Breakaway Cable Attachment in Holland

MM....To clarify, originally I was (am)using the Alko breakaway cable with clip..... part no SKU 1220984 (see Alko link above).

This was directly attached to the dedicated fixing point on the tow bar. (not looped as required by the 'sacrificial' type of cable.) The inspector would not accept my argument regarding the difference between breakaway cables and insisted any cable needs to be looped, not around the tow ball...but through a Karabiner fitted to the dedicated fixing point.. (The one he fitted in the photo)

In fairness to the gentleman, who was very courteous and understanding , his English was about as good as my Dutch so we were batting from a very difficult wicket..

I can see this ending up in the ECJ..

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

That's the type I have now fitted GTP and as far as I can see you have totally complied.

The point I was making is, that if my understanding is correct, it is not this end that fails after the brake is pulled on but the caravan end. Personally I think even the old clip, directly attached rather than looped would do the job. Although accept that is not what it is designed for. 

Why when there is a good  quality carabiner on the end of the cable the officer thinks it is a good idea to introduce yet another linkage is beyond me.

The towbar on my car has dedicated anchorage point for the breakaway cable, but the hole is too small to allow a carabiner to pass through and loop back on itself. It can only be clipped directly.

The towbar on my car has dedicated anchorage point for the breakaway cable, but the hole is too small to allow a carabiner to pass through. It can only be clipped directly.

Likewise.

so, if there is no attachment point is looping the cable around a detachable tow ball legal or even advisable?

UK touring here

Exactly..which is why I use the Alko cable specifically designed for direct attachment...but as i said earlier, the inspector wasn't having any of it...

lesson here is....if you intend to tow in Holland, buy a karabiner and fit to fixing point (as in photo above) and loop your breakaway cable through that. No matter what , never , ever...loop around tow ball, in Holland that is...

I'm off to France shortly for 6 weeks...I will use the above method and see if i have any problems with the French...

happy caravanning

Below is the advice that the club received and passed on to members some years ago.  Perhaps time for the club to contact the Dutch authorities again.

 

 

From: Hazel Havell <Hazel. Havell@caravanclub. co. uk>
To: . ........
Sent: Wednesday, 3 April 2013, 10:25
Subject: RE: Netherlands Break Away Cable
Hello Mr . .......
Thank you very much for your recent enquiry. I contacted the ANWB back in 2007 regarding this issue, below is a copy of my “conversation”:
My name is Hazel Havell and I am the Travel Service Information Officer
at the Caravan Club, I was passed your e-mail address from Sebastien
Brilli. Please would it possible for you to confirm whether it is
illegal in Holland for a person to wrap a brake cable around a tow ball?
And am I correct that if they are stopped by the Police and the
brake-away cable is not clipped to a fixed point on the tow bar they can
incur an on the spot fine of 30 Euros?
Clarification on this would really be appreciated
Hazel Havell
Hello Hazel
Yes, it is illegal in Holland to wrap the brake cable around the tow
ball. The fine is EUR 130,- instead of EUR 30.
Maarten Dorpema
Hello Maarten,
Sorry to bother you again but this answer has raised even more questions! Is the non-compliance of this law applicable to cars and caravans that are registered in the U. K? Here in the U. K it is not illegal to loop the break cable around the tow bar, in fact some manufactures recommend this option, we have a member who has a BMW with a swan neck tow bar that does not have a designated attachment point so his only option is to wrap it around the neck of the tow ball. If he were stopped by the police would he be fined? Once he has paid this fine can he continue on his way and if he is stopped 1 week later can he be fined again?
Hazel
Dear Hazel,
The rule concerning the break cable is part of the legislation concerning the equipment and requirements of cars and trailors. This legislation does not hit foreign cars and trailors.
Because this particular rule is so close to the rules concerning the use of the car, the question is whether every police officer knows the difference between these rules which do not affect foreign cars and the traffic rules, which are valid for all users of the road.
Maarten Dorpema
So to clarify, there is a rule in Holland that a brake cable cannot be wrapped around a tow bar, however, this rule is only specific to cars/trailers registered in Holland, the rule does not apply to vehicles registered in the UK, however, the local police might not know their own rules!
I have to say that since 2007 I have not received feedback from any other members reporting issues with a break-away cable in Holland, and I would hope that you do not encounter any problems either.

Another piece of info

https://www.how-to-towbar.com/2017/the-breakaway-cable-in-germany-the-netherlands-and-switzerland/