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This is sort of proposed law that can be effectively fought down by a trade organisation such as ETRA, of which the ACT is a member. Dotty laws can be quashed at source with effective lobbying by a representative body. Such lobbying is one of the key benefits of a dealers trade organisation, whether or not it offers fantastic benefits for individual shops.
Anyway, the proposed law was communicated to us by bikebiz.co.uk reader Val Twomey Hoyle of Burley Trailers in Oregon.
She emailed us, saying:
I was recently in Germany for the Eurobike exhibition and found out about a law being proposed by a scientist at the German TUV organization. This
scientist coincidentally has a trailer brake patent that he is trying to
sell. This law would, among other things, require all trailers that weigh
over 40 kg have their own brake. This weight includes the trailer so would
affect all two child trailers.
As well as adding to the cost, the extra brake adds no extra safety benefits, says Hoyle, quite the opposite:
The brake that they endorse is not safe and would add about $150 to each trailer at the retail level. This is a law that has been accepted by the German authorities and is going to be proposed for all of the EU countries.ß
