Potentially stupid towing question:

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if towing a car using a tow pole does there need to be someone in the towed vehicle to steer and brake, or is it safe to tow with a pole on your own?

cheers
 
Pug said:
if towing a car using a tow pole does there need to be someone in the towed vehicle to steer and brake, or is it safe to tow with a pole on your own?

cheers
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depends if the front wheels are in the air surely ? Otherwise if the wheel are still touching it will put tremendous stress on the tow bar!
 
[TW]Fox;11421951 said:
Someone needs to steer and brake obviously!
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well thats why its a stupid question i guess!

I know A-Frams dont require a passenger, wondered about poles...

but that was my suspicion :)
 
I was under the impression that a towed car on a proper stabilised towing pole/arm is classed as a trailer and therefore doesnt need a driver.
 
Darryn said:
I was under the impression that a towed car on a proper stabilised towing pole/arm is classed as a trailer and therefore doesnt need a driver.
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A pole is just a more stable version of a rope surely? You cant tow a car with the wheels on the ground and no driver?
 
damned if i know. My head says it should have a driver, but if i can get away without then i'd be willing to try.

The whole things a non-starter really tho, as unbraked trailers must weigh <750kg, whereas i'm on about towing a car behind a similarly sized car. its a one-off, and i know its technically possible, for recovery purposes to tow this much, but i'm on my lonesome.

EDIT: that link mentions ABar, which is an aframe. different thing to what i'm on about. Mine is effectively a metal pole (akin to a solid tow-rope) hence why i think maybe a passenger is required.
 
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Sorry, my bad... ive been looking at a lot of towing regs recently for a friend and youre right.
 
As someone said, unless the front wheels are in the air and off the ground (IE using a proper Spec Eye) you really need to have someone in there.
 
buggery arse buggers.

k, as i thought! Have to get the missus to drive me and maybe drive back if any good.
 
West said:
As someone said, unless the front wheels are in the air and off the ground (IE using a proper Spec Eye) you really need to have someone in there.
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Not a question of really, it's point of fact.

It's the same as a rope, but ropes are now illegal so you need a solid (think adjustable/spring bars are illegal too now) towing bar. :)

Nobody in the car, it'll sod off into the back of you or all over the road. You need someone in the towed car to steer and brake. If they don't do both they will likely knacker both cars and maybe others too. I don't just mean running into each other, I mean the stress caused by the jerking around of the pole.

I know this from experience.

InvG
 
No. :p

It's been a while since I did anything with a rope, always use a bar these days any way, so can't remember the laws on it...and don't need to due to having the bar. :p

InvG
 
Pug said:
if towing a car using a tow pole does there need to be someone in the towed vehicle to steer and brake, or is it safe to tow with a pole on your own?

cheers
Click to expand...

Think to yourself. What does the towpole attach to? Imagine if you were pulling it from the same point by hand or by donkey or by specially trained monkey. Would it steer and brake on its own then? Holy crap.
 
Reminds me of that scoob(?) being towed somewhere and them not having the key in the ignition so the steering lock engaged when they tried to turn a corner.:)
 
You most definitely need someone in the car... :p It's harder than you think to tow a car, especially being in the car being towed
 
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