Vic and Queensland - Police weighing caravans

[bob10]

Check your weights .

RV DAILY | Victoria Police focusing on Caravans this weekend (https://rvdaily.com.au/victoria-police-focusing-on-caravans-this-weekend/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Five+modifications+that+can+make+your+ caravan+overweight+%2B+Motorhome+review%3A+Avida+s +new+Busselton+%2B+Cape+York+Tip+Open+for+2021+-+But+there+is+a+catch&utm_campaign=RV+Daily+EDM+-+31+March+2021)

[Homestar]

So if you read the article, it’s the Ballarat Police saying they’ll do this, so all
good unless you’re planning to travel through there.

Guessing it would be East bound traffic only on the freeway as that’s the only place they could do this where the weigh bridge is.

So mostly people going home on Monday - remember to throw out the garbage, empty the dunny and drop the water from the tanks. [emoji16][emoji106]

[V8Ian]

I'm sure Victoria have portable scales.

[Homestar]

I'm sure Victoria have portable scales.

I was more thinking of where they plan to pull the vans up - there isn't anywhere on the major roads around there that would have enough room for this apart from that spot short of a lane closure and there's no one up on high that would authorise that sort of spend on a long weekend. Vicroads, Traffic Planners and Traffic control on a public holiday - it would kill their yearly budget in one hit. Also, it's close to a Roadhouse that serves good potato cakes and reasonable coffee too and where they always gather for such blitzes.

I might even go for a drive up there this weekend anyway so will see what I can see.

I'm not against the idea at all - I think far too many people have either no idea what their vans weigh, how to load them and how to tow them, or others that just don't care. I always make sure my combination is legal, road worthy and loaded correctly before heading out, but most don't. They'll just hitch up the van, check the tyres if they're feeling conscientious and head off oblivious to the overheating wheel bearing until the hub pops off... [biggrin]

[W&KO]

Also happening in North Queensland

[W&KO]

Interesting they are setting up at probably the biggest amd very popular caravan park.......


The Cairns Road Policing unit will be conducting Public Caravan weighing over the coming few weeks (See below locations and dates).

This is an opportunity for travellers and locals to weigh their caravan and discuss safe towing with Officers from the Road Policing Unit.

This educational initiative is aimed at reducing road trauma in Far North Queensland.

Fruit Bat Truck Pads, Captain Cook Highway, Aeroglen
31/03/2021 - 9am – 3pm
03/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
05/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
13/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
15/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm

Pyramid Truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Aloomba
02/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm
14/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Silkwood truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Sth of Formosa Rd, Silkwood 04/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
09/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
16/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Cairns Coconut Resort, 23-51 Anderson Road, Woree
08/04/2021 - 8am – 2pm

[BradC]

There was a fatal over here in WA a few months ago where a bloke in an LC200 with a van on the back collided with a smaller vehicle resulting in the occupants in the smaller vehicle suffering injuries incompatible with life.

From a liability perspective, it was clearly the fault of the smaller vehicle and totally absolved the LC driver of blame, however the local investigators were at the workshop busy collecting, re-arranging and weighing all parts of the LC200 and van. When queried as to what they were doing we were told they were doing a thorough weight analysis because if the rig was deemed to be out of compliance in any way the driver would be up on manslaughter charges.

Oddly enough, we were there with my brother and his Prado. He's recently bought a camper trailer, and it doesn't weigh up against his vehicle correctly (they've mis-placed the axle and it's incredibly nose heavy). We'd been having trouble getting him to understand the potential consequences, but that conversation seemed to do the trick.

[Tins]

Interesting they are setting up at probably the biggest amd very popular caravan park.......


The Cairns Road Policing unit will be conducting Public Caravan weighing over the coming few weeks (See below locations and dates).

This is an opportunity for travellers and locals to weigh their caravan and discuss safe towing with Officers from the Road Policing Unit.

This educational initiative is aimed at reducing road trauma in Far North Queensland.

Fruit Bat Truck Pads, Captain Cook Highway, Aeroglen
31/03/2021 - 9am – 3pm
03/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
05/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
13/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
15/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm

Pyramid Truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Aloomba
02/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm
14/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Silkwood truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Sth of Formosa Rd, Silkwood 04/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
09/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
16/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Cairns Coconut Resort, 23-51 Anderson Road, Woree
08/04/2021 - 8am – 2pm

There should be more of it. When I'm King it will be compulsory.

[101RRS]

From a liability perspective, it was clearly the fault of the smaller vehicle and totally absolved the LC driver of blame, however the local investigators were at the workshop busy collecting, re-arranging and weighing all parts of the LC200 and van. When queried as to what they were doing we were told they were doing a thorough weight analysis because if the rig was deemed to be out of compliance in any way the driver would be up on manslaughter charges.

It is the same with a DUI accident where the accident was caused by the none DUI driver - the logic is that if they were not drunk they may have been able to take actions to minimise the trumatic outcome of the accident - I guess the same as the example above - if the Lc200 and trailer was overweight, it may have contributed to the severity of the accident even though they did not cause it.

[Homestar]

There should be more of it. When I'm King it will be compulsory.

When does the campaign start mate? I’ll be in on that. 👍

[350RRC]

Interesting they are setting up at probably the biggest amd very popular caravan park.......


The Cairns Road Policing unit will be conducting Public Caravan weighing over the coming few weeks (See below locations and dates).

This is an opportunity for travellers and locals to weigh their caravan and discuss safe towing with Officers from the Road Policing Unit.

This educational initiative is aimed at reducing road trauma in Far North Queensland.

Fruit Bat Truck Pads, Captain Cook Highway, Aeroglen
31/03/2021 - 9am – 3pm
03/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
05/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
13/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
15/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm

Pyramid Truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Aloomba
02/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm
14/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Silkwood truck Pads, Bruce Highway, Sth of Formosa Rd, Silkwood 04/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
09/04/2021 - 9am – 2pm
16/04/2021 - 9am - 2pm

Cairns Coconut Resort, 23-51 Anderson Road, Woree
08/04/2021 - 8am – 2pm

Donut King opens at 2.30pm up there?

DL

[Corgie Carrier]

So if you read the article, it’s the Ballarat Police saying they’ll do this, so all
good unless you’re planning to travel through there.

Guessing it would be East bound traffic only on the freeway as that’s the only place they could do this where the weigh bridge is.

So mostly people going home on Monday - remember to throw out the garbage, empty the dunny and drop the water from the tanks. [emoji16][emoji106]

There is a west bound bridge as well, Gav. It is a little further east of Ballarat and used more often than the east bound one.

The Vic roads guys have been there for the last two days targeting certain vehicles and pulling them in to the bridge. They even had a Toll truck with the tautliner open yesterday.

Didn't see anyone there today as I went past.

[W&KO]

An example that’s popped up on a police page.

Vehicle detected towing overweight load on the Great Western Highway at Medlow Bath.

On Tuesday 30 March 2021 a black utility was towing a trailer carrying another vehicle East on the Great Western Highway when it was intercepted by Police attached to Blue Mountains Highway Patrol.

An inspection of the the towed vehicle revealed the the reversing override lock was engaged on the trailer, meaning the brakes on the trailer were disengaged while it was being towed.

Further, the towed vehicle was suspected of being in excess of the total allowable weight and was subsequently escorted to the heavy vehicle weigh station at Mt Boyce.

It is alleged that the total weight of the trailer exceeded the maximum allowable laden weight of 2000kg by a total of 520kg. The driver was directed to unload the vehicle and was issued with a $464 infringement notice for 'Towed vehicle weight exceeds maximum laden weight'. The offence carries 3 demerit points.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210406/c3baa103fb8af11392cd017508118b13.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210406/7b2503c22bc16bad18fda9b403fe8280.jpg

[Homestar]

An example that’s popped up on a police page.

Vehicle detected towing overweight load on the Great Western Highway at Medlow Bath.

On Tuesday 30 March 2021 a black utility was towing a trailer carrying another vehicle East on the Great Western Highway when it was intercepted by Police attached to Blue Mountains Highway Patrol.

An inspection of the the towed vehicle revealed the the reversing override lock was engaged on the trailer, meaning the brakes on the trailer were disengaged while it was being towed.

Further, the towed vehicle was suspected of being in excess of the total allowable weight and was subsequently escorted to the heavy vehicle weigh station at Mt Boyce.

It is alleged that the total weight of the trailer exceeded the maximum allowable laden weight of 2000kg by a total of 520kg. The driver was directed to unload the vehicle and was issued with a $464 infringement notice for 'Towed vehicle weight exceeds maximum laden weight'. The offence carries 3 demerit points.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210406/c3baa103fb8af11392cd017508118b13.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210406/7b2503c22bc16bad18fda9b403fe8280.jpg

Not the smartest - he has a vehicle quite capable of towing that load, but just requiring the correct trailer. Not having the brakes engaged was pretty dumb too.

[Slunnie]

It is alleged that the total weight of the trailer exceeded the maximum allowable laden weight of 2000kg by a total of 520kg. The driver was directed to unload the vehicle and was issued with a $464 infringement notice for 'Towed vehicle weight exceeds maximum laden weight'. The offence carries 3 demerit points.

He got away with that! About 15 years ago I got done at Mt White weigh station for 1.5T over on the rear axle. I didn't load the truck, but I didn't weigh it either. I think back then it was about $850, I don't think there were points and it was under the offload weight. I got told to be careful due to braking and sent on my way. Needless to say that afterward we went to heavy rigids and weighing. Even then, although the rears were fine after that, the fronts become very very marginal, I recall on the weighbridge coming in 50kg under on the front and then 2 people jumped in for the journey, I got flagged to come in again at Mt White and then they changed the sign and sent me back to the highway again thankfully.

[DoubleChevron]

to get a rating of over 2tons you need 4 wheel brakes with a breakaway system fitted. It would be simple enough to do, but very expensive.

Those cops are being assholes pulliing that over .... Sure we all now the trailer weight will be 2ton, but gee's ..... all the unsafe **** that goes on and they pull that over ???To be honest, that has gotta be one of the safest setups to tow a car trailer I've seen in recent history. The trailer and towcar are more than upto the job of towing that. Not at all like the "1 ton ute towing a car trailer with an old commodore on it" type thing you often see.