Post Tagged with: "EU"

The breakaway rope is essential for trailer travel, as it secures the trailer in an emergency and initiates emergency braking. Already when attaching the trailer, the breakaway rope is an important point that needs to be taken into account and should be included in every routine. In Germany there are different ways to attach the breakaway rope: either you attach the rope to the specially designed eyelet using a snap hook or you use a holder for the breakaway cable. But how is this regulated in neighboring countries, and what do you have to pay attention to when traveling on holiday within the EU?

The breakaway rope in the Netherlands

Even when traveling in the country of caravans, the Netherlands, a breakaway cable is important for all trailers (unbraked and braked). The breakaway rope must be attached to the towing vehicle or trailer hitch using an eyelet or bracket. In addition, it must also be secured against slipping, so simply wrapping the rope around the ball rod of the trailer hitch is not sufficient. Therefore a breakaway cable holder is required, which is mounted on the ball rod. If your vehicle has an eyelet specifically designed for the breakaway rope, this is also permitted. The Dutch Automobile Club ANWB has also put together all the information about it.

The breakaway rope when traveling in Austria and Switzerland

Although a breakaway rope must be used when towing a trailer in Austria, no slip protection such as a breakaway rope holder is required. Its use is still recommended.
In Switzerland, too, the breakaway rope must be secured against slipping off the trailer hitch, so a breakaway cable holder is also necessary there. However, this is not the case with removable trailer hitches, where breakaway cable holders are only permitted on foreign vehicles. On Swiss vehicles, the breakaway cable must be attached to a part that is permanently installed on the vehicle. This can also be in the form of an eyelet, but this must also be permanently installed on the vehicle and not, for example, part of the removable ball rod.

This is how you use the breakaway rope correctly in Scandinavia

What is important to pay attention to in Denmark, is that the breakaway rope, which was placed around the ball rod, cannot slip off. An eyelet must then be used or a holder must be installed to prevent it from slipping.
In Norway, a safety rope is also required for unbraked trailers. It must consist of two chains or steel ropes and must have a certain breaking strength just like the hook or fastening to which the rope is attached. This must at least correspond to the maximum permissible total weight of the trailer. In addition, the links in the chain may be so short that the trailer hitch cannot function in any way, for example when turning.

The regulations in Spain and Slovenia

In Spain, a breakaway cable is required for braked trailers, but this is not necessary for unbraked trailers. It is important to ensure that a safety rope or a chain must be attached instead. Both can be placed around the ball rod, but the ADAC recommends a slip protection device, for example in the form of a breakaway rope holder or an eyelet on the vehicle.
The rules are similar in Slovenia: a breakaway rope is required for braked trailers, and a chain or safety rope for unbraked trailers. However, it is important to note the following: If the trailer comes off the trailer hitch, the trailer hitch must not touch the ground. In addition, continued travel must be guaranteed for at least as long as it takes to remove the trailer from the danger zone. Here, too, a loop placed around the ball neck is generally sufficient, but a slip protection is recommended by the ADAC.
In principle, anti-slip protection in the form of a breakaway rope holder always makes sense. In some of the countries mentioned, heavy fines are due if the breakaway rope is not secured and detaches from the towing vehicle.

 

 

 

For transporting bicycles, the rear bicycle carrier is above all practical and uncomplicated. But so that your journey goes without problems, you should definitely keep a few points in mind when driving in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

The third license plate is compulsory in Germany

Once your rear bike carrier is loaded, it mainly covers the license plate. According to the German StVO, the license plate must always be visible. In Germany it is therefore mandatory to attach a third license plate, i.e. a replacement license plate, to the rear bike rack. When buying the carrier, it is best to ensure that it has a way of attaching the license plate. You can easily get a third license plate from the Road Traffic Office. The best thing to do is to mount it firmly on the carrier so that it cannot be forgotten. Important: It is not necessary to stamp the license plate.

Also make sure that the lighting of your vehicle is not covered when transporting the bicycles. Since this often cannot be avoided, your rear bike carrier should also have lighting that can be connected to the vehicle electronics via the socket at the rear.

In Austria you need a red license plate

In Austria, too, you have to mount a third license plate on the rear bike rack if your cargo covers the original license plate. The specialty, however, is that you need a red license plate. You also have to pay attention to the lighting on the rear bike carrier, which is already known from Germany.

The load securing and loading of the rear bike carrier in Switzerland

In addition to the third number plate and the lighting, there is a special focus on loading the rear bike carrier and securing the load in Switzerland. The bicycles must explicitly not be wider than the vehicle and not pose a risk to road traffic. There is an interesting special rule with regard to the dimensions: the bike must not exceed the total length of two meters, but it would also be okay if the bike protrudes 20 cm on each side above the vehicle. If you have an accident in Switzerland due to an incorrectly secured load, you will have to pay for the damage in any case. In our neighboring country, make sure to lash the bikes tightly and use all the safety measures provided on the rear bike carrier. Uninstall any other parts on the bike that could easily fall off, such as air pumps, saddle pads or baskets, and avoids the use of a cover. Above all, the latter would also affect the driving behavior of your vehicle.

The speed limit with the rear bike rack

Most European countries do not have a speed limit for driving with a rear bike rack, but you should pay attention to what the manufacturers of the rack specify and you should not exceed these values.

Make sure to also pay attention to the rules for transport on the rear bike carrier in other EU countries.