Pulling trailers

rionzion

Hi all, i currently hold a category B license. I sometimes pull a trailer to get loads of hay, bedding, etc.

As i understand it, the B category allows me to pull a trailer provided that the total weight of what i'm driving doesnt exceed 3.5 tonnes. If i was to add an E category to my license i think this would mean that i can pull a total load not exceeding 3.5 tonnes and the weight of the vehicle doesnt count towards this.

With a 16' trailer that weighs a tonne on its own this would mean a max load of 2.5 tonnes.

the other day i brought 9 bales of hay... hard to know the exact weight of the bales but if we say 200kg per bale this would mean a 1.8 tonne load - which means i'm still overwieght even if i have a B+E license. And on a B license i'm grossly overweight since my land rover weighs 2 tonnes on its own!

All in all the total weight on that journey adds up to a possible 4.8 tonnes.

I have 20 years of driving experience and ten years pulling trailers and loads, but that would stop the guards from penalizing me i'm sure!

I definitely need to add a category to my license to stay legal, i'm just trying to weigh up the options whether to just add category E and keep my load below 2.5 tonnes or to go for a category C so i'm covered up to 7.5 tonnes.

Does anyone know the ins and outs of getting either the category E or C? Most importantly, what are the costs associated?

Thanks in advance

donkey balls

With a B license you can tow a trailer up to 750kgs not 3500kgs, The BE license will allow you to tow a combined weight of trailer & car/jeep up to 3500kgs.
What you are doing at the moment is illegal if the trailer exceeds 750kgs another thing to add is the pulling weight of the jeep.
You could apply for a C license then go for the artic that way you be covered for weights exceeding 3500kgs, The costs be over 2k + the actual license that would suit you is an EC1 light truck & trailer.
And I have never seen anyone doing a test for that license.

cantdecide

From the RSA website see p13.



A vehicle which can be driven by the holder of a category B licence may tow a trailer:

donkey balls wrote: »

And I have never seen anyone doing a test for that license.

No, it's a popular enough test alright. There are loads of people in construction, agriculture and so on that go for it.

rionzion

thanks for that... 2k sounds a bit steep for maybe four trips a year max that i used to make... i say used to because i wont be doing that again! I never thought about it to be honest, i guess i remember a time when there was a bit more common sense in the world - 10 years driving with trailers and not one accident but still, not everybody's as careful as me i suppose!

I wonder if adding an E category might be a better compromise... saw a thread on that somewhere on here... i'll see if i can dig it out. if i remember right i would be able to tow a trailer up to 3.5t MAM, disregarding the weight of the vehicle.

Here's the thread, it's a few years old now http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057334605

Silvera

Yes, if you go for category BE you can tow a trailer up to 3500kg gvw. Obviously the towing vehicle would needed to be plated/capable of towing such a trailer.

Between licences, lessons and test you should be able to do it all for c.€400 - €500 (provided you pass first time). I went for all the truck licences and the total cost was c.€3000 (spread over several years).

Too many drivers are towing trailers without the proper licences. Its all 'grand' until something goes wrong e.g. a wheel on the trailer blows out and causes an accident or another driver runs into you, etc ....it's at that point that the gardai become involved and you are on your way to court in relation to licence and insurance issues.

rionzion

Cheers Silvera... Yup Land Rover Defender 200tdi 3.5t max towing spec. I've spoken to a local instructor who does the relevant training, i need to take theory test (since i did mine in the uk), get a provisional license, and take the test. According to him there is no minimum amount of lessons so in theory i could just put in for the test but seems a good idea to take at least one or two lessons. If i take two lessons rough cost looks to be around 315EURO all in, that includes hiring his trailer for the day of the test.

Having the proper license doesnt stop tyres blowing out and doesnt stop other people driving into you. There was a time (at least in the uk as i remember) that the basic license everybody had was sufficient up to 7.5tonne. Were there more accidents back then? My point is where does it end? Next it will be a separate license for commercials, a seperate license for trailers, etc, etc all in the name of road safety, except its funny how "road safety" always means paying, paying, and paying some more. They're just stealth taxes, but if the gardai say jump you're only allowed one question: how high?

So i'll get my C+E license while i can, they already downgraded it from 7tonnes in 2013, and i'm sure in the coming years its only going to get worse.

donkey balls

Yep in the Uk some people held licenses up to 7500kgs on the normal car license, As for separate license category that was always the case here in Ireland from when I started driving anyway.
As for down grading license I have yet to hear about that.

Silvera

rionzion wrote: »

Having the proper license doesnt stop tyres blowing out and doesnt stop other people driving into you. There was a time (at least in the uk as i remember) that the basic license everybody had was sufficient up to 7.5tonne. Were there more accidents back then? My point is where does it end? Next it will be a separate license for commercials, a seperate license for trailers, etc, etc all in the name of road safety, except its funny how "road safety" always means paying, paying, and paying some more. They're just stealth taxes, but if the gardai say jump you're only allowed one question: how high?

So i'll get my C+E license while i can, they already downgraded it from 7tonnes in 2013, and i'm sure in the coming years its only going to get worse.

Obviously having the correct licence wont stop a tyre blowing out. My point is that some people think 'sure it'll be grand' and tow trailers without the correct licences. HOWEVER, its when something goes wrong that they will get into serious bother with the law / courts (in addition to the obvious possible injuries and damage which could occur)

If you dont have the correct licence category you are in breach of your insurance terms and the insurance company (plus any third party involved) will come after YOU to recover their costs / compensation.

People often grumble about having to take the trailer or light truck tests but seem to forget that this has been the case in ALL of Europe since 1990 (in the UK since 1997)....so its not just something 'imposed' here in Ireland.

Incidentially, I too recall when passing the B test automatically granted you categories B+E, C1 and C1+E. My brother got those categories automatically. I missed out by one year and so have since taken the C and CE tests to cover all truck and trailer categories. I also passed D1, so got D1E when I passed CE. (My father got ALL categories for free back when he applied to renew his licence in the 1960's )

As regards the 'changes to CE licence' I havent heard about that. I'm aware of a change to the BE licence since 2013 - but not of any changes to the CE licence? CE licences are for articulated trucks and rigid+trailers - i.e. well above the 7.5 tonne weight range.

Where did you read about these 'changes'?

rionzion

Sorry i said C+E when i meant B+E, which is what i'm going for... there are no changes i'm aware of, all i'm saying is a bet there will be, and it'll be more restrictions and more money to pay. Anyhow dont mind me, i'm just a bit disgruntled by the whole thing - this is the driving section, not the place for ranting about the gov!