Trailer Rules?

[treerat]

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

Your best asking the dvla or department of transport. Even vosa. Either that or even a driving instructor who teaches towing ?

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ BoatsandOutboards4Sale | Hand-picked boats & motors, fully tested, delivered nationwide. ~ 07930 421007

The Gov site that covers it is this one - https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/d...at-you-can-tow

Think I've seen it some where before

[mister p]

Originally Posted by lukewhiting

Ive asked 3 officers so far...not one of them knew for sure but didnt think it would be a problem. Didnt really want to just go on "should be fine i think" though!

Good on you for doing that..........and now you try the next rung up the tree. The nearest test centre. Even then you should go to where you took your test. if they're empty, get the cop that told you "it should be ok" to write that down, sign it and agree to defend you if you get pulled........it won't happen but you get the idea Luke.

[lukewhiting]

haha cheers for the help guys! Asking a trailer test center seems like a good plan! Theyll be my next stop i think

[Tim M]

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

Hahahaha they have even less of a clue than us lot do

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ BoatsandOutboards4Sale | Hand-picked boats & motors, fully tested, delivered nationwide. ~ 07930 421007

Best I've had is "you can tow a trailer but not a caravan"

[Boats&Outboards]

Originally Posted by Tim M

Best I've had is "you can tow a trailer but not a caravan"

Well to be fair that should be a law anyway

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk ~ 07930 421007

[Rokraider]

I should do a written request and ask for a written answer so you have something in writing to produce if you get stopped.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by lukewhiting

haha cheers for the help guys! Asking a trailer test center seems like a good plan! Theyll be my next stop i think

Luke, the wording and terminology is all a bit confusing, but the link treerat has posted is an official position - if you are concerned print it off and keep it in the glove box. HOWEVER without knowing the figures for your car/trailer its all a bit hypothetical.

700 kg seems wrong for such a small car. I'd have expect something more like 400 kg. As Tim says it should be in the manual. The VIN plate will show maximum weight with braked trailer. I believe the unbraked trailer weight is half the cars kerb weight (note this is the "minimum" weight of the car not its maximum).

I'd suggest don't go asking more people. Understand the rules and the numbers as they apply to your situation - anyone official is just going to quote rules, or misinterpretations of them at you.

I wouldn't rush to do the training to "upgrade" as Peter is suggesting. At 18 it will probably be some time before you can afford a boat you can't tow with your current licence by which time you will probably have forgotten / learned bad habits. Find a big empty car park and practice towing there. Then practice reversing. Then find some cones or simillar and practice simulating narrow spaces like slipways. With nobody around to put pressure on you'll learn quicker than under the pressure at the slip or trying to learn a specific manouvre for a test. Once you think you've got it mastered, drop the boat off somewhere and practice with the empty trailer - its much harder!

[ShinyShoe]

Or take your licence. Look and see what categories you have and go to:

https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

You should have cat B. It clearly states the trailer rules. You need to know the MAM of the trailer , the weight of the car. Car looks to be ~860kg. The trailer is unbraked soi should be < 750kg. It needs to be < 700kg to comply with the spec for the car. 1560kg is less than 3500kg so anyone with a full Cat B licence can tow. simples.

Now go get yourslef a bigger car and a heavier breaked trailer and try figure out if you are legal!!

[9D280]

I'll second Poly on the weight thing - Unbraked is half the car's GVW or 750KG (whichever is the lighter) I.e you could still only tow 750Kg in an unbraked trailer even if you hitched it to a 7 Tonne truck and had a full class 1 HGV licence...) - That 700Kg might be it's braked limit - I used to drive a 1.2L Fiesta which was something like 690Kg (I think - it wasn't yesterday!) with a braked trailer. I only towed a laser, so the 100 odd KG trailer wasn't an issue.....

The towing limits are calculated as a mixture of braking ability and ability to essentially climb Grossglokner without expiring. So if you look at any car the "big diesel" variant will probably be able to tow a bit more than the 1.0L eco version, but not a lot more - 'coz of the braking....

Put it in perspective, I drive a Focus Estate with a huge lump of oil burning cast iron under the bonnet - I can JUST tow 750Kg unbraked - the car's GVW is 1600kg or thereabouts.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by 9D280

I'll second Poly on the weight thing - Unbraked is half the car's GVW or 750KG (whichever is the lighter)

thats not quite what I said though... I think its 50% of KERB weight (which is something like empty car+driver+fuel) rather than GVW which is fully laden.

[camelgas]

Luke: When I started with trailers I used to go to a big industrial estate at night when it was quiet and practice reversing.

round corners into parking spaces etc, as has been said better than learning on a crowded slipway, with everyone looking .

[lukewhiting]

So from reading it all it seems ok to tow, i just need some practice obviously! I also emailed dorset police last night & they replied with the same link to directgov & they said "going by the details it would appear to be ok to tow your boat"

[9D280]

Originally Posted by Poly

thats not quite what I said though... I think its 50% of KERB weight (which is something like empty car+driver+fuel) rather than GVW which is fully laden.

Yes, apologies. I stand corrected.

Moral of the story - beware what you read on internet forums! The writer may have partaken of a beer before posting...

[lukewhiting]

Looks like i wont be towing for a while anyway! The engine service is getting more and more expensive

[mister p]

Luke,
Despite what we all say, it appears that we know less than the cops. Go to somewhere that sorts you out without having to rely on photocopies of bumpf in your glovebox.
Insist on the right information and don't leave until you get it. DVLA test centre is good.
There

[SW Boat Transport]

The law is fairly simple on this, anyone with a Cat B (car) licence can tow a trailer with a GVW upto 750kg without having to take an additional test. It is only when you go above 750kg that things start getting more complicated.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

The law is fairly simple on this, anyone with a Cat B (car) licence can tow a trailer with a GVW upto 750kg without having to take an additional test. It is only when you go above 750kg that things start getting more complicated.

Provided that their car is suitable.

[jbavvo]

You're perfectly safe and legal to tow, even with the Saxo, have a thorough read on the www.gov.uk website - it's even got information on safe towing. Just make sure the MAM of your trailer is under 750kg.

I drive a 1.4L Fiesta which has a rated tow capacity of 900kgs and I've towed several different trailers and weights with it no problems.

My towbar was £30 second hand off eBay, fitted myself in about 30 mins, had it checked and wired in by a mobile fitter for an extra £15.

If you're planning on launching with it, it's worth practising reversing in an empty car park, for me when I started it was just towing in a straight line - so I've only recently had to practice reversing!

I'd recommend letting the insurance company know you're towing as well. There's no increase in premium or excess, but it's safer they have it on file.

Good luck.

[spartacus]

Just checked the Citroen Saxo (99-03) 1.4 (75bhp) tow limits for braked and unbraked online and its inconclusive? The DVLA registration document (V5) is key to solving this Columbo mystery!

[BruceB]

Or you could wait till you get pulled, most cops haven't a clue about trailer law anyway........
The other alternative is grow your hair long and wear a short skirt, its the only possible explanation for my missus getting stopped and let off with a "get your husband to fix it" instead of a £60 fixed penalty like one of my workmates for the same fault last week.
He had one rear bulb out. When my wife got home I found no fewer than six lights out around the car including both main brake lights, one front sidelight, one rear light, one reversing light and the rear foglamp.
Either he was blind or she was wearing a low cut blouse that day.........