Laws with transporting bales on spikes

[Haytime]

Needing to transport hay bales to horsey yards-currently using a 25ft Stewart which is usually to big for their yards. Thought about using a 4 bale spike made by Murray Machinery but not sure how legal that would be as bales are not strapped down/secure. Any thoughts? Had a google but can't find anything about the legality.

Other option is just a small 10T drop-sided trailer or flat Ifor Williams- has to be towed by tractor

 

[Chae1]

why does it have to be towed by a tractor?

 

[Haytime]

why does it have to be towed by a tractor?

Insurance is too much for a pick up & trailer

 

[davidroberts30]

get them to collect?

 

[Andrew]

IIRC You are allowed to carry goods on a loadall or tractor if they’re secure. Nothing to stop you putting a ratchet strap round the fork and bales.

 

[deleted user 837354]

You could not pay me enough money to go taking anything down the road with that kind of contraption. The dash-cam road safety fascists would be all over you.

 

[puppet]

I think those sticking out unprotected would be an issue.
Why is your pickup unable to pull a trailer. The insurance usually covers a trailer and contents up to around £5000. Check your policy

 

[KB6930]

There's plenty of bales still get shifted around the road with spikes you'll need to cover them once the bales are off but fine when loaded

 

[Chae1]

Insurance is too much for a pick up & trailer

Don't think those bale spikes are cheap.

What sort of mpg does your tractor do? Will you need to run white diesel

 

[fermerboy]

You could not pay me enough money to go taking anything down the road with that kind of contraption. The dash-cam road safety fascists would be all over you.

Take a proper look on Murrays website, majority have folding up spikes for when you are returning empty.
There must be hundereds of thousands of round bales moved from field to barn using that sort of contraption up here in the NE Scot where Murray is based.

Police are very very hot on spikes sticking out round here, and most new ones have folding or some sort of cover.
Never heard of using them for delivery, but i suppose Why not?

 

[Boohoo]

I'd go with the small, dropside trailer rather than the spike, you'll get more than 4 bales at a time on it and you can use it for other things as well.

 

[nick...]

Seeing this thread there are lots of people funny no telehandlers about with pallet forks couple feet of the ground.never ever seen em folded up.apart from my own
Nick...

 

[fermerboy]

Seeing this thread there are lots of people funny no telehandlers about with pallet forks couple feet of the ground.never ever seen em folded up.apart from my own
Nick...

Next door neighbour got done, fine and points for driving a JCB loadall with paĺlet forks on about 4-6 inch off the road.

Was at a NFU/police/vosa day and the copper reckoned he'd do you for just having the JCB ones folded back over the frame as they are still un protected.
Did spark a bit of a exchange of views though.....
Be careful!!

 

[deleted user 837354]

The law is very clear about protruding spikes. Whether a policeman actually cares enough to do you for it is another matter.

 

[bravheart]

Next door neighbour got done, fine and points for driving a JCB loadall with paĺlet forks on about 4-6 inch off the road.

Was at a NFU/police/vosa day and the copper reckoned he'd do you for just having the JCB ones folded back over the frame as they are still un protected.
Did spark a bit of a exchange of views though.....
Be careful!!

was led to believe that pallet forks pivoted and pointing at the ground then locked off was ok, is this no longer the case?

IIRC You are allowed to carry goods on a loadall or tractor if they’re secure. Nothing to stop you putting a ratchet strap round the fork and bales.

Dont think the loadall is ok for transport, only the attachment not the load.

 

[fermerboy]

was led to believe that pallet forks pivoted and pointing at the ground then locked off was ok, is this no longer the case?.

Well I thought the same but this copper reckoned that it didn't matter what direction the forks/tines/spikes were pointing it was the fact they were unprotected that was the offence and he would charge you for it.
It was suggested to him that a multi million pound company like JCB would surely have considered the law when designing their fold over the carriage forks, but he wouldnt have it.
He was a grade one idiot though.
Think it just depends on your police force, how hard rhey are. Personally if the projection is folded back and or covered the should be enough.

 

[thesilentone]

IIRC You are allowed to carry goods on a loadall or tractor if they’re secure. Nothing to stop you putting a ratchet strap round the fork and bales.

Are you sure that's right Andrew, I remember a local getting stopped carting a blower in JCB bucket (strapped in ). The Police stopped him and as far as I remember, the taxation class of the JCB had something to do with the fact that what he was doing was illegal.

 

[robs1]

Well I thought the same but this copper reckoned that it didn't matter what direction the forks/tines/spikes were pointing it was the fact they were unprotected that was the offence and he would charge you for it.
It was suggested to him that a multi million pound company like JCB would surely have considered the law when designing their fold over the carriage forks, but he wouldnt have it.
He was a grade one idiot though.
Think it just depends on your police force, how hard rhey are. Personally if the projection is folded back and or covered the should be enough.

Just because a copper says he will do something doesn't mean it would stand up in court

 

[Andrew]

Are you sure that's right Andrew, I remember a local getting stopped carting a blower in JCB bucket (strapped in ). The Police stopped him and as far as I remember, the taxation class of the JCB had something to do with the fact that what he was doing was illegal.

It’s what I was told on my loader course all those years ago. I could be wrong.

 

[puppet]

At a recent course we were told that loaders were for loading not transport. So strictly speaking you should not bring a bucket full of gravel/grain/logs, etc along the road but use a suitable trailer.