France calling...

[Le Sanglier]

One question for you guys, how have you managed registering your road tow chippers?

I've delayed the purchase of one until 2012 when the new Europe wide regs come into force.

Until then I've chosen to run a CS100 wee chipper and burn alot which is illegal in the summer here.

Although I could get round it all with a tracked chipper on a French spec Ifor Williams but thats alot of investment.

Cheers

Ty

 

I have a UK LDV French registered and tow an old Graveley around. It weighs 748 Kg so as far as i'm aware it doesn't need a ct or registering. I also still have my UK licence.

 

As far as i'm aware i'm all legal.

 

Think you are right there, according to my insurer anyway.

[Ty Korrigan]

I have a UK LDV French registered and tow an old Graveley around. It weighs 748 Kg so as far as i'm aware it doesn't need a ct or registering. I also still have my UK licence.

 

As far as i'm aware i'm all legal.

 

Hey! then your really lucky.

L.D.Vs are notoriously difficult to reregister in France especially as they have sadly gone down the tubes...

For chippers, all trailers over 500kg need to be registered but I'm not splitting on you!

 

Trailers

 

The maximum laden weight (Poids Totale Autorisée en Charge - PTAC) and unladen weight (Poids Vide - PV) should be shown on all trailers, whatever the weight, on the nearside of the front of the trailer or on the draw bar.

 

Trailers greater than 500 Kg (PTAC, laden weight) need:

 

to be registered, hold a Carte Grise registration document and have registration plates (apply at the Préfecture)

a certificate of insurance (certificat d'assurance) to be shown in the front nearside window of the towing vehicle, in a waterproof holder on the front nearside of the trailer or next to the insurance certificate (certificat d'assurance) of the towing vehicle.

 

I'm hopeless at cut and paste...

Ty

[VTS]

i think i need to do some homework to try and find the loop holes in the system.

Do i still get away with it cos i have the UK licence.

What a mine field!!!!

[Ty Korrigan]

Minefield?

I just bought a £4000 trailer that fully conforms to E.U regs and YET cannot be registered in France...

I am...livid, both with the bloody small minded French officials and the manufacturer for mis-representing their product.

I will resolve this even if I have to use Sir Charles Simmons our family lawyer.

Now he is a right B#?!ard...

[Riggerbear]

And we thought we had a hard time over here with vosa etc etc !

I've done a few dismantles for friends around the thiviers area over the last few years while being on holiday, if this counts.

[Breton monkey]

i think i need to do some homework to try and find the loop holes in the system.

Do i still get away with it cos i have the UK licence.

What a mine field!!!!

 

your Uk licence is an EU licence so you have no need to change it.... though if caught on the wrong side of the law, the gendarmes can insist you change it so points can be applied (so they can take it of you affectivly) but otherwise dont worry about it.

 

as for trailer waights, yeah i belive it is a big minefield... i was told that any trailer fitted with brakes(over 500KG) needs to be self registered.... the fact that it is under 750KG just means that you can pull it without doing the extra trailer licence part to your driving licence (depending on your age, you might already have that included)

i got round it with a TW125..... anything over about 3inch is firewood!.... this also stops me needing to take my trailer licence as i have learnt to drive over here.

[Ty Korrigan]

Ah, but how did you register your TW125...?

Was it a French model?

Its over 500kg so requires it own Carte Grise (V5 document)

I have been waiting until 2012 to buy a road tow chipper because of this arse of a regulation.

In France you need to have cycle bars in front of your wheels and a French homoglated chassis, brakes and towhitch before you can register a trailer.

Its a chuffing minefield!

Ty

[Breton monkey]

acturly its not registered, i do need to fit cycle bars but other than that no problems. its built to EU spec and there apears to be no problem with it. i've been stopped at a papers check and after questioning its waight (because my licence doesnt have the extra trailer bit) all the gendarm said was its a nice piece of kit! thye are more worried that you have identical tyres on the axel than anything.

[VTS]

I was stopped about 3 months ago on the way home. they checked the usual paper work then asked if i was registered. (siret on the side of the truck gave it away) I had to show them my business registration paper work aswell, i always carry it with me anyway.

They seemed impressed with the quals and portfolio, i drove away from them feeling pretty pleased with myself knowing that i am registered and the "dave dix euro" better watch out.

[Ty Korrigan]

Morning,

Currently, at least until 2012 there is no single E.U spec.

Britain, Germany and France have different standards.

For France, the cycle bars in front of the wheels, the tow hitch and the distance from hitch to axle seem to be the main differences between the British standards and French.

As for most things, you are fine until you have a prang and then Gendarmes look closer at items such as registration and insurance.

Hundreds of Brits run around in 'illegal' vehicles in France towing unregistered trailers, the Gendarmes (thick as pig **** and just as stubborn) don't always know what they should be looking for, if they did then they would have a field day.

I'm having a cert.con done special for the trailer now at the manufacturers expense.

Now off for a jolly Saturday grinding near Dinan, 12h days 7day weeks at the moment K'ching!

Ty