Towed RIB in Newgate Lane Fareham Friday

[Hightower]

I'm betting this isn't a RIBnet member, but this rant goes out to who ever was towing a RIB down Newgate Lane in Fareham tonight (Friday 27th). You need to adjust your headlights mate! Talk about a near miss...

I was completely blinded by your headlights so couldn't see the road ahead net alone even see your bloody RIB on the back of your 4x4 until it was going passed, I must have missed it by millimetres.

But seriously now! Why isn't it law to put some kind of side running lights pointing rearwards/forwards on wider than car trailers/boats, I always thought there was some kind of law governing this. Or is it because the load on a trailer is allowed to be wider? Thoughts please?

[spartacus]

I retro-fitted marker lights on my Indespension Rollercoaster trailer. They lasted a couple of seasons and then corroded, even although all wiring was enclosed and the units were bolted down with a bead of sikaflex for good measure. Upgraded to LED marker lights from this company http://www.shop.lampcar.eu/ They were operating from an Ebay shop.

Great product, inexpensive, and they don't corrode if installed properly. Great for towing as you know exactly where your trailer is (width-wise).

[Markyboyo]

I know the feeling! It's happened to me a few times with cars towing up the hill from the beach down the road. Quite often around here people don't worry about lights on the trailer at all never mind side lights. I always adjust my lights down accordingly when I'm towing the boat after dark. I'm guessing this guy would have probably been going too fast even if he had of had side lights on the trailer.

I've covered the mudguards on my RIB trailer with reflectors and I turn the rear fogs on too as they light up the side of the boat/trailer/reflectors like the red light district. The trailer board has no fog light so its not visible to people behind be as the cars Fogs are shielded by the boat. I'm not sure I have ever seen a boat trailer with sidelights.
This has got me thinking about having some small removable led front bicycle lights that can be clipped onto the mudguards when needed.

[cjj216]

You can get small L.E.D clip on lights called back ups. I bought them to take in my pocket when cycling in case i end up riding in the dark after a puncture, or staying in the pub longer than intended.

I clip them to the boat on long journeys. I`ve had them a couple of years now on the original batteries.

You can get similar ones in Halfords for a tenner a pair (one white - one red)

[martini]

I've got white LED's facing forward on my mudguards, thought it was law for anything over a certain width? I still don't like the fact that the boat sticks out further and always assume other drivers cant see it but at least if they see the extra lights coming towards them, it'll make them wonder what's coming and be a bit more cautious... I hope.

[Mollers]

It's narrow and woody coming back to our place. I try to avoid towing the VM home in the dark, i prefer to leave it in the water and haul-out the following morning. However, on the odd occasion that I have towed home in the dark, I turn the nav lights on for the last mile of narrow lanes. The LEDs are pretty bright, on-coming drivers defintely slow down, probably due to confusion.

[Hightower]

The thing is, most RIBs on trailers that I've seen overhang the trailer mud guards.

I'm sure if I hadn't been blinded by the headlights that I might have had a fighting chance of seeing a wide load being pulled behind this guy. Most cars have adjustable headlights from inside the cab, so just use them.

Is it illegal to use nav lights on the road? I rather like the Idea!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Is it illegal to use nav lights on the road?

No idea.

[m chappelow]

the law used to be and still is as far as i know that trailers with an outer overhang greater than the car width ,think an allowence of 20 cm each side ,, has to have forward facing white lights ,,probley thats why caravans have them fitted ,,
but an exception was that they were not required if the trailer was used in daylight hours and it was carrying a boat ,but it still needed them during nightime use .

with regards to using the boats nav lights on the road in our area the police will stop you ,as owing to the latest regulations certain colours cannot be used at all now ,they have been pulling the boy racers with the blue/ green led lights even those that have them fitted under the car and that have them fitted on the dash as part of the alarm system if it shows from the road ,,any how green can only be used by a doctor on an actual emergency and red can only be shown from the rear ,they have even been stopping recovery trucks that are towing broken down cars whilst using amber flashing beacons if on the move ,,they say that a towed car is classed as any other trailer and unless is very slow or at the scene of a recovery the amber cannot be used on the move .

[BogMonster]

"Sorry officer I must have forgotten to turn them off... I'll go and do it straight away..."

[Rogue Wave]

the naughty man would be better off adjusting his nose weight so that the rear springs could handle the tow without shoving the front of the car up

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

the naughty man would be better off adjusting his nose weight so that the rear springs could handle the tow without shoving the front of the car up

Well I think that was the point of my post. He would have been blinding every car that was coming towards him.

[9D280]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

they have even been stopping recovery trucks that are towing broken down cars whilst using amber flashing beacons if on the move ,, they say that a towed car is classed as any other trailer and unless is very slow or at the scene of a recovery the amber cannot be used on the move .

About bl**dy time too!



There are lighting exceptions for boat trailers, but on a similar theme, years ago I had an overhang problem with the laser -the boat tucked in nicely behind my Fiesta, however the black plastic mudguards stuck out in a "stealth bomber" style-ee. Not normally a problem with other cars - it was pedestrians jay walking behind me in town got the biggest surprise!

[tumbleweed41]

I think that in this country the rules state that trailers over a certain length and width have to have marker lights fitted and where possible reflectors.These rules are for all trailers EXCEPT boat trailers.In europe the rules seem to be more strict with lights being required to be fitted in many countries as well as mot checks for trailers.I have a 8yr old Brenderup trailer for my boat which was made for the scandinavian market but imported by indespension.This has fitted marker lights(2 amber each side and 1 white)as well as a galvanised lighting board.It seems to have been made this way to comply with scandinavian rules rather than uk ones.Later trailers for uk import seem to have been fitted with only a lighting board.
Surely marker lights are a good idea and make other people notice you are towing a boat?More lights and reflectors the better i say.The europeans have the right idea

[boristhebold]

Funny old word, I was doing some research a few months back about overhanging loads on trailers and trucks for a friend, cant remember the exact amount but there is a regulation governing the overhang, if it overhangs by x amount you need some form of identifying markers etc. The regs can be found on one of the government websites department of transport or something like that.

I found it bad enouth with a big trailer in the day time, when I was in fast lane (at 50mph) someone pulled out from slow lane and nearly went straight into the side of my trailer becuase they didnt notice it, so in darkness much worse, yep I feel they should be fitted with lights on the side if towing at night, you could have potentially 12metres behind your car.

[CJL]

White reflectors on the front edge of the mudguards works nicely. Your tail lights and brake lights shine on them quite well so you and others can see them.

Chris.