Cars without spare wheels

[The Natural Philosopher]

I have the first two not the third

[Sam Plusnet]

Maybe there's an opportunity for people who somehow manage to retain good towing vehicles. They can offer to move people's caravans to a site

- since the van owners will be unable to do it for themselves.

I know of a storage site (in Cornwall, but probably available elsewhere) which will take your van out of storage, tow it to your preferred camp site, & pitch & level it for you, just in time for your arrival.

[jim.gm4dhj]

trailer pak scum like me...tee hee

[jim.gm4dhj]

petrol ped is a tosser.....he has shaddow banned me.....doesn't like criticism

[jim.gm4dhj]

passed november 1969....quality

[Roger Mills]

Except that, if you were old enough to pass in 1969, you'll now be over

1. So you have lost the higher towing limit by default.

[Roger Mills]

It's not the same as being able to go where you like when you like, though.

[NY]

I'm always amazed that a normal driving test covers people to tow articulated trailers *at all*, even with weight limits, unless you have proof of successfully completing additional training to reverse an articulated trailer/caravan. I was one of a group of people who went on an IAM course which included various skills such as towing and skidpan. I was the only one who completely and utterly failed to grasp how to reverse a trailer and keep it in a straight line behind the car - ie to apply the negative feedback and the right amount/timing of counter-steer to bring it back in line when it started to drift. I didn't even progress to the next stage of reversing it round a corner or into a "garage" marked out by cones. I would not even *attempt* to reverse a trailer; it is scary to think that people like me are allowed to tow a trailer, even if there is a weight restriction.

[SteveW]

Watch out on that one. That was what was quoted on my paper licence, but when I lost it (it turned up in my camera bag, months later), I had to get a photo licence - and there is an endorsement on there that limits me to 7.5t or a combination of vehicle and trailer up to 8250kg. It seems that the grandfather rights don't permit the full 12 tonnes.

[SteveW]

Some people do struggle with getting the idea and practice of reversing a caravan or trailer, but many others find it no problem at all. Caravans are generally easier than trailers ... just because the axle is further away from the hitch and so turning is more gradual.

If necessary, you can always unhitch, move the trailer/caravan by hand and then hitch up again.

The main differences when towing is simply allowing enough room to cater for the extra width when passing or turning and the length when pulling into a gap.

Loading is important too. Too much weight too far forward and the car's steering can be affected, by the front being lifted, while too far back and the trailer/caravan acts like a horizontal pendulum and can easily snake. Keep the weight on or in front of the axle and the nose weight within range and fit a stabiliser to prevent problems there.

[SteveW]

Unless you paid for the medical to retain it.

[Andy Burns]

My paper one and the online checker still say that's my entitlement.

[Roger Mills]

A car licence doesn't permit you to drive an articulated vehicle - but simply to tow a 2-wheel or 4-wheel close-coupled (i.e. non-steering) trailer.

With a caravan, if you have a built-in mover, you can survive without ever needing to reverse it with the car.

Reversing a trailer is not that difficult if you imagine yourself doing it by hand, and working out which way you need to move the hitch.

Reversing a short luggage trailer is much more difficult than reversing a long caravan because you reach the jack-knifing point of no return at a much smaller misalignment angle. Reversing an articulated vehicle is even easier because the tractor can be at an angle of more than 90 degrees with the trailer and *still* be able to straighten up without jack-knifing.

About 20 years ago, I documented the mathematics of this which, if you're interested, you can see here:

[Andrew]

Ahh, Austin/Morris 1800 'Landcrab' days

[Andrew]

And modern crossover-style cars mean you cannot even see the trailer through the rear window, so reversing that combination without reversing cameras is tricky.

[Rod Speed]

Best not watch this video then. This bugger is only 4 and those tiny little trailers are FAR more difficult to back than even normal trailers.

That bugger can drive a full backhoe too.

[Rod Speed]

And I think its the VW Gold which goes out of its way to help with backing a trailer with its reversing cameras.

[Roger Mills]

Indeed. If you wait until a small trailer appears in the door mirror, it's too late! I open the tailgate when reversing mine so that I can see it properly. A reversing camera alone doesn't help all that much.

[SteveW]

I actually found that when I had a Nissan Primera, the reversing camera was great and I could position the trailer wherever I wanted.

With the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Zafira that I've had since, then, there has been no camera and the trailer is/was totally hidden, without enough loaded into it. As it is only a 5'x3' trailer, it is already way off line before it becomes visible at all.

I have towed the trailer with my kit-car (Lotus 7 style) - where the completely open rear view, the low height of the car and the hitch being very close to the rear axle, all contribute to making it easy to reverse a trailer.