately.

[midgetman]

According to some insurance companies, changing to winter tyres & wheels is a modification...

[GORDON STREETER]

Bureaucracy aaaaghh I could tell them what to do with their straight bananas !

[Tim Falce]

I think eventually we'll go the way of Germany where we start taking the car apart to test it rather than the cursory look we give them now.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I think eventually we'll go the way of Germany where we start taking the car apart to test it rather than the cursory look we give them now.

Just like the customs guys did to my boat in Newhaven

[FastDB2s]

Been waiting for this one for years, should start with farmers or small holders as they often have knackered trailers that go with knackered tractors,
Once they have a list of trailers then they can work out who doesn't have tacho's.
Amazes me that they dont make everyone take a trailer test not just youngsters - oops, shouldnt give them any ideas as thats what will be next !