Just replied to a post in " Whats the correct speed for towing" thread on the next page.
Started me wondring if I'm breaking the law.
I tow a 1700 kilo van with a Commodore.
The Commodore manual says the speed limit whilst towing anything over 1600 kilos is 80kmh.
I often exceed this, sometimes knowingly, sometimes it just creeps over when I least expect it.
If I travel within the posted limit but exceed the 80kmh that the manual stipulates am I breaking the law?
Your thoughts?, but not confined to Dunco, if anyone else has any knowledge.
I did post in the other thread that a prang whilst travelling at a speed in excess of 80kmh could have the insurance company asking questions.. " how heavy is the van?" "how fast was the vehicle travelling". Maybe thats the way the insurance co can opt out of paying up.
Ross
Dunco said
04:08 PM May 22, 2011
Police can only fine you if you are exceeding the POSTED Speed limit for each State and have nothing to do with what manufacturers recommend.
The reason for this is that there is NO Statute/LAW for manufacturers recommendations, therefore it would not even make it to Court, let alone have Court Hearing.
My opinion for what it is worth, is that the only way something may go wrong for you if you exceed the manufacturers recommendations is if you are involved in a collision and the Insurance company could prove you were exceeding that speed...which would be very hard.
The manufacturer could not prove anything either and that is in case you ever cause damage to your car and they try to say it was because you EXCEEDED their recommended speed limit...very hard to prove on their part.
And to finish this, it is ONLY A RECOMMEDATION as far as I am aware.
Vic said
04:19 PM May 22, 2011
Dunco wrote:
Police can only fine you if you are exceeding the POSTED Speed limit for each State ...............
Except in WA where trucks and caravans are limited to 100 kph by law, irrespective of higher posted speed limits......
Not sure whether any other states are similar....
-- Edited by Vic on Sunday 22nd of May 2011 04:21:17 PM
old briney said
04:36 PM May 22, 2011
I was told by an old highway policeman that there is an unchanged road rule for towing since the 1960's with is set at 80kph (converted from mph)
Dunco said
06:01 PM May 22, 2011
The question was relating to MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SPEED LIMITS...not the Posted ones
However, old briney, your information is incorrect (in NSW) Old Highway Patrol officers should stay that way...old...as laws have changed over the years
And Vic, yes you are correct...what I should have said is the posted, legal, speed limit for THAT PARTICULAR type of vehicle in each particular State as there are some differences. Road trains are 90 km/h in NT I believe.
Vic said
11:11 PM May 22, 2011
No worries Dunco.....like your Avatar by the way....
rosco said
08:50 AM May 23, 2011
Thanks Dunco, and thanks guys.
Ross
Dunco said
09:22 AM May 23, 2011
Is that your new van you're doing up Vic ?
Vic said
05:24 PM May 23, 2011
Yes Gary,
I put it in today to start the conversion, they have a few others they are working on so may take a few weeks. I wanted something I could use for RV use but also for a runabout that was not to big so I could just have the one vehicle (and one insurance/rego/maintenance etc).
I have had a couple of campervans in the past so know what I'm letting myself in for (pro's and cons etc).
PS: Now I'll qualify for one of the public camping sites at the "lake" if I decide to visit for a couple of days,
(Note for others, I am talking about Lake Leschenaultia in WA which allows camping for tents, campervans, motorhomes under 6m and camper trailers but not caravans (exception is the Caretaker)...
-- Edited by Vic on Monday 23rd of May 2011 05:32:57 PM
Hi Dunco
Just replied to a post in " Whats the correct speed for towing" thread on the next page.
Started me wondring if I'm breaking the law.
I tow a 1700 kilo van with a Commodore.
The Commodore manual says the speed limit whilst towing anything over 1600 kilos is 80kmh.
I often exceed this, sometimes knowingly, sometimes it just creeps over when I least expect it.
If I travel within the posted limit but exceed the 80kmh that the manual stipulates am I breaking the law?
Your thoughts?, but not confined to Dunco, if anyone else has any knowledge.
I did post in the other thread that a prang whilst travelling at a speed in excess of 80kmh could have the insurance company asking questions.. " how heavy is the van?" "how fast was the vehicle travelling". Maybe thats the way the insurance co can opt out of paying up.
Ross
Police can only fine you if you are exceeding the POSTED Speed limit for each State and have nothing to do with what manufacturers recommend.
The reason for this is that there is NO Statute/LAW for manufacturers recommendations, therefore it would not even make it to Court, let alone have Court Hearing.
My opinion for what it is worth, is that the only way something may go wrong for you if you exceed the manufacturers recommendations is if you are involved in a collision and the Insurance company could prove you were exceeding that speed...which would be very hard.
The manufacturer could not prove anything either and that is in case you ever cause damage to your car and they try to say it was because you EXCEEDED their recommended speed limit...very hard to prove on their part.
And to finish this, it is ONLY A RECOMMEDATION as far as I am aware.
-- Edited by Vic on Sunday 22nd of May 2011 04:21:17 PM
I was told by an old highway policeman that there is an unchanged road rule for towing since the 1960's with is set at 80kph (converted from mph)
The question was relating to MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SPEED LIMITS...not the Posted ones


However, old briney, your information is incorrect (in NSW) Old Highway Patrol officers should stay that way...old...as laws have changed over the years
And Vic, yes you are correct...what I should have said is the posted, legal, speed limit for THAT PARTICULAR type of vehicle in each particular State as there are some differences.
Road trains are 90 km/h in NT I believe.
No worries Dunco.....like your Avatar by the way....
Ross
Yes Gary,
I put it in today to start the conversion, they have a few others they are working on so may take a few weeks. I wanted something I could use for RV use but also for a runabout that was not to big so I could just have the one vehicle (and one insurance/rego/maintenance etc).
I have had a couple of campervans in the past so know what I'm letting myself in for (pro's and cons etc).
PS: Now I'll qualify for one of the public camping sites at the "lake" if I decide to visit for a couple of days,
(Note for others, I am talking about Lake Leschenaultia in WA which allows camping for tents, campervans, motorhomes under 6m and camper trailers but not caravans (exception is the Caretaker)...
-- Edited by Vic on Monday 23rd of May 2011 05:32:57 PM