Word of warning when towing!

breakemall

I was stopped at a random breath test checkpoint (much to the amusement of my youngest daughter as she knows I do not drink) and the Garda notified me that I would be subject to the "Professional Driver" limit because I was towing a horse box.

Up until now I was not aware of this fact, and I guess I would not be alone?

The limit when towing (not sure if it is just a horse box or all trailers?) is only 40% of the normal limit, so a word of warning to those who like to take a tipple during a day in the saddle before driving might be in order?

greasepalm

or better still dont drink and drive or use mobile phones .

breakemall

greasepalm wrote: »

or better still dont drink and drive or use mobile phones .

Excellent advice indeed and something I would endorse.

But the Garda did not mention phone use (which in any case has no legal limit when hand held) and the point I am trying to make is that someone might think they are driving within the legal alcohol limit, when in fact they are not because of the reduced level in force when towing a horse box.

Odelay

Were you towing with a commercial jeep?

breakemall

It is a crew cab, but taxed and insured privately. Does that make a difference?

st1979

Unless you were in a commercial vehicle you would not be classed as a professional driver from what I read on RSA website. Had you a lorry license as well as car and trailer license. Am no expert so maybe totally wrong

dixiefly

breakemall wrote: »

I was stopped at a random breath test checkpoint (much to the amusement of my youngest daughter as she knows I do not drink) and the Garda notified me that I would be subject to the "Professional Driver" limit because I was towing a horse box.

Up until now I was not aware of this fact, and I guess I would not be alone?

The limit when towing (not sure if it is just a horse box or all trailers?) is only 40% of the normal limit, so a word of warning to those who like to take a tipple during a day in the saddle before driving might be in order?

Thanks for the heads up.

I assume that this applies to towing a trailer, something that I was not aware of.

breakemall

st1979 wrote: »

Unless you were in a commercial vehicle you would not be classed as a professional driver from what I read on RSA website. Had you a lorry license as well as car and trailer license. Am no expert so maybe totally wrong

I have just a car and trailer license, plus the vehicle while technically could be used as a commercial is in fact used privately and insured/taxed accordingly. So maybe in my particular case the Garda was wrong? The only way to find out for sure is if your were standing in the dock, and who would like to take that risk?

But most of the horse boxes I see on the roads are being towed by "commercial vehicles" so the drivers would be subject to the lower limit? This also then opens the can of worms as to whether they should be towing a box in the first place if it is not their "business", or if it is the weekend, or if they have passengers and hence the reason I tax and insure mine privately(another nightmare when you try and seek a quote by the way).

There is also the number of boxes being towed by "soft roader's", "faux 4x4's" and indeed cars which would not be rated for the weight they are towing because most of these are rated for =<2 tonnes.

But all that is a debate for another thread... all I want to do here is give a heads-up to those who might fall foul of a law that I for one was not aware of.

charlieIRL

I always thought the limit was zero when you are driving a commercial vehicle?

I actually gave up drinking altogether 14 months ago for fear of getting caught in the horse lorry on a Sunday morning. I commute to work and public transport is not an option and with 2 kids who are into sports so can't be without a means to get around.

isaos

Knowing that we need our full attention when towing, and despite enjoying a nice drink any time, I would still avoid... not because of the checks, just because of the amount of concentration needed when towing horses. OK, I live in Kerry, and the roads are what they are!