I now have to take this test to 'legally' tow the trailer with the FFRR. I passed in 1998 , 4 weeks after my 17th birthday, and have been towing ever since on a regular basis (including backing them into some ridiculous loading bays! ) Legislation since 1997 means that if the MAM weight (max loaded weight of car an trailer) exceed 3500kg (over 4500 with the FFRR), then you legally need a C+E test. The Max of my trailer is 1500kg and i've always towed it behind something with a max of less than 2000kg I knew this before i got the FFRR, but now i have to book the test (£115).

I'm dreading having to take another driving test!!
I just reminded myself that i can't legally go and get my Dads aluminium ladders to fit a new light outside :doh:

Just wondering if any other Spring chickens on here have had to take the test. There was a young lady on traffic cops who was done for towing a caravan in some large 4x4 without it, but there must be loads of people who don;t even realise.

Andy

Ah, the benefits of holding a Class-1

Feel for you though chap. Not so much the test - you'll breeze that but the £115 of your hard earned. Smells like another bloody stealth tax to me

I'm an oldie so got the lot thrown in with my licence. Can even tow trailer with a van up to 7500kg or mini bus. Not that I've ever needed too. Although I did used to tow a 24ft sailing boat on the back of a FFRR.

I sold the Disco 2 to a chap who was giving it to his son for his new gardening business.
The guy was 18 and the dad was saying they had bought a small Ifor Williams tipper trailer for him to tow.
I kept my mouth shut and took the money as he would need a tachograph fitted for this commercial enterprise, going by a recent TV programme that I had seen.

What's included in the test do you know?

I tow a tiny trailer and have towed a small caravan so under 3,500kg, but might want to tow something big one day.

I passed my test in Dec 2001 so am in the same boat. 

The driving licence you need to tow a caravan or trailer

Car and trailer practical driving test

dan_uk_1984 wrote:

What's included in the test do you know?

I tow a tiny trailer and have towed a small caravan so under 3,500kg, but might want to tow something big one day.

I passed my test in Dec 2001 so am in the same boat.

Quote:

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.

mzplcg wrote:

Ah, the benefits of holding a Class-1

Feel for you though chap. Not so much the test - you'll breeze that but the £115 of your hard earned. Smells like another bloody stealth tax to me

It's a hell of a pain, as i've been towing the same trailer for years fully loaded legally behind various cars . I'm sure i have a hell of a lot more experience than most. It;s not the cost, more the pain of having to arrange a test/day off, and the thought of taking a test!!! The sacrifices of having a FFRR

Did my B+E test exactly a year ago (and passed!)

It's done more like a lorry test than a car test - I would definitely recommend getting instruction as you need to know how to pass the test, not necessarily how to tow a trailer....

Martin wrote:

Did my B+E test exactly a year ago (and passed!)

It's done more like a lorry test than a car test - I would definitely recommend getting instruction as you need to know how to pass the test, not necessarily how to tow a trailer....

Does anyone have any idea what the law says about a trailer without a weight plate on it? I don;t think they legally need one.

I've been reseraching, and i'm not over the moon about the time/cost and stress of the b+e test. Plus it sounds like i really need some instruction to get through it!

I've read on the interwebs somewhere (can;t remember exactly, but i'm trying to find it again), that if the trailer has no Gross weight plate, then traffic police can only go based on it's current weight. To this extent i could tow my larger trailer for light loads (ladders etc) and keep me within the 3500 total. I'm only going to use it for light duties, and tow it behind something else should i need to carry a larger load (Might as well wear the clutch out on one of the company vehicles instead of the FFRR)

Have i found the loophole i was looking for ?

Andy

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/v...ortrailers

DFT wrote:

It is not a requirement to display a notice of the unladen weight of the trailer or the towing vehicle, unless the towing vehicle is either a motor tractor or a locomotive, as defined in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Yep, that looks like a loophole to me. So take the maximum permitted LADEN weight of the FFRR and then take this figure away from 3500KG. This gives you the maximum weight your laden trailer can be.

Taken from the LR UK site
Weights (kg)
Mass of vehicle unladen* (Mass in Running Order) 2,580 - 2,810
Gross vehicle weight 3,200
Maximum payload 375 - 500
Maximum roof rack (including roof rack) 100
Towing (kg) (towing pack optional)†
Unbraked trailer 750
Trailer with over-run brakes 3,500

That leaves you 300 kilos for the trailer & its load.

i done this test about 3 years ago ,its not to hard
i had a few lessons and done it in an astra with a small horsebox
i would recommend the lessons just so you know what to expect in the test

bigl322 wrote:

i done this test about 3 years ago ,its not to hard
i had a few lessons and done it in an astra with a small horsebox
i would recommend the lessons just so you know what to expect in the test