Towing the line

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Def110TDi

New Member
Posts
254
Location
Glasgow
Hi All,

i passed my test coming up for 2 months ago and was asked tow a jetski for someone up north and i was looking up to DVLA web page on towing and it states "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."

from what i can desipher from this is that it would be legal for me to do this job but i have heard conflicting stories about the issue, can someone shed some light on this?

thanks, Robert
 
yeah, no brakes on the trailer, just out of interest, how does the trailer having brakes effect the regs on towing?

you can tow it then with out any problems

as any trialer over equiped to carry 750kg will have overrun brakes (well atleast should)be fitted so shouldnt be towed on are liecence i have towed large trailers and not yet been pulled:p but im no longer risking it and have booked my trialer test:cool:
 
you can tow it then with out any problems

as any trialer over equiped to carry 750kg will have overrun brakes (well atleast should)be fitted so shouldnt be towed on are liecence i have towed large trailers and not yet been pulled:p but im no longer risking it and have booked my trialer test:cool:



sounds like a good idea, as i've just passed i think i'll book it too, handy thing to have, hope i haven't forgoten all the rules and stuff, will look into it
 
sounds like a good idea, as i've just passed i think i'll book it too, handy thing to have, hope i haven't forgoten all the rules and stuff, will look into it


ye best idea bud, i passesd two years ago and is guna be a bitch to get back into how they want you to drive:mad:
 
Get the info from the horses mouth - ask at your local police station and they'll put you straight. Its my understanding that you will have to take a separate trailer test as you only recently passed your driving test. Grandad rights dont exist anymore.
 
you can tow up to 750kg on a trailer plated as 750kg MAM - note not all trailers are even plated on a post 95 licence. ive fallen fowl of the non plated trailer - they let me off with a warning as it was a small camping trailer on castor wheels that clearly couldnt take 1/4 tonne never mind 3/4s.

trailer tests fooking expensive for what it is ! - got quoted 800 quid !

there is an exemption for vehicles like the landy where you can tow up to the vehicles weight provided total mass of vehicle and trailer + load is under 3500kg but its a less clear cut case and i wouldnt be keen to take my chances on it as id probably be wrong :D
 
I took my trailer test a few years ago, and failed. I didnt put the handbrake on the trailer on when I did the uncouple/recouple exercise. The trailer didnt even have brakes, just a replacement hitch the had the handbrake handle attached. Im 27 now and have towed all sorts of things. Even a boat thet was over 2t, unbraked trailer, on a saloon car. Wouldnt do it now though. Bus if I was towing an empty trailer, say a car trailer, and got pulled, surely as it empty they cant do anything as it would be under weight?
 
I just lifted this from direct.gov site

Car licences obtained before 1 January 1997
If you passed a car test before 1 January 1997 you keep your existing entitlement to tow trailers until your licence expires. This means you're generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes maximum authorised mass (MAM). You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM.
Car licences obtained on or after 1 January 1997
If you passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 you're limited to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass towing a trailer up to 750kgs, or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. You will need to pass an additional driving test in B+E if you wish to tow a caravan or trailer combination which exceeds these weight limits.
The car and trailer practical driving test
The car and trailer test (B+E) is based on the lorry driving test and lasts for approximately one hour. Please note that B+E tests are conducted at vocational (bus and lorry) driving test centres.

The towing test (B+E) includes:

•vehicle safety questions
•an off-road reverse manoeuvre
•a controlled stop
•uncoupling and coupling of the trailer and driving on the road
Your practical driving test will include approximately ten minutes of independent driving. This is designed to assess your ability to drive safely while making decisions independently.

Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight passenger seats
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
Whereas

•the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
•Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle's handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of the trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.
Towing caravans
As for towing caravans, existing general guidance recommends that the laden weight of the caravan does not exceed 85% of the unladen weight of the car. In the majority of cases, caravans and small trailers towed by cars should be within the new category B threshold.

An exemption from the driver licensing trailer limit allows a category B licence holder to tow a broken down vehicle from a position where it would otherwise cause danger or obstruction to other road users.

By passing a category B test national categories F (tractor), K (pedestrian controlled vehicle) and P (moped) continue to be added automatically.
Category B+E: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM towing trailers over 750kgs MAM
Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.
 
this is the edited version of the requirements for the test. Hope it helps. Dont want anyong having their licences taken off them for not realising they cant do what they doing.

Category B - cars and vans

The car or van you use for your test must be:

•a four-wheeled vehicle of no more than 3,500 kilograms (kg) maximum authorised mass (MAM)
•capable of a speed of at least 62.5 miles per hour (mph) or 100 kilometres per hour (km/h)
•fitted with a speedometer that measures speed in mph
•displaying L-plates ('L' or 'D' plates in Wales) on the front and rear, but not interfering with the driver's or examiner's view
•a smoke-free environment
The vehicle must also be fitted with:

•a seatbelt for the examiner
•a passenger head restraint – it doesn’t need to be adjustable, but must be an integral part of the seat - 'slip on' types aren't allowed
•an interior mirror for the examiner's use
The vehicle must be legal and roadworthy and have no warning lights showing - for example, the airbag warning light.

Why some cars and vans aren't suitable for driving tests
Vehicles you cannot use include:
•BMW Mini convertible
•Ford KA convertible
•Toyota iQ
•VW Beetle convertible
Most hatchbacks, saloons and estate cars are suitable for the driving test. However, some models with good forward vision have large blind spots to the rear, giving examiners problems with observation.

Vehicles used for tests must allow examiners all-round vision to see approaching vehicles. This is particularly important when:

•the car is at an angle to other vehicles during reversing manoeuvres
•emerging at a junction with the vehicle at an angle to the major road
Convertible vehicles
You cannot use some convertible vehicles for the driving test because of the lack of all-round vision for the examiner. If you want to use a convertible vehicle for your test, check that it's suitable when you book.

Panel vans
Panel vans usually don't give the examiner all-round vision, and usually cannot be used for driving tests.

Vehicles supplied by motor manufacturers have been through an approval process that looks at vehicles from a driver’s point of view. It doesn't necessarily make it suitable for a driving test.
Vehicle recalls and safety notices
Vehicles are sometimes not suitable for a practical driving test because they are subject to a manufacturer recall, or because they have a fault that requires manufacturer or dealer correction.

In these circumstances, these vehicles are not suitable for a practical driving test. However, it can be used if you can provide documentary evidence from a dealer, or the vehicle manufacturer, to prove that the vehicle meets one of the criteria below:

• the recall work has been carried out
• the vehicle has been checked and no work is necessary
• the vehicle is exempt from the recall work
Check to see if the vehicle you intend to use on a driving test is affectedCategory B1
A motor-powered tricycle or quadricycle must have an unladen weight of not more than 550 kg and be capable of at least 37.25 mph (60 km/h).

To ride a quadricycle you will need to hold a category B (car) licence or a B1 licence.
Category B + E
Car and trailer test vehicles must be an unladen category B vehicle towing a suitably braked, unladen trailer of at least one tonne MAM. The examiner may ask for evidence of the trailer MAM – for example, the manufacturer's plate.

The vehicle must also be fitted with:

•externally mounted, nearside and offside mirrors for use by the examiner or any person supervising the test
•an audible or visual device to indicate correct operation of the trailer indicators
All vehicle combinations must operate on appropriate brakes and use a coupling arrangement suitable for the weight.

The cargo compartment of the trailer must consist of a closed box body which is at least as wide and as high as the towing vehicle. The trailer may be slightly less wide than the towing vehicle, but the view to the rear must be by the use of external mirrors only.

The view to the rear should only be possible by use of the external rear-view mirrors of the towing vehicle.
 
As far as I was informed when I passed I can tow up to 3/4 of a tonne PLATED WEIGHT. The actual weight of the trailer means nothing. You can't tow an empty car transporter on the basis it only weighs half a tonne, they will murder you for it.
 
As far as I was informed when I passed I can tow up to 3/4 of a tonne PLATED WEIGHT. The actual weight of the trailer means nothing. You can't tow an empty car transporter on the basis it only weighs half a tonne, they will murder you for it.
Basicly they have shafted us well and truely then. I can see the idea of way they make you take tests for everything. Pity they so bloody expensive.
 
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