laws regarding the use of rc cars?

[delsol]

Are there any laws stating where you can or cannot use r/c cars? i am aiming more at nitro and petrol cars due to the noise levels?

was just curious to see if there were any bylaws prohibiting their use in public parks (like playing fields etc etc)and local nature trusts?

been googleing for ages and all i can find is some article about a guy that ran into a 4 year old and broke his leg with his nitro, it seems to suggest there are no laws governing the use of the cars?

would digging up a playing field with spike tyres fall under vandalism? i know having a petrol thats super loud can get you done for noise pollution (esp during certain hours of the morning/evening)

cheers

[adolf hamster]

in my opinion the best way is not to annoy people, as long as you act sensibly and politely its fine. i find people tend to be more interested than annoyed at me, thats ni for ya

[Si Coe]

AFAIK there are no specific national laws covering them. Its possible some places ban them by name under the local bye-laws though critically to be legally enforcable bye-laws must be visibly posted around the area they apply too (normally parks and common land). They are normally at the entrances, though not every entrance so look around. One thing to watch out for is the 'no use of motorised vehicles' clause designed to stop people using dirt bikes - I've never heard of anyone prosecuted for driving an RC car under that clause, but my lawyer neighbor reckons it could be used, especially for nitro or petrol.

Otherwise noise/nuisance laws are the main one to worry about. The big area to watch here is that you don't follow a pattern - if you occasionally drive your truck in the park, thats OK, but if every Sunday at exactly 11am you fire up your nitro engine, thats a nuisance, because its repeated. Bloody stupid but thats how the law works.....

[adolf hamster]

i'm not sure about the 'motorised vehicle' as surely an rc isn't actually a vehicle as no person is on it?

A vehicle (Latin: vehiculum) is a mechanical means of conveyance, a carriage or transport

there you go, don't think an rc transports anyone

[Nitro Tool]

in my opinion the best way is not to annoy people, as long as you act sensibly and politely its fine. i find people tend to be more interested than annoyed at me, thats ni for ya

Note to Self Adolf does not like to Annoy people lol !

I dont think its Laws re RC CArs just Noise maybe this will help

http://www.environme...oise-pollution/

[Si Coe]

Well it seems it can include pretty much anything that can move under its own power, but actually its even more flexible than that. People have been arrested for using petrol mowers (not the sit on type either) after a few too many beers under the 'drunk in charge of a motorised vehicle' clause so it can basically mean whatever they want it too.

[moorlander]

Section 59 of The Police Reform Act - ''anti social behaviour.''

if you cause a nuisance or are anti social in your actions then the Police can intervene and sieze your equipment and take you to court.

[moorlander]

AFAIK there are no specific national laws covering them. Its possible some places ban them by name under the local bye-laws though critically to be legally enforcable bye-laws must be visibly posted around the area they apply too (normally parks and common land). They are normally at the entrances, though not every entrance so look around. One thing to watch out for is the 'no use of motorised vehicles' clause designed to stop people using dirt bikes - I've never heard of anyone prosecuted for driving an RC car under that clause, but my lawyer neighbor reckons it could be used, especially for nitro or petrol.

Otherwise noise/nuisance laws are the main one to worry about. The big area to watch here is that you don't follow a pattern - if you occasionally drive your truck in the park, thats OK, but if every Sunday at exactly 11am you fire up your nitro engine, thats a nuisance, because its repeated. Bloody stupid but thats how the law works.....

the local authorities use their own byelaws to enforce use of local parks etc. I had a major problem using a nitro boat on a lake near to the leeds and bradford airport. I didnt use it on a day when there were people fishing, i didnt use it when the sailing club were in action. But I was approached by a council warden who claimed i was cuasing a noise pollution problem, bearing in mind I couldnt hear him speak due to the 757 taking off aprox 1/4 a mile away !!! He stated he would report me if i did not stop using the boat. I asked to see a copy of the byelaws and asked him where the prohibition notices were placed around the park - unable to answer he then responded by sayiing he would call the police as myactions were anti social.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I left but made a point of contacting the recreation dept of leeds council who sent me a 30 page document ( byelaws which on one of the pages stated that internal combustion engines were not permitted but did not specify model engines..........another e-mail to rec- dept who responded by pointing out that any action deemed to be anti social would then fall under the byelaws !!!!! what a cop out !!

the bod at the council statd that he did not wish to spoil my enjoyment and could not stop me using my boat ( responsibly ) but that at any time someone maycomplain due to the noise pollution etc ( next to an airport is taking the p*** )

so my advice is to find a car park / field ( talk to farmer ) and use that , but prepared to move on when asked and dont spoil it for everyone else.

Edited January 3, 2010 by moorlander

[moorlander]

does that make sense ??????????

[moorlander]

Well it seems it can include pretty much anything that can move under its own power, but actually its even more flexible than that. People have been arrested for using petrol mowers (not the sit on type either) after a few too many beers under the 'drunk in charge of a motorised vehicle' clause so it can basically mean whatever they want it too.

The Road Traffic act does not apply to model rc cars of any size. Only vehicles you can either ride on or ride in ......

The Police Reform Act section 59 DOES APPLY !! so be careful:good:

[Nitro Tool]

I think it does ! Bit of a shame it has to be like that though eh but i think sometimes some people that are silly with it spoil it for the people that are really considerate to others x

[adolf hamster]

Note to Self Adolf does not like to Annoy people lol !

o rly

I left but made a point of contacting the recreation dept of leeds council who sent me a 30 page document ( byelaws which on one of the pages stated that internal combustion engines were not permitted but did not specify model engines..........another e-mail to rec- dept who responded by pointing out that any action deemed to be anti social would then fall under the byelaws !!!!! what a cop out !!

well seeing as model engines are technically internal combustion then that would apply, however electric cars would defo be immune.

as for the anti social behaviour this seems to be a big topic for the law, as i say don't annoy people then you'll be fine.

edit: and i agree with nitro tool's last post, some people do just spoil things, its a pity because i'm sure were all a sensible bunch

Edited January 3, 2010 by adolf hamster

[TerrorTrooper]

moorland.

Thats pretty much what i found out after being thrown out of a local park by a Warden.

Thankfully, the local wardens were politer and more approachable than yours by the sounds of it, but it basically came down to complaints, or rather avoiding them..

Generaly though, like you say, if approached and asked to move, either politely or not, the best thing to do is bite your tounge and move along as to not cause an issue..

As, despite the legality of it, a park free or Internal Combustions RC's will win in any police, or council oppinion,

[Si Coe]

The Road Traffic act does not apply to model rc cars of any size. Only vehicles you can either ride on or ride in ......

The Police Reform Act section 59 DOES APPLY !! so be careful:good:

Whilst I'm sure you are right, try driving a Baja drunk in a busy park on a sunny Sunday afternoon and see if they only charge you for Anti-social behaviour!

[TerrorTrooper]

Bit of a shame it has to be like that though eh but i think sometimes some people that are silly with it spoil it for the people that are really considerate to others x

Yeah, your right there Leonie, there are several people, even some here:whistling:, who seem to think its a good idea to be rude to people to ask us to move along.

They just dont see the bigger picture. and dont realise there hurting us all..

[Si Coe]

On a more serious note concerning noise - do be careful were you run nitro/petrol as it might have some unforeseen consequences.

The club I race at needs to move its current track (about 50 meters to the left as the sports hall its behind is being rebuilt) and in theory the council should be OK with it. But they suddenly started making a fuss about the noise of the nitro engines disturbing the surrounding houses. Small issue - we are an electric only club!

The problem it seems is that when we are racing its fine, but when we aren't because its a permanent track every local kid with an RC car descends on the place, including nitros (and sometimes even mini dirtbikes!) for a mess about. The place is locked, but the fence isn't high and they sometimes just knock it down anyway, so we can't really stop them.

The argument is that, if our track wasn't there, they wouldn't come. So whilst we are following the rules, other people abusing our facilities could potentially kill the club if the council refuses to give us a new pitch.

[575 racer]

just guessing but the laws in gardens are as long as its sensible hours you can run them?

[toys4x4boys]

The Road Traffic act does not apply to model rc cars of any size. Only vehicles you can either ride on or ride in ......

The Police Reform Act section 59 DOES APPLY !! so be careful:good:

Correct re the Road Traffic Act, it does not apply to RC's, I have that in writing here from the Police Central Office.

[wastegate]

Many years ago we had permission for a model flying club on a council owned field. The club was there for years but then a brain injury centre was built on adjoining land and they complained about the noise and the club was shut. Needless to say there was a huge amount of ill feeling that a newcomer had shut down the club especially as they were aware of the situation. To this day I have run my nitro cars on that same land and there has never been a complaint. Strange heh!!!!

[Si Coe]

Not surprised, and in fact that relates closely to our issue. Council permission is 'till someone complains' regardless of who or when. There are similar issues with a flying club near me, which was in a field some distance from any houses, but recently a new estate has been built up right next to the field. In the end, the council want the estate more than the club so if the residents complain, even though they came second, the club goes.

By the same vein thats how the airport mentioned can make a racket and get away with it but you can't use your RC 'because of the noise'. The airport is important to the council, you aren't. Whatever is written in the law books doesn't really matter where money is involved......

[wastegate]

I'm turning more and more to electric now as it causes so few problems. All my planes are electric and my next car will be, but the noise of nitro adds something to the RC car experience that electric will never have!

[NovalutionGSi]

Being into both RCs and full size cars i've seen this happening in Full size for a long time.

Only a recent as 2008 there was a Petition to Save Castle Combe, a Race Circuit in wiltshire. now like most tracks in the UK they are either part of disused war time air fields or have some kind of connection to UK history (unlike Rockingham which is purpose built). Then you get some **** who has just moving into the area and because they like the area but not the fact that most weekends you have people out enjoying themselves, they want to shut the circuit down...... all UK race tracks have db limits of about 98db and its still not enough!

Same sort of thing happened with "cruises", with dispursal (SP) orders from the Police meaning that if more than 2 modified cars were seen together in a car park then they could move you along, can remember one cruise in Peterborough we took over a car park, paid for a parking ticket and that was that, we were there for the night! the Council/car park owner got the money from all 200/300 maybe 400 cars (pound each car thier laughing!).

Maybe that might be an option, I know there are plenty of Park & Rides around Norwich that i would be tempted to pop up there, pay for a parking ticket and use any area that isnt being parked on! When i was younger there was about 4 or 5 of us all with RCs, ok only Electrics, we would go down to my old primary school which had a lovely smooth tarmac play ground, jump the fence (6 foot high!) and spend most of the day there, only once did someone from the school come out to see what we were doing because they thought we were going to break the windows.

I think the only way is as said to be polite to anyone who speaks to you, make sure your not tresspassing (another law they could throw at you!), if it is private land, find out who owns it if you can and ask permission before using it and finally if someone is a killjoy then let them have the win, leave and find somewhere else, it might be a good idea to have a few places that you can use and then alternate between them!

[GhostlyRock]

This is the reason I had to change to electric, the noise was just causing hassle all the time. Now people cant hear me, so its fine....

[mgtuser]

i use a field behind my estate if i want to go bashing, but there are some houses right near it...one day some old bloke came out saying he didnt like the noise and asked us to move on..we informed him, that it was 2pm, not 2am, and that we dont come here often to bash, so his complaint was stupid...he then said he was going to call the M.O.D police ( its army land, the estate is built on an old army camp's old barracks, however the land around the estate is still army property ) the M.O.D plod came along, watched us for 5 minutes, then talked to us...they basically said there wasnt a lot they could do to stop us...we wernt being rude, causing problems etc...so they told us to carry on annoying the old fart! :lol:

you should always make sure you have your BRCA insurace card with you..it looks more responsible if those that be check you out...

[KieranBolton]

MGT user, if you have one off those, do you have to have a club/race?

Or can you just set one up and be done with it ?

Kieran