How large can they get?

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 20:39

Hi guys, this may seem like an odd question, but does anyone know what the maximum width that a vehicle can be for traveling on UK roads? From there if anyone could estimate the maximum height you could make it without compromising stability, then that would also be very helpful. I'm sorry that I cannot give further information at this time, but the details of what I am working on have been marked as confidential.
Thanks in advance for all help (and mocking, ridicule and anything else that makes me laugh

).

paradigm · 23 Apr 2013 at 20:44

Well, take a look at Clarkson's "camper" van. It was relatively unstable and not all that high

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 20:55

Good point, though his was high off the ground to start with, and had a high centre of mavity, thanks to Clarkson being a moron. I suppose it being a hovercraft would limit it even more?

#Chri5# · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:11

TV Police

On motorways and 'link dual carriageways', loads up to 4.6 metres wide or 130 tonnes will normally be allowed to move without an escort. On other roads, it is up to 4.1 metres wide or 80 tonnes.

No doubt there are regulations for when you need an non-Police escort

paradigm · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:14

Dayzed&Confused said:
I suppose it being a hovercraft would limit it even more?

Just a tad!

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:38

Okay, So my organisation could build a hovercraft with a width of four metres without needing an escort, what sort of height could we make it without it falling over, if we keep the centre of mavity as low as possible?
Please feel free to take the ****, it may well be a silly idea anyway, but from a couple of teenagers with no grounding in reality expecting much else is equally foolish. Am I crazy for taking this part of my warped mind seriously?

Kenai · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:43

Probably taller than you would think but it's impossible to give you any sort of actual figure as it depends on so many things, such as what you would define as 'stable', what suspension set up you were using, weight distribution etc. etc. etc.

paradigm · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:48

Kenai said:
what suspension set up you were using

err...

Dayzed&Confused said:
build a hovercraft

Kenai · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:53

I thought the hovercraft was talking about something Clarkson built on top gear, brain fail

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:53

Kenai said:
What suspension set up you were using,

As it's a hovercraft, I presume that the suspension - if there is any - would be pneumatic?

sovietspybob · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:55

I wonder what insurance policy you'd need to drive a hovercraft on the public road, not least a modded one!

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 21:57

Thinking about it, the controls are so different, what kind of license am I (and the others) going to need? For the insurance, wouldn't the premiums be lower because if you hit someone you would just bounce off the air cushion?

geekman · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:10

Wait, so you're planning on driving a hovercraft on a public road?

Dogbreath · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:11

geekman said:
Wait, so you're planning on driving a hovercraft on a public road?

Yep, I don't think that's going to happen somehow.

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:12

Of course, you can get them certified as road legal.

Dayzed&Confused · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:12

Dogbreath said:
Yep, I don't think that's going to happen somehow.

Why not?

geekman · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:20

Dayzed&Confused said:
Of course, you can get them certified as road legal.

I find that incredibly hard to believe considering their stopping distances.

Dogbreath · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:23

Dayzed&Confused said:
Why not?

Because a Hovercraft can not stop or turn adequately to mix with wheeled vehicles. Even a bit of road camber will have it falling off the road.

alexthecheese · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:24

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=20880

Vonhelmet · 23 Apr 2013 at 22:48

WTF.

Will a hovercraft corner well enough? Surely it's all well and good in an open space but on a public road? You're going to drift into a hedge.

And the stopping distance will be about 4 miles.