Legal to tow a car with rope?

Is it legal to tow a car to a garage using rope? I've got no idea about the laws relating to towing vehicles, wonder if someone could help me out?

Scroll to see replies

Of course it is.

If it's somewhere local I can't think of any other way, but most people use a solid bar now as there are often issues with rope, either untie-ing or the person behind not being too good on the brakes. Will have a quick search.

Reply 3

Prudy

Yes. It has to be taxed/insured though if someone is going ot be ing the towed vehicle. Have a look here: http://community.channel4.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1766037851/m/5800048864

Reply 4

gbduo

And be quick on the brakes in the towed car, otherwise the car that is towing won't have a bumper left!

Reply 5

Friggerpants

It's very difficult to tow first time though, I've been towed/towed on several occasion, and I found keeping slack the hardest bit at first.

Gotta keep the rope tensioned, or pulling off from junctions etc is a bugger!

Reply 6

snmichaels

Just remember, the rear car must brake for the both of them (within the boundaries of common sense).

Reply 7

Good bloke

snmichaels

Just remember, the rear car must brake for the both of them (within the boundaries of common sense).

No, that doesn't work. The important thing is that the driver of the towed car has to make sure the rope has no slack at all times, and therefore has to brake in close coordination with the towing car.

Reply 8

snmichaels

Good bloke

Are you familiar with the boundaries of common sense? What you've described is what I'm talking about. The towed car should pay attention to the road ahead and initiate the braking, the towing car then brakes too to help. But the towed car should do about 60% of the braking; this is the only way to keep constant tension on the rope.

Obviously things happen and the towing car may need to brake first; in which case the towing car has to be very careful when accelerating again.

Reply 9

Good bloke

snmichaels

Are you familiar with the boundaries of common sense?.

I am, which is why I replied to your post which left the impression that the driver of the towed car should do most of the braking, which is clearly silly and dangerous. Each driver is responsible for braking for his own car only - the towed car should not be trying to stop the towing-towed combination. The towed driver, apart from making sure he does not hit the towing car, has the additional responsibility of keeping the rope tight; he certainly plays no part whatever in braking the towing car.

Reply 10

snmichaels

Good bloke

I suppose this must be clarified for idiots who think that the towed car does all the braking. This is not what I meant. If the two drivers don't realise this, they shouldn't be doing it.

Yes, they are both ultimately responsible for braking their own car, but they must also work together. If they both know what they're doing, the towed car will know to brake just before the towing car starts braking, and the towing car will know to wait for the towed car to brake first (within reason!!!). But then they must both brake together until they stop. The towed car must be constantly braking just a tiny bit more than the towing car; otherwise there won't be constant tension.

Reply 11

Good bloke

snmichaels

I suppose this must be clarified for idiots who think that the towed car does all the braking. This is not what I meant.

But it is what you said, isn't it? :rolleyes:

snmichaels

the rear car must brake for the both of them

Reply 12

Charlski

Good bloke

But it is what you said, isn't it? :rolleyes:

Yeah, that's how I read his posts too.

Reply 13

snmichaels

Which is why I put

snmichaels

(within the boundaries of common sense)

I've said it before; I will not be held responsible for stupid people. Hopefully it's clear for them now. :smile:

Reply 14

Charlski

Saying 'within the boundaries of common sense' is very, very vague. I have been both towed and the person towing on quite a few occasions, and I know how it works, how to keep the rope taught etc. However, I really don't understand what you mean by the rear car must brake for both. A couple of the cars I have been towed in are (road legal) 30's cars, whose brakes and tyres are woefully poor. Putting their brakes on either means they get dragged with the wheels just turning stiffly anyway, or that the wheels lock up and the car STILL gets dragged anyway.

Reply 15

Good bloke

snmichaels

Which is why I put

I've said it before; I will not be held responsible for stupid people. Hopefully it's clear for them now. :smile:

It would not have been unclear in the first place if you had not posted needless and misleading advice. The post above yours had already pointed out the need to keep the rope taut, without misleading any newcomer to towing. Just because someone has not towed before and consequently doesn't know how to do it effectively does not mean they are stupid, so there is no need to be abusive like that.

Reply 16

Tofufi

Just a quick tip - when you get to a junction, make sure you don't run the rope over with your wheels.

That can be a bit of a nuisance...

Reply 17

JC.

Not misleading advice to me.
Thats exactly how I would describe it too. If you've EVER been in the rear vehicle you would know how true this is.
The rear vehicle has enough dead weight and braking power to stop both vehicles if need be.

When coming up to junctions, the rear vehicle brakes FIRST slowing the tow car down and keeping the rope taught.
From the time the towing vehicle takes up the slack to the time the journey ends, there should be no slack on the rope at all.

Reply 18

Minardi

I tow with chain :biggrin:

Mind you, the weights I'm lugging out of holes..

Reply 19

CurlyBen

Minardi

I tow with chain :biggrin:

Mind you, the weights I'm lugging out of holes..

You should see what some of the modern ropes will hold - I've seen pics of a bollard rated to 80 tons folded in half, with no damage done to the rope!