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Legal to have doors???


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This is a bit off topic but does relate to my 110 Defender Tdi

As is common on most Defenders the bottom of my doors is rusting away...just held together by the paint at the moment. I have new bits of steel to weld in to fix the problem and give me a new door frame but it'll require the removal of the door for a few days.

So is it legal or illegal to drive the vehicle with the drivers side door missing...I'll still have 2 rear view mirrors, cab and near side mirror...seat belts will be in place and working. I often see UPS vans around here that have sliding drivers doors with that wide open...although not at this time of year obviously!!!

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An mot tester would not even test a vehicle, if it had no doors, when it was designed to have them. I know this because i have asked. I had a vehicle i was restoring for customer. The project was running over time, i had to get it mot'd but the doors were not ready to be fitted. I asked if they would mot it without doors. They said no way.

I personally would take this as an indication that, its probably not legal, unless the vehicle in question has been seriously modified, strengthened, inspected and signed off by the appropriate body.

A head on collision without doors on could seriously affect the ability of the cab not to fold up.

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Or freeze it like those pictures of the firefighters in Chicago...

So we think that it may be legal but not MOT-able.

I have a hard top 90 and would like to take the roof off if we get a summer this year.
Is that likely to fall into the same category ? If so, is this not odd on the basis that there is next to no strength in a Defender roof or doors and they are even manufactured with soft tops.

I expect that the main problem would not necessarily be being stopped by PC Plod but running into trouble with the insurance company in the case of an accident due to undeclared modifications.

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Are we talking about whether it would pass an MOT with no doors (it would I think), or whether it's an offence covered by construction and use regs ?

Off the top of my head the only item in the test relating to doors is that they open and close and are secure, but if not fitted, not testable. Think I'd check the book though if I had to test one. You would also have to have a drivers side mirror plus one other, r/v or n/s.

As for C&U regs you'd need to trawl through but I don't think you must have doors as much as a suitable means of restraining the occupants. A seat belt may well be acceptable.

However, I believe there is an offence of "using a vehicle in a dangerous condition" sort of catch all.

If pulled and charged with this you may have a hard and expensive time in court convincing the bench that it was safe to drive with no doors on.

Just thought, CJ Jeeps have doors that just lift off and are designed to do so, but also have deep side sills that would stop lower limbs being flung out in an accident. Different to a L/R.

I'm an MOT tester not a copper so take the above advice accordingly.

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As long as passengers retained securely eg seatbelts , or if not fitted with seat belts (due age) then to avoid "dangerous condition" probably a chain or strap across door opening (as in certain jeep models) then dont think any requirement for doors to be on . There arent any on minimoke ! IIRC no requirement in C and U regs . also none on pink panthers ! HTSH It is very windy from my previous experience

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I think they wouldnt test my customers vehicle, because it was missing doors that it was designed to have. To meet crash test regulations most vehicles require doors to avoid the passenger area crushing up.

Also, just like defender doors, the wing mirrors are attached to the doors. No doors no wing mirrors.

A mini moke was designed without opening doors, as i recall you just 'hop into it'. So there would be no issue with it, and its a different type of vehicle altogether.

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Had a look at the manual whilst at work yesterday, you can't fail the MOT for having no doors.

That does not mean it's not a breach of C&U regs or the police will not take an interest if you drive about with no doors on. Nor will the fact that other vehicles have no doors fitted, including military variants of Land Rovers , necessarily provide a defence in court.

Probably an old series, top off,windscreen folded and no doors may pass unnoticed. A 110 with just one door missing may raise an eybrow.

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Lightweights run without doors ,you can also strip a cj 6/7 wrangler ect in the summer ???

Yes but this is a civilian spec 110, it was never designed to be used without doors.

As far as this partcular vehicle is concerned my own opinion, for what it's worth is...

Will it pass an MOT, yes.

Is it against any C&U regs, probably not.

In spite of the above will the police be interested, very possibly.

Is it worth the hassle, probably not.

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AFAIK , the only legislation that you could possibly fall foul of is RTA under S2 dangerous driving explained as below but seatbelts etc would tend to preclude this JMHO

[F12A Meaning of dangerous driving.(1)For the purposes of sections 1 and 2 above a person is to be regarded as driving dangerously if (and, subject to subsection (2) below, only if)—
(a)the way he drives falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and
(b)it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous.
(2)A person is also to be regarded as driving dangerously for the purposes of sections 1 and 2 above if it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving the vehicle in its current state would be dangerous.
(3)In subsections (1) and (2) above “dangerous” refers to danger either of injury to any person or of serious damage to property; and in determining for the purposes of those subsections what would be expected of, or obvious to, a competent and careful driver in a particular case, regard shall be had not only to the circumstances of which he could be expected to be aware but also to any circumstances shown to have been within the knowledge of the accused.
(4)In determining for the purposes of subsection (2) above the state of a vehicle, regard may be had to anything attached to or carried on or in it and to the manner in which it is attached or carried.]

have to agree withpat pending

"In spite of the above will the police be interested, very possibly."

although current knowledge base of a lot of them is not as good as it was or should be JMHO

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Well regardless of what anyone 'thinks', it seems im the only one here who has actually turned up at a test centre at which i get about 30-40 trade mot's a year, with a vehicle without doors on, and has been turned away. But it would seem that this info is not convincing enough.

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Well regardless of what anyone 'thinks', it seems im the only one here who has actually turned up at a test centre at which i get about 30-40 trade mot's a year, with a vehicle without doors on, and has been turned away. But it would seem that this info is not convincing enough.

I take it they have refused to test it alltogether as opposed to failing it.

Any tester has the right to refuse to test a vehicle they consider "dangerous". Rightly or wrongly that is their decision.

I can assure you as an MOT tester, a vehicle can't fail, once logged, for no doors, I checked the system yesterday.

I have a testers refresher course at the end of next week, (we have to do them every 5 years) I'll put it to the VOSA guy.

But... since MOT computerisation, it is impossible to fail a vehicle for an item not listed in the system.

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I have presented my 90 to mot with no doors on twice, and its passed twice, it also had no windscreen or roof.

If you are taking the doors off, my advice would be to inform your insurance company though. If you don't then they may void your policy leaving you a bit of a problem.

I have never had even a blink from the local coppers when the doors are off....

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