unimog

[Tree cutter Stu]

I used to put white diesel in my unimog and i still put white in my ag reg mercedes now.

[tractorboy1]

i was asked once.. many years ago by customs about the diesel situation and as the mog is registered as tractor and we got farm with lot cattle i said the chip it produces is used for cattle beddin.. they said long as chip isn't left on sight and is taken back yo our farm for beddig it wasmt problem.. we been stopped several times on motorways by traffic police towin 14 ton agri spec grain trailer and [ for odd light noy workin] and they dont seem to have clue about regs..

 

Can and worms spring to mind

[eddiegts]

I have a u1000 runs a 9inch fine but lacks in power when full or towing (up hill) going to get it upgraded to 125bhp (ish) so that should help a bit I run it on big off road tyres so drink alot of fuel. tbh not much more that my 90. as for running on red I got done last year. nearly cost my my cmpany as they were going to take the mog away and crush it fine 15k and jail but I took it to court and said that I had only run one tank of red in it (i had only just got it) showed them all my fuel bills for it (fuel card) and got let of with just a slaped wrist. So i will never put red in it unless I am doing forestry work with it. (can of worms) but as i read the law we (arb guys) can not use it.

[b101uk]

Not all police are ignorant of agri vehicle regs, not all men from VOSA are clueless and HMRC officers are significantly more clued up than a few years ago.

 

Just remember the HMRC officers have the power of entry without needing a court warrant to do so and a clued up one will want to see woodchip used as the primary bedding and will expect your books to reflect the quantities of BOTH fresh and used/spent bedding etc on site and wont fall for a lucky token amount being used.

 

Just pry you don’t ever get a roadside stop in an joint operation police, VOSA & HMRC operation which are ever more popular now as they (HMRC) could take you for tens of thousands and attribute lots of red that was legitimately used as part of the farming operation as being used for arb and it will be down to YOU to prove otherwise as if you don’t/cannot they will take you for the full amount.

 

mine stays on DERV full time even though I am quite well versed on the exemptions for red or agri vehicle use.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

Well I know some traffic police both in Derbyshire and abroad and all are much aware of the regulations. Do you know it is illegal to use an Agricultural vehicle on the motorway unless it is closed/involved with tree works? Is the standard grain trailer fitted with air brakes and speed rated tyres?

 

The current abuse of the rules on red by so many will result in everyone having to use white and claim back the tax which means huge amounts of paperwork and proving mileages.

[nick channer]

we couldn't chip enough woodchip if we worked 7 days week to bed our cattle and every load gets used for beddin as well as over 500 tons straw.... apparantly i could still run on red and sell the chip to other farmers as long as it was for animal bedding.. its bit like haulin straw with tractor.. run on red if its for farm use if its going to a power station or compostin plant then supposed to be white....

[nick channer]

Well I know some traffic police both in Derbyshire and abroad and all are much aware of the regulations. Do you know it is illegal to use an Agricultural vehicle on the motorway unless it is closed/involved with tree works? Is the standard grain trailer fitted with air brakes and speed rated tyres?

 

The current abuse of the rules on red by so many will result in everyone having to use white and claim back the tax which means huge amounts of paperwork and proving mileages.

 

i do.. but traffic officers who stopped me obviously didnt... very polite.. one occasion one brake light out and another to tell me ratchet strap had come loose...

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

we couldn't chip enough woodchip if we worked 7 days week to bed our cattle and every load gets used for beddin as well as over 500 tons straw....

 

Have you considered a large chip size to allow more drainage under the cattle and reduce topping up levels? One problem with the green power stations is trucking out of some woods. Much more simple in a Unimog.

[nick channer]

we only use the chip to put down about foot thick every time we clean sheds out.. then bed with straw as usual.. chip does good job of soakin moisture and holdin it. straw goes lot further. we use neat chip on outside areas... only problem with chip[ is we're still ploughing it back out the ground every year.. doesnt rot like straw..

[b101uk]

Well I know some traffic police both in Derbyshire and abroad and all are much aware of the regulations. Do you know it is illegal to use an Agricultural vehicle on the motorway unless it is closed/involved with tree works? Is the standard grain trailer fitted with air brakes and speed rated tyres?

 

The current abuse of the rules on red by so many will result in everyone having to use white and claim back the tax which means huge amounts of paperwork and proving mileages.

 

do you know the specific regulation that made it illegal for agricultural vehicles to use motorway was repealed quite a few years ago and no longer exists! it was replaced with a minimum speed limit that a vehicle MUST be capable of under its own power on level ground lawfully which if I recall is 30mph, however as most agricultural vehicles (excepting Fastrac and Unimog and some other low production volume vehicles) are incapable of exceeding 20mph lawfully and incapable of exceeding 25mph without beaching lighting regulations that than that automatically precludes most agricultural vehicles from motorway use because they cannot legally attain 30mph.

 

mopeds and learner drivers are still specifically band from motorway.

 

very true, but that would be a better way in the long run.

Edited February 8, 2011 by b101uk