Trailers and towing...

[warninglight]

Got this yesterday...

 

 

Been putting it to good use (Of course none of these photos were taken before yesterday*)

 

 

 

 

I did mine in a Skoda Fabia 1.6 diesel, around Carlisle in the pissing rain on 'Rapid' ditchfinders. Single axle box trailer, 600kg of bagged up aggregate in the back (been told it's a big improvement over water). I think trailer+load was a tonne.

 

The biggest part of the test is really just constant mirrors and making sure you don't block up junctions etc. The hitching/unhitching/reversing bit is a piece of piss generally. Would recommend a couple of hours of lessons just to get used to the car/trailer you'd be using though!

[DS20]

Good work  Seems like the test isn't as daunting as it sounds at first - although I don't use the mirrors as much as the examiner might want me to... 

[garethj]

When I did my driving test (and I was 17 in 1988) the instructor advised me to adjust the interior mirror a little bit off.  When I looked in the mirror I had to visibly turn my head so the examiner could see I was checking the mirror enough.

 

Dunno if it worked, but I passed first time.

[RichL]

Nice one. Think I might have a go at this next year, I'd written the idea off as being too expensive and difficult. Maybe not.

 

Just hope my basic driving skills are up to it..!

[Minimad5]

Stupid Questions alert !

 

1) How do you find the nearest towing place, that does both lessons and the test ?

 

2) Before i do the test, am i legally allowed to tow anything, with the V70 (2.4D) ?

 

Thanks gentllemen.

[stephen01]

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

For example:
a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle

 

I passed in 2002 and have been towing a caravan for the last two years as I'm well under the limits..

[Stroller133]

Regardless of licence what about if the car weighs 1.25t but the manufacturers data says the car can only tow 1.0t? What takes precedence the licence regs or car spec?

[Richard]

The car spec takes precedence.

[stephen01]

Regardless of licence what about if the car weighs 1.25t but the manufacturers data says the car can only tow 1.0t? What takes precedence the licence regs or car spec?

 

if you followed the manufactures instructions, given the above weights, you'd still be ok legally even if you passed after the cut off date.. 

 

Trying to understand regs is a nightmare, I've spoken to a few bobbies about it and they don't understand it. 

 

I would always follow car spec's (as long as it kept me within the magic limits imposed) My Car can tow about 2 tonne but would push me above all the limits set out above.. 

 

Confused? then the gov has done ts job.. was its simpler before? I bloody think so.. 

[DS20]

Stupid Questions alert !

 

1) How do you find the nearest towing place, that does both lessons and the test ?

 

2) Before i do the test, am i legally allowed to tow anything, with the V70 (2.4D) ?

 

Thanks gentllemen.

 

You can tow, but there's a formula for determining how much - anything up to 750kg unbraked, and more than that is determined by the towing vehicles limits - stephen01 has posted it up on this thread.  

 

I just googled 'B+E licence Grimsby' and spoke to the two or three instructors who deal with that sort of work in this part of Lincolnshire, and decided which one I'd like to go with based on those conversations.  Some will insist that you do a course (set number of lessons) before taking the test, others are more flexible, offering minimal instruction before the test.  The test fee is just over £100, which is an incentive to pass first time.  

[Minimad5]

Thanks for the replies.

Bloody confusing regs !

[Richard]

I think it would be reasonable to say that nobody at all really knows what the regs are, and that includes DVLA and the police. I've certainly seen conflicting versions from different official sources. You could be stopped in one county and pass inspection only to get impounded in the next county.

[RichL]

Its all about the weight. MAM is Maximum Authorised Mass: the maximum weight the manufacturer specifies the vehicle/trailer can be.

 

I think. Its a complete nightmare, that's why I want to do the test.

[DS20]

Its all about the weight. MAM is Maximum Authorised Mass: the maximum weight the manufacturer specifies the vehicle/trailer can be.

 

I think. Its a complete nightmare, that's why I want to do the test.

 

 

+1 

[warninglight]

That's why I did the test! It's also allowed me to go from legally towing not very much at all behind the Disco, to legally towing 3500kg behind it. Which I shouldn't ever need to go near!

 

In theory I think I could have legally towed more behind the V70 before getting the B+E.

 

Test fee for me was £115, the total for 2 days use of the car, trailer and instructor with the test at the end of day 2 (all split with another learner) was £415.

 

Not cheap, but cheaper than a fine and points for being beyond what my licence allows, and the associated invalid insurance...

[DS20]

As of this afternoon, I can haz B+E on my licence  The test went ok - the reversing manoeuvre and coupling / uncoupling were the easiest bits.  I only ended up with four minors, which wasn't bad, although the driving element was hair-raising.  The road idiots were all out on duty here in Grimsby; at one point it was all coaches, and another there was the happy* meeting of a bus, a cyclist, a car, a bin lorry, and a blind bend.  The man in the silver Renault who flew out of a side-road, across the front of my car, and into a parking space was my favourite* bit.  

 

I'm now off to tow all the heavy stuff with the Range Rover.  

[Twiggy]

Congratulations - well done Sir !

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Nice work man, you have a real feather in your shiters' cap there. RESTECP

[danthecapriman]

Congrats!

You've got it now and you'll never have to do the stupid test ever again. In spite of all the muppets on the roads trying their best to mess it up for you! It's suprising how useful the B+E bit comes in handy.

[nigel bickle]

Well done. Hope it pays for itself quickly!

[DS20]

Thanks for the congrats

 

And it will pay for itself before long; the latest quote for someone else to transport the Citroen to have a couple of bits done by an expert (and not by idiot me wielding a hammer) was eye-watering. Nearly as much as the few lessons and test I've just taken.