Towing rules for B and B+E

ROG

ROG

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TOWING RULES

A member in this thread - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=474979 – asked if someone could explain as simply as possible if the towing rules for B and B+E could be posted.

Not going to be easy but I will TRY to do them as simply as possible.

The towing capacity = the actual weight being towed (trailer and load added together)

TOWING WITH CAT ‘B’ (trailers over 750 kgs)
What you need to know – much of this is in the handbook
The unladen (empty) weight of your vehicle
The max MAM/GVW of your vehicle
The towing capacity of your vehicle
The MAM/GVW of the trailer (or the tyre load rating if no plate)

What the rules are
The towing capacity must not be exceeded
Any MAM/GVW must not be exceeded
The MAM of the trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the vehicle
The total MAM/GVW of the vehicle & trailer added together must not exceed 3.5 tonnes

TOWING WITH CAT B+E
What you need to know
The max MAM/GVW of your vehicle
Any GTW (Gross train Weight) if listed
The towing capacity of your vehicle
The MAM/GVW of the trailer (or the tyre load rating if no plate)

What the rules are
No MAM/GWV must be exceeded
The vehicle towing capacity must not be exceeded
Any listed GTW must not be exceeded

LAW – the maximum MAM/GVW of a trailer being towed by a CAT B vehicle is 3.5 tonnes

SAFETY – the actual weight of the trailer should never exceed 85% of the actual weight of the towing vehicle as this could lead to a scenario known as ‘the tail wagging the dog’

MYTH – the MAM/GVW of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity

There are other rules in regard to towing such as towing ball weight, tachographs if towing commercially over a total MAM of 3.5 tonnes, ‘O’ licences for business, max size of trailer, braking system, electrics etc but I have left those alone and just concentrated on the licence issues.

Hope this helps and that the info given has been written correctly as I have compiled it from the DVLA website, the Police and VOSA.
 
ROG said:
SAFETY – the actual weight of the trailer should never exceed 85% of the actual weight of the towing vehicle as this could lead to a scenario known as ‘the tail wagging the dog’

MYTH – the MAM/GVW of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity

There are other rules in regard to towing such as towing ball weight, tachographs if towing commercially over a total MAM of 3.5 tonnes, ‘O’ licences for business, max size of trailer, braking system, electrics etc but I have left those alone and just concentrated on the licence issues.

Hope this helps and that the info given has been written correctly as I have compiled it from the DVLA website, the Police and VOSA.
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Sort of helps... except the bit about 85% is absulute utter crap... sorry you are a mong for posting this rubish as fact!!! as no one would be able to tow two horses or cars on trailers etc think about it and use your brain most 4x4s are around two tonnes so no one can ever tow more than 1700kg !!!! HMMM .. and you left out the people who make the laws and construction and use rules which is the dept for transport!!! everyone else ether atempts to inforce the law VOSA/police or issues registration for vehicles / licences for drivers.. DVLA Why would you quote them and not the proper authority???? be carefull before posting more misleading rubbish sorry if this seems harsh but it is important to get facts right peoples insurance licence and safety depends on it....
 
ROG said:
TOWING RULES


MYTH – the MAM/GVW of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity

.
Click to expand...

the problem is that even the VOSA officials cant agree on this, ask 2 different people there are you will get 2 different answers.

I sat my test today and as this has bugged me for a while I asked, guess what I was told? The MAM of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity of your vehicle.

just stating what I was told today:cool:
 
NeverSayNever said:
the problem is that even the VOSA officials cant agree on this, ask 2 different people there are you will get 2 different answers.

I sat my test today and as this has bugged me for a while I asked, guess what I was told? The MAM of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity of your vehicle.

just stating what I was told today:cool:
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VOSA oficials are only like the police they inforce laws and not make them !!!!some have a fuller understanding of the law than others.. there is no law that says the MAM of the trailer must not exceed the towing capacity in the case of light trailers under 3500kg.. that is fact.... as light trailers are NOT plated like a HGV trailer.... for a sucsessfull prosicution they ..vosa or police would have to prove your combination was unsafe the courts would most likely except weighbridge evidence that you had exceded the manufacures recomended weights.....
 
perfect11s said:
Sort of helps... except the bit about 85% is absulute utter crap... sorry you are a mong for posting this rubish as fact!!! as no one would be able to tow two horses or cars on trailers etc think about it and use your brain most 4x4s are around two tonnes so no one can ever tow more than 1700kg !!!! HMMM .. and you left out the people who make the laws and construction and use rules which is the dept for transport!!! everyone else ether atempts to inforce the law VOSA/police or issues registration for vehicles / licences for drivers.. DVLA Why would you quote them and not the proper authority???? be carefull before posting more misleading rubbish sorry if this seems harsh but it is important to get facts right peoples insurance licence and safety depends on it....
Click to expand...
the 85% is RECOMMENDED safety ADVICE - not law and I said as much

I have only posted FACTS

If you can find something that refutes what I have stated as fact then please feel free to post it
 
ROG said:
Who told you that - name and shame
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name and shame :confused: sorry no offence to you, but who am I more likely to believe, someone on a forum or a VOSA offical and chief examiner?

doesnt make any difference to me with the weight of my trailer and vehicle anyway, was just stating what I was told. Interstingly I read in the BHS magazine today that some literature is due to come out this Autumn that should clear up confusion over such matters.
 
NeverSayNever said:
name and shame :confused: sorry no offence to you, but who am I more likely to believe, someone on a forum or a VOSA offical and chief examiner?
Click to expand...
No offence taken.

Simple way to find out what is right - ask those that say something is illegal to give you the relevant law that says so

So many are spouting MYTHS or repeating what someone else said that the above is the only true way of knowing
 
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