Trailer lessons in Essex....?

bonbeau

bonbeau

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Hi
Does anyone know of an trailer driving instructor in Essex? I'm going to do my trailer test and want to have a few lessons beforehand.
Thanks
 
Saffron_Envy said:
Sweet Jesus! I think I'll have to put this on the back burner, £240 a day, up to 5 days and that's before the test cost, lucky people who passed their tests before 1997 :(
Click to expand...

EH!!

Average seems to be around £650 all in and that includes 2X4 hour (1 to 1) or 2X8 hour (2 to 1) training sessions plus warm up on test day as well as test fee
 
Saffron_Envy said:
Just what I got off that Just Richard website, did I misread it, or did it say you may need up to 5 days training :S
Click to expand...
If your current driving is at a reasonable standard then 3 days including test usually suffices

Get someone who knows what they are talking about to be honest about your current driving standard
 
Thanks ROG, my dad's a driving instructor so think he'll be a good judge lol! I know I'm ok, I've been driving 9 years, but still have all the observation stuff drilled into me since when my dad taught me, so don't think I'd be too bad on that front. Start saving those pennies! Sure it will be a good investment anyway.
 
Thanks everyone, it does work out rather expensive but it will be so much easier to be able to tow myself rather than have to hire a box or ask other people to help out. If I hire a box a few more times it will work out at about the same price as lessons/test!
 
I have been told by the DVLA that there is a loop hole for us that passed after 97 if you are only towing a small horse - below is the email I received from DVLA


The holder of a full category B (car) licence would be able to tow the following combinations:

If your car weighs less than 3.5 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass) you are able to drive a combination weight of 3.5 tonnes (i.e. a car of 2.5 tonnes towing a trailer of 1 tonne). In this instance the laden weight of the trailer must not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle.

I have interpreted this the following way:
Towing Vehicle 2000kg (actual weight 1800kg leaves 200kg for me, son tack etc)
Trailer 900kg (this is a very small light trailer)
This leaves 600kg for two small ponies or one horse (this works for me as my horse refuses to go in trailer so I only ever tow a 12hh pony!)

If this is of use to you I am happy to send on the original email which shows it is from the DVLA, I tend to carry a copy in the tow vehicle or on my blackberry should I get pulled over.
 
Prince&Porper said:
I have been told by the DVLA that there is a loop hole for us that passed after 97 if you are only towing a small horse - below is the email I received from DVLA


The holder of a full category B (car) licence would be able to tow the following combinations:

If your car weighs less than 3.5 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass) you are able to drive a combination weight of 3.5 tonnes (i.e. a car of 2.5 tonnes towing a trailer of 1 tonne). In this instance the laden weight of the trailer must not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle.

I have interpreted this the following way:
Towing Vehicle 2000kg (actual weight 1800kg leaves 200kg for me, son tack etc)
Trailer 900kg (this is a very small light trailer)
This leaves 600kg for two small ponies or one horse (this works for me as my horse refuses to go in trailer so I only ever tow a 12hh pony!)

If this is of use to you I am happy to send on the original email which shows it is from the DVLA, I tend to carry a copy in the tow vehicle or on my blackberry should I get pulled over.
Click to expand...
This site already runs a towing clinic - see the link in my signature :D

There is much more to towing on a B licence than what you have surmised

I have managed to find a simple way of determining whether a driver can tow something on a B only licence -

To tow over 750 kgs with a B licence you need to say NO to the following:-

Is the plated MAM of the trailer more than the UNLADEN/KERB/EMPTY weight of the towing vehicle?

Does the GVW of the towing vehicle plus the plated MAM of the trailer add up to more than 3500 kgs?

Is the ACTUAL weight of the empty trailer and its load more than the listed towing capacity?

===========================================================================================


Example of legally towing over 750 kgs with a B licence - made up figures but not that far from what can be found....

Towing vehicle -
Unladen/empty/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1800

Trailer -
Unladen/empty = 800
MAM = 1500 (originally a 2000 MAM but downplated by manufacturer so it conforms to B licence towing)

Load trailer with 700 max

Reasons it is legal for towing on a B licence -
The 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than the 1500 unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
The 2000 GVW of the towing vehicle plus the 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than 3500
The towing capacity/actual weight being towed does not exceed 1800


Here is a real example - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=10225695&postcount=36
 
ROG said:
This site already runs a towing clinic - see the link in my signature :D

There is much more to towing on a B licence than what you have surmised

I have managed to find a simple way of determining whether a driver can tow something on a B only licence -

To tow over 750 kgs with a B licence you need to say NO to the following:-

Is the plated MAM of the trailer more than the UNLADEN/KERB/EMPTY weight of the towing vehicle?

Does the GVW of the towing vehicle plus the plated MAM of the trailer add up to more than 3500 kgs?

Is the ACTUAL weight of the empty trailer and its load more than the listed towing capacity?

===========================================================================================


Example of legally towing over 750 kgs with a B licence - made up figures but not that far from what can be found....

Towing vehicle -
Unladen/empty/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1800

Trailer -
Unladen/empty = 800
MAM = 1500 (originally a 2000 MAM but downplated by manufacturer so it conforms to B licence towing)

Load trailer with 700 max

Reasons it is legal for towing on a B licence -
The 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than the 1500 unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
The 2000 GVW of the towing vehicle plus the 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than 3500
The towing capacity/actual weight being towed does not exceed 1800


Here is a real example - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=10225695&postcount=36
Click to expand...

Apologies, didn't want to be the authority on trailers just thought it may be useful for those who were not aware that you can still legally tow (although with restrictions)!! I was (until I hounded the DVLA) under the misconception that if you passed your test after 1997 you cannot tow a trailer as were many of my friends - I like to spread the potentially money saving word.
 
Prince&Porper said:
Apologies, didn't want to be the authority on trailers just thought it may be useful for those who were not aware that you can still legally tow (although with restrictions)!! I was (until I hounded the DVLA) under the misconception that if you passed your test after 1997 you cannot tow a trailer as were many of my friends - I like to spread the potentially money saving word.
Click to expand...
I agree there are many who believe that with a B licence they cannot either tow at all or the max is 750 kgs :)
 
Prince&Porper said:
I have been told by the DVLA that there is a loop hole for us that passed after 97 if you are only towing a small horse - below is the email I received from DVLA


The holder of a full category B (car) licence would be able to tow the following combinations:

If your car weighs less than 3.5 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass) you are able to drive a combination weight of 3.5 tonnes (i.e. a car of 2.5 tonnes towing a trailer of 1 tonne). In this instance the laden weight of the trailer must not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle.

I have interpreted this the following way:
Towing Vehicle 2000kg (actual weight 1800kg leaves 200kg for me, son tack etc)
Trailer 900kg (this is a very small light trailer)
This leaves 600kg for two small ponies or one horse (this works for me as my horse refuses to go in trailer so I only ever tow a 12hh pony!)

If this is of use to you I am happy to send on the original email which shows it is from the DVLA, I tend to carry a copy in the tow vehicle or on my blackberry should I get pulled over.
Click to expand...

This is good to know!! Could you send me the info please? I can PM you my email address :)
 
ROG said:
This site already runs a towing clinic - see the link in my signature :D

There is much more to towing on a B licence than what you have surmised

I have managed to find a simple way of determining whether a driver can tow something on a B only licence -

To tow over 750 kgs with a B licence you need to say NO to the following:-

Is the plated MAM of the trailer more than the UNLADEN/KERB/EMPTY weight of the towing vehicle?

Does the GVW of the towing vehicle plus the plated MAM of the trailer add up to more than 3500 kgs?

Is the ACTUAL weight of the empty trailer and its load more than the listed towing capacity?

===========================================================================================


Example of legally towing over 750 kgs with a B licence - made up figures but not that far from what can be found....

Towing vehicle -
Unladen/empty/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1800

Trailer -
Unladen/empty = 800
MAM = 1500 (originally a 2000 MAM but downplated by manufacturer so it conforms to B licence towing)

Load trailer with 700 max

Reasons it is legal for towing on a B licence -
The 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than the 1500 unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
The 2000 GVW of the towing vehicle plus the 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than 3500
The towing capacity/actual weight being towed does not exceed 1800


Here is a real example - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=10225695&postcount=36
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, this is really good to know, I had seen some things inline but got a bit confused and wanted to be sure about it all!! I will still have to do my test if I want to take 2 big horses out but for the time being it may work out ok as one is a light youngster and a shetland pony!...not that he'll be going far!
 
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