Trailer test

[Thomson]

Wasn't lucky enough to have passed my test before 1999 for driving a trailor. Had it today and on the reverse I really messed up. But managed to save it. Then on the drive I took a wrong turning at a roundabout and had to end up doing a reverse turn which was perfect.

I totaly thought I had messed up and was going to ask if to go back to the test centre. I just kept on driving and I totaly relaxed. Thinking it's over. Got back to test centre and told I only had three minors. Your allowed upto fifteen.

Really pleased.

 

[vickster]

Well done, but driving a traitor?

I’m slightly concerned you can still pass if you make 15 mistakes even if minor when driving a large vehicle on the roads?!

 

[chriswoody]

Fantastic, well done.

I sat my D1 minibus test 5 years ago and like you, made a right mess of the reverse test. Nerves had got the better of me and I was calling myself all manner of names. Luckily the reverse test is done in the test centre and as I waited for the instructor to get back in I decided to do the best I could on the rest of the test and see what standard I was at for the retest.

Imagine my relief and surprise at the end to hear I'd passed. I felt a lot of satisfaction passing as you must too.

 

[raleighnut]

Wasn't lucky enough to have passed my test before 1999 for driving a trailor. Had it today and on the reverse I really messed up. But managed to save it. Then on the drive I took a wrong turning at a roundabout and had to end up doing a reverse turn which was perfect.

I totaly thought I had messed up and was going to ask if to go back to the test centre. I just kept on driving and I totaly relaxed. Thinking it's over. Got back to test centre and told I only had three minors. Your allowed upto fifteen.

Really pleased.

Did you do better than James May


View: https://youtu.be/zgRXi2svWPU

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Well done, but driving a traitor?

I’m slightly concerned you can still pass if you make 15 mistakes even if minor when driving a large vehicle on the roads?!

Prior to the introduction of minor faults actually being marked on the examiners sheet (1994 IIRC) you could have made 1500 and still passed. Only faults that came under the category of serious or dangerous resulting in a fail were recorded.

Bear in mind that few people here could drive continuously for 45 minutes in varying traffic conditions without reaching 15 minors - one missed or late mirror check, heavy on the brake, wrong gear for the conditions are all marked.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Wasn't lucky enough to have passed my test before 1999 for driving a trailor. Had it today and on the reverse I really messed up. But managed to save it. Then on the drive I took a wrong turning at a roundabout and had to end up doing a reverse turn which was perfect.

I totaly thought I had messed up and was going to ask if to go back to the test centre. I just kept on driving and I totaly relaxed. Thinking it's over. Got back to test centre and told I only had three minors. Your allowed upto fifteen.

Really pleased.

Well done. Being the old fart I am, I have 'grandfather rights' on towing and didn't need to do the course at work even though I asked to. Despite years of driving, I still jacknifed the bloody water bowser when reversing with it (Landrover defender too...gawd, the damn clutches on those things).

 

[Bromptonaut]

Prior to the introduction of minor faults actually being marked on the examiners sheet (1994 IIRC) you could have made 1500 and still passed. Only faults that came under the category of serious or dangerous resulting in a fail were recorded.

Bear in mind that few people here could drive continuously for 45 minutes in varying traffic conditions without reaching 15 minors - one missed or late mirror check, heavy on the brake, wrong gear for the conditions are all marked.

Passed my test in 1977. Instructor said that if examiner asked highway code questions you were marginal.

Got asked several HC questions but passed anyway.

Instructor knew his audience and seasoned lessons for teenage males with multiple profanities. Two of them stick in my mind:

1. In imprecation against cutting corners. Don't turn into the road until you can (effing) see down it; I can turn right into my road trailing a caravan and still keep left of centre line.
2. Don't go teararsing up to a stop line - what happens if brakes fail or there's diesel spilled?

Ted Rhodes must be long dead now but I can still hear him alongside me in those circs.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I really liked my twin axle Ifor Williams trailer.
So easy to back.

Well done sir.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Passed my test in 1977. Instructor said that if examiner asked highway code questions you were marginal.

Got asked several HC questions but passed anyway.

Highway Code questions were a standard part of the test no matter what your driving was like. They were very lenient with them though and you had to really screw up to fail on that alone if the drive was ok.

 

[irw]

Wasn't lucky enough to have passed my test before 1999 for driving a trailor. Had it today and on the reverse I really messed up. But managed to save it. Then on the drive I took a wrong turning at a roundabout and had to end up doing a reverse turn which was perfect.

I totaly thought I had messed up and was going to ask if to go back to the test centre. I just kept on driving and I totaly relaxed. Thinking it's over. Got back to test centre and told I only had three minors. Your allowed upto fifteen.

Really pleased.

Well done, but I’m pretty sure you don’t neccessarily have to have passed your test before a certain daye to tow a trailer- it’s dependent on a couple of factors listed here:
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car

At least I certainly hope it is...:s

 

[Electric_Andy]

Well done.

On my motorcycle test I put my foot down between the figure of 8 and the u-turn, which would have meant a fail. I didn't over balance, just had a brain fart and thought you had to stop in between the two maneuvers. Imagine my delight when I looked up and saw the examiner had his back to me, moving a cone! Pass!

 

[Drago]

Very reluctantly did my HGV 2 so I could drive the mobile incident unit. Misheard the examiner, took a wrong turn at a roundabout and ended up down a very narrow country lane. Then a low bridge appeared. I ended up doing a 39 point turn while a large queue of traffic behind me sniggered.

After that I knew Id blown it so just blatted along withoit a care in the World until the end. Somehow I still passed.

 

[raleighnut]

Very reluctantly did my HGV 2 so I could drive the mobile incident unit. Misheard the examiner, took a wrong turn at a roundabout and ended up down a very narrow country lane. Then a low bridge appeared. I ended up doing a 39 point turn while a large queue of traffic behind me sniggered.

After that I knew Id blown it so just blatted along withoit a care in the World until the end. Somehow I still passed.

You're becoming a Yokel, you'll be wearing a 'flat cap' next and sucking a straw.

 

[Drago]

Oooh aaaarrrhh, ye be roight aboot thaaat.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I really liked my twin axle Ifor Williams trailer.
So easy to back.

Well done sir.

Likewise, when we had twin-axle 'Big White Sheds On Wheels', slow to react to steering input
That said, I did find (unless it was the combination of tow-vehicle & caravan) that they'd pitch, as the suspension units 'counteracted each other.... one in extension, the other in contraction.


Shorter trailers can be the devils own. I remember trying to reverse a 4' x 3' with my Landie 90, thus I couldn't even see it any of the mirrors
My last trailer, an Ifor-Williams P6 was about as short as I liked to tow, but with the ramp, it could be seen (played havoc with fuel economy though!)

Land Rover added this detail to an old book of theirs, published in the 90's
Still valid information

On A More Serious Note...........................
Sadly, I still see this type of hitch around, & used with the 50mm ball

They're ludicrously unsafe
All that's attaching the trailer to the tow-vehicle is a 3mm pin, like this below

Any upwards motion on a bumpy road will doubtless soon make short work of the pin, the trailer will go its own way with the direst of consequences

I used the Dixon-Bates 'Pinball Wizard' (as they called it), as I occasionally used a ring-hitch trailer, & could also safely attach a recovery strap/rope

They're a lot dearer, but the ball is entirely separate to the pin, & in addition the pin can be used for the safety-chain/breakaway cable, as depicted here, on my old Discovery



Sorry to ramble on, but they're just a few thoughts.........................