Drinking & Caravans

[Aardee]

With all the discussion around drinking & sailing, I have a question...

How do the current drink-driving laws apply to having a drink or two whilst "in charge" of a parked caravan??

Before my sanity is called into question I have no great desire to take up caravanning /forums/images/icons/smile.gif. However, it strikes me as a similar situation to the ones being discussed for which I'm sure there is provision in law

Any ideas?

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.

 

[WayneS]

A parked caravan could, just about, be equated to a boat in a Marina/ashore/on a permanent mooring, but it is a very different thing to a boat under way or at anchor.





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[dralex]

I think if the police find you sleeping in your car and you're over the limit, they can charge you with drink driving ( or perhaps someone was winding me up). I suppose if the car is attached to the caravan, it is part of the car. I just say arrest all caravanners just in case. Continuing that logic, most boats won't have a car attached to them ( when they're in the water), so I think we're safe!

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[WayneS]

I think if you are in the driving seat while under the affluence of incahol you are in trouble, def if the engine is running. Again, only hearsay



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[Aardee]

Absolutely. Under way is the same as driving & at anchor is the same as parked at the roadside.

My question was more looking at parked/ moored overnight.

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.

 

[Aardee]

OK...for caravan, read "Motorhome".

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.

 

[dralex]

I was actually being a bit facetious, (?sp), but that is a good question. I suppose the difference is that at present, there are existing drink/ drive laws which could apply to someone in a layby with a caravan. It would be interesting to hear the views of someone who knows about it. Also, why are we discussing caravans??????

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[tcm]

Caravans: irrelevant

well, same applies as a car.

But anyway, caravanning just involves snoozing or messing about in a field with lots of other caravans , then next day hitching up and going (very slowly) to another field with lots of caravans and having another sit about or a snooze, and there's only so many caravan sites so they probly visit the same place over and over again, and I suppose there'll be some caravan fixing and filling up with fuel from time to time. So you can't *possibly* compare all this with boating, er can you?

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[Aardee]

Re: Caravans: irrelevant

And the quicker, non-towing cars complain that caravanners are too slow & weave unpredictably, while the slower caravanners complain that the overtaking cars make them rock from side-to-side as they whizz past.

Then there's the spiralling fuel costs...

Not like boating at all really /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.

 

[orion21]

If you are locking or unlocking your car and you've been drinking the police arrest you for drink driving.

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[dralex]

Ouch- can you imagine all the times we could have been arrested eg- I'll just get that CD from the car scenario.


<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[cliff]

"I think if the police find you sleeping in your car and you're over the limit, they can charge you with drink driving "

WIND UP.

Actual charge (I think) would be "drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" not drunk driving as you weren't actually driving - technicality perhaps as I believe the penalty is the same, however even having your car keys on you make you "in charge" or opening or locking a door to get ofr after getting your favourite CD out.

Many moons ago a couple of plods tried it on with me as I staggered out of a drinking establishment, checked my car was locked and tried to find the correct course to set to crawl back to the harbour. After a lot of questions such as "is that your car sir?" "yes, why" "been having a little drink sir?" "yes, why" meanwhile one plod calls for a jam sandwich with backup - like it takes 4 of them to figure out I've had a few and that, yes it was my car - yea right. Anyway they were very disappointed when they found out I did not have the car keys - Old Tom, the barkeep, and I had an agreement, two drinks and no more unless I gave him my car keys (kept temptation out of my way). Could not get my keys back until the following afternoon at the earliest. Now I know the local Plods were having a "blitz in those distant days but to be done just for having my car keys in my pocket seems a bit harsh.

Perhaps we have some Plods in the forum who can give their professional, considered opinion as to the actual law today (seems TB liar and Co. change the law to suit themselves (or their poor delinquent underage drunken children if one believes the tabloid papers)

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Stay put when I hit you!

 

[dralex]

Time to go for a quick sail, fish and chips in Brixham, a couple of beers, then to bed. No driving involved.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[Sybarite]

This is really directed at the stinkies...

John

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[Birdseye]

And Moody owners , of course.

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[Guest]

caravan has no form of propulsion other than hitch up to car .... so how can they be similar ?

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[Wiggo]

There is a proposed law regarding this. The Royal Caravanning Association has proposed a compromise, where slow caravans are exempt, but anyone owning a caravan that can go at more than 20mph, and/or has an electric fridge, or any other form of creature comfort is not.

There is also likely to be a compulosry registration scheme for bobble hats. And not before time, either.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[milltech]

Re:Yes but what about parked \"Motor Homes\"? n.m.

>>

<hr width=100% size=1>John
http://www.on-line-marine.com

 

[OldDevonian]

In my youth I was a regular on the dinghy racing circuit - sleeping in my car most weekends, usualy plastered. The rule was always to get rid of the keys. Normaly they sat in my boat, or if a number of us were having an in-car kip, we'd swap keys. However, the cops never botherd us, so I dont know if this system holds water.

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