Is it legal to drive with the sliding side door open?

[OConnors]

Does anybody know for sure? You used to see old LDV delivery vans whose front sliding doors were often open?

 

[Hotel California]

Legal or not ....
Not clever!

 

[Moakesy]

Wouldn't the door go with a heck of a slam when you braked?

 

[Sandyvan]

Does anybody know for sure? You used to see old LDV delivery vans whose front sliding doors were often open?

A tad close to the rear tyre on a Cali, plus if the table came out of its storage housing

 

[westfalia]

One foot on the side rail and a nerf gun under your arm.
Bell UH-1h stylie.

 

[Digger]

In a crash the structural integrity of the vehicle would be seriously weakened so your insurance would be out the proverbial window. Why would you want to drive with the door open or is it just for cooling?

 

[Velma's Dad]

In a crash the structural integrity of the vehicle would be seriously weakened so your insurance would be out the proverbial window.

Sorry I've said it before but I will say it again... an insurance claim can only be refused if the issue in question (in this case an open door) was a material factor in the accident. So, yes if you got hit in the side maybe, but if you got rear ended it wouldn't be a material factor.

But re the OP, it's legal unless there's a law prohibiting it, directly or indirectly. I can't see what law would directly prohibit it.

However RTA 1988 Part II makes it an offence to use a motor vehicle in various ways that would involve danger of injury to any person, including by reason of the vehicle's condition. But it would have to be shown that driving with the door open created such a dangerous condition, which of itself might not be easy to prove in court and so unlikely to result in an attempted prosecution.

But I'm sure Plod would offer you some common sense advice at the roadside.

 

[T6 CFO]

Does anybody know for sure? You used to see old LDV delivery vans whose front sliding doors were often open?

Why?

Mike

 

[Digger]

Sorry I've said it before but I will say it again... an insurance claim can only be refused if the issue in question (in this case an open door) was a material factor in the accident. So, yes if you got hit in the side maybe, but if you got rear ended it wouldn't be a material factor.

But re the OP, it's legal unless there's a law prohibiting it, directly or indirectly. I can't see what law would directly prohibit it.
The damage would be examined and any pay out could be assessed on the vehicle condition at the time of an incident as the vehicle has to be driven in a normal state or that is my understanding. Insurance companies would use any excuse to reduce a pay out. Think how often courts are now used in RT Claims paid by insurers.

 

[Volkywagen]

Gotta love these forums...how random

 

[Borris]

Why would you want to do that?

 

[Borris]

One foot on the side rail and a nerf gun under your arm.
Bell UH-1h stylie.
View attachment 36624

Is that the new T7?

Crickey they've made some changes!

 

[OConnors]

Why?

Mike

So the drivers could jump in and out quickly to deliver or why on a Cali?

In a crash the structural integrity of the vehicle would be seriously weakened so your insurance would be out the proverbial window. Why would you want to drive with the door open or is it just for cooling?

do you know that for a fact or is it an assumption?

 

[OConnors]

I do it quite a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it in a town centre or a fast road. It really freshens the van up. Bloody windy though. Gets rid of smells like wet dog and when people have cooked kippers for breakfast plus every single speck of dust from every possIble crevice. It also turbo dries freshly shampooed seats prior to customer drop off. Also why not? People drive with their windows open. Just a bigger version. The sliding door table does get a tad dirty though!
I have asked my police roads policing mate for a definitive answer. Initially they are not sure.

 

[Velma's Dad]

I do it quite a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it in a town centre or a fast road. It really freshens the van up. Bloody windy though. Gets rid of smells like wet dog and when people have cooked kippers for breakfast plus every single speck of dust from every possIble crevice. It also turbo dries freshly shampooed seats prior to customer drop off. Also why not? People drive with their windows open. Just a bigger version. The sliding door table does get a tad dirty though!
I have asked my police roads policing mate for a definitive answer. Initially they are not sure.

Fab.

I'm not a lawyer or a latin scholar, but I think the guiding principle in English law is nulla poena sine lege (roughly: "no penalty without a law").

 

[Pete_Hampton]

I do it quite a lot

I hope that this is restricted to the no-through road outside your company site and not on the Okehampton by-pass! Which, by the way, has been very wet on each of the three trips we've made to you in recent years.

Would a leaf blower, or an industrial hair drier, accomplish the same ends without an unwanted visit from the traffic police.....? Or maybe this suggestion is no fun....

 

[Meoncoast]

I do it quite a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it in a town centre or a fast road. It really freshens the van up. Bloody windy though. Gets rid of smells like wet dog and when people have cooked kippers for breakfast plus every single speck of dust from every possIble crevice. It also turbo dries freshly shampooed seats prior to customer drop off. Also why not? People drive with their windows open. Just a bigger version. The sliding door table does get a tad dirty though!
I have asked my police roads policing mate for a definitive answer. Initially they are not sure.

I find leaving the rear windows works well and you can have both sides open. You get a through breeze.

 

[OConnors]

They are having the same discussion on the Berlingo forum LOL. Inconclusive on there too.
Seriously though you often see people with their boot open AND a often a sofa or piece of wood sticking out too.

 

[Velma's Dad]

I've driven with the Cali tailgate wide open. Although not intentionally.

 

[Volkywagen]

Our milkman has a dispatch and cruises the village with side door wide open

 

[Borris]

I do it quite a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it in a town centre or a fast road. It really freshens the van up. Bloody windy though. Gets rid of smells like wet dog and when people have cooked kippers for breakfast plus every single speck of dust from every possIble crevice. It also turbo dries freshly shampooed seats prior to customer drop off. Also why not? People drive with their windows open. Just a bigger version. The sliding door table does get a tad dirty though!
I have asked my police roads policing mate for a definitive answer. Initially they are not sure.

Does it get rid of the wet dog as well?

 

[Borris]

I've driven with the Cali tailgate wide open. Although not intentionally.

It's not just me then!

 

[andyinluton]

I don't think its illegal , but don't think its a good idea purely because I can't believe the mechanism has been designed to support the door properly in that position, you are reliant on the nylon rollers. whereas when its shut its the lock mechanism taking the weight of the door.

So probably ok at low speed round whipsnade zoo or the like, any more than that don't blame vw if the door falls off the runners.

 

[Bobajob]

It's not just me then!

Err yeah, make that 3.
I just pulled over at the side of the road and nonchalantly shouted “anyone seen thunderbird 4?”

 

[westfalia]

The phantom thread hacker is back.