Consider these points when driving with a rear bike carrier in Germany, Austria or Switzerland

10. September 2021 at 17:07

rear bike carrierFor 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.

Schedule of penalties | Parking with a trailer

24. September 2020 at 10:58

Schedule of penalties | Parking with a trailer

You have to pay attention to this when parking the trailer

How, where, when and for how long is it allowed to park your trailer and under what conditions? What to look out for? All of this is regulated in the schedule of penalties. For example, when driving the trailer and then parking it, you must have your wheel chocks with you and protect the trailer against rolling away when parking. It is also not allowed to park the trailer in the same public place for longer than two weeks without the towing vehicle. In principle, you should of course always park your trailer so that ongoing traffic is not disturbed by the trailer.

The interaction of towing vehicle and trailer

Of course, the connection between the vehicle and the trailer is also relevant for driving with a trailer. The towbar must be in good condition and approved. We take over the approval of our products, so our towbars are approved according to regulation ECE 55 (previously 94/20 / EG) and manufactured according to all valid rules and the latest technology. You no longer need to have our trailer couplings checked and registered at a test center, you just have to carry our assembly and operating instructions with you. This is the so-called ABE. It is not permitted to make changes to the towbar yourself as this will invalidate the approval. However, if you have installed a towbar that has been changed, for example, and traffic safety can be influenced, you must expect a fine. A differentiation is made once again as to whether “only” there was a hazard or even an accident. Even if you drive a trailer with a trailer coupling that does not comply with the regulations or if you allow this as a vehicle owner, fines will be imposed.

Below you will find the graduation for the offenses when parking:

  • Trailer guided, without carrying chocks: € 5
  • Trailers without a car parked in the same place for more than two weeks: € 20
  • Team led with improper AHK: € 25
  • Driving a team with an incorrect towbar approved as a vehicle owner: € 35
  • Team led despite poor connection of vehicle and trailer, which would impair traffic safety: € 135, 1 point
  • In spite of a faulty connection between motor vehicle and trailer that would impair traffic safety, the team was at risk: € 165, 1 point
  • In spite of a faulty connection between motor vehicle and trailer, which would impair traffic safety, the team led with an accident: € 200, 1 point

 

You can find more information on the website of the German schedule of penalties.