The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - View Single Post - Caravan Towing

bikerdude666 · 14th October 2021, 08:54

I know what people are getting at when they say about possible increased accidents, but did accidents significantly reduce when the towing rights were initially reduced to post '97 drivers? Pre '97 were the motorways and roads strewn with the wreckage of caravans and tow cars, of people not trained to handle them? And of the people who had a pre '97 license, how many have then taken it upon themselves to do the B+E license so they get the proper training?

I also think in some ways it made it more dangerous, using myself as an example, I didn't't want to have to take yet another test, so I stuck with my ZT, towing the biggest caravan I legally could. ZT being something like 2050kg gross, and the caravan being 1435kg, put me almost on the limit of the license, plus it was around 93% of the kerb weight, 8% over the recommended 85%. Surely the safer thing would've been to allow a bigger, heavier car, that was better suited to towing?

Having said that, I never actually had an issue with the ZT, just drive sensibly and all was fine. Not sure how I'd have felt in high winds, but I wouldn't want to tow in high winds anyway.

In light of the imminent change with my license, I decided to get a new car, now that I wasn't limited to a car with maximum gross of 2065kg, my choices greatly expanded. I still only liked 3 cars and have ended up with one with a gross of only 2100kg, and kerb weight actually slightly lighter than the ZT. Not had a tow bar fitted yet so no idea how it'll handle the caravan at the moment.

14th October 2021, 08:54	#3
bikerdude666 Posted a thing or two Jaguar Xe diseasal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Little Stanion, Corby Posts: 1,922 Thanks: 363 Thanked 390 Times in 241 Posts	I know what people are getting at when they say about possible increased accidents, but did accidents significantly reduce when the towing rights were initially reduced to post '97 drivers? Pre '97 were the motorways and roads strewn with the wreckage of caravans and tow cars, of people not trained to handle them? And of the people who had a pre '97 license, how many have then taken it upon themselves to do the B+E license so they get the proper training? I also think in some ways it made it more dangerous, using myself as an example, I didn't't want to have to take yet another test, so I stuck with my ZT, towing the biggest caravan I legally could. ZT being something like 2050kg gross, and the caravan being 1435kg, put me almost on the limit of the license, plus it was around 93% of the kerb weight, 8% over the recommended 85%. Surely the safer thing would've been to allow a bigger, heavier car, that was better suited to towing? Having said that, I never actually had an issue with the ZT, just drive sensibly and all was fine. Not sure how I'd have felt in high winds, but I wouldn't want to tow in high winds anyway. In light of the imminent change with my license, I decided to get a new car, now that I wasn't limited to a car with maximum gross of 2065kg, my choices greatly expanded. I still only liked 3 cars and have ended up with one with a gross of only 2100kg, and kerb weight actually slightly lighter than the ZT. Not had a tow bar fitted yet so no idea how it'll handle the caravan at the moment.