[Gordon]

FYI:

If a NEW car is purchased after 26th January 2010, then 2003/97/EC or UNECE Regulation 46 compliant caravan towing mirrors will be required for that vehicle and TWO mirrors will be compulsory. See this news release from the Devon & Cornwall Police.

The legislation has changed for new passenger carrying cars first used on the road from 26 January 2010. These vehicles must have rear view mirrors on both the nearside and the offside of the car.
Where the mirrors are less than 2 metres from the ground, they must not project more that 250mm from the overall width of the vehicle (or trailer if wider).

http://www.devon-cor...x?Release=10071

For vehicles build between June 1978 and Jan 2010 the regulations remain unchanged.

Gordon, on 08 February 2010 - 08:15 PM, said:

The law requires the driver to have an adequate view to the rear and down the sides of the caravan, but does not define adequate. Like you Dave, I recall reading something about seeing an object 10metres behind the car, but unfortunately I cannot find a reference to this. The information below is taken from Construction & Use Reg.33, but it's interesting to note that the distance a mirror is permitted to extend beyond either the car when solo, or the trailer when connected is 250mm for new vehicles, where it was 200mm.

An ordinary motor car used on the road after June 1978 must have at least one mirror fitted externally on the offside of the vehicle, and at least one mirror fitted internally, unless a mirror so fitted would give the driver no view to the rear of the vehicle, in which case at least one mirror must be fitted externally on the nearside. These requirements are the same for a vehicle drawing a trailer.

In addition, each mirror shall be fixed to the vehicle in such a way that it remains steady under normal driving conditions and each external mirror on a vehicle fitted with windows and a windscreen shall be visible to the driver, when in the driving position, through a side window or through a portion of a windscreen which is swept by the windscreen wiper. Where the bottom edge of the mirror is less than 2 metres above the road surface, the mirror must not project more than 200mm (7.9ins) beyond the overall width of the vehicle, or in the case where the vehicle is drawing a trailer which has an overall width greater than that of the drawing vehicle, more than 200mm beyond the overall width of the trailer.

The driver must have an adequate view to the rear of the trailer and extended mirrors may be necessary.
RearViewMirrors.jpg

[The 2 Tops]

If you can clearly see the rear edges of the awning rail down both sides of the van, then you have adequate rear vision, and you will not have an increasingly wide "shadow" extending backwards from your van, therefore no blind spot to cause a hazard for anyone intending to overtake.

[BadbackCol]

Gordon, on 08 February 2010 - 10:12 PM, said:

FYI:

If a NEW car is purchased after 26th January 2010, then 2003/97/EC or UNECE Regulation 46 compliant caravan towing mirrors will be required for that vehicle and TWO mirrors will be compulsory. See this news release from the Devon & Cornwall Police.

The legislation has changed for new passenger carrying cars first used on the road from 26 January 2010. These vehicles must have rear view mirrors on both the nearside and the offside of the car.
Where the mirrors are less than 2 metres from the ground, they must not project more that 250mm from the overall width of the vehicle (or trailer if wider).

http://www.devon-cor...x?Release=10071

For vehicles build between June 1978 and Jan 2010 the regulations remain unchanged.

Hi Gordon

Irrespective of new legislation,I own a pair Milenco mirrors that are at least 8 years old and they do what they are supposed to do. Apart from not having a Euro stamp on them they are legal,yes?
If I buy a 2010 car are my mirrors illegal? According to the EU I'm supposed to bin them,however,hands up all those caravanners that have been stopped by the Police/VOSA for a mirror check. Me neither.

No doubt I could manufacture an EU sticker or engrave whatever number is required and nobody will be any wiser.

This is badly thought out legislation and does naff all to improve overall caravan safety.

IMHO A mirror is a mirror is a mirror.

Regards.
Col

[beejay]

If you wish to look into the 'horses mouth' so to speak, here is the weekend's reading

Mirror regs

[jan69c]

I have towing mirrors, don't know if they are EU approved. Don't care they work, if Vosa or the fuzz have so little to do other than check up people like me. Good luck to them !

[osmodia]

I tow a Trigano Rubis with an Octavia II Estate. I don't fit any tow mirrors as I can see clearly down the sides of the van and always see if anyone is behind.
However, I believe there are different rules in France. Is it right you need them anyway regardless of van width?

This post has been edited by osmodia: 21 June 2010 - 05:52 PM

[beejay]

Diagrams of the field of view required by all mirrors. Scroll to pages 29/30 in mirror regs
A Class II mirror is smaller than class III mirror hence the smaller field of view.

It appears the requirement is that the mirror conforms to the regulations but does not necessarily require marking. All vehicle mirrors have to conform there is no distinction between a car mirror and a "towing" mirror which extends the field of view so that it meets the requirements of the regulation when a trailer is attached

So, are you car door mirrors marked? Mine aren't

This post has been edited by beejay: 22 June 2010 - 12:31 PM

[saxon]

After spendind most of my working life on the road driving Coaches/Trucks I've found that the best way forward is if in doubt fit it, as in this case the correct mirrors, your average Police Officer will be so up to the neck in it that he'll be satified you have mirrors, VOSA on the other hand, now that depends on who you get, I always found 99% are human and then all of a sudden you hear the click-click of Jack Boots as one walks towards you, and in a lay bye on your own when you start trying to prove a fair and in some cases valid point and you'll find it's his/her interpretation that Will win the day, And the Police that are usually with them Will Back them. You do have a right of appeal, but for the price of a set of mirrors is it worth the grief of spoiling a holiday for you and the family?
Sorry to sound defeatest But I've been there and got many-many teashirts

This post has been edited by saxon: 24 June 2010 - 08:42 AM

[RogerL]

saxon, on 24 June 2010 - 08:27 AM, said:

After spendind most of my working life on the road driving Coaches/Trucks I've found that the best way forward is if in doubt fit it, as in this case the correct mirrors, your average Police Officer will be so up to the neck in it that he'll be satified you have mirrors, VOSA on the other hand, now that depends on who you get, I always found 99% are human and then all of a sudden you hear the click-click of Jack Boots as one walks towards you, and in a lay bye on your own when you start trying to prove a fair and in some cases valid point and you'll find it's his/her interpretation that Will win the day, And the Police that are usually with them Will Back them. You do have a right of appeall, but for the price of a set of mirrors is it worth the grief of spoiling a holiday for you and the family?
Sorry to sound defeatest But I've been there and got many-many teashirts

I share the sentiment - to comply with legislation I fit, BUT DON'T USE, a towing mirror to the driver's door where it can be adjusted from the driver's seat - the reason I don't use it is because I have always fitted a wing-mounted towing mirror which gives much better visibility but isn't adjustable from the driver's seat.

[beejay]

saxon, on 24 June 2010 - 08:27 AM, said:

the best way forward is if in doubt fit it, ;)

But I've been there and got many-many teashirts :o....................... presumably before the doubts arose?

[saxon]

It's called live and learn, I'm still living and your never to old to learn ;)