Licence upgrade training and test

[Dustydog]

My 36 year old son and dil have decided to train up for the test, both having passed after 1997.
I will add them to both my car and caravan insurance.
I intend sending one at a time on a two day caravan club course.
Then is it the case they can use my kit with me in the passengers seat to give them both experience. The hard bit is finding somewhere we can practice reversing etc without getting the way of others. Any ideas of spaces in Wiltshire?

 

[Craigyoung]

A big car park !!

 

[otherclive]

My 36 year old son and dil have decided to train up for the test, both having passed after 1997.
I will add them to both my car and caravan insurance.
I intend sending one at a time on a two day caravan club course.
Then is it the case they can use my kit with me in the passengers seat to give them both experience. The hard bit is finding somewhere we can practice reversing etc without getting the way of others. Any ideas of spaces in Wiltshire?

Bumpers Farm industrial estate Chippenham Saturday afternoon or Sunday. Along Bumpers Way at the top end and into Vincients Road has minimal through traffic.

PS even an accident repair center in case things go not as planned

Short walk and I could seek some refresher training too.

Alternative could be the industrial estate where Simpsons Subaru at Highworth are located.

 

[McLosi]

Sorry to jump on here.... But im worries I've now made a mistake...
I past my test after 97 as well... But read this on the DVLA website


'Drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM. Tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg.'

So my car is 1500kg and van around 1200kg.... So the combined weight of my car and van is less than 3500kg...
So am I ok or do I we'd take a test after all?

 

[otherclive]

Sorry to jump on here.... But im worries I've now made a mistake...
I past my test after 97 as well... But read this on the DVLA website


'Drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM. Tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg.'

So my car is 1500kg and van around 1200kg.... So the combined weight of my car and van is less than 3500kg...
So am I ok or do I we'd take a test after all?

It is the Gross Vehicle Weight plus Caravan MTPLM that must not exceed 3500 kg if your licence is only B. What are your plated weights?

 

[McLosi]

Sorry, what do you mean by played weight?

 

[RogerL]

Sorry, what do you mean by played weight?

The car will have a maximum weight on the VIN plate, line 3 of the 4 weights, and the caravan will have a maximum weight on its VIN plate, MTPLM - add those two together and if they're 3500 kg or less you're fine on a B licence.

With the weights you quoted it'll be close to 3,500 kg.

 

[ProfJohnL]

You should find a plate like this one on your car:-

You should see 4 numbers, and the order in teh EU is always the same



They are the absolute maximum limits for the car and in teh context or your question the relevant one on the car is the where the GTW is Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)

Caravans should have a plate similar to this one:-



Where the 1205kg is the caravans MAM (its teh same as its MTPLM)


You need to add your cars MAM to your Caravans MAM and if the combined figure does not exceed 3500kg the your ok to drive it on your Cat B licence.

 

[Raywood]

If you take the test you cannot use the caravan as your trailer. The test requires a commercial trailer which the training centres can produce. I know it makes no sense, but that is the way it works.

 

[otherclive]

I would just add that you can’t get round the licence restriction by only lightly loading either the car or caravan. it is solely based on the plated weights. What are your car and Caravan precise weights?

 

[McLosi]

Thank you everyone. That does clear that up for me. I'll take a look at the caravan weight when I go to it end of the week and make sure but I'm sure I read it was 950kg and my car being 1500kg I should then be ok! Phew didn't want to have to do another test!

 

[otherclive]

That looks promising. What type of car and caravan is your outfit?

 

[McLosi]

I've just had an ex Traffic officer tell me I need a B+E license to tow a caravan. I only have B.
Think I just need call DVLA and ask outright as get so many different answers.

I've got a 4 berth which I'm sure is about 950kg and a Hyundai Tucson.

 

[ProfJohnL]

If you have quoted the ex traffic officer accurately, he is wrong! If this officer is correct a very significant number of caravanners will be towing illegally.

Perhaps that is why he is an EX....

The Cat B entitlement clearly covers vehicles with or without trailer where the combined MAM does not exceed 3500kg. That clearly indicates that CAT B does include towing...

However It does depend on the vehicle and trailers specifications, What does concern me is if you have fully understood the impact of the definition of what the MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) actually means. Perhaps if you could tell us the weight figures on the vin plates like the ones I showed above. then we can offer more focused advice

 

[McLosi]

If you have quoted the ex traffic officer accurately, he is wrong! If this officer is correct a very significant number of caravanners will be towing illegally.

Perhaps that is why he is an EX....

The Cat B entitlement clearly covers vehicles with or without trailer where the combined MAM does not exceed 3500kg. That clearly indicates that CAT B does include towing...

However It does depend on the vehicle and trailers specifications, What does concern me is if you have fully understood the impact of the definition of what the MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) actually means. Perhaps if you could tell us the weight figures on the vin plates like the ones I showed above. then we can offer more focused advice

I'm with you on this completely and read the DVLA site with the same opinion.
He called his training friend who was the one who advised this.
I'm not with the caravan so can't get the exact figures, but I never gave any figures to him either.
For price of mind I'm calling the DVLA tomorrow as well but I think the same as you.

 

[RogerL]

I've just had an ex Traffic officer tell me I need a B+E license to tow a caravan. I only have B.
Think I just need call DVLA and ask outright as get so many different answers.

I've got a 4 berth which I'm sure is about 950kg and a Hyundai Tucson.

You need to give us the figures on the VIN plates for car and caravan - it's a simple calculation once that's known.

If you didn't give the ex-officer any figures then he's making it up as he goes.

 

[Beachball]

I've just had an ex Traffic officer tell me I need a B+E license to tow a caravan. I only have B.
Think I just need call DVLA and ask outright as get so many different answers.

I've got a 4 berth which I'm sure is about 950kg and a Hyundai Tucson.

Hi We now know you have a Hyundai Tucson so what year
Still waiting to know what make of Touring caravan have you got ..

 

[McLosi]

Sorry.
Yes 2019 Tucson which weighs 1,643 kg
97 Elddis Alfresco that weighs 'Mass in Running Order: 975 kg'
So I was saying I was all good to drive in my B cat license.
Was only cautious as a friend said there friend got stopped (don't know what they were pulling or driving) and for done for it.

 

[RogerL]

Sorry.
Yes 2019 Tucson which weighs 1,643 kg
97 Elddis Alfresco that weighs 'Mass in Running Order: 975 kg'
So I was saying I was all good to drive in my B cat license.
Was only cautious as a friend said there friend got stopped (don't know what they were pulling or driving) and for done for it.

I'll be very direct - your kerbweights and Mass in Running Order are not figures that affect your driving licence entitlement - find the VIN plates on the car and caravan and give us the numbers on them otherwise you'll never get an answer.

 

[McLosi]

I'll be very direct - your kerbweights and Mass in Running Order are not figures that affect your driving licence entitlement - find the VIN plates on the car and caravan and give us the numbers on them otherwise you'll never get an answer.

Ok, I did just look for them on my car but couldn't find them. Will grab tomorrow with the caravan one. Thank you.

 

[RogerL]

Ok, I did just look for them on my car but couldn't find them. Will grab tomorrow with the caravan one. Thank you.

The car VIN plate may be under the bonnet or may be a sticker on the driver's door B-post, visible with the door open.

 

[McLosi]

Ah, was looking under the bonnet, didn't think about the door post. Will check that.

 

[McLosi]

So I've found the cars one. I just need the Caravan one. May pop over tonight! Want to get an answer lol

 

[ProfJohnL]

Thank you for the image of your cars Vin plate. The first figure of interest is the 2030 figure which is the Gross Vehicle Weight and that is the maximum weight your solo car can weigh when it's fully loaded. It is a legal limit and must not be exceeded.

The second figure 3430 is the Gross Train Weight and that is the maximum weight your entire outfit (car and caravan can weigh) when fully loaded. This is also a legal limit and must not be exceeded.

The difference of 1400kg represents the maximum weight your car can tow.

When we know more about the caravan and its weights we will be in a better position to make a more useful comment.

 

[McLosi]

Ok, I will try and *** there tonight! Or tomorrow. Where normally is the plate on an older Caravan do you know?
Or can it be in the log book?