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

[G.F]

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]

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!

[macafee2]

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]

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 ….

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by SideValve

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 ….

is that mirrors when towing something wider then the car or towing mirrors anyway?

what was she using as a trailer?

macafee2

[gary t]

40/45 k ? got any jobs goin ?

[SideValve]

Originally Posted by macafee2

is that mirrors when towing something wider then the car or towing mirrors anyway?

what was she using as a trailer?

macafee2

I read somewhere (but cant find the link now) that you are meant to be able to see 4m to the side of the trailer. But the gov site just says you need towing mirrors.

https://www.gov.uk/car-trailer-driving-test/car-rules

She used the horse trailer we usually use but couldn't take a horse - had borrow a 1000kg water container.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by SideValve

I read somewhere (but cant find the link now) that you are meant to be able to see 4m to the side of the trailer. But the gov site just says you need towing mirrors.

https://www.gov.uk/car-trailer-driving-test/car-rules

She used the horse trailer we usually use but couldn't take a horse - had borrow a 1000kg water container.

this is interesting, sorry see attachment it wont paste property

seems the trailer test is a full driving test, you have an auto licence but can take a test in a manual but if you have a manual licence and use an auto for the test you can only tow with an auto. The person with a manual licence has more skills as they have to operate a clutch and gear lever.

well strange

macafee2

[maxi_crawf]

Glad I passed my test in 1980.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by macafee2

is that mirrors when towing something wider then the car or towing mirrors anyway?

what was she using as a trailer?

macafee2

I have been towing 50 years and I'm not convinced towing mirrors are that essential. I would go as far as to say I hate them, they are more of a liability. Good observation through most normal mirrors works as well or better than towing mirrors at least on UK roads. Not many UK roads are without any bends, on the bends you can get a good view behind at each curve in the road - I make good use of that to look behind, plus what I can see through the caravan's front and rear windows. The car is not much narrower than the caravan, so I can almost see the caravan's rear corners anyway, even when the outfit is straight. I do though always carry towing mirrors.