Morris Minor Owners Club

Last week I was driving in the dark, and in dense fog. At traffic lights I came up behind a brand new 70 plate van painted in white with orange stripes all over it. It was an escort sized van belonging to highway maintenance or some such organisation.
There was a sign on the back that read "If I stop, can you?" When the lights changed, we all moved off in the dark and fog. I stayed well back from the van, but the van was being driven about 2 feet from the vehicle in front of it. I could not help thinking that the driver should get out and read the sign on the back of his own van!

I saw another brand new transit sized van the other day, belonging to Network Rail.
I was puzzled by a sign on the back that read "This vehicle is restricted to 70mph". "Good" I thought, "Because that is the speed limit!"
The sign seems like an apology to any law breakers on the motorway that might want to overtake the van that is 'restricted to the speed limit'!

Whatever the signage, there is still a caveman behind the wheel.

A sign of the times I have to say.

philthehill wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:47 am A sign of the times I have to say.

Beat me to it

I do find driving my Minors at the old speeds they were intended to is more of a relaxing ride,its the other idiots that see an old car and pull out or overtake you that frustrate me.

On the occaisons when I drive in England and stick to 110km/h as allowed, I am overtaken by everyone who is not in a Morris Minor or a truck.
The official speed limit is , it seems unworkable and ignored .

I believe there are different speed limits for vans in the uk.
On single-carriageway roads displaying the national speed limit sign, vans are limited to 50mph. The same rule applies on a dual carriageway, where the speed limit is 70mph for a car, but is 60mph for a van. On a motorway, a van is typically allowed to run to the 70mph speed limit, the same as a car.

But ask any van driver this and they will be unaware.

Also cars based upon a commercial chassis are still classed as commercial and subject to the same regulations - so you can get caught out as regards road speed limits and as importantly car parking restrictions which do not allow commercial vehicles.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2005/7 ... its/19980/

philthehill wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:37 am Also cars based upon a commercial chassis are still classed as commercial and subject to the same regulations - so you can get caught out as regards road speed limits and as importantly car parking restrictions which do not allow commercial vehicles.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2005/7 ... its/19980/

True to a certain degree, but it's actually a bit complicated.
The easiest way to tell is check the Reg Details online or on the V5C.
if it's an M1 its a car, if an M2 it's a Minibus and if N1 or N2 it's a van.

I found this quite good article about it, https://www.gocompare.com/van-insurance ... ar-or-van/ which concludes:

Different governing bodies have different definitions of cars and vans:

• HMRC has different classes for tax purposes

• Car and van manufacturers categorise the vehicle as a car or van when it’s sold

• The Association of British Insurers produces classification guidelines in line with the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre’s classifications

It can be a grey area. And when you insure the vehicle, each insurer will have its own set of guidelines.

This is my favourite sign on the back of a works van...

philthehill wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:37 am Also cars based upon a commercial chassis are still classed as commercial and subject to the same regulations - so you can get caught out as regards road speed limits and as importantly car parking restrictions which do not allow commercial vehicles.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2005/7 ... its/19980/

Is my Minor Pickup still classed as a commercial vehicle today?

I just wish I could get it up to 50mph, on any type of road!

geoberni wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:56 am

This is my favourite sign on the back of a works van...
Photo-0076.jpg

I saw another good one recently on the back of a school minibus. It read:

"No children are kept in this vehicle overnight"

I didn't have any way of taking a photo unfortunately.

Seen on the back of a septic tank emptying tanker 'You dump we pump'

I have an appropriate one to follow that. Seen on the back of a Transit van, during the panic buying months back.——No Toilet rolls left in this van overnight.