Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Hannah Judes Dad]

......
new drivers are limited to 3.5 mam/gvw no excecptions
mam/gvw is the mass of the vehicle without any trailer. i.e vauxhall omega 3.0 auto elite estate 2200kgs train weight ( with a trailer ) 3900kgs

so vx omega elite estate 3.0 auto with a trailer braked or un braked not to be driven by newly passed drivers.

2 ways round that
1- pass trailer test for cars
2- become a show man

I'm still not with you  :-/ If an Omega has a mam/gvw of 2200kgs then surely you can tow a caravan that has a gross weight (whatever the new term is) of 1300kgs  :-/ :-/

It is because he is a new driver and does not have trailer (E) entitlement that causes the problem.SWMBO passed her test 8 years ago and can only drive car (B) or milk float (upto 3.5t) as she has no trailer entitlement and would have to take a seperate test.I'm ok as I have C+E (Class 1 to the oldies) so I can happily drag my pikey wagon,then again I could tow it with my car licence as I took my test 21 years ago and they gave me B+E along with C1(>7500kg) and D1 (minibus) for free and I was only 17 back then!

[omegadan67]

......
new drivers are limited to 3.5 mam/gvw no excecptions
mam/gvw is the mass of the vehicle without any trailer. i.e vauxhall omega 3.0 auto elite estate 2200kgs train weight ( with a trailer ) 3900kgs

so vx omega elite estate 3.0 auto with a trailer braked or un braked not to be driven by newly passed drivers.

2 ways round that
1- pass trailer test for cars
2- become a show man

I'm still not with you  :-/ If an Omega has a mam/gvw of 2200kgs then surely you can tow a caravan that has a gross weight (whatever the new term is) of 1300kgs  :-/ :-/

in simply terms cat B only licence means no legal right to tow anything behind,despite what you may read on any web site. Since 1997 when the goverment started clamping down on what we could and could not drive and with the amendments of 2006 new car cat B licence holders can not tow anything behind a car without sitting another test

[Andy B]

......
new drivers are limited to 3.5 mam/gvw no excecptions
mam/gvw is the mass of the vehicle without any trailer. i.e vauxhall omega 3.0 auto elite estate 2200kgs train weight ( with a trailer ) 3900kgs

so vx omega elite estate 3.0 auto with a trailer braked or un braked not to be driven by newly passed drivers.

2 ways round that
1- pass trailer test for cars
2- become a show man

I'm still not with you  :-/ If an Omega has a mam/gvw of 2200kgs then surely you can tow a caravan that has a gross weight (whatever the new term is) of 1300kgs  :-/ :-/

in simply terms cat B only licence means no legal right to tow anything behind,despite what you may read on any web site. Since 1997 when the goverment started clamping down on what we could and could not drive and with the amendments of 2006 new car cat B licence holders can not tow anything behind a car without sitting another test

but directgove http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073 doesn't say that .......

it says ......

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.

[omegadan67]

Andy i dont wish to seem like know it all but since 1997 and 2006 despite what the gov.web site says you are not allowed to tow a trailer of any type on a B only licence. what is on the web site refers to older licence holders.

the bit you should have been lookig at is this:

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.

very confusing i know and very iratating

[Impact Pete]

Andy i dont wish to seem like know it all but since 1997 and 2006 despite what the gov.web site says you are not allowed to tow a trailer of any type on a B only licence. what is on the web site refers to older licence holders.

the bit you should have been lookig at is this:

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.

very confusing i know and very iratating

It's all confusing but andy b is right;

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547


http://www.learners.co.uk/towing/index.asp

[Andy B]

.....
.. but andy b is right;
 ......
http://www.learners.co.uk/towing/index.asp

I knew it had to happen eventually!     

quote from the learner.co.uk
Q ... I passed my driving test in a manual vehicle but now have an automatic car to tow my caravan. If I take the towing test in my automatic, will I be able to tow using a manual vehicle in future? 
A .... No! You will only be able to tow using an automatic vehicle. However, if you pass the towing test in a manual vehicle, you may tow with either.

How rediculous is that!!!!   :-?  :-?  :-?  :-?

[Hannah Judes Dad]

.....
.. but andy b is right;
 ......
http://www.learners.co.uk/towing/index.asp

I knew it had to happen eventually!     

quote from the learner.co.uk
Q ... I passed my driving test in a manual vehicle but now have an automatic car to tow my caravan. If I take the towing test in my automatic, will I be able to tow using a manual vehicle in future? 
A .... No! You will only be able to tow using an automatic vehicle. However, if you pass the towing test in a manual vehicle, you may tow with either.

How rediculous is that!!!!   :-?  :-?  :-?  :-?

It's only the same as the car test is,i.e. auto test = auto only,manual test = manual or auto.Many years ago it was auto test =auto only,manual test = manual only.

[Andy B]

....
It's only the same as the car test is,i.e. auto test = auto only,manual test = manual or auto..

but you if already have a manual licence, you've shown the ability to control a manual car. You don't forget how if you start driving an auto.  :-?

....
Many years ago it was auto test =auto only,manual test = manual only..

You sure? Never heard of that. Certainly not in the last 31 years 

[sport]

Hi i have 2.2 estate and my tow limit is 1600 kg so long the caravan is no more than 1600 kg laden .
Mine tows ok but some use spring assister's 
Look in your manual should tell you your tow limit

tha hand book will tell you what the car is able to pull up a degree slope, not what you're allowed to pull on the road. 

In my manual it tells me my max braked towing limit is 1600 kg .And the max nose weight is 75 kg
Ive tested nose weight its about 80 kg and it rides level

have you a 5kg gas bottle in the front???

yes two and spare wheel

[Hannah Judes Dad]

....
It's only the same as the car test is,i.e. auto test = auto only,manual test = manual or auto..

but you if already have a manual licence, you've shown the ability to control a manual car. You don't forget how if you start driving an auto.  :-?

....
Many years ago it was auto test =auto only,manual test = manual only..

You sure? Never heard of that. Certainly not in the last 31 years 

Many many years ago my grandad took both tests

[robson]

Dont want to put another fly in the ointment but there are also new regulations on fitting tow bars .If your tow bar is second hand it might not meet new requirements the police are stopping caravanners and checking this I should read up regs before fitting

[Andy B]

Dont want to put another fly in the ointment but there are also new regulations on fitting tow bars .If your tow bar is second hand it might not meet new requirements the police are stopping caravanners and checking this I should read up regs before fitting

Type aproved for vehicles after 97/98? so not really that new 

[omegadan67]

Andy i dont wish to seem like know it all but since 1997 and 2006 despite what the gov.web site says you are not allowed to tow a trailer of any type on a B only licence. what is on the web site refers to older licence holders.

the bit you should have been lookig at is this:

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.

very confusing i know and very iratating

It's all confusing but andy b is right;

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547


http://www.learners.co.uk/towing/index.asp

 could someone please let the police know that a B licence will now let you tow a caravan so that my son who has just been give a hefty fine and 6 points on his 3and a half year old licence for towing my caravan without + E part on hie licence

[omegadan67]

just to claify the point of towing with or without the + E on your licence i think this makes it abit easier to understand, by the way what caravans are under 750 kgs mam


Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997

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.




Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997

Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.

[Andy B]

.....

 could someone please let the police know that a B licence will now let you tow a caravan so that my son who has just been give a hefty fine and 6 points on his 3and a half year old licence for towing my caravan without + E part on hie licence

Presumably the combined mam was more than 3 & half tonnes.
http://www.learners.co.uk/towing/index.asp
If you passed your car driving test after January 1997, you may now need to pass a separate test (licence category B + E) to tow a trailer or caravan weighing over 750kg M.A.M. (Maximum Authorised Mass).