NoIDeer
Well-Known Member
I don't think us old 'uns are gaining too much benefit, we still have to do the continual CPC training to drive larger than 3500kg vehicles for work where the driving is the job. Not worth it if it's a part time thing.
Celebration towing?
- Thread starter Shabz
- Start date
I don't think us old 'uns are gaining too much benefit, we still have to do the continual CPC training to drive larger than 3500kg vehicles for work where the driving is the job. Not worth it if it's a part time thing.
mn87
Active Member
Very much the same here. Indeed i had to take the trailer tests specifically for my current role. Something that was a useful extra (tested) skill can now be done by anyone.
However i am sure a number of employers will still require the testing element if it is part of the job
I don’t think every yoof will be rushing out to hitch up an Ifor Williams…it was a bit silly that someone that passed at one point could tow but not others.
One of the few sensible things I’ve seen happening in recent years! We need less nanny state things, not more!
All the hardcore trailer towers should try reversing a rear wheel steer thwaites dumper with a dolly trailer - that will mess even hardcore drivers up!!
Regards,
Gixer
One of the few sensible things I’ve seen happening in recent years! We need less nanny state things, not more!
All the hardcore trailer towers should try reversing a rear wheel steer thwaites dumper with a dolly trailer - that will mess even hardcore drivers up!!
Regards,
Gixer
Or try reversing a rear wheel steer dumper with an articulated 4 iron wheeled mixer into a confined space--now that was fun
Oddly enough it was towing an old maxi-mix I was referring to!Or try reversing a rear wheel steer dumper with an articulated 4 iron wheeled mixer into a confined space--now that was fun
great fun…Good I say. A 17 year old lad with new driving licence can go down the road sat on 30 ton trailer and tractor every day of the week but couldn’t take his landy and trailer to the tip before now unless they did a test. I really don’t see this being too much of problem, not everyone is going to want a trailer and I see it that those that need to will probably/hopefully practice a bit before letting loose.
That's what happened to me, if I'd passed the test the first time would have been happy days but second test was about a week after change. I'd been reversing trailers since I was old enough to reach the pedals so just decided to carry on regardless my 90 with the flatbed on was just under 3.5tonnes combined so was only over weight for half the journey!
Worked with several people who passed a trailer test and wouldn't trust them pulling a wheelbarrow and what is the obsession with leaving the handbrake on I've lost weeks of time combined getting them off!
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
Did an advanced driving course for work once.
When we got to the trailer (reversing there of) - the instructor got out, unhitched the trailer (single-axle) and parked it by hand.
"We do not have time to fu*k about reversing trailers".
A lifetime later - he was right...
When we got to the trailer (reversing there of) - the instructor got out, unhitched the trailer (single-axle) and parked it by hand.
"We do not have time to fu*k about reversing trailers".
A lifetime later - he was right...
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
Having followed a 17 or so year old along a country Lane in Lincolnshire 3 years ago, trailer full to the gunnels with beet if memory serves me correctly, didn’t adjust their speed on entering a village with a tight left hand bend, trailer tipped narrowly missing an oncoming car (by inches). Luckily no one was hurt but the young girl driving the tractor was in shock at what could have happened…..
And then, in the aftermath, one of her equally youthful colleagues decided he was too important to sit in the parked traffic with the rest of us while the police dealt with it, instead choosing to try and sneak past us with our horse box on the back, there wasn’t sufficient space for his tractor and trailer, needless to say our trailer (with horse on board) suffered as a consequence, conveniently witnessed by the somewhat disbelieving police, who were still taking notes from the first incident, never understood why that amount of trust is given to kids with zero road knowledge, they weren’t even local, shipped in from Cumbria to do the harvest, so no local knowledge.
Not sure it just applies to kids - seen many an old codger with a trailer/caravan/boat and they have no idea how to manoeuvre it - whereas I have seen a 20 year old farm hand that can reverse a silage trailer with less than 6” either side to a pit and do it all day back and forth…I really think it depends on the person.
Regards,
Gixer
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
It may not, but at 17 they generally do not have the experience befitting the tonnage they are in charge of, never understood how that was acceptable
We were put in rather large tractors at 16 years old in agricultural college….I remember one lad being given the first of the MF 3065 slant noses to take up to a field and he ran over a horse from the same college!
But I will say most were country/farming people anyway and had been driving at home for years before that! I would be most on here were weaned on grey fergie’s or fordsons and are better for it!
The worst I have seen are contractors during the harvest period with 40mph boxes on huge tractors absolutely pinned with a full load…usually on the mobile phone ….recipe for disaster.
Did also see an old codger just about lose a Cadillac SUV down a boat ramp in Oklahoma - if it had not have run over his own leg (which stopped it) he would have lost the lot!
Regards,
Gixer
Many happy hours spent reversing a little two wheel trailer up and down the lane and round the bend behind my Morris Minor van. And later the 4 wheel low loader car trailer behind my old MG Magnette ZB.
With a competent brother in law and his friends to compete with when I was 17, it would be taken as a complete failure if I ever had to decouple a trailer in order to get it where it had to go.
Alan
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Absolutely - in my circle of friends if you unhitched it due to not being able to reverse you’d get heckled to death!!
geoffw
Well-Known Member
That I can live with. It's them finding out that their brakes can't deal with it that, while behind me, that'd worry me.
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
Absolutely get that.
It was on a three-week advanced driving course (which I hated) the only time I laughed.
During your "final drive", you had to give a running commentary.
Tearing through the Home Counties I spied a "large" lady on a pedal bike...
"Moving to the off-side to avoid the wide load..." was apparently considered to be not taking the course seriously.
Black Rats - no sense of humour.
geoffw
Well-Known Member
Oh, I though it said "cable tie".'What do you mean break-away cable?! The bit that turns the lights on?!'
First powered vehicle I ever drove. Family friends’ farm halfway up on the side of the Black Mountains.
First instruction, clutch down and push the gear lever to S.
Second instruction push or pull the gear lever to any of the numbers.
Third instruction slowly lift foot off clutch.
Magic memories!
Alan
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