 | Home > Off Topic > Towing and the LAW |
 
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| JSG Member Since: 12 Jul 2007 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2412   
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1) Can a post 97 driver tow a trailer greater then 750 kg without passing a separate trailer test?
No 2) Can a pre 97 driver supervise a post 97 driver towing a trailer in excess of 750kg 9say 2,000kg)? No 3) Is it legal to tow a small car behind a motorhome on an A frame? Yes 4) Is it legal to tow a car on a motorway on a towrope/strap? No 5) What is the legal maximum length of a tow rope on UK roads? Don't know 6) 750kg+ trailer in UK, legal or illegal without brakes? Illegal 7) What is maximum width of a trailer behind car/4x4? Just under 8' ??  What is maximum length of a trailer behind car/4x4/light commercial?
Don't know 9) Is it legal to fit a tow bar to all cars in the UK? No - they have to have type approval for a tow bar 10) What is the maximum speed limit of a car/4x4 towing in the UK? 60mph? PS Why does number eight followed by a round bracket come up as a smiley ?
That one I know - because 8 followed by a ) is the code for that smiley. John http://www.hampshire4x4response.co.uk 2011 Tdci 110 CSW XS |
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24th Sep 2011 10:01am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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I always though smileys had a : before and after the smiley code Makes a mess of people wanting to numerate a number of points. Brendan |
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24th Sep 2011 10:07am |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1582 
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A pre 97 can supervise a post 97 as long as you can take over the driving and you have L plates on
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24th Sep 2011 10:14am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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A couple more questions for you all
11) Are HGV's always banned from using lane 3 on motorways in the UK under normal driving conditions? 12) Are cars towing trailers always banned from the outside lane on UK motorways? Brendan |
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24th Sep 2011 10:20am |
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| ken Member Since: 18 Aug 2009 Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !! Posts: 4328
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11) No
 not all motorways have three lanes
12)  No unless its a transit with a tarmac roller behind it
Massive holes if you know were they are |
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24th Sep 2011 10:44am |
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| Romadog Member Since: 07 Jul 2011 Location: Powys Posts: 1749 |
As of April 2010 a pre97 driver is not able to supervise a post 97 driver with trailer. The reason being that they have not taken the 'trailer test' and therefore are unable to give advice to a new trailer driver. Now if pre97 took the latest test and passed then that would be different. If they failed they would still keep their 'grandfather rights' to tow trailers.
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24th Sep 2011 10:46am |
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| noworries4x4 Member Since: 24 Dec 2010 Location: Newton Abbot Devon Posts: 1195 
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That doesn't count as the Transit is going so fast the roller trailer or compressor only touches the road every 50 mtrs bounce bounce bounce If everything is under control you are not going fast enough. Every Day 16 MY Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle Weekends 07MY L322 TDV8 Vogue SE Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl with overdrive No Worries 4X4 |
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24th Sep 2011 11:16am |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3150 
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2011 110 USW 1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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24th Sep 2011 3:39pm |
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| Martin Site Admin Member Since: 02 Apr 2007 Location: Hook Norton Posts: 6610 
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As an aside, a neater way to number lists is as follows:
[list=1][*]Item [*]Item [*]Item[/list] Which looks like this:
 1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top
2015 D90 XS SW |
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24th Sep 2011 3:56pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Here's my stab at this:
1) Can a post 97 driver tow a trailer greater then 750 kg without passing a separate trailer test? No. 2) Can a pre 97 driver supervise a post 97 driver towing a trailer in excess of 750kg 9say 2,000kg)? Only if the pre 97 driver has actually pasted the post 97 test. Otherwise, no. 3) Is it legal to tow a small car behind a motorhome on an A frame? Technically, a-frames are treated no differently to any other trailer, so virtually every car towed by a-frame would have to be modified to link to the brakes. There is doubt about whether cars can be modified to fully meet appropriate regulations but A-frame suppliers will carry out modifications for you and many motorcaravanners are using such towing arrangements every day. There is an argument that says an a-frame towed car is a trailer but since it can never have auto-reverse overrun brakes fitted it must then be illegal in all cases. A counter argument runs that says, such a car is outside the trailer legislation so auto-reverse and/or overrun braking is not required though under what regulation this then falls is open to question. Different regulations apply, or are applied differently, to recovery vehicles. 4) Is it legal to tow a car on a motorway on a towrope/strap? No. 5) What is the legal maximum length of a tow rope on UK roads? From the Police National Legal Database: "When the vehicles are attached solely by a rope or chain, the maximum distance allowed between the vehicles is 4.5 metres. If the distance between the two vehicles exceeds 1.5 metres then the rope or chain must be made clearly visible within a reasonable distance from either side to other road users. This is usually done by tying a coloured flapping cloth in the middle of the rope or chain." 6) 750kg+ trailer in UK, legal or illegal without brakes? Illegal. 7) What is maximum width of a trailer behind car/4x4? The maximum width of a trailer must not exceed 2.3 metres (7’6”) or 2.5 metres (8’2.5”) when towed by a heavy goods vehicle. The trailer must not extend more than 305mm (12”) outwards each side of the towing vehicle, irrespective of allowable width. 8 ) What is maximum length of a trailer behind car/4x4/light commercial? The maximum permitted trailer body length without the tow bar is 7 metres but the overall train length must not exceed 18.35 metres. 9) Is it legal to fit a tow bar to all cars in the UK? No. Only those that are type approved for it. 10) What is the maximum speed limit of a car/4x4 towing in the UK? 60mph Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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24th Sep 2011 6:18pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3150
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A post 97 driver CAN exceed 750KG liimit so long as the train weight does not exceed 3500KG and the trailer weight is not greater than the payload of the towing vehicle. Ironically therefore, a post 97 driver can tow a greater weight behind a 90 than a 110...
Thats what I was taught when I did my B&E earlier this year. 2011 110 USW 1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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24th Sep 2011 6:38pm |
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| TJ101 Member Since: 30 May 2007 Location: Taunton Somerset Posts: 3750  
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Recon LandRoverAnorak has it about right
A big can of worms Try another question ? Can someone who passed their test after Jan 97, and also has passes their trailer test (so has a B & E) Tow a trailer with a Defender on it  California F1, 75th 110 "Kermit", 50th Ann V8, 90 V8 Hybrid, 55 Series 1
Main Brian James Trailer Dealer for South West UK |
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24th Sep 2011 6:56pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3150
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Yes I do it all the time. Can they do it with a Nissan Micra? No. But seriously, so long as the trailer does not exceed 3500KG when laden (a 110 is just over two tons, so that on a 850KG trailer would be fine for example) and it is towed by a vehicle capable of towing 3500KG such a Defender or Daihatsu Fourtrak, then yes you are fine. 2011 110 USW 1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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24th Sep 2011 7:01pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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[quote="leeds"]Personally I think the law regarding towing, trailers etc is as clear as mud. It is so clear that I have known policemen and DVLA/BHS get it wrong. NO I do not pretend to be a legal expert on towing and the law.
So a few questions for people to try and answer without googling the answers. OK I will try and answer the questions. I am not saying these are definitive answers but are my understanding of the situation 1) Can a post 97 driver tow a trailer greater then 750 kg without passing a separate trailer test? YES up to the 3500kg limit Category B vehicles with larger trailers i.e. > 750kg, provided that the combined MAM does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the gross MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. To be able to tow combinations outside this ruling requires the passing of an additional test. 2) Can a pre 97 driver supervise a post 97 driver towing a trailer in excess of 750kg 9say 2,000kg)? That is a YES and NO answer No if they did not take the E test prior to June 2010. IF they have past the E test after June 2010 they have to wait 3 years 3) Is it legal to tow a small car behind a motorhome on an A frame? Difficult one. Chances are that the car weighs more then 750 kg so it will more then likely have to come under trailer regs so will need either overrun brakes or connected brakes. Also it is unclear if the A frame needs to be type approved. Another can of worms. Then there is the question of the drivers licence 4) Is it legal to tow a car on a motorway on a towrope/strap? YES and NO. Yes to a place of safety so it could be towed onto the hard shoulder. Stretching place of safety would be the FIRST exit slip road. NO to an 80mph tow in outside lane for 50 miles 5) What is the legal maximum length of a tow rope on UK roads? 4.5m with a warning flag in the middle. 6) 750kg+ trailer in UK, legal or illegal without brakes? Again a YES and NO answer. ILLEGAL if bought in UK. Possibly legal if an imported trailer especially if running on foreign plates 7) What is maximum width of a trailer behind car/4x4? 2.55m What is maximum length of a trailer behind car/4x4/light commercial?
7m length of trailer excluding towbar and coupling 9) Is it legal to fit a tow bar to all cars in the UK? NO Car must be type approved for towing equipment. Towing limit as given my manufacturer must not be exceeded! 10) What is the maximum speed limit of a car/4x4 towing in the UK? 60mph 11) Are HGV's always banned from using lane 3 on motorways in the UK under normal driving conditions? They are allowed to use ALL lanes when there are specific signs saying so. i.e. End of old M1 now M621 by Leeds 12) Are cars towing trailers always banned from the outside lane on UK motorways? NO two lane motorways or when inner lanes are blocked by accidents/roadworks I am willing to be corrected on any of my answers Brendan Last edited by leeds on 24th Sep 2011 8:22pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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24th Sep 2011 7:39pm |
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