Towing and newbies

[andy72]

Im sorry if this has been covered before and being such a debatable topic i'd be suprised if it hasnt.

Im a newbie about to inherit my first caravan, a 1991 Swift rapide.

Having been a 'tent' member of the CCC for a number of years im aware of the 85% rule and my car checks out ok, but;

If i wasnt aware of this and im pretty sure im nieve to a lot of the laws and guidance on caravaning should i really be allowed to hitch up a caravan and disapear off with out a care in the world?

It kind of scares me a little that even though my driving license is fine (passed in 1988) ive never even hitched up a caravan before and yet im perfectly legal to put myself and family at risk.

Im clueless when it comes to hitching up, reversing, speed limit, condition check, connecting the thing up when i arrive etc etc.

should there be a competence test before people are allowed to hitch up and go?

 

[drsorento]

Your probabally right Its a wounder there isnt some sort of test one must sit before towing, weather or not it should exist is a matter of personal opinion.

That is why forums such as this and others are a valuable tool for learning and problem solving.

Enjoy your vanning all the best.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Andrew,

Thank you for at least raising your concerns, and I agree that towing is not to be taken lightly. But like starting out with any new vehicle it is the responsibility of every driver to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations pertaining to the type of vehicle they will be driving. Too few people really do that.

Sadly you have already fallen foul of one of the biggest myths in caravanning. 85% is not a rule, in any way shape or form. There is no legislation that refers to 85%, it is purely a guideline created a by a committee far too many years ago, and before vehicle manufacturers were forced to consider and publish the towing capability of their vehicles.

There is no magic either to 85%, it offers no guarantees about the stability of an outfit, nor whether an outfit is technically legal or not. It does however allude to the notion that the trailer should always be as light as possible, which hopefully is good sense.

Technically you can tow a trailer up to the weight allowed by the vehicle manufacture or to the limits set by your driving licence categories, which ever is lower.

Safety should be the prime concern of every driver, and if you feel you do not have the skills to handle a trailer, then there are a couple of things you can do.

The Caravan Club offers training sessions to teach the basic skills of caravanning. These are tailored to caravans, including hitching and manoeuvring.

Alternatively, you could take the training for the +E extension for post 1997 drivers, even though you legally do not need to take the test associated with it. However this test is not aimed specifically at caravanners, but all types of trailers, so it won't touch how to use the unique features of a caravan.

As for a formal competency test, the idea seems good, but if it were run by DVLA, I would seriously doubt its credentials on the basis that the current driving test fails to fully equip new learners with the wider range of skills modern driving requires i.e. night and motorways.

 

[stephena]

Im a newbie too, first year of caravanning and i didnt pass my test till late 97 so i had all the mathametical issues as to whether i could tow and what i could tow.

Im please to say, with the help of the good people on these forums and one or two youtube videos on hitching up, i am now steadily getting the hang of this caravan lark!

On our last trip out an elderly gentlemen came out to express his wonderment at how well i had reversed my car upto the caravan (a fluke i assure you but i didnt tell him that).

I personally dont think a test is necessary but serious research and consideration should be taken by all, the DVLA would just make it expensive and unobtainable were they to get more involved.

 

[Parksy]

Hi Andrew

There are some basic tips for new caravanners which deal with hitching up, reversing etc via the Home Page

The links to the tips are clickable (unlike most of the links on the forum page) and as John mentioned both clubs offer manoeuvring courses which will teach novice caravanners how to tow safely and with confidence.

The Camping &Caravanning Club offers some Guidelines for first time towing which is also informative.

As for testing, I agree with the Prof, the DVLA driving test is not fit for purpose imho so the onus at present is for the person who is towing to ensure that they are competent via one of the club courses if necessary.

 

[Zafiral]

Beware that on some cars that an 85% match is higher than the maximum towable weight so you need to check the max towing weight too. Also some car's max tow weight (some French cars fall foul of this), is calculated driver only so if you load the car with passengers and luggage you have to tow less.

This is not meant to put you off,just more of the minefield to beware of.