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[Stemo]

Licences issued from 19 January 2013

From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:

small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.

You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Licences held before 1 January 1997
If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM.

This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

So.....an old codger like me, with no experience other than cars, can jump into something weighing 8.5 tonnes and cause mayhem and death drive away legally.

[YZ250]

Nothing has changed.  B allows you to tow a trailer upto 750kg, above which you need B+E.
 (unless you have grandfather rights  )

It's amazing how often this disinformation is quoted 

 

I was pulling your leg ..... hence the use of 

You're not the first to say that a 'new driver' can only tow 750kg .......... I very much doubt you'll be the last   

The most stupid thing about these regs is that someone like Tunnie would be allowed to tow my caravan with an Omega, but he'd not be able to use my Merc, even though its extra weight makes it a far better/safer tow car, because the gross train weight would be over 3500kg.

Agreed. 

I enquired about this when my son was considering towing our caravan. I was told that he could tow our caravan with my Omega but not with his 2.5ton truck. (He passed his test in 2004 when he was 17)

[Andy B]

Licences issued from 19 January 2013

From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:

small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.

You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Licences held before 1 January 1997
If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM.

This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

 ......

I'm struggling to see the difference     

[Stemo]

Licences issued from 19 January 2013

From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:

small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.

You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Licences held before 1 January 1997
If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM.

This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

 ......

I'm struggling to see the difference     

Get someone who understands numbers to explain it to you, Andy.

[Andy B]

Licences issued from 19 January 2013

From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:

small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.

You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Licences held before 1 January 1997
If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM.

This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

 ......

I'm struggling to see the difference     

Get someone who understands numbers to explain it to you, Andy.

 

[05omegav6]

Of course, for all that faffing around, you might as well get a real licence... Then you can tow anything

[TheBoy]

Thanks everyone, it's the addition of the 2013 rules that confused me. To be honest I never really looked into it, just thought I had to take an extra test as all licenses post 1997 were crippled 

Not sure there is much difference between the recent and previous rules?

[Entwood]

Thanks everyone, it's the addition of the 2013 rules that confused me. To be honest I never really looked into it, just thought I had to take an extra test as all licenses post 1997 were crippled 

Not sure there is much difference between the recent and previous rules?

Previous rules (1997) allowed a towing weight of 4250 kgs ...  car of 3500 kgs + trailer of 750 kgs.... new rules (2013) removed that by limiting the total weight to 3500 kgs regardless

[TheBoy]

I would have thought any sofa would go in an omega estate with the seats down.

Ive carried some pretty large ones before

When moving into my flat, a 3 seater did go in our Estate no problem. However the drivers seat had to go forward a fair way, too far for a long drive.

That said, it was a big 3 seater, should measure this other one. But I suspect cost of going to get Estate, then twisty country route in 3.0 will not be far off Transit MPG 

Plus Estate is 75 miles in the wrong direction to collect first 

Still cheaper and less humiliating than fitting a pikey bar

[tunnie]

Removeable pikey bar? No one can see.

That said I cannot take car fashion advice, from a short fat man who drives a seriously chavved Omega and a mummy bus   

[Andy B]

......

.... I cannot take car fashion advice, from a short fat man who drives a seriously chavved Omega and a mummy bus   

  Is that anyone we know?   

[Vamps]

......

.... I cannot take car fashion advice, from a short fat man who drives a seriously chavved Omega and a mummy bus   

  Is that anyone we know?   

 

[TheBoy]

Removeable pikey bar? No one can see.

That said I cannot take car fashion advice, from a short fat man who drives a seriously chavved Omega and a mummy bus   

Talk about missing the point...

...you said you wouldn't use the Estate on fuel cost grounds, then on about fitting £300 of pikey bar (and I'm assuming you already have a big enough trailer to use).

It wasn't a fashion statement...  ...we both drive pig ugly FL Omegas

[tunnie]

I never actually said I would fit a tow bar, that said can't see it being 300 bucks.

[aaronjb]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Towbar-THULE-detachable-VAUXHALL-OPEL-Omega-B-Caravan-e-kit-/251469327898