Weigh Bridges (Lorries!)

[Tern]

Having never been to one and knowing that the new horse now fits, I am not positive we are under weight. Especially as we didn't have tack and kit in the lorry.

What happens when you go to one with horses inside?

And, on the occasion you are overweight what happens?

Sorry, I am a numpty.

 

[webble]

No idea sorry but when you do go don't forget to take into account how much fuel you have in the tank. Half a tank is approx 45kg on a Renault master

 

[Mrs G]

If you're a numpty, lots of others are too- I know plenty of people with little lorries who have NEVER been to a weigh bridge, aren't sure of the payload of their lorry and frequently carry two horses, plus tack and people and MUST be overweight, but the chance of them being caught out are slim to none so they carry on. I however I'm like you - I'd want to check (because I'm the kind of person who'd worry incessantly about safety and I'd prob be the one to get caught out)! I'll watch this thread with interest in case I'm ever lucky enough to get a little lorry of my own so I know what to do x

 

[Tern]

Ooh good point Webble. Thank you.

Thanks Mrs G, I know ours can carry 1100 kg however it is one of those ifor containers that are really quite high up and I don't want to be too close to the max weight because of tipping possibility especially on the rubbish roads that curve downwards on the sides.

To be honest I am more leaning towards selling and buying a trailer to be on the safer side but this little lorry is so easy and comfortable to drive.. unlike the cramped landrover would be!

ETA: I would also be caught out too!

I remember a few years back a few stories on police doing random checks on horseboxes and taking them to weight bridges to check if they were over weight. Unlikely to be me but knowing my luck!

 

[neddy man]

the other problem is if you are overweight you are uninsured. ROG will be along soon to advise you.

 

[GeeBee45]

It may be a bit early for ROG so I'll help out...
If you're talking about getting pulled in by the Police or DVSA (the new name for VOSA) to a roadside check, the process goes something like this.

Most enforcement bridges are what is known as 'dynamic axle weighers.' For vehicles over 3.5 tonnes plated weight you will be asked to drive over a flat plate set into the ground. This should be done at no more than walking pace, usually the officer walk next to the vehicle to give you something to judge your speed against. You don't stop until all the axles have cleared the plate. The electronic gubbins in the cabin will calculate the weight of each axle and add them up to get the overall vehicle weight.

If your vehicle is plated at 3.5 tonnes or less you will be asked to stop with each axle on weighing plate. This makes the process a bit more long winded, especially if you've got a 4x4 towing a 3 axle equitec trailer, but it increases the accuracy of the weighbridge.

If you're vehicle is overloaded and the degree of overload exceeds 5 per cent of the permitted weight (or 1 tonne) then a Prohibition Notice will be issued. This basically says that it is an offence to continue to use the vehicle until the excess weight has been removed. A Fixed Penalty Notice will probably be issued as well. The amount depends upon the amount of overload but they start at £50 and rapidly hit £300. You have 28 days to pay the notice or go to Court and argue. Word of warning about arguing overloads in Court. Using an overloaded vehicle is an 'absolute' offence and the Court will not be interested in the 'I didn't know' story. There are two defences to an overloading charge; you were going to the nearest available weighbridge from the point of loading to check weigh the vehicle. You were taking the vehicle from a check weigh to the nearest place to remove any excess weight. The enforcement bridges are not counted as 'check weigh' bridges.

The officer may give you a 'direction notice' to take the vehicle to a certain place at a particular speed for the excess weight to be removed. I know of one site that has a list of livery yards close by the site. If your vehicle is overloaded you are given the list to contact the different yards and it is up to you which one the 'extra weight' stops at. Bear in mind that you will be paying for the livery and not the Police / DVSA. Also your breakdown insurance will not be paying to come and collect the 'extra weight' and transport it back home or to the show etc. The vehicle will be reweighed after weight has been removed and if within the plated weights the Prohibition will be removed.

If all that sounds a little harsh, it is, but those are the rules and have been what all lorry users have worked with for decades.

The question about insurance isn't as clear cut as one would think. Many underwriters will not simply cancel cover just because a vehicle is overloaded, particularly if the amount is small. However, some will. If the vehicle were to be involved in an accident and that could be attributed to the vehicle being overloaded many underwriters will pay out on third party losses but not for your vehicle. Some may look to recover their pay out from you. The extra bit is that if it can be shown that the overload contributed or even caused the accident then you may well be facing charges for 'drive due care' or 'drive vehicle in dangerous condition.' Neither are good.

To avoid overloading take your vehicle empty to a weighbridge, see the link below to find local weighbridges;

http://chrishodgetrucks.co.uk/useful-info/truck-weighbridges.htm

Weigh the vehicle empty but with a full tank of fuel. Now work out the weight of everything you want to carry in the vehicle, including you, horse, tack, feed, water etc etc. Take the weight shown on the plate and subtract the weight you got at the weighbridge. What is left is what's often called 'payload' the amount you vehicle can carry. The weights of everything you want to load should never exceed the 'payload' and your list may have to go on a diet if it is above or near the payload value.

Finally, just to make sure everything is OK you can put the horse and all your clobber in the vehicle and go down to your local weighbridge just to make certain that everything is in order. A weighbridge costs between £5 and £10 although some do a free weigh if they don't issue a 'certificate of weight.'

 

[ROG]

the other problem is if you are overweight you are uninsured. ROG will be along soon to advise you.

You are legally allowed to go directly from the point of loading to the nearest weighbridge and back to the point of loading without penalty if over loaded

The only exception is if it is deemed unsafe such as loading so much weight that the brakes are virtually useless etc

As doing this is legal then even if over loaded the insurer cannot legally refuse to cover you for this journey

This can be a regular thing for many LGV drivers

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Just to add, our local council weighbridge will do a single weigh, or double.

As said above, a full tank of fuel is best - unless you know exactly the size of your tank as even between same models but of different years, they can be different.

Do a weigh with only the box (you can stand off the weigh bridge for this, then go back with horses and kit on, and you in the box - and get the 2nd weigh. Ours is £8 for single & £12 for double as long as on same day.

 

[Tern]

You are legally allowed to go directly from the point of loading to the nearest weighbridge and back to the point of loading without penalty if over loaded

The only exception is if it is deemed unsafe such as loading so much weight that the brakes are virtually useless etc

As doing this is legal then even if over loaded the insurer cannot legally refuse to cover you for this journey

This can be a regular thing for many LGV drivers

Okay. Having just looked there is a weighbridge 10 minuted from my field.

I know my lorry can carry 1100kg because it's 2400kg empty. One horse weighs under 500kg however the other is a rather fat Clydesdale x TB so weighs considerably more.

Passengers weigh around 126kg together. So that gives me 974kg for horses, tack and extra kit. Anybody else thinking this doesn't sound too feasible?

However, you're saying that even if overweight I would be allowed to drive this 15 - 20 mins in a lorry and see that I am overweight and then drive directly back to the field without a fine?

 

[OWLIE185]

There is no way you could travel your two horses in your 3.5 ton and be under weight.

 

[ROG]

However, you're saying that even if overweight I would be allowed to drive this 15 - 20 mins in a lorry and see that I am overweight and then drive directly back to the field without a fine?

Correct = 100%

 

[Red-1]

Correct = 100%

Yes, BUT if you are over by a certain amount (randomly I think it is 10% on one axle???) you will not be allowed to go back until the weight is lowered. I know this as once our Police lorry was weighed as we suspected the coach builders of our huge lorry had made a rubbish lorry as there was so much overhang over the back that 3 1/2 horses were BEHIND the rear wheels. I know that the total weight of the vehicle would have been OK, but this huge overhand did not look right, and the lorry drove rubbish, so we booked it in and put 6 big Police horses on and went to the weigh bridge.

From memory it was 14% over on the back axle, and even emptying the water and hay was not enough to make it light enough, it was due a prohibition notice so 2 horses had to be taken off and transported back separately.

The lorry went back to be altered, it had some chopped off the back and a re-fit so the horses were carried further forwards. The manufacturers would not have been used again, as it was a purpose built and expensive wagon, that essentially was not fit for purpose.

 

[ROG]

Yes, BUT if you are over by a certain amount (randomly I think it is 10% on one axle???) you will not be allowed to go back until the weight is lowered. I know this as once our Police lorry was weighed as we suspected the coach builders of our huge lorry had made a rubbish lorry as there was so much overhang over the back that 3 1/2 horses were BEHIND the rear wheels. I know that the total weight of the vehicle would have been OK, but this huge overhand did not look right, and the lorry drove rubbish, so we booked it in and put 6 big Police horses on and went to the weigh bridge.

From memory it was 14% over on the back axle, and even emptying the water and hay was not enough to make it light enough, it was due a prohibition notice so 2 horses had to be taken off and transported back separately.

The lorry went back to be altered, it had some chopped off the back and a re-fit so the horses were carried further forwards. The manufacturers would not have been used again, as it was a purpose built and expensive wagon, that essentially was not fit for purpose.

Seems like that was a case where it was deemed unsafe rather than just an overload