over weight penalties - do they exist??
Submitted: Sunday, Mar 19, 2006 at 21:52
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Member - Andrew W (VIC)
Apologies for those that have read this on another
forum
I have read many many messages on here regarding overweight vans and vehicles and lots of complicated arguments regarding ATM's GVM's and various other acronyms and how hell and damnation (as
well as
police and insurance companies - if there is any difference!) will descend on all those innocent vanners who break these complicated rules.
The question I have is - has anyone personally fallen foul of these bastions of the law - and please persoanl accounts, not i have a friend whose brother owns a pub where someone came in and told them they had met someone who knew of a bloke that was actually prosecuted or had a claim refused.
Reason for asking is that I have had two fairly major caravan insurance claims over the last few years and not once did they even mention weights so I think it is a a bit of scaremongering!!
Reply By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Sunday, Mar 19, 2006 at 22:17
Sunday, Mar 19, 2006 at 22:17
Hi Andrew, I have actually been pulled into a weighbridge to have my weights checked. Happened at
broadford but I wasn't singled out, they were pulling over everything that was towing. I know what everything in my kit weighs and am
well within my limits so it was a non-issue for me. If you read the article I posted HERE, you'll see the following extract...
"There is no specific fine for overloading a 4WD but the driver of the vehicle can be issued with a summons to appear in court where the magistrate will decide if the maximum penalty of $2000 or six months' jail should be imposed."
After reading the article it struck me that all you really need is one coppa who has a chip on his shoulder and a magistrate who's on the anti-4wd campaign and before you know it, your holiday becomes a nightmare.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Bilbo - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 13:01
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 13:01
You'd think they something better to do than checking van weights and 4WDs!
There's people being bashed, raped, burglarised etc, and these prikks are out doing this.
I acn understand checking trucks. Overloaded trucks with around say, 40 tonnes on braod do an awful lot of road damage. Plus it's very esy to run out of chassi stability and brakes at those sorts pf weights.
PS - They could be looking for my Landcruiser though. Hmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,,
"Stop ALL 4WDs immediately" ;)
Bilbo
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Reply By: Member - Charlie M (SA) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 19:38
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 19:38
G/Day All
I am in the emergency
services, and have seen and helped pickup more caravans and trailers than I care to remember. most of the accidents are a result of poor understanding of loadins, weight ect. Some of the ones you see on the road with front wheels barely touching the road and (no mirrors to see clearly behind), No weight distribution hitches, livestock not contained in trailers. All of these drivers should have to be put on scales and would get a hell of a shock to find what the actual weight is. Evan some af the 4wds with heavy laden vehicle and packracks.
Most work on the assumption it wont happen to me.
Cheers
Charlie
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