General Weight limits

[RichDoblo120]

Following on from the possible problems with speed limits, I've noticed some signs recently that effectively ban Doblos on some roads, and not just the vans!
I've seen a few villages where 2t weight limit signs have been put up to stop lorries driving through.
Instead of using a sign like this;

They've used this type of sign (but without the weak bridge bit)

This sign, if it says 2t, bans all vehicles over 2t, which includes some Doblos. I think it might be a mistake by the local council but these type of signs are becoming more common. It only takes one really keen traffic cop and you'd get done.
I was driving through Wiltshire recently and saw this type of sign in a village. It said '2t except buses and coaches'. So it's ok to drive a 20t coach through their village but not a Doblo? Of course I ignored it.
(I've just noticed a mistake on these signs. They've used a capital 'T' which refers to imperial Tons. A small 't' means metric tonnes, although they are roughly the same. Have a look at this link. Am I an anorak or what?)

 

[TwyRob]

(I've just noticed a mistake on these signs. They've used a capital 'T' which refers to imperial Tons. A small 't' means metric tonnes, although they are roughly the same. Have a look at this link. Am I an anorak or what?)

Perhaps they mean imperial? In that case no problem, right?

 

[RichDoblo120]

Perhaps they mean imperial? In that case no problem, right?

I think you're right google calculator

 

[TwyRob]

So no worries then! If a bright eyed, bushy-tailed, jobsworthy of a police officer stops you for it, just point at the sign and tell him that it states imperial tons! Mind you, they might not know what imperial is. I struggle with it.

 

[Ozzie1989]

All passenger versions of the Doblo reside just under the 2ton gross vehicle weight limit anyway... some of the van versions are over 2ton... anything over 2ton also limits you to 60mph on the dual carriageways.

 

[Hellcat]

2 ton/tonne limit?

Most passenger cars are creeping towards 2 tonne! My Bravo isn't a large car and it's the heavy side of 1300Kg! What bridge can be safe for coaches but not a 2 tonne car? Sounds like the local council are trying to bend the rules to force vans out - hope someone challenges their signs.

 

[RichDoblo120]

All passenger versions of the Doblo reside just under the 2ton gross vehicle weight limit anyway... some of the van versions are over 2ton... anything over 2ton also limits you to 60mph on the dual carriageways.

The multijet Family is 2030kg, I've checked under the bonnet.
It's not restricted to 60mph on dual carriageways as it's not a commercial but it would be restricted in a 2t weight limit zone if the sign doesn't have the picture of a lorry on it.

 

[Ozzie1989]

Sorry Rich you've refreshed my memory on the matter now

We still have no conformation that the Doblo is not classed as a 'Car Derived Van' or similar, but in all fairness it is safe to say it's classed as a Car.

 

[TwyRob]

Doblos are not Van Derived Cars as they are built and sold as MPVs from new. It is also an MPV on the V5c documents. A Van Derived Car would be converted, surely? ("Don't call me Shirley!")

Seeing as it says MPV on my documents I think I would be ok legally.

 

[RichDoblo120]

Doblos are not Van Derived Cars as they are built and sold as MPVs from new. It is also an MPV on the V5c documents. A Van Derived Car would be converted, surely? ("Don't call me Shirley!")

Seeing as it says MPV on my documents I think I would be ok legally.

But the weight limit signs I was talking about apply to all vehicles.

 

[TwyRob]

Indeed they do. I was referring to Ozzies comment.

I don't think we should really be worrying about this. No-one is going to have such an encyclopeadic knowledge of cars to realise that the 7 seater is over 2 tonnes while the 5 seater is under (except a Doblo owner who read the manual studiously/this thread). Any police officer or whatever wont look twice at a passenger version Doblo, or cargo probably.

My Doblo will easily carry over two tonnes with the suspension that it's got, yet there is no modification listed on V5C or on any plated carrying capacities. I'm not worried at all.

When it comes to speeding it is only the cargos that are affected (thankfully), as mentioned by several people before. I think that there is some confusion over what is being said because the "2tonne debate" was had regarding speeding before.

 

[TwyRob]

In all of the threads about the weight of the car there seems to be alot of confusion about imperial/metric ton(ne)s. Perhaps we should just use tonnes and be careful, for more senior members, (LOL) that we don't write ton. It really is very confusing when people refer to the Doblo as being under 2 tons in one sentance and under 2 tonnes in the next. They mean two different things!

Sorry to rant guys but I'm sure that half of the confusion would be prevented by sticking to one and remembering which one, I realise some rules and signs are in imperial tons but, when saying how heavy the car is, it's just confusing.

 

[RichDoblo120]

It's quite funny that the sort of quaint villages where these 2 tonne and even 1.5 tonne signs are appearing are probably put there because of pressure from residents groups complaining about HGVs, and these same residents probably drive Range Rovers or similar huge 4x4s which weigh alot more than 2 tonnes. Now they can't legally drive up to their own front gate.

 

[Obadiah]

As a 'more senior member' I am not at all confused about tons and tonnes! There is, after all, a mere 40lbs difference!

 

[sludgeguts]

As a 'more senior member' I am not at all confused about tons and tonnes! There is, after all, a mere 40lbs difference!

40lbs?
I $h!t 40lbs

 

[Hellcat]

I don't think you'd notice 40lbs if it was parked on your foot.

 

[TwyRob]

As a 'more senior member' I am not at all confused about tons and tonnes! There is, after all, a mere 40lbs difference!

I was joking about the "senior member" bit. Don't be offended! Just don't understand all the confusion is all.

 

[RichDoblo120]

I thought I was on to something regarding speed limits for Doblo cargos with all this talk of tonnes and Tons.
The cargo weighs 2.010 tonnes which is 1.978 Tons (google calculator)
but the highway code says car derived vans over '2 TONNES' must not exceed 60mph on a dual carriageway. They can't be caught out that easily
If you can find it written as 'Tons' or using a capital 'T' (which specifically refers to imperial Tons) then you've got them

 

[sludgeguts]

I thought I was on to something regarding speed limits for Doblo cargos with all this talk of tonnes and Tons.
The cargo weighs 2.010 tonnes which is 1.978 Tons (google calculator)
but the highway code says car derived vans over '2 TONNES' must not exceed 60mph on a dual carriageway. They can't be caught out that easily
If you can find it written as 'Tons' or using a capital 'T' (which specifically refers to imperial Tons) then you've got them

My case comes up next week