being alowed to drive mini busses etc

[neio79]

My post about proof of restriction got me thinking on a point.

I have noticed that nowadays new drivers dont get a lot of catagorys on their new licence, my wife passed her test 2 years ago and got B + things like milk float etc.

where as I (passed car test in 96) have got A, B ,B+E (car and trailer), C1, C1E, D1, D1E etc.

this means i can drive cars and trailers inc caravans, white vans, mini busses and up to 7.5 tonne trucks legally.

therefore how long is it going to be before someone gets caught out and drives a caravan on their car thinking they are ok to do so and has an accident? they would be driving outside of the limits of their licence, and in for a lot of trouble i would guess?

I know you need proof to hire a 7.5 tonne van or minibus so people who have passed their test since this has come in wont be doing that either.

which brings me to ask, do the driving tests for all these different catagorys exist?

I know B+E (trailers) does as in the army if you have not got it, you have to do it to drive landrovers with a trailer on. But the other catagorys??

Just found it interesting as i can see it catching alot of new drivers out later on in life!!

[rigor]

To be honest, I think most new drivers get told quite clearly that the are not allowed to drive anything else. Sam was shocked at how many catagories I got "for free" just by being an old git :D

I would guess that there have already been cases where people have driven a catagory they thought they had, but didn't, and got caught, and yes, they would be in big trouble :)

[the_lone_wolf]

doesn't it depend on your age when you pass the test in some cases?

[neio79]

doesn't it depend on your age when you pass the test in some cases?
dont think so, my wife passed at 25 and still got f**k all bar B.

I passed at 17 got everything bar HGV, but had to wait till 21 to drive big vans and mini busses.

[jimmy4237]

Anything over 3.5 tonnes (C1 entitlement) now requires the driver to have a goods vehicle operator licence and use a tachograph. Most hire companies will now only hire a luton transit van to private people now. If you want anything bigger then you need a HGV licence and operators licence.
Too many people were hiring the 7.5 tonners and causing massive damage to them because they weren't used to the size and the HGV driving position.

I still see a lot of people towing horseboxes and caravans without a clue of what they're doing (i.e weaving, poor reversing, etc) and I think "It's only a matter of time before you cause an accident with that trailer mate"

That's why the government stopped all additional driving entitlemnts being put on licences after 1997. Force people to take tests to prove they're capable of towing a trailer properly etc.

[the_lone_wolf]

That's why the government stopped all additional driving entitlemnts being put on licences after 1997. Force people to take tests to prove they're capable of towing a trailer properly etc.
i stand corrected...

probably a sensible idea, even driving a 3.5t transit isn't anything like a car, i'd be a liability with a 7.5t truck:eek:

[the white rabbit]

There's a VOSA van around here that follows minibuses and vans towing trailers out of and around and about Gordano Services. I think they may be checking on this kind of thing, as well as vehicle fitness. This has caused all kinds of problems at the uni with clubs etc who dont have minibus or trailer capable drivers. Leading to a need for older membersto remain in said societies just to ferry the students about. Of course in such a role perving at the girls would be unacceptable.

[diamond]

There's a VOSA van around here that follows minibuses and vans towing trailers out of and around and about Gordano Services. I think they may be checking on this kind of thing, as well as vehicle fitness. This has caused all kinds of problems at the uni with clubs etc who dont have minibus or trailer capable drivers. Leading to a need for older membersto remain in said societies just to ferry the students about. Of course in such a role perving at the girls would be unacceptable.

I take it you help out the netball team when they need a driver:D

[the white rabbit]

I'm harmless in the presence of young women what with being gay and all* 8-[


*just like Stretchie

[jimmy4237]

Any new car driver who passed their test since 1997 1st January cannot tow a trailer over 750Kg (which rules them out from towing any sort of horsebox, caravan or any decent double axle Ifor Williams trailer). A standard "B" category car licence only allows you to tow a small single axle garden refuse type trailer, or a single motorbike trailer with a bike strapped to it.

Any other type of car/van trailer over 750kg (Caravan, Horsebox) needs a B+E entitlement and needs full working brakes. If you're caught towing this type of trailer without a B+E entitlement, then you're technically driving without a licence and insurance.

Any new drivers too since 1997 are restricted to 3.5 tonnes, cannot drive minibuses (D1) or small HGV's (C1). You now need to apply to Swansea for a medical, theory and practical tests.
But you can drive a minibus on a "B" category licence only if you volunteer to do it (ie. not for hire or reward), and you can't pull ANY sort of trailer.

[Mr Toad]

Too many people were hiring the 7.5 tonners and causing massive damage to them because they weren't used to the size and the HGV driving position.


Those were the days :D

I hired a Ford Cargo to move house back in about 1990 - I've never been so terrified in my entire life. How I got it into my street I'll never know. My entire instructions consisted of -
"It's got airbrakes, so leave a big gap"
"Don't bother using first gear as it's too low, start off in second"
"See you in a couple of days"

[jim@55]

my work(iv just started there)has a 7.5 t iveco ,thers only 2 guys in the work that can legally drive it (1 of thems me) so the boss thinks im great ,all the other guys that i work with are younger or have passed their test recently so they dont have entitlment for it ,,i have:cool: its just a bit bigger /heavier than a car no special driving skills ,just take my time , maybe thats why im there ,,hmmm,,,:roll:

[Ed]

At the services on the A5 it's interesting to watch people trying to reverse with a caravan attached. Some are brilliant but most are not:D

[jimmy4237]

The good ol' days were when a 7.5 tonner was a non-hgv, could do 80 odd mph, you didn't need a tachograph or any sort of special driver skills. Now you need to use a tacho, they're governed to 56mph and a normal punter can't hire them to move house.

My mum once hired a Daf 7.5 tonner box van many years ago, and came back with a 30 footer size one. It was the first time she'd driven one and nearly taken out 10 cars trying to reverse it into my grans cresent (which has some tight 90degree bends on it). Not even the council bring a lorry that size down that street:p :p Then she had to back it into a tight driveway with only 3 inches of clearance either side of the lorry. Took a couple of shunts but she managed it:smt038 :thumright: . Getting it back out again was good fun...
Then she forgot how forgot how powerful the air brakes were and nearly went flying through the front window at a T junction:spiderman: She's never driven another lorry since that harsh braking exercise and tight private street manouvering..

So you can imagine how a person just passing their test now in a small car would feel if they had to drive a 30' truck with massive blindspots and no HGV driving experience. They'd give up at the first hurdle.

I've spent many a time during a tacho break in my artic watching tourists trying to reverse their caravans into a parking space. Some are bloody good, but the majority would make you cry with laughter. I once got out the cab and parked up their Range Rover and 25' caravan for them it was taking them so long to do it. Ended up getting a free bacon buttie for helping them out. The guy had only just bought his first caravan trailer and had no idea how to drive/reverse it....:smt017

[stewie]

Would have thought you,d have been trying to work how the WTD affects your overtime rather than checking out caravaners mate :D

[jimmy4237]

I couldn't give a toss about the WTD mate. I was trained up to drive under the old tacho driver's hours rules. The new rules just limit your earning capabilites and have forced me to get a second job. The idiots in Europe who thought about the new WTD rules clearly don't like working more than 45 - 48 hours a week. "That's a good idea they said, thus it became more b******t law"

You can still do up to 60 hours a week, but can't do more than 48hours driving, with 12 hours of POA and daily rest breaks. It depends on the employer who might accrue the average 48 hour working week over a period of either 16 or 24 weeks. I work for a firm that still buys the old analogue tacho trucks to extend the WTD and avoids digital (totally time incorrect pieces of digital crap) tachographs. So I'm happy enough.

[stewie]

Who you on for ? Im kinda off the road these days, night shunting for Wincantons on the Matalan contract, used to earn a good living at one time not any more though. :(
Stew

[stewie]

PM some time if you fancy a chat Jimmy.
Stew
;)