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#Post#: 35586--------------------------------------------------
towing a car
DIR By: Korting
Date: September 4, 2024, 5:52 am
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If a car has no tax or MOT, can it be towed with a towbar? ie
all four wheels on the ground?
#Post#: 35594--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: 666
Date: September 4, 2024, 7:00 am
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No. It's still a car being used on the road.
#Post#: 35640--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: mickR
Date: September 4, 2024, 12:31 pm
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it needs to be on a trailer
#Post#: 35650--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: Korting
Date: September 4, 2024, 1:24 pm
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Thank you for your replies.
#Post#: 35651--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: slapdash
Date: September 4, 2024, 1:40 pm
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Why is it being towed and to where ?
If that would be covered by the no MOT exemption then surely it
can still be towed.
#Post#: 36049--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: roythebus
Date: September 7, 2024, 6:21 pm
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If the car has had for instance the engine removed, it cannot be
"used" on the road as it cannot be driven under its own power.
MoT is irrelevant, certain vehicles such as anything registered
before 1st January 1960 are exempt from annual testing. I've
towed and had the sometimes dubious pleasure of being the person
steering a towed vehicle.
One notable instance was being involved in towing a 1927
Sentinel steam waggon from Derbyshire to south London with a
vintage tram body on the back. te towing lorry was a 1948
Scammell tractor unit known as DKY. It was the middle of winter,
the original intention was to jut use the Sentinel and drive it,
but the coal miners had gone on strike so it hat to be towed
along the M1 at 33 mp, top speed of the Scammell. Sentinel
lighting was a couple of those old red oil lamps that used to be
scattered around road works. On the way back the Met's finest
stopped us just before Scratchwood Services and suggested we
didn't use the motorway. the driver of the Scammell invited them
to escort us to our destination in Leicestershire but they
declined and let us go on our way at 33 mph! Maybe the law has
changed since then on towing disabled vehicles. Most insurance
policies seem to cover the towing of one disable motor vehicle
on a rope or bar. the use of a towbar would depend on the brake
force of the vehicle doing the towing. On a bit of rope
hopefully the towed vehicle would have working brakes.
#Post#: 36097--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: facade
Date: September 8, 2024, 10:34 am
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If it were towed with an A-frame (with linked brakes) then
according to dot Gov the A-frame and vehicle combination is
treated in legislation as a trailer. A trailer doesn't require
MOT or tax, but has to be roadworthy.
HTML https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-frames-and-dollies/a-frames-and-dollies
I suspect it would be easier to put it on a trailer than fit an
A-frame though.
(And if it were any distance, something would need to be done to
prevent gearbox damage, like removing the prop shaft.)
#Post#: 36099--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: 666
Date: September 8, 2024, 10:57 am
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--- Quote from: facade link ---
>
> If it were towed with an A-frame (with linked brakes) then
according to dot Gov the A-frame and vehicle combination is
treated in legislation as a trailer. A trailer doesn't require
MOT or tax, but has to be roadworthy.
>
>
>
HTML https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-frames-and-dollies/a-frames-and-dollies
>
>
> I suspect it would be easier to put it on a trailer than fit
an A-frame though.
>
> (And if it were any distance, something would need to be done
to prevent gearbox damage, like removing the prop shaft.)
>
--- End Quote ---
But that linked guidance goes on to say "The information in this
guidance relates solely to the construction requirements for
vehicles. Readers should ensure that they are aware of, and
comply with, all relevant requirements on other aspects of
vehicle use (driver licensing, vehicle excise duty, insurance
etc)."
#Post#: 36104--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: facade
Date: September 8, 2024, 11:28 am
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It does, but it is dot Gov, and frequently successive paragraphs
appear to contradict each other.
I interpret "other aspects of vehicle use" to mean other than
use as a trailer, but I am not a legal expert, and I don't know
of any case law.
Cynically, I understand that the intent of HMG is to maximise
the amount of revenue collected, so they would wish the vehicle
that is legally a trailer to be taxed, but trailers don't have
to be taxed.....
It would be displaying the registration of the vehicle towing
it, too, which might be a problem with ANPR.....
#Post#: 36107--------------------------------------------------
Re: towing a car
DIR By: 666
Date: September 8, 2024, 11:59 am
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--- Quote from: facade link ---
>
> It does, but it is dot Gov, and frequently successive
paragraphs appear to contradict each other.
>
>
> I interpret "other aspects of vehicle use" to mean other than
use as a trailer, but I am not a legal expert, and I don't know
of any case law.
>
> ....
>
--- End Quote ---
It seems to mean specifically other than the construction
requirements.
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