Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Please note that it is not permitted to have referral links posted in your signature. Keep these links contained in the appropriate forum. Thank you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules

Is it illegal to tow another car with a rope?

  • 16-02-2008 4:28pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭


    I seen two foreign nationals towing a car the other day with a rope along the Tallaght bypass, Is this illegal? In the 80ies it was common practice.


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 9,587 ✭✭✭tossy


    YES!!!

    its one of those little known and little enforced laws,also the towing vehicle must be 4wd.

    You will get the obligatory responses saying im wrong as a guy they know down the pub who works in a rope factory told them otherwise,but this is fact.

    But.....like i said the chances of getting done for this are pretty slim,kind of like provisional drivers back in the day.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭boomer_ie


    tossy wrote: »
    YES!!!

    its one of those little known and little enforced laws,also the towing vehicle must be 4wd.

    You will get the obligatory responses saying im wrong as a guy they know down the pub who works in a rope factory told them otherwise,but this is fact.

    But.....like i said the chances of getting done for this are pretty slim,kind of like provisional drivers back in the day.

    I love it when people say its fact without pointing out WHERE its fact, would you like to point out the exact legislation or point us in the general direction of the relevant legislation.

    The reason I say this is most tow ropes sold by Halfords etc are *shock* *gasp* made from rope....


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    tossy wrote: »
    YES!!!

    its one of those little known and little enforced laws,also the towing vehicle must be 4wd.

    The rules of the road make no mention of either of these "laws"

    (page 48 under towing, if you want to check yourself)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 298 ✭✭farva


    I doubt it, I've towed a fair few cars with a 3 tonne tow rope that I have in the boot. What else could you a car with? A chain?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,570 ✭✭✭Rovi


    farva wrote: »
    I doubt it, I've towed a fair few cars with a 3 tonne tow rope that I have in the boot. What else could you a car with? A chain?
    Possibly, but it would be very hard on both vehicles, as there's no 'give' in a chain.
    Straight and a-frame towbars are great for this sort of thing, but very few people except the vehicle recovery specialists have them.

    I too would love to see the legislation prohibiting towing with rope, but requiring the use of a 4x4 to do it.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Typhoon.


    I remeber hearing ropes are illegal...has to be a tow bar..but..cant point you to it in stone..soz


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,907 ✭✭✭jayok


    tossy wrote: »
    also the towing vehicle must be 4wd.

    Where do people get this info? I think it is this stuff is from mis-information in the pub. Most two trucks aren't even 4WD. The are RWD. There is nothing in legislation that required 4WD.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,812 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    tossy wrote: »
    YES!!!

    its one of those little known and little enforced laws,also the towing vehicle must be 4wd.

    You will get the obligatory responses saying im wrong as a guy they know down the pub who works in a rope factory told them otherwise,but this is fact.

    But.....like i said the chances of getting done for this are pretty slim,kind of like provisional drivers back in the day.
    Typhoon. wrote: »
    I remeber hearing ropes are illegal...has to be a tow bar..but..cant point you to it in stone..soz


    I'd like to see prove of this also. There have been a couple of threads recently where people have said this and no-one has provided proof. If it is illeagal why are all the roadside breakdown kits sold with them?

    I just did a search of Transport.ie and there is nothing came back.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    A mechanic friend told me quite a while ago that it's illegal since 01/07 for one car to tow another. Not saying it's true, but he's not wrong too often.

    Tow ropes are sold in Halford maybe for the same reason telephones with British Telecom plugs on them are sold in Currys, and Homebase advertise "Save £££'s" during sales etc etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 937 ✭✭✭Mr.Diagnostic


    I very rarely do it but as far as I am aware it is not illegal. I too would like to see a link to the legislation that shows it to be “fact”


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 6,468 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    My understanding is that since 2005/2006 ropes can be used for 'recovery' of a vehicle (off the road, etc...) but a solid tow bar or A-frame must be used on the road.

    Having being towed from Waterford to Carlow on a short (getting-shorter) tow rope, I fully agree...


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,812 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    JHMEG wrote: »
    A mechanic friend told me quite a while ago that it's illegal since 01/07 for one car to tow another. Not saying it's true, but he's not wrong too often.

    So you heard 07, 10-10-20 says 05/06. I'll post a link to this in the Emergency Services fourm and ask the Gardai.
    Tow ropes are sold in Halford maybe for the same reason telephones with British Telecom plugs on them are sold in Currys, and Homebase advertise "Save £££'s" during sales etc etc.

    They don't just sell them in English chain stores:D

    Edit.

    Here is the thread from emergengy services.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55157974#post55157974


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 2,957 Mod ✭✭✭✭macplaxton


    It depends on a lot of things....

    ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF VEHICLES) REGULATIONS 2003

    Is probably a piece of legislation worth deciphering.

    Of interest is the definition of drawbar:

    “drawbar” means any drawbar, chain or other towing device and includes any special fitting for the attachment of such drawbar, chain or towing device;

    So is a rope classed as an "other towing device"?

    Was the vehicle being towed as a consequence of being broken down and was it to the nearest convenient place of safety or repair? (Nearest being a very important thing.)

    When the above doesn't apply, a car being towed with any of it own wheels on the ground by another car, for all intents and purposes it is considered an unbraked trailer based on it's Gross weight (which will be considerably higher than unladen weight) and almost certainly over 750kg. Is the maximum towing weight of the tow car enough? Is the driver licenced to tow the combination? A lot of trailer rules would need to be complied with.

    I think the 4wd is not strictly true. It's merely an over simplification because a lot of 4wd vehicles such as Land Rovers have maximum permissible towing weights above their own weight.

    In fact, it's all so complicated my head hurts and for that reason I wouldn't risk trying to attempt it in the first place other than shifting something a few hundred metres in an emergency. So considering the above, and assuming a lot of things - it probably was illegal.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭green123


    a mechanic also told me that he cant tow cars with a rope anymore because its illegal .
    he said a solid bar must be used now ,
    and like JHMEG said earlier he is rarely wrong


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,772 ✭✭✭meathstevie


    If the rules changed recently ( less than 1 year ago ) I couldn't confirm either but if they haven't changed than the situation is as follows. There's no rules stating that you can't tow a car on a public road except on a motorway where you can tow only as far as the next exit unless the drawing vehicle is a properly equiped recovery vehicle like for example the AA vans with the special built in/on towing equipment.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,468 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    An a-frame is sufficient here for motorway use. It attaches to the tow-bar or the drawing vehicle and then to the subframe of the towed car. Frequently can be found with a method of controling the brakes of the towed car also.

    http://www.towingaframe.co.uk/

    Anyhow, the reason I said 05/06 was that I picked up a tow-bar in Aldi (for €9) just after the legislation changed (or so I believe) and it has served me well since. It's only pulled the tow-eye out of TWO cars since - one a 309 GTi... doh. ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    green123 wrote: »
    a mechanic also told me that he cant tow cars with a rope anymore because its illegal .
    he said a solid bar must be used now ,
    and like JHMEG said earlier he is rarely wrong
    I have seen these telescopic solid tow bars for sale in Lidl, there is no warning on them that they must only be used with a 4x4. Im sure most of these rules are europeen compliant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    leaving all legality issues aside:

    Anyone with two brain cells to rub together must realise that towing with a rope is risky and not particularly safe.

    I've done it many times, but never any further than a few miles to the next garage or back home and would never dream of towing a car with a rope over long distances or at any significant speed, never mind on motorways.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20 hylandrecovery


    I can confirm as a professional recovery operator that it is in fact ILLEGAL to tow a vehicle with a rope (unless of course you're just clearing a blockage on a road ie tow for 100 metres). I took the step of ringing Naas Garda station the other week and they said that it is an offence, calling it " driving without due care and consideration for other road users". However towing with a "straight bar" is perfectly legal. Hope this clears up the confusion.:)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,805 ✭✭✭✭Gary ITR


    Don't bump ancient threads. Thanks


  • Advertisement
This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement