Anyone done a B+E test?

Paint Me Proud

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Hopefully should be getting a trailer tomorrow so will need to book my B+E test.

I was just wondering if anyone one here has done one and what you had to do?
 

Jesstickle

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I've done mine. Most of it is just a repeat of your car test but towing a trailer, so drive round down negotiating traffic lights, roundabouts and pedestrians etc. You pick up minors just like your normal test and this is the hard part imho as if you've been driving a while you have all sorts of bad habits!

The bit at the test centre involves the reversing manoeuvre (which isn't that easy to explain in words but basically involves you starting in a box, reversing in an s shape round a cone and into another box and getting the back of the trailer the right distance from the back of the box, not crossing the lines they don't want you to cross and not hitting the cone + doing your observations the whole time too).

You also do an emergency stop, show them what trailer checks you would do before hitching up and hitch and unhitch the trailer. You have to hitch and unhitch in the proscribed order though so it's worth reading up on. They also ask you the normal show me tell me questions from your driving test ie how to check the water, how to turn on the lights, how to adjust your headrests etc

Hope that all makes sense :)
 

sydney

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Think Jesstickle covered it, but if you can try and get as much practice before you start your training so you're not too nervous.

And be positive- I felt like crying during my training because I was so crap and many innocent road cones lost their lives.... and I passed first time! Good luck!
 

MinxGTi

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Jesstickle has explained it perfect!
You will need to have lessons before you do your test, just so you know what to practice.
I passed first time with 2 minors, it's really not that hard of a test :) Good Luck!
 

Jesstickle

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I didn't pass first time :( Got over confident at a roundabout and got a major! Boo. Only had three minors too!

Got it second time round though. Would definitely recommend a few lessons to get out of your bad habits (like nipping out into spaces on roundabouts that aren't really there :p and so on)

But all in all, it's quite easy really. The reverse manoeuvre is really just a case of learner your markers and lining them up, as is the hitch :)
 

dafthoss

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JT I never knew you had your trailer test! That may make it easier for you to come along to the odd pony party with us if you fancy any before we go back.
 

Rudey

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I have done it too! I passed mine in November 2011. By the way, they have taken out the emergency stop part of the test now for trailers - have done for the last year apparently.

The best advice I can give, is to practice for hours on end reversing in long straight lines. You will soon learn how to control and co-ordinate your truck and trailer, and eventually, it becomes second nature to 'auto-correct' where you want your trailer to be.

A great tip my instructor gave me about using my mirrors to reverse with was to try and keep the trailer equal in both mirrors when backing up in a straight line. If the trailer starts to appear in one mirror than the other, slightly turn your steering wheel towards that same mirror, and the trailer will move back behind you. You need to be careful how much you steer - a little movement can have a dramtic effect! So, sometimes you have to 'catch' the trailer then in the other mirror and just adjust slightly until you are going straight with no kinks.

Main thing is to be patient. It is not easy at first, but with perserverence, it is not the impossible either! You can do it!

If you fancy picking up a couple more tips, and learning from my stupid mistakes, here is my thread from when I did mine! I will warn you, it is a lengthy read! Somewhere further down on the thread, I typed out the hitching and unhitching procedure! xx

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=497882&highlight=passed
 

Happy Hunter

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grab as many lessons with the instructor as you can - its not the reversing or 'manovre' bits that most people fail - its the driving!

Try to drive in 'test mode' in your regular car as much as possible! dont ride the clutch, dont let go of the steering wheel, and dont jump red lights ;)

Youll be fine :)
 

Jesstickle

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JT I never knew you had your trailer test! That may make it easier for you to come along to the odd pony party with us if you fancy any before we go back.

Yep, passed it ages ago! Have only towed a few times since though so not sure how good I am!

We're at CWA next Saturday for major jumping. Are you going to be there?
 

ROG

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If you can do this it will help -

Get to a test centre and watch a BE reverse and un/couple

Loose the rear view mirror in your car now

check both side mirrors before doing anything - I mean anything!!

Try never to come to a complete stop

Try to ease off early - no braking or changing down gear - for hazards/queues etc

If you can practise revering un/coupling on some out of the way place then great

Also get as much supervised on road driving as you can

the supervisor must be over age 21 and had BE for at least 3 years - pre 97 BEs are fine

L plates and correct insurance for BE learner are essential
 
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Princess P

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JT - Can I ask where you did your training? We're in the same area and I'm keen to do mine. My husband did his in Peterborough but I'm hoping to find somewhere closer.
:)
 

Jesstickle

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JT - Can I ask where you did your training? We're in the same area and I'm keen to do mine. My husband did his in Peterborough but I'm hoping to find somewhere closer.
:)

Fraid I did mine in Peterborough too :(

You can also do it in Norwich or Milton Keynes or somewhere in Essex. It's a bit of a burger because you have to take it at an HGV centre and we don't have one (understandably I guess, can you imagine trying to tow a trailer round Cambridge? Mill Road especially would be interesting I think :eek:)

O, and hello local person :) I'll have to add you to my list of people who live round here. Do you go out and about? Have I ever seen you? You'd have noticed me, I'm the loud one shouting 'just effing stand still you massive effing knobber!' at my horse!
 

ROG

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Peterborough .....

I did my very first on the road driving test there in a 7.5 tonner!! back in 1979

I drove around a roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout ........

I seem to remember one set of lights ......
 

Jesstickle

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Peterborough .....

I did my very first on the road driving test there in a 7.5 tonner!! back in 1979

I drove around a roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout then another roundabout ........

I seem to remember one set of lights ......


Sounds about right! Very easy to drive round because of all the 'parkways' which are basically dual carriage ways so really easy to negotiate :)

The only slightly more difficult parts are a couple of roads in town that they use for test routes and remembering to only do 30mph through the Hamptons as they look like they should be much faster roads!
 

Paint Me Proud

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thank for the tips.

I will be doing the test in my dads brand new automatic freelander so i will have to get some practice in.

I am fairly confident i will be okay but useful to know what to expect :)
 

Princess P

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Hello local person lol! We do try and get out and about, not sure if I have seen you though! Look out for us - we'll be the ones who are 'tense and hollow' throughout every movement on our dressage tests, or nearly exploding with excitement in the sj or xc!

I tend to only go out on Sundays because my husband plays football on Saturdays so isn't available to be my driver! He will have passed 3 yrs this Sept so will be able to teach me then, but not sure if that's a good idea, for the sake of our marriage! I'm ok with forwards but I think backwards and hitching up will be issues for me!
x
 

Paint Me Proud

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Unless you are in Northern Ireland, if you pass the B+E test in an automatic you will only get AUTO B+E - not manual

really? Oh i will do the test in my manual car then, it has a towbar and can managed to pull the trailer when empty so will do that. Thanks for the heads up :)
 

Jesstickle

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Hello local person lol! We do try and get out and about, not sure if I have seen you though! Look out for us - we'll be the ones who are 'tense and hollow' throughout every movement on our dressage tests, or nearly exploding with excitement in the sj or xc!

I tend to only go out on Sundays because my husband plays football on Saturdays so isn't available to be my driver! He will have passed 3 yrs this Sept so will be able to teach me then, but not sure if that's a good idea, for the sake of our marriage! I'm ok with forwards but I think backwards and hitching up will be issues for me!
x

I don't tend to get out much at all yet as I need to buy my own trailer and car first. At the moment it's only if I can blag lifts/ borrow other people's stuff. I've managed to bump into a couple of forum folk out and about though. Hopefully I'll be sorted by the summer though and if you haven't got your Saturday lifts fixed by then I'll happily come and give you a lride with us if you aren't a million miles away.

We usually get 'needs more leg to work through the back' on dressage sheets which I think is pretty much exactly the same as 'tense and hollow' just with different words :D
 

ROG

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really? Oh i will do the test in my manual car then, it has a towbar and can managed to pull the trailer when empty so will do that. Thanks for the heads up :)
That will be fine as long as the empty trailer weight does not exceed the towing capacity listed for your car

The DSA have certain vehicle and trailer requirements for set ups like yours when taking a B+E test

CAR = http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/PracticalTest/DG_4022543

TRAILER = http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_4022521
 
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