towing a car legally

[marc69]

I have a car that has no mot/tax etc and need it moved 8 miles.
It was put to a guy 5 years ago who said he would put a new front end on it in 3 weeks, guess what, still not done so need to get it shifted.

I think it is illegal to tow a car with a rope but, is it legal to tow with a solid bar or does it have to be trailered?

Although it is only 8 miles it is through a town, past a police station.

[brainsnova]

Along as the person steering it is insured to drive it then it's ok. That's what a traffic cop told me.

[steviegsi]

Needs tax mot and insurance before it can go anywhere near a road mate.

[swedge]

all 4 wheels have to be off the ground if it has not mot or tax im sure

[marc69]

Just got off the phone from the police.

Apparently there are two ways,

1. on a trailer with NO wheels touching the ground.

2. With a solid bar, backboard at the back for lights/number plate of towing car and no-one inside the car. Essentially the car becomes a trailor itself.

I called the police station it will be passing so it is there own information if they do stop me. I wouldn't be surprised if the police vary this policy from place to place!

Thanks everyone for thier advice

[Jack]

Aside from the tax/mot/insurance thing, I'm pretty sure the "is a rope legal" question has come up before and I thought it turned out it was just a myth.

But if the local fuzz has said you need a solid bar, probably best to stick with that to avoid hassle. Mind you...

no-one inside the car. Essentially the car becomes a trailor itself.
So who steers/brakes the fecking thing then! Eejits :tard: I assume they mean using a dolly rather than bar.

[Dave.]

How do trucks with a spec lift/second car lift get around this then?

Its a grey area i reckon, at the end of thed ay the rope/bar could de-tatch from said vehicle and hit a parked car, pedestrian or property etc, so can see it needed insurance, tax possibley as itll be on a public highway as its not a trailer... and mot because of the fact its still moving on the road and needs to stop itself, indicate etc

We had to tow someone off the motorway the other day, my little Nova managed to pull a Clio off the M62, iw asnt driving though as was highly dangerous and illegal but could not be left where it was (on a uphill entry slip road in a live lane), a mile on the hard shoulder at 30mph, 8 miels however is puching your luck as they say

[swedge]

dollys and the lift thing you see on the back of trucks are only allowed to be used in an emergency i.e. stuck on the motorway

once you get it off the motorway your supposed to put it on a trailer or something else that the wheels are off the ground

[bai1ey]

by the sounds of it you will need a A frame buddy but i was always under the understanding you could only use them in emergancys. but that is the only solid bars you can use to turn a car into a trailor.

[swedge]

by the sounds of it you will need a A frame buddy but i was always under the understanding you could only use them in emergancys. but that is the only solid bars you can use to turn a car into a trailor.

depending on how leniant your police were id use a dolly or borrow a trailer

dollys are only supposed to be used in emergencys but ive used one to move cars before

[davidfox280585]

just ring somebody local with a truck,if i was local id charge £20 to collect and deliver on the back of my recovery,not worth the hassle imo