Towing a Trailer

Sirrel Squirrel

Sirrel Squirrel

Sirrel Squirrel

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Joined
5 Aug 2003
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Location
Essex
I'm planning on practicing and taking my trailer test but I did wonder if it was possible to practice on L plates as such if someone is sitting in the car with you who is allowed to drive a trailer. Similar to when learning to drive?
 
Sirrel Squirrel said:
I'm planning on practicing and taking my trailer test but I did wonder if it was possible to practice on L plates as such if someone is sitting in the car with you who is allowed to drive a trailer. Similar to when learning to drive?
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I believe you're correct.
Ive never seen a regulation that stipulates that a learner must have a qualified instructor with them when learning to drive anything, more usually it's referred to as a qualified and competent person.
 
It's also my understanding that this is the case however one thing to consider that I'm unsure of is whether you would need to notify your insurance company that you will be driving the car as a 'learner'.
 
We have a driving school around here that does lessons teaching how to drive with a trailer. Never even knew that was a thing before.
 
Do you even need to do the test?

You can tow an un-braked trailer up to 750kg and a Car/Trailer up to 3.5 Tons MAM on a Cat B licence

I tow a race car on a car trailer (about 1.6/1.7 tons combined) with an A4 Quattro (1.5/1.6 tons) which falls under the 3.5 MAM.

If I had passed before 1997 the towing limits are much higher.
 
CrispyWombat said:
Do you even need to do the test?

You can tow an un-braked trailer up to 750kg and a Car/Trailer up to 3.5 Tons MAM on a Cat B licence

I tow a race car on a car trailer (about 1.6/1.7 tons combined) with an A4 Quattro (1.5/1.6 tons) which falls under the 3.5 MAM.

If I had passed before 1997 the towing limits are much higher.
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Are you going on the maximum weights listed on the car/trailer, rather than actual weights ? As I would expect an A4 Quattro to have a MAM well over 2 tons. My wife's old Zafira was 2.3 tons which meant you could tow very little on a cat B licence. My car trailer has a MAM of 2.5 tons even although it only weighs 400kg.
 
That's the Kerb weight of the A4, you are right though at 2.3 tons for the Zafira it doesn't give you much actual towing capacity.

I'm guessing your 400kg trailer is only single axle?
 
CrispyWombat said:
That's the Kerb weight of the A4, you are right though at 2.3 tons for the Zafira it doesn't give you much actual towing capacity.

I'm guessing your 400kg trailer is only single axle?
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The licence figures aren't based on kerb weight they are based on the plated maximum authorised mass, I expect your A4 will have a MAM around 2.3-2.5 tons so you are towing the trailer with out the correct entitement on your license.

The police are more clued up on this now and I have been stopped twice to check my licence when towing. In both cases they checked the plated MAMs which was almost 5 tons.
 
Just wanted to clarify, as I have seen friends get serious charges for ignoring this.

Trailer capacity is NOT done with the kerb weight of a car, it is done with the "Gross Vehicle Weight" - this is the amount the car/trailer "could" legally carry if fully loaded. For some confusing reason, the DVLA then refer to this as "Maximum Authorized Mass".

This means to determine if you are legal, you should take the GVW from the information plate/manual of the car, and add it to the one from the trailer. THEN if that is over 3.5t, you aren't legal on a newer licence.

To use the Audi Example above, a 2-3 year old A4 Quattro Estate has a GVW between 1.9 and 2.3t depending on spec and engine choice. Assuming a mid spec derv, at 2.0 tonnes, this means the trailer can't show more than 1.5t as its GVW on the plate, or you are driving illegally. In this example, that would mean the trailer had to be the smallest possible car transport trailer I could find, with a GVW of 1300kg, which can only carry a 900KG car.

It makes no odds if the whole train only weights 2.5 tonnes while in use, if the combination of the two vehicles/trailer are CAPABLE of over 3.5 tonnes plated, you get nicked!

Dangerous Dave said:
...... snip.......
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Edit : Dang - Beaten, like the proverbial....
 
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Damn, looks like I've been breaking the law, shall hand myself in later today.

Guess I will have to do the test myself at some stage, fortunately the car has been off the road for the last few years so have had no reason to tow aside from a small box trailer.
 
Nomisf said:
Just wanted to clarify, as I have seen friends get serious charges for ignoring this.

Trailer capacity is NOT done with the kerb weight of a car, it is done with the "Gross Vehicle Weight" - this is the amount the car/trailer "could" legally carry if fully loaded. For some confusing reason, the DVLA then refer to this as "Maximum Authorized Mass".

This means to determine if you are legal, you should take the GVW from the information plate/manual of the car, and add it to the one from the trailer. THEN if that is over 3.5t, you aren't legal on a newer licence.

To use the Audi Example above, a 2-3 year old A4 Quattro Estate has a GVW between 1.9 and 2.3t depending on spec and engine choice. Assuming a mid spec derv, at 2.0 tonnes, this means the trailer can't show more than 1.5t as its GVW on the plate, or you are driving illegally. In this example, that would mean the trailer had to be the smallest possible car transport trailer I could find, with a GVW of 1300kg, which can only carry a 900KG car.

It makes no odds if the whole train only weights 2.5 tonnes while in use, if the combination of the two vehicles/trailer are CAPABLE of over 3.5 tonnes plated, you get nicked!
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Having researcher this a number this is the best explanation i have seen. Every other time i have been left confused reading conflicting bits of information and until now i too thought the that the MAM was just car + trailer + trailer load combined. Most sites reference caravans and the advice is not clear at all, especially on the DVLA site.
 
I did my trailer towing course a couple of months ago, I had no towing experience before doing it. Passed first time spent most of the first two days ago practicing reversing and driving around different roads.

I'd give the test a go it ain't that hard.
 
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Sorry for the slight hi-jack but would I need a licence to pull my parents trailer tent?

Current car is a 15 plate 2.0tdi Superb Estate DSG.

Plate on side of trailer:

 
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