Cabin Regulations

[WOODSMAN]

I have read on the forum that to be a "camping vehicle" it must have an internal height now of 1.70 metres/5' 7". (I know in England it should also have a fixed wardrobe - bed - cooker - sink - shower which can be internal/external and a fixed toilet is optional).

The small Dornier and Zeppelin containers are 1.634mm/5' 5" inside so how can this be classed? Do the MOT/TUV people check and measure?

The height regulation makes no sense to tall people as still no headroom unless out of a roof window.

[Feron]

See
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex ... 001:EN:PDF
2007/46/EC Annex 2, under 5.2 (page 160).

Interestingly, the French text, but that's not surprising, contains an translation mistake

In French:
"— des couchettes obtenues en convertissant les sièges,"
In English:
"— sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats,"
In German:
"— Schlafgelegenheiten, die u. U. tagsüber als Sitze dienen können,"

while the English text make the convertibility optional, that convertibility would be mandatory in French.
The German consolidated version is here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex ... 224:DE:PDF

Weiss nicht, ob EU oder ECE Richtlinien bzgl. Mindeststehöhe bestehen, zumindest gibt es gewisse entsprechende nationale Bestimmungen (z.B. 170 cm wo man kocht). Die dienen in erster Linier zur Verhinderung von Missbräuchen (z.B. Umgehung des Nachfahrverbots, Steuerrechtliche Fragen, Versicherungsbedingungen usw.) sowie möglicherweise auch als Mindestanforderungen für Serienwohnmotorwagen obwohl ich vermute, dass für letztere einngenschlägige Richtlinien gelten.
Falls ein Wohnaufbau als Einzelstück für den persönlichen gebrauch gebaut wird, kann ich mir kaum vorstellen, dass alleinig wegen einer etwas (z>B. 168 cm) zu geringer Stehhöhe die Zulassung als Wohnmotorwagen verweigert wird, denn das wäre gegen den grundsätzlichen Sinn der Normen und Gesetzgebungen. Natürlich muss der Aufbau wirklich klar zum Wohnen ausgestattet sein, und nicht irgendwie als Zulassungsvorwand dienen. Probleme sind bekannt z.B. im Motorsportbereich, Pferderrennnen usw. In CH gilt deshalb eine Regelung nach der "mindestens drei Viertel des zur Verfügung stehenden Volumens (inkl. Führer- und Gepäckraum) als Wohnraum und zum Personentransport eingerichtet ist".

[WOODSMAN]

Thanks for that info. So many pages of rules and regulations.

I had forgotten the table and it can be removed. Is the height regulation the same in all Europe as I could not see the info?

[Feron]

I remember that the 170 cm interior height rules applies in several countries but I'm not sure at all if it is based on a CE or ECE regulation. At least some countries have specific rules which are more detailed than 200/46/EC directive. It's also very important to always check the current consolidated directive text but unfortunately the Eurolex website is flaky and riddled with bugs (but why should that be a surprise?).

Personally I consider it as a shame that there are so many gross translation mistakes in European directives, that tells a lot about the seriousness of our eurocrats.

You can still have a look a the "Verordnung vom 19. Juni 1995 über die technischen Anforderungen an Strassenfahrzeuge (VTS)" (available in German, French and Italian language):
http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/c741_41.html

See especially annex 2 which includes a very long list of EC and ECE regulations, even if it's for Switzerland, it's very similar for Germany and other EC countries because most (but not all) technical requirements are harmonized within the EC.

[WOODSMAN]

Vehicles classed as overland/holiday camping must not take "goods" so in the UK now a motorbike is not acceptable but bicycles are. If someone lives full time in a truck it is classed as a "living van" now and taxed/tested as HGV even if under 7.500KG.

[Feron]

Really stupid regulations. Why should it matter if someone lives the full year in his or her motorhome?

In Switzerland the regulation states 1/4 of the total space (which is including storage and cabin) is allowed to be used as storage. I've posted the verbatim text the other day. The problem is that regulation details depend on each country.

[WOODSMAN]

Storage is different from Goods. Hence the line of the law.