Slow van

[Paupertas]

Yesterday I was following an old Transit which seemed to have a problem. Any incline caused it to slow - 15 mph or 20mph was the norm. On a flattish road with a good run at it the van could get up to a bit over 25 mph.

Was this van roadworthy being so underpowered?

[airbus330]

If it was taxed MoTed and had no faults that an observant police officer could find, yes its legal IMO. Presumably it wasn't on a road with a Minimum Speed Restriction. There are plenty of legit vehicles I see with limited speed. Farm Vehicles, Plant and other machinery, mopeds and scooters. I guess plod could call it due care and attention if there was something purposeful about the way the van was being driven, but being in a semi broken down vehicle isn't a crime.

[Lootman]

If it was taxed MoTed and had no faults that an observant police officer could find, yes its legal IMO. Presumably it wasn't on a road with a Minimum Speed Restriction. There are plenty of legit vehicles I see with limited speed. Farm Vehicles, Plant and other machinery, mopeds and scooters. I guess plod could call it due care and attention if there was something purposeful about the way the van was being driven, but being in a semi broken down vehicle isn't a crime.

True, but a couple of things.

Often when I see a vehicle with little power that would normally have power (so ruling out tractors and mopeds), it means the valve seals are shot so it loses a lot of compression. And if that is the case there is often blue smoke coming out of the exhaust which would be something likely to cause Plod to take an interest.

Also one sign of a driver being drunk is driving very slowly and carefully. Paradoxically that can lead the police to suspect.

There is also the offence of obstructing traffic if a line of traffic builds up behind and the slow driver doesn't regularly pull over.

[Paupertas]

And if that is the case there is often blue smoke coming out of the exhaust

Strangely nothing, no half burned fuel smell or anything.

It did collect quite a line of cars behind it.

[Breelander]

...I guess plod could call it due care and attention....

Technically the offence would be 'driving a vehicle on a road or in a public place without reasonable consideration for other people'.

https://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/driving- ... -huge-fine

[PinkDalek]

I think the correct wording is:

If a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, he is guilty of an offence.

Assuming this is up to date http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/3 as amended.

[richlist]

* Overloaded/ poorly loaded/ delicate payload.
* Engine in limp home mode.
* Gearbox issue/ unable to select higher gears.
* Unfamiliar with the area...looking for turning.

[bungeejumper]

Limp mode would be my best guess. Or injector/EGR failure. But it's also possible that this guy's fuel tank was running on fumes.

In those situations, Ford diesels will drop down to two cylinders so as to conserve fuel for a final couple of miles. That's not just so that he can haul himself out of the sticky road spot at which his vehicle has chosen to go on strike - it's also designed to shame the red-faced driver into not ever doing it again.

BJ

[tea42]

without reasonable consideration for other persons

IE driving through a puddle and soaking a pedestrian..

[wilbobob]

The driver might have been a hard-of-hearing Pointer Sisters fan. No Nigel, it's slow hand, not slow van

I want a man with a slow van
I want a lover with an easy touch
I want somebody who will spend some time
Not come and go in a heated rush
I want somebody who will understand
When it comes to love, I want a slow van

[thirty06]

The age of the vehicle might be a clue. The driver has had the van from new and always drives like that. There is a green pickup truck in my area that some old chap uses for a milk round. I don't think he has ever got up to 20mph and his driving is utterly random.

[quelquod]

Probably slightly off topic but I once had this selfsame problem with a Ford Granada when the catalyst disintegrated virtually blocking the exhaust. The back pressure prevented engine revs rising far and I drove from the borders to Fife at under 30mph.

Quite off topic now it also resulted in blowing the head gasket and writing off the head so I’d have been better advised to get it recovered than drive it. Ah well!

[Watis]

Was the van in the OP petrol or diesel?

For those of you who were driving in the 1970s, you may remember that some cars were fitted with Stromberg carburetters. These were fine until a rubber diaphragm in the body of the carburetter perished and split. The effect was that the car would not go over about 30mph in top gear until the diaphragm was replaced - an easy job that just required a screwdriver.

Happy days!

Watis