anyone done the trailer test to add it to your license?

Departed 32016 · 5th July 2010, 09:24

Being young, (26) I can't tow without conduting a further driving test to show me ability to tow a caravan or trailer- just wondering if anyone has done this at all and they found it?

topman · 5th July 2010, 11:37

I did the B+E test last year. It's longer than the car test. It's about an 1h 45mins long, there is a reverse the trailer part of the test that can be a bit tricky.
You reverse back from one box of cones into another about 15 yrds away and about 5/10 yards to your right. You have to go to the right of the cone and not hit it. Once in the second box you pull forward it another open box of cones to simulate pulling forward into a garage. You then have to un hitch the trailer and pull away then rehitch it. You have to do a bit of an inspection and an oral 'test' about the trailer. You then have about an hour of driving around.
Some last longer over 2 hrs. I did mine in one week course, Mon to Thurs driving test on friday. Passed first time

macafee2 · 21st April 2018, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by topman

I did the B+E test last year. It's longer than the car test. It's about an 1h 45mins long, there is a reverse the trailer part of the test that can be a bit tricky.
You reverse back from one box of cones into another about 15 yrds away and about 5/10 yards to your right. You have to go to the right of the cone and not hit it. Once in the second box you pull forward it another open box of cones to simulate pulling forward into a garage. You then have to un hitch the trailer and pull away then rehitch it. You have to do a bit of an inspection and an oral 'test' about the trailer. You then have about an hour of driving around.
Some last longer over 2 hrs. I did mine in one week course, Mon to Thurs driving test on friday. Passed first time

1.45 to 2 hrs, that's a long test just so you can tow a decent weight considering you have already past a test to drive a car.
Nice that for once there is a good reason for being old, grandfather rights.

macafee2

rustymotor · 22nd April 2018, 08:03

It makes me wonder how safe some folk are when towing caravans and trailers. I passed my test in 1968 dear me what a long time ago..I once had a 4.2 Jag and a Lynton 4 birth caravan, was on holiday and stopped around the new forest in a big pub, thought had better pull up in an area reserved for coaches, there was one there already Wallis Arnold, drove alongside it, when I got out to check position etc..the jag and caravan were past the coach by about 3' front and back, it was only then that it struck me how long the rig was. Started to be very careful especially getting fuel

macafee2 · 30th May 2018, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustymotor

It makes me wonder how safe some folk are when towing caravans and trailers. I passed my test in 1968 dear me what a long time ago..I once had a 4.2 Jag and a Lynton 4 birth caravan, was on holiday and stopped around the new forest in a big pub, thought had better pull up in an area reserved for coaches, there was one there already Wallis Arnold, drove alongside it, when I got out to check position etc..the jag and caravan were past the coach by about 3' front and back, it was only then that it struck me how long the rig was. Started to be very careful especially getting fuel

to be honest, I reckon safer (going forwards) then some folk that don't tow.
i admit there will be times when someone towing makes a mistake but it will more often then not be the same mistake as someone not towing.
The driver that is a danger when towing, is probably a danger when solo and they have already passed a test.

very few trailers end up in an accident going round a bend, many solo cars do. Probably the most common accident in towing results from a snake, some are the fault of the driver, some the fault of other drivers.

reversing a caravan or smaller trailer is an art as the wheels are close to the back of the car.

perhaps there are stats to show I'm wrong but in truth, i'm not convinced a trailer test is required.

I did a search on youtube for caravan crashes, not that many. Two I've seen are down to stupidity, one moving from lane 1 or 2 onto a slip road and trying to bully a lorry into giving way. the second involved overtaking a lorry on the approach to a traffic island and then trying to cut in front of the lorry. The two car drivers were not a danger because they were towing, they were already a danger.

the one on the slip road got what he deserved, a damaged vehicle

macafee2

SideValve · 30th May 2018, 20:00

One of my daughters has just failed :¬(
Couple of extra points, you need to do it with a proper set up, set weight secured in trailer & towing mirrors fitted.
And you can fail if you mess up hitching / unhitching ….

rrobson · 22nd April 2018, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by topman

I did the B+E test last year. It's longer than the car test. It's about an 1h 45mins long, there is a reverse the trailer part of the test that can be a bit tricky.
You reverse back from one box of cones into another about 15 yrds away and about 5/10 yards to your right. You have to go to the right of the cone and not hit it. Once in the second box you pull forward it another open box of cones to simulate pulling forward into a garage. You then have to un hitch the trailer and pull away then rehitch it. You have to do a bit of an inspection and an oral 'test' about the trailer. You then have about an hour of driving around.
Some last longer over 2 hrs. I did mine in one week course, Mon to Thurs driving test on friday. Passed first time

This is pretty much exactly what to expect. I did mine two years ago and did a two day course, first day was mainly reversing practices with hitching and unhitching and general driving practice. Second day was similar with a test In The afternoon.
A word of caution however, if you aren't confident about passing your test it will be difficult because it is a dsa test with a trailer attached. No theory though.

If I were to do it again I'd do my c1+e, which is up to 7.5t but you have to do c1 first then c1+e and I think it's £1500 for the lot, the b+e was under £500 and that was with the use of the instructors discovery and Fuel.

G.F · 30th May 2018, 11:06

My age means I didn't have to do this and jumped straight into a 7.5 tonner at 18 and went all round the country.
Now I have a class 1 HGV which covers it all anyway. Rules for that have changed a lot too. Up to a few years ago you couldn't get HGV until 23. Due to the driver shortage (caused by truck drivers being less respected than lawyers or estate agents these days) the age limit is now 18! Where I work we have 4 drivers in 44 tonne brick lorries under 19 which concerns me a lot. They drive the trucks like their cars.....
I got that frustrated at age 48 I've cut and run and now work in the office. Still keeping my licence up though (which means classroom refresher sessions every 5 years, medical every 5 years etc). They aren't easy things to get thsee days and our guys are on 40-45k a year!

roverbarmy · 30th May 2018, 15:55

I took my HGV 1 and 3 many years ago, when trucks were hard to drive! My old Atkinson Borderer had no power anything, no synchros and a "back to front" gearbox layout at the top end. Great fun sending out the young know alls on that when they got too cocky!

One threw the keys at me and never came back!

gary t · 1st June 2018, 09:32

40/45 k ? got any jobs goin ?

5th July 2010, 09:24	#1
Departed 32016 This is my second home Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,190 Thanks: 101 Thanked 257 Times in 145 Posts	anyone done the trailer test to add it to your license? Being young, (26) I can't tow without conduting a further driving test to show me ability to tow a caravan or trailer- just wondering if anyone has done this at all and they found it?

30th May 2018, 20:00	#6
SideValve Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oxford Posts: 767 Thanks: 141 Thanked 204 Times in 141 Posts	One of my daughters has just failed :¬( Couple of extra points, you need to do it with a proper set up, set weight secured in trailer & towing mirrors fitted. And you can fail if you mess up hitching / unhitching …. __________________ The Story So Far: Austin A35, Morris Oxford, Triumph Herald, Mini 850, Mini 1000, Austin Allegro, MG Midget, MGB GT, Rover SD1 2600, Austin Maxi, Rover 200, Rover 825, Rover 800, Bedford TK, Range Rover 3.9 efi, Rover 400, Rover 100, MGF, Rover 25, Rover 75 1.8, Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2.0 V6, MGF 1.8i, Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.0 V6 Auto, Morris Eight Series E, Morris Minor 1275.

30th May 2018, 11:06	#8
G.F Regular poster ZT Saloon CDTi 135+ & 75 2.0 V6 ppd Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Ashford Posts: 43 Thanks: 10 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	My age means I didn't have to do this and jumped straight into a 7.5 tonner at 18 and went all round the country. Now I have a class 1 HGV which covers it all anyway. Rules for that have changed a lot too. Up to a few years ago you couldn't get HGV until 23. Due to the driver shortage (caused by truck drivers being less respected than lawyers or estate agents these days) the age limit is now 18! Where I work we have 4 drivers in 44 tonne brick lorries under 19 which concerns me a lot. They drive the trucks like their cars..... I got that frustrated at age 48 I've cut and run and now work in the office. Still keeping my licence up though (which means classroom refresher sessions every 5 years, medical every 5 years etc). They aren't easy things to get thsee days and our guys are on 40-45k a year! __________________ Gary

30th May 2018, 15:55	#9
roverbarmy This is my second home Roverless + 1.7D Sportage Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: East Norfolk Posts: 7,097 Thanks: 729 Thanked 2,021 Times in 1,449 Posts	I took my HGV 1 and 3 many years ago, when trucks were hard to drive! My old Atkinson Borderer had no power anything, no synchros and a "back to front" gearbox layout at the top end. Great fun sending out the young know alls on that when they got too cocky! One threw the keys at me and never came back! __________________ Oil in my veins!

5th July 2010, 11:37	#2
topman This is my second home MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 5,493 Thanks: 372 Thanked 647 Times in 534 Posts	I did the B+E test last year. It's longer than the car test. It's about an 1h 45mins long, there is a reverse the trailer part of the test that can be a bit tricky. You reverse back from one box of cones into another about 15 yrds away and about 5/10 yards to your right. You have to go to the right of the cone and not hit it. Once in the second box you pull forward it another open box of cones to simulate pulling forward into a garage. You then have to un hitch the trailer and pull away then rehitch it. You have to do a bit of an inspection and an oral 'test' about the trailer. You then have about an hour of driving around. Some last longer over 2 hrs. I did mine in one week course, Mon to Thurs driving test on friday. Passed first time

22nd April 2018, 08:03	#4
rustymotor Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: May 2017 Location: Hull Posts: 1,848 Thanks: 216 Thanked 432 Times in 340 Posts	It makes me wonder how safe some folk are when towing caravans and trailers. I passed my test in 1968 dear me what a long time ago..I once had a 4.2 Jag and a Lynton 4 birth caravan, was on holiday and stopped around the new forest in a big pub, thought had better pull up in an area reserved for coaches, there was one there already Wallis Arnold, drove alongside it, when I got out to check position etc..the jag and caravan were past the coach by about 3' front and back, it was only then that it struck me how long the rig was. Started to be very careful especially getting fuel

1st June 2018, 09:32	#10
gary t Loves to post rover 75 connoisseur se v6 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: brockworth Posts: 278 Thanks: 46 Thanked 23 Times in 20 Posts	40/45 k ? got any jobs goin ?