Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by Jellybeans on 21/12/2008

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 Surely DVLA have records of who has passed what test. seems to me that they are trying to either get drivers off the road or worse still cause drivers to un-wittingly be prosecuted for being unliecenced when they have taken the required tests, but DVLA seem to accept no responsibility of this.

COME ON DVLA GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. 

A warning then is that if you have to send your licence away take a photocopy or 2 first of all your relevent catagories/name/address, check your new licence thoroughly when it arrives, then if anything is amiss contact them & e-mail them one of your photocopies to prove that you had the original entitlement

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Good advice.

Yes, providing his licence covers him to tow, and yes you need L plates clearly displayed at front and rear.

This query came up last year, with regard to practising on a motorway, and I sought advice from DSA and DVLA who confirmed that someone practising for the B + E test could legitimately go on a motorway but must display L plates and be accompanied by a full licence holder who already had the entitlement.

Quote: Originally posted by motorway on 30/7/2008

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 i passed my test on the 29th sept 1997 and i tow a 1600kgs caravan fully laden and i have no plans whatsoever to take a test with snobby know it all from the caravan club or i should say the over 50,s club .... as i know how to tow my van perfectly as i have being doing for the past 5 years , so for god sake just let us enjoying our towing and enjoying our holidays ...

 

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Janus - see my post of 1/9/08:

"It is nothing to do with "snobby know it all from the caravan club or i should say the over 50,s club" - it is the Law and if you break it the Police will undoubtedly prosecute."

I had not looked at the dates of the earlier posts, it appeared in the list of recent posts that I brought in when I logged on after a week and half away with the van. The OP can hold what opinion he wishes of the CC it is his own loss, I just wanted to stress why he was breaking the law, which if he is towing a van of that weight with a skoda Octavia he most certainly is.

As I said, it's the responsibility of the driver to ensure he/she is complying with the Law - if they aren't and are either stopped or involved in an accident then they have a problem, and only themselves to blame.

We can lead the horses to water but we can't make them drink .........................

Quote: Originally posted by bordercaz on 13/5/2009

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As I said, it's the responsibility of the driver to ensure he/she is complying with the Law - if they aren't and are either stopped or involved in an accident then they have a problem, and only themselves to blame.

We can lead the horses to water but we can't make them drink .........................

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I totally agree that it is the drivers responsability to ensure thatr they are legal - but -there are so many rules and regulations that the problem is being AWARE that you might be affected - you have no hope of knowing everything or even that there is a rule or regulation which might affect you!!!!!

This is where the LAW is definatly an ass !!!! Anyone that says ignorance of the Law is No Excuse is not being realistic, we would spend more than one lifetime just investigating the law to make sure we were not ignorant.

Perhaps what we need is a section under the annual MOT where you have to declare what you are going to use your vehicle for ie towing...and you then receive advice on what you must check to ensure you are legal.

:Life is a maze with no sign of the exit :

Quote: Originally posted by bordercaz on 09/5/2009

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Yes, providing his licence covers him to tow, and yes you need L plates clearly displayed at front and rear.

This query came up last year, with regard to practising on a motorway, and I sought advice from DSA and DVLA who confirmed that someone practising for the B + E test could legitimately go on a motorway but must display L plates and be accompanied by a full licence holder who already had the entitlement.

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That's good to know, i'm a post 97 driver but it looks as though i'll be able to share the driving on long trips providing i have plates.

it's a minefield isn't it.

Quote:

<DIV class=subContent><H3>Car licences held before 1 January 1997</H3>

All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires.