How to tell if you need a towing licence

[Justme]

Slightly off topic but sort of connected, maybe you can point me in the right direction for an answer -

 

What is the position with regards vintage kit where a towing or carrying capacity is not stated?

 

 

If you give me more details I can try to find out.

[Justme]

And when you reach the ripe age of 70 you have to have a medical and eye test every 3 years to keep your towing rights

 

Wrong.

 

You keep your B & BE plus a few others.

 

You will loose your other vocational stuff (LGV PSV etc) if you dont do the medicals.

[Aicchalmers]

If you give me more details I can try to find out.

 

I believe it then goes to the tyre weight ratings.

[Justme]

I was told by a traffic cop that as long as the trailer and vehicle combined are less than 3500kg then you are fine regardless of your age or the trailer weight - I was 18 when he told me this and havent had the opportunity to put it to the test yet with another copper...

 

 

 

That is correct as long as the combine weight you mention is the plated weight not real weights.

 

It is the result you will get from the 3 questions.

[Justme]

I believe it then goes to the tyre weight ratings.

 

 

The trailer would.

 

I thought they were on about the tow vehicle?

 

On the trailer just paint on the MAM you want as long as all the component parts are rated to a higher weight.

[Aicchalmers]

Can I just check that this is right with other towing regulations (Have recent B+E) ..

So under 1020kg unladen weight no need for an operators license?

What about say a trailer with a box body/greedy boards ratchet strapped (or otherwise temporarily attached) on top, would it be the unladen weight of the trailer or the unladen weight of the trailer+box?

What about trailed chippers, are any over 1020 also in need of an operators license or is it somehow different with trailed plant.

Under 100km radius (As the crow flies?) no need for tachograph but still need to follow gb hours as long as not for hire and reward?

No need for trailer mot as long as <3.5t?

Mini-artic units, I've seen a couple about that have a gross weight of 3.5, unladen of about 2.5, so could in theory still have a 5t trailer(plated+mot'ed) on BE without exceeding GTW. As far as I could figure out this might be possible on an old license but not on a new, or would it depend on commercial/hire or reward use?

[Justme]

Can I just check that this is right with other towing regulations (Have recent B+E) ..

1, So under 1020kg unladen weight no need for an operators license?

2, What about say a trailer with a box body/greedy boards ratchet strapped (or otherwise temporarily attached) on top, would it be the unladen weight of the trailer or the unladen weight of the trailer+box?

3, What about trailed chippers, are any over 1020 also in need of an operators license or is it somehow different with trailed plant.

4, Under 100km radius (As the crow flies?) no need for tachograph but still need to follow gb hours as long as not for hire and reward?

5, No need for trailer mot as long as <3.5t?

6, Mini-artic units, I've seen a couple about that have a gross weight of 3.5, unladen of about 2.5, so could in theory still have a 5t trailer(plated+mot'ed) on BE without exceeding GTW.

7, As far as I could figure out this might be possible on an old license but not on a new, or would it depend on commercial/hire or reward use?

 

Wow you want your monies worth.

 

1, Read attached doc re O licence. Then see if you are hire & reward or not

2, If an item is part of the vehicle it counts for unladen weight so greedy board would be included. If the boxes are the load you would be ok. If they are carrying the load as part of the trailer you are not.

3, I dont know of any exemptions that would apply to plant in this case.

4, Yes, please be clear what is & what is not Hire & Reward.

5, Yes under 3500kg MAM

6, Nope. BE allows a vehicle of 3500kg & a trailer of 3500kg. Not 7000kg in total

7, A C1E might cover it. However again its not quite as easy as the trailer cant weigh more than the vehicle for standard C1E. There is an allowance for mini artics but not sure if it applies to C1E 107 restricted 8250kg IE grandad rights. Or if its just for full 12000kg C1E. Its interesting but I have never had an actual case so never got to the bottom of it.

 

 

The hire & reward definition for O licence MIGHT not be the one used for tacho. Police see it as any financial gain is hire or reward.

 

Hope that helps

 

This personal advice is worth the price that you paid for it

[openspaceman]

Wow you want your monies worth.

 

6, Nope. BE allows a vehicle of 3500kg & a trailer of 3500kg. Not 7000kg in total

 

Up till 97 the trailer weight was not specified and it may not have been till 2013. So an old B+E could have a trailer heavier than 3500 as long as the brakes were operated by the service brake.

 

The C1+E with a gross of 8.25 tonnes is needed for the mini artics Iveco imported at the turn of the century.

[agg221]

Up till 97 the trailer weight was not specified and it may not have been till 2013. So an old B+E could have a trailer heavier than 3500 as long as the brakes were operated by the service brake.

 

Yep. I believe if you have a towing vehicle with no stated maximum towing weight (not sure on the date for this but I know it applies to S2 land rovers but not S3 so must be post-1973) then simple train weight applies, so as long as you have appropriate braking arrangements you can tow over 5000kg. Not sure I would want to, but I know people who have done this with boats, I believe carrying written confirmation of legality.

 

Alec

[monkeymoreton]

Most traffic officers go by gmw not what it actually weighs so I would be careful if your towing a trailer with gmw over 750kg.

This coming from experience as now I have a b+e

 

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk