I'm terrified of trailers.. Help pls..

[Pampera]

Here's what I'd do.

You now need a specific licence to drive ether truck of over 3.5 tonnes or a car/4x4 and heavy trailer (you may have these entitlements on your licence already).

This means that many commercial driving schools have specific 7.5 t box van trucks and 4x4/heavy trailer combinations on their fleets.

Book yourself a couple of hours in each type of vehicle: ideally with the same instructor in both.

Listen carefully to his instructions and advice.

Ask him/her to give you an honest appraisal of your driving and manouvering skills in each, and ask yourself honestly which vehicle you felt happiest in.

You can then make your decision about where you spend your money.

Lastly please remember that old, ill-maintained trailers are just plain dangerous, while old, ill-maintained trucks are absolutely lethal.

I'd get an independent inspection done of any £3k truck I was going to buy: but for that money I wouldn't expect anything very special.

 

[Jacks Mum]

Thanks again all.. My husband is an MOT tester and we own a MOT testing station, and I'm an MOT manager. Anything we have will be completely inspected before we buy it, and properly looked after.

I can only drive a 3.5 or under as pasted test one week after licences changed! And I'd be ok with ifor trailer as only 12hh pony.. but I don't want a trailer.. I have good policeman friends who run specialist driving courses but quite simply my head isn't in a place to get one at all...

Think I'd rather stay at home... Hearing peoples views on the accidents they've had or witnessed just leads me to believe I really should listen to my heart...

Love the support you get on this forum.. very new to forums but its briiliant x

 

[Pampera]

TBH the last place I'd go for driving advice is the police: they have a terrible record, with their 'specialist' drivers being downright dangerous.

Someone I know had to teach police motorcyclists how to ride trail bikes.

Before they started they informed him that they were 'the best riders in the world'.

He said they were the worst pupils he had ever had: thought they knew everything, but actually knew nothing and were unable to learn.

Most were unable to grasp that sitting bolt upright well back on the bike was not the way to ride.

I've got another mate who rifle shoots and he says the local police firearms squad are the same: totally ignore safety/range etiquette because 'they are the best in the world'.

Seriously, I'd book a couple of lessons with a professional instructor: if only because it will give you the confidence that whatever decision you make is your decision and the right decision.

But that's just me!

 

[perfect11s]

Thanks again all.. My husband is an MOT tester and we own a MOT testing station, and I'm an MOT manager. Anything we have will be completely inspected before we buy it, and properly looked after.

I can only drive a 3.5 or under as pasted test one week after licences changed! And I'd be ok with ifor trailer as only 12hh pony.. but I don't want a trailer.. I have good policeman friends who run specialist driving courses but quite simply my head isn't in a place to get one at all...

Think I'd rather stay at home... Hearing peoples views on the accidents they've had or witnessed just leads me to believe I really should listen to my heart...

Love the support you get on this forum.. very new to forums but its briiliant x

If you run that sort of bussiness and have servicing , storage and are maning a phone why
not look at a new or nearly new 3.5 ton box and hire it out!!!! just book it to yourself
for your shows.... might not make a fortune but it would get you transport and another bussiness opertunity esp if you do class 7, and people would come with their boxes for mots and would most likley tell friends about your hire box.....

 

[trojanpony]

I've also had a bad accident with a trailer many years ago. Thankfully horse was okay, but I swore I would never trailer again and haven't.
My little 3.5t box is years and years old yet perfectly reliable and easy to drive. It costs around £200 a year to MOT and similar to insure/breakdown and £160 to tax.
The rest of the time I drive a little 1.3l car which saves me well over that every year in petrol/tax compared to a 4x4 which I would need to tow.
I will never go back to trailering and if I can't keep my van running will just not travel so support you 100%.

 

[skint1]

I was just getting over the worst of my towing fears and wish I hadn't read this thread

 

[hackinharry]

I think the days of trailers is numberd or maybe the vehicles to tow them are , with diesel at 130 ppl and rising , road tax over £400!! unless you tow with something old or commercial a trailer isnt a cheap option anymore .... its madness to run round in a 25/30 mpg 4x4 just so you can tow a poxy horse trailer safely once in a while....

I beg to differ.....I don't "run around" much, less than 100 miles a week in fact and if I dumped my 4x4 and trailer for a lorry I would have to buy another car to go to and from work so that would be 2 sets of tax, insurance and MOT - it actually works out cheaper for me to run the 4x4, and plus I know I'm as safe as can be towing with it thankyou very much!! My 4x4 has better fuel economy than some sports cars actually!!
My money, my business I'm afraid.

 

[hackinharry]

I personally think that trailers are extremely dangerous and should be banned. I also had an awful accident that wrote off my LR Disco and trailer and nearly killed 2 horse and the only explanation from the police and the insurance was "it's one of those things that happens from time to time with trailers and lorry lines on motorways with moving cargo - and there is nothing you can do to avoid it". Apparently it doesn't matter how carefully you drive, there are so many outside factors that you have no control over any one of which can cause the trailer to jackknife/flip and, get this, the worst speed for accidents is 40MPH (so you don't even need to be driving fast!!!)

Controversial I know and I understand that many people use them without any problems but tell me this, would you strap your child into a piece of tin and tow it behind you going 50/60mph on a motorway? Probably not. Why would you do it to 3/4 of a ton or more or moving live weight? Once that thing is strapped on and you have all that weight over that tiny point of connection you have no control whatsoever.

Don't get me started with the ranting. Awful dangerous things.

Oh dear - here we go, something went wrong so it must be banned - ALL vehicles have a capacity to be dangerous, shall we ban everything and just not get out of bed in the morning sheesh..... And don't even go there with badly maintained horse lorries having blow outs and causing serious accidents on motorways, because it's NOT just trailers that are dangerous you know.

 

[Rueysmum]

OP, I think you should go with your gut instinct. That's what it's there for.

 

[perfect11s]

I beg to differ.....I don't "run around" much, less than 100 miles a week in fact and if I dumped my 4x4 and trailer for a lorry I would have to buy another car to go to and from work so that would be 2 sets of tax, insurance and MOT - it actually works out cheaper for me to run the 4x4, and plus I know I'm as safe as can be towing with it thankyou very much!! My 4x4 has better fuel economy than some sports cars actually!!
My money, my business I'm afraid.

OH don't be afraid... if the trailer 4x4 combo works for you and fits your budget that's great ....

 

[Luckylocalian]

Oh dear - here we go, something went wrong so it must be banned - ALL vehicles have a capacity to be dangerous, shall we ban everything and just not get out of bed in the morning sheesh..... And don't even go there with badly maintained horse lorries having blow outs and causing serious accidents on motorways, because it's NOT just trailers that are dangerous you know.

Any badly maintained vehicle is dangerous, I accept that. By if you take a new trailer v a new horsebox (for comparison purposes) the safety is not even comparable. I am not so
someone that advocates a nanny state but I do genuinely feel very strongly that towing livestock in a trailer is extremely unsafe and should be banned. Both my own experience and ever story I have heard. No need to feel threatened, it's just my opinion, which the OP asked us to give. I'm not a politician so unlikely my views will ever make any difference in the grand scheme of things!

 

[Clippy]

I've not read all the replies to this so forgive me if repeating, but a trailer is as safe as the vehicle towing it. Years ago, a trailer turning over on the motorway wasn't that uncommon but things have come a long way since then. A good 4X4 towing a decent trailer is very safe. No point looking for horror stories, just get your pony used to the trailer and get yourself used to towing it and you'll be confident sooner than you think

 

[perfect11s]

Any badly maintained vehicle is dangerous, I accept that. By if you take a new trailer v a new horsebox (for comparison purposes) the safety is not even comparable. I am not so
someone that advocates a nanny state but I do genuinely feel very strongly that towing livestock in a trailer is extremely unsafe and should be banned. Both my own experience and ever story I have heard. No need to feel threatened, it's just my opinion, which the OP asked us to give. I'm not a politician so unlikely my views will ever make any difference in the grand scheme of things!

I think a trailer is fine although there is more chance of getting it wrong, critical things to consider are... have I got a suitable tow car not one thats only just big enough?
is the tow ball at the right hight, are the trailer brakes working perfectly, are you a competant driver thats aware of other trafic and able to drive at a safe speed,
people do thousands of safe miles towing every year..........

 

[kizzywiz]

I'm not brilliant at reversing trailer, but really not a problem. PC events usually in huge field so no reversing necessary, and loads of helpful farmers/wives who will always help out if you get in a sticky situation.

So what will you do if you need to reverse on the road, or go to a show somewhere like Patchetts where the parking is tight?? Sorry but I totally disagree, I think being able to reverse properly is very important.

 

[maxapple]

I owned a trailer for 2 years, and went all over the place in it and never had a bad experience. Despite that I'm not overly keen on them and think my pony picks up on that! If its really stressing you out that much, nothing anyone says is likely to make you feel better!

I sold my trailer and now just hire a self drive box when we go out which is cheaper than owning and maintaining a trailer anyway. I feel much happier in a box and my pony travels so much better.

Unless you are planning to go out every weekend, you might be better just hiring a box as and when you need one. If you have a pony, you can probably take another pony along with you to share the costs and be under the weight limit.