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Jul 23, 2020
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So the general consensus is that with just a Cat B license which I passed after Jan 1997 I can tow a caravan as long as the combined weights are less than 3.5tn.
Will check my van asap.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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So the general consensus is that with just a Cat B license which I passed after Jan 1997 I can tow a caravan as long as the combined weights are less than 3.5tn.
Will check my van asap.
Yes, but do remember these are the plated weights not weighed weights. So trying to get under 3500 kg by running the car and/or caravan light is a nono. At present your figures do look as if you will be okay but you need to be more precise on the caravan specified maximum weight.
 
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Mar 14, 2005
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So the general consensus is that with just a Cat B license which I passed after Jan 1997 I can tow a caravan as long as the combined weights are less than 3.5tn.
Will check my van asap.
I'm sorry to be pedantic about this, but this may be critical to you and you don't seem to have grasped the important detail.

Your licence restrictions relate to the capacity or weight limits of your outfit, not what it actually weighs at the time.

A weight is a measurement, where as the MAM is a weight limit.

Whilst you may not have a problem, others who read this might, so the differencevery is important.
 
Jul 23, 2020
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I'm sorry to be pedantic about this, but this may be critical to you and you don't seem to have grasped the important detail.

Your licence restrictions relate to the capacity or weight limits of your outfit, not what it actually weighs at the time.

A weight is a measurement, where as the MAM is a weight limit.

Whilst you may not have a problem, others who read this might, so the differencevery is important.
I do understand that yes. I'm just double checking then that however you wish to describe the above... If I past my test after 97 and only have a Cat B I'm ok on my current car and as long as the weight plate on my caravan adds up to less than the 3.5 I'm all good to go.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I do understand that yes. I'm just double checking then that however you wish to describe the above... If I past my test after 97 and only have a Cat B I'm ok on my current car and as long as the weight plate on my caravan adds up to less than the 3.5 I'm all good to go.
No, It's not just the figure on the weight plate of the caravan is the sum of both the maximum authorised masses of both the car and the trailer. I realise you may just have forgotten to include that in your reply, but it is important to be 100% clear rather than leave an ambiguity.

I do hope your figures do fall below 3500kg and clears the licence hurdle, but then there is the question "is the car legally allowed to pull the caravan, which is a different set of factors to your licence.

I don't want to be alarmist but It should also be noted that simply complying with the legal weights for licences and the actual vehicles does not actually ensure the proposed match is either safe or sensible. To help in that respect the UK industry has published some advice which will reduce the risks. but its also important to ensure both the car and trailer ae properly serviced and in good condition. but the single biggest factor for safety is the th way the outfit is driven.

I believe both the caravanning clubs have voluntary courses aimed at novice caravanners.
 
Jul 23, 2020
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No, It's not just the figure on the weight plate of the caravan is the sum of both the maximum authorised masses of both the car and the trailer. I realise you may just have forgotten to include that in your reply, but it is important to be 100% clear rather than leave an ambiguity.

I do hope your figures do fall below 3500kg and clears the licence hurdle, but then there is the question "is the car legally allowed to pull the caravan, which is a different set of factors to your licence.

I don't want to be alarmist but It should also be noted that simply complying with the legal weights for licences and the actual vehicles does not actually ensure the proposed match is either safe or sensible. To help in that respect the UK industry has published some advice which will reduce the risks. but its also important to ensure both the car and trailer ae properly serviced and in good condition. but the single biggest factor for safety is the th way the outfit is driven.

I believe both the caravanning clubs have voluntary courses aimed at novice caravanners.
Sorry, yes I meant the weight of both.
Car is a lease car so serviced regularly. Caravan is being serviced in a couple of weeks, so all of those aspects are good.
I shall have a look at the courses.
Thank you every all very much for all your help.
 
May 7, 2012
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I did look up the Alfresco but could not see a 1997 model, but the 1998 was shown as 949kg unladen and 1250 MTPLM, which should be perfectly legal and a safe tow with your car.
 
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I did look up the Alfresco but could not see a 1997 model, but the 1998 was shown as 949kg unladen and 1250 MTPLM, which should be perfectly legal and a safe tow with your car.

Thank you, I have looked for the weight plate on the caravan and cant find it any where, but I think im all good. Thanks again
 
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So I thought this nightmare had gone away, however my friend who is in the same position as me has just come away from a speed awareness course where he asked the question about the licence's and was told by the instructor that he could only tow something upto a weight of 750KG unless he has the B+E endorsement on his license.
This is now the 2nd person working in this area that has said this, I know its the opposite to what every one is saying on here.... i now really dont know what to do.
 

Parksy

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So I thought this nightmare had gone away, however my friend who is in the same position as me has just come away from a speed awareness course where he asked the question about the licence's and was told by the instructor that he could only tow something upto a weight of 750KG unless he has the B+E endorsement on his license.
This is now the 2nd person working in this area that has said this, I know its the opposite to what every one is saying on here.... i now really dont know what to do.
The speed awareness instructor should check the government website before providing the wrong information
Click Here for the YouGov information on driving licence entitlements and towing limits.
The information is quite straightforward, there's nothing nightmarish about it.
 
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The speed awareness instructor should check the government website before providing the wrong information
Click Here for the YouGov information on driving licence entitlements and towing limits.
The information is quite straightforward, there's nothing nightmarish about it.
I completely agree with you, its just when someone in an area of authority as such, these things it makes you worry.
 

Parksy

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Back through the mists of time when I drove articulated lorries, tachographs were introduced to monitor driving hours.
Now and again the job meant that I might be driving out of what were then ' normal' working hours.
Sometimes a police patrol car with a bored copper would stop me and ask to inspect my tachometer disk to check for hours infringements.
It soon became clear that the cops weren't always entirely sure what they were looking for or how the system worked.
Don't worry, caravanning is supposed to be a source of enjoyment, and as time goes by it will all become much easier.
 
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Back through the mists of time when I drove articulated lorries, tachographs were introduced to monitor driving hours.
Now and again the job meant that I might be driving out of what were then ' normal' working hours.
Sometimes a police patrol car with a bored copper would stop me and ask to inspect my tachometer disk to check for hours infringements.
It soon became clear that the cops weren't always entirely sure what they were looking for or how the system worked.
Don't worry, caravanning is supposed to be a source of enjoyment, and as time goes by it will all become much easier.
Haha thank you! We have 4 trips lined up over the next few weeks so really didn't want to hear the news I heard but I think im all good again ;o)
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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So I thought this nightmare had gone away, however my friend who is in the same position as me has just come away from a speed awareness course where he asked the question about the licence's and was told by the instructor that he could only tow something upto a weight of 750KG unless he has the B+E endorsement on his license.
This is now the 2nd person working in this area that has said this, I know its the opposite to what every one is saying on here.... i now really dont know what to do.
Look at DVLA website and you will see precisely what a BE covers and what a B licence category covers. On a recent post someone refers to a policeman’s statement about weighing a Caravan. That was blatant nonsense. Why would you believe a lecturer on a speed awareness course as opposed to DVLA?
 
Jul 23, 2020
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Look at DVLA website and you will see precisely what a BE covers and what a B licence category covers. On a recent post someone refers to a policeman’s statement about weighing a Caravan. That was blatant nonsense. Why would you believe a lecturer on a speed awareness course as opposed to DVLA?
Because its the trade they work in so would assume they know more than me. Is it not better to be cautious and ask questions than just believe someone who is answering on a forum who I do not know from Adam?
Im not saying anyone is wrong or right, im just collecting as much info as I can.
 
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Because its the trade they work in so would assume they know more than me. Is it not better to be cautious and ask questions than just believe someone who is answering on a forum who I do not know from Adam?
Im not saying anyone is wrong or right, im just collecting as much info as I can.

I agree that it is best to be cautious on such matters and that’s why going to the DVLA website must be a better option than just taking others advice at face value or second hand from a friend who got it from someone else who was probably more knowledgable about the speed limits applied to trailers.
 
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I agree that it is best to be cautious on such matters and that’s why going to the DVLA website must be a better option than just taking others advice at face value or second hand from a friend who got it from someone else who was probably more knowledgable about the speed limits applied to trailers.
Yes agree and it was the DVLA website that made me change my mind and buy a caravan. I just worried when I had a few people say I was wrong that I had read the information incorrectly that was all.
Thanks for your help though.
 
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Nov 6, 2005
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So I thought this nightmare had gone away, however my friend who is in the same position as me has just come away from a speed awareness course where he asked the question about the licence's and was told by the instructor that he could only tow something upto a weight of 750KG unless he has the B+E endorsement on his license.
This is now the 2nd person working in this area that has said this, I know its the opposite to what every one is saying on here.... i now really dont know what to do.
Instructors on speed awareness course made similar errors on the course I went on - they're wrong in what your friend was told.
 
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Mar 14, 2005
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:devilish:I'm sorry to play devils advocate here, but I have to point out that without knowing exactly (word for word not just hear say) what was asked, we can't know for certain if the answer was right or wrong. :innocent:

For example if the question asked about an unbraked trailer, then the answer is correct.

Perhaps the trainer did say 750kg but the listener did not understand or forgot the importance of the unbraked part and how having brakes up lifts the limit to a combined MAM of 3500kg . :sick:

And of course some commercial (white) vans can be driven on a Cat B licence, but becasue some have a MAM of 3500 already, they can still tow an unbraked trailer of 750kg giving a total combined MAM of 4250kg.o_O

So we need to know the full question and its context, before we can judge the trainer to have been wrong. But of course we also know that even some serving police officers are not fully aware of all intricacies and details of the licence regulations. :censored:
 
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Because its the trade they work in so would assume they know more than me. Is it not better to be cautious and ask questions than just believe someone who is answering on a forum who I do not know from Adam?
Im not saying anyone is wrong or right, im just collecting as much info as I can.
You are absolutely right, which is why my sign off says always verify in formation from a forum before using it, but I can assure you that on this subject we probably know more than many in authority. Its a specialised area, and unless you are dealing with it on a regular basis it is easy to be tripped up by words and phrases that have very specific meanings, but are misunderstood or miss used in common language.

I can understand your concerns, and I have to agree that it is difficult to know where to go to get unimpeachable information about the subject. If I tell you to use the Government web site, I have to also tell you there have been past errors on some of its pages on this very subject. But I think it is presently good for Cat B and BE usage.
 
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Parksy

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.........If I tell you to use the Government web site, I have to also tell you there have been past errors on some of its pages on this very subject. But I think it is presently good for Cat B and BE usage.
Just what we needed, a Devil's advocate. 🙄
Thanks for that Prof, McLosi was having serious doubts so along with others I pointed the poor guy in the right direction for him to be reassured. 😖

McLosi, as far as you, I or anyone else on this forum can tell, the information provided on the government's website that I gave you a link to is correct.
If the very worst happened (which it won't) no court could reasonably convict you for breaking the law if you used the government's own website to base your calculations on.
This isn't difficult or complicated, the information is there for you to use, so internet forum conjecture and second guessing serves no purpose and is best disregarded
 
May 7, 2012
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If you check the towing and weights information supplied by both clubs you will also see that the information provided by the Prof and others is correct. The lecturer was wrong and he was giving an opinion on a subject that was clearly not one he was qualified to speak on. Towing limits have nothing to do with speeding.
 

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