O, a fir tree!
Not like this: With the tailgate open, exhaust fumes can enter the passenger compartment. In addition, the fir tree is not properly secured in this case.
There the mouse does not bite off a thread: In Germany, Christmas only really comes when the Christmas tree is magnificently decorated in the living room. But every year the same question arises: how to get the tree home safely?
You should not do it like the driver from Westphalia, for example. He was stopped by the police when he came out of a tree shelter with the wagon. He had a giant Christmas tree lashed to the roof of his car. The covered almost the entire windshield. The officials showed pre-Christmas mercy -. Leave it at a verbal warning.
Who wants to transport a fir or pine in the car, must be quite tricky. Basically, there are three possibilities: The Christmas tree is transported in the trunk, on the seat or outside on the roof.
But for all three variants, the following always applies: "Under no circumstances may the driver's view be restricted when transporting fir trees. License plate, lights and turn signals of the car may not be covered", says Maximilian Maurer from the German Automobile Club (ADAC).
Especially complicated is the transport on the car roof. The stump of the tree must always face forwards. The fir tree then lies aerodynamically in the airstream, and the branches can not bend over. And if the tree extends more than one metre beyond the rear of the car, the top must be decorated in red.
Better than a porcelain tip in this case, of course, is a cloth. And the tree must hold securely on the car roof. "In no case should be attached to the car only the net in which the tree is wrapped. It would tear too quickly", warns ADAC expert Maurer. "It is best to fix the tree trunk to the roof with a tension belt."
If you're transporting a Christmas tree in the trunk, the decoration is also important if the showpiece protrudes more than a meter from the vehicle. On the side, the tip must not protrude from the open trunk anyway.
Even when transporting inside the vehicle, not everything is allowed: for example, the driver's view to the left and right must not be restricted. If the transporter has two side mirrors at his disposal, but the sight of the tree may quietly please the chauffeur in the rearview mirror.
If you follow these rules, you can find many ways of transportation: A small tree goes in the back seat.
For longer firs and spruces, one folds down the back seat or the passenger seat and loads the tree lengthwise into the car. If you have a sunroof, you can also transport it upright on the passenger seat – and let the top peek out at the top if it's not raining or snowing. However, the principle of cargo safety applies here as well: make sure that the fir tree survives the journey without losing its needles or otherwise losing its splendor.
Some cars are just perfect for transporting Christmas trees. For example, station wagons: The Passat Variant, for example, offers storage space approaching two meters in length with the rear seat folded down. With a cargo height of 83 centimeters, you can fit at least six average-sized Christmas trees packed in netting.
Owners of such a car can immediately supply the whole neighborhood with firs.
A Mercedes E-Class sedan, on the other hand, can have at most three firs strapped to its roof. However, you should not only think about the tie-down strap, but of course a soft blanket to put under it.