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Quote: Originally posted by SamandRose on 16/8/2021

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Personally I have no problem with the B+E requirement, as it stands, disappearing for good.

The basic premise of it being applicable only to car and trailer weights of over 3500kg is fundamentally flawed in any case. How can it possibly make sense that a newly qualified driver can legally tow a 1300kg caravan with most versions of a VW Golf, but needs to take an extra test in order to tow the exact same caravan with a Land Rover Discovery?

As far as basic driving and towing safety goes, that should be covered by existing legislation. If you cause a motorway accident as a result of an unsafely loaded caravan, surely that's dangerous driving and the associated penalties should apply.

I do agree that its sensible for anyone who tows any kind of trailer to be able to reverse it - if not on campsites then in other situations such as narrow roads or motorway services. However, I can do this and have never had any formal training of any kind. I taught myself the basic principles using a toy car and trailer and put it into practice using a horse trailer in a local farmers field. I could reverse that round a corner before I even had a full licence. Whilst not everyone will have that luxury, a few Sunday evenings in a supermarket car park or industrial estate should be enough for most people to gain some competence / confidence.

However, one area that is clearly sadly lacking - as demonstrated on this forum as much as anywhere else - is an awareness of what trailer weights people can legally tow with their own vehicles, as well as how sensible it is to tow up to this weight. That's not meant as a criticism, because I didn't know before I started caravanning either. However, maybe a written theory test before anyone can tow anything more than an unbraked trailer is the answer here.

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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 16/8/2021

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Quote: Originally posted by SamandRose on 16/8/2021

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Personally I have no problem with the B+E requirement, as it stands, disappearing for good.

The basic premise of it being applicable only to car and trailer weights of over 3500kg is fundamentally flawed in any case. How can it possibly make sense that a newly qualified driver can legally tow a 1300kg caravan with most versions of a VW Golf, but needs to take an extra test in order to tow the exact same caravan with a Land Rover Discovery?

As far as basic driving and towing safety goes, that should be covered by existing legislation. If you cause a motorway accident as a result of an unsafely loaded caravan, surely that's dangerous driving and the associated penalties should apply.

I do agree that its sensible for anyone who tows any kind of trailer to be able to reverse it - if not on campsites then in other situations such as narrow roads or motorway services. However, I can do this and have never had any formal training of any kind. I taught myself the basic principles using a toy car and trailer and put it into practice using a horse trailer in a local farmers field. I could reverse that round a corner before I even had a full licence. Whilst not everyone will have that luxury, a few Sunday evenings in a supermarket car park or industrial estate should be enough for most people to gain some competence / confidence.

However, one area that is clearly sadly lacking - as demonstrated on this forum as much as anywhere else - is an awareness of what trailer weights people can legally tow with their own vehicles, as well as how sensible it is to tow up to this weight. That's not meant as a criticism, because I didn't know before I started caravanning either. However, maybe a written theory test before anyone can tow anything more than an unbraked trailer is the answer here.

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Good post as it is speeding and over loading that probably cause more accidents with trailers than anything else and certainly not reversing them. Pity we do not have access to those statistics.
Regarding reversing many caravans now have motor movers so reversing the unit is probably "old fashion!"

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Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 16/8/2021

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Reversing on a site I would agree with you, a large percentage of caravans now have movers on them. Even my 1992 Elddis has motor movers, but it's not on sites where the problem lies. Many sites have narrow lanes leading to them, and if a large vehicle comes the other way it is essential to be able to reverse as the other vehicle may not be able to, possibly due to a long line of traffic behind them.

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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 16/8/2021

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Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 16/8/2021

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Reversing on a site I would agree with you, a large percentage of caravans now have movers on them. Even my 1992 Elddis has motor movers, but it's not on sites where the problem lies. Many sites have narrow lanes leading to them, and if a large vehicle comes the other way it is essential to be able to reverse as the other vehicle may not be able to, possibly due to a long line of traffic behind them.

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By the same token the person towing the caravan could have a line of traffic behind them. TBH reserving is the least of worries when it comes to road safety. Many people who have never towed in the lives simply cannot reverse properly and are all over the place. See this almost on a daily basis!

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Quote: Originally posted by bessie500 on 16/8/2021

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I recently put my caravan up for sale and had a couple begging to view it as soon as I returned from holiday, they sorted their finances out the insurance the storage yard and had even booked their car in for a tow bar.
The killer was my van weighed in at 1560kgs and they had a 2012 sportage, which put their weight over the 3500kgs, under normal circumstances for this couple it wouldn’t have been ok, as the guy had taken his hgv last November and failed, He re-applied for his retest and was still waiting 8 months later.

I think this is why they are scrapping the test we have a severe shortage of HGV drivers in this country and a huge backlog of people waiting for driving test.

My daughter has been waiting since June for a new test date but has heard nothing

I totally get the reason why it was introduced, as you could just jump in a disco and big twin axle and go hurtling down the motorway.

I personally think they should keep the 3500kgs limits for say the 1st 3 to 5 years of getting their license, then it can be increased to a higher weigh category

Bessie    

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Quote: Originally posted by Triaxle on 17/8/2021

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There is no shortage of hgv drivers, but there definitely IS a shortage of hgv licence holders willing to work for peanuts. These wages are what they would have been were it not for a mass influx of cheap tractor drivers from Eastern Europe 20 years ago keeping wages artificially low.

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Quote: Originally posted by Triaxle on 17/8/2021

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There is no shortage of hgv drivers, but there definitely IS a shortage of hgv licence holders willing to work for peanuts. These wages are what they would have been were it not for a mass influx of cheap tractor drivers from Eastern Europe 20 years ago keeping wages artificially low.

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