Towing

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Wed 25 May 2016 13:41
Towing - hillman

Is there any law forbidding the use of tow ropes nowadays ? I still carry the ropes that I used in yesteryear before cars became so reliable. The last time that I used one was to tow a people carrier from a muddy patch in a National Trust car park. The driver said that there was no chance because the vehicle was too heavy. I told him to engage reverse gear and slip the clutch so the wheels crept, and then towed him out backwards. You can do that with a Subaru.

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Wed 25 May 2016 13:49
Towing - RobJP

Nope, no law prohibiting tow ropes in particular.

I think the law does specify the maximum length of a towrope, that an 'on tow' sign should be affixed, hazards used if possible, etc.

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Wed 25 May 2016 17:27
Towing - concrete

I once witnessed a Land Rover with a steel cable on a reel, mounted on the front of the vehicle, in operation. It managed to pull a small car from a ditch sufficiently to attach a chain and complete the job. Very impressive. My only though about rope is the condition of it. It does deteriorate with age, damp etc. Ropes on construction sites are banned for lifting and pulling operations for that reason. Tested nylon rope or proper strops/chains are used. If old rope breaks then that could cause problems. But if that is all you have then needs must. Cheers Concrete

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Wed 25 May 2016 18:22
Towing - focussed

Milners 4x4 sell a really good quality 5 tonne towing strop including 2 "D" shackles - all made in the UK - really good- I bought one!

www.milneroffroad.com/mitsubishi-japanese-import/p...g

£23.94 inc vat + postage

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Wed 25 May 2016 21:00
Towing - gordonbennet

Towing the old way appears to be a lost art now, if you ever see it done the towed driver almost never manages to keep the rope taught but instead rolls up to the towing car at every junction, hopeless.

Something my mate was superb at and we towed hundreds of miles over the years at st sometimes naughty speeds too because i could rely on him to have that rope taught continually and he would be on the ball.

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Wed 25 May 2016 23:51
Towing - bathtub tom

I remember towing my nephew after he broke down in the rain.

Came to T junction where I waited until there was a massive gap in the traffic and then pulled away. The tow rope snapped with me one side of the junction and him the other. His tyres were nearly flat and did I say it was raining? Pushed him across the road and re-tied the rope.

Got him home and asked why the rope snapped, his reply - "I stopped to see if anything was coming"!

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Thu 26 May 2016 18:06
Towing - concrete

Obviously from the wifes' side of the family tom!

Concrete

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:51
Towing - Dwight Van Driver

Under MV (Con and Use) Regs 1986 it still OK's a rope:

Distance between motor vehicles and trailers

86.—(1) Where a trailer is attached to the vehicle immediately in front of it solely by means of a rope or chain, the distance between the trailer and that vehicle shall not in any case exceed 4.5 m, and shall not exceed 1.5 m unless the rope or chain is made clearly visible to any other person using the road within a reasonable distance from either side.

dvd

(Vote out)

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:24
Towing - hillman

I've got two ropes, one I've had for 40+ years and used many times and the other 25+ years and never used. Both appear to be made of polypropylene.

I was taught to keep the rope taught by using the handbrake in the towed car partially on. Hand signals are the key. The two drivers have to discuss this before towing, axiomatic really. When the towing car approaches a stop sign the driver slows down to a crawl and the towed driver stops him by using the handbrake.

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Sat 28 May 2016 21:38
Towing - kwakaman39

Think towing maybe forbidden by law in France (on toll roads anyway).

About 15 years ago i was in a convoy when the following car broke down at the end of a toll road in france. I quickly hooked up the rope and towed them through the toll booth.

Only after doing that we were told by the recovery guy it was illegal. Guess its the same over here on motorways.

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