Rumours about dropping C1 test

[Googlebot]

I keep hearing rumours about C1 being dropped from the licence requirement.

This would mean Lucy can also drive up to 7.5t so we can uprate our van so that we aren’t struggling all the time to stay under the legal limits.

This in my view is great news for those of us with families who always struggle with weight.

Has anyone heard anything concrete or have any more information about the change?

I also need to find someone who can possibly do the uprating.

 

[Coolcats]

There is no need to change the law there is a legitimate way to upgrade your licence by passing test. The amount of traffic on the roads today is way more than when the original rules were written. What we need is modern licence arrangements not harping back to days when things were completely different.

I agree, there are a lot of drivers out there who are dangerous in a standard vehicle, a mate who holds a licence and could drive a 7.5 van is dangerous, has no idea what road markings are for has a heart condition and is as mad as a box of frogs.

Driving these days is much more complex and challenging than back in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s

There ar so many more distracted drivers on the road so yes I do believe we need better driver training for large heavy vehicles, there are many who cannot use a trailer and many who do not understand loading and weights you see the questions arise on this forum and many of those questions would have been answers by driver training (heavy goods).

I also suspect many would fail thier test if they took it now

I know people won’t agree with what I have written but driving a long heavy vehicle is not the same as passing a test for a car.

 

[DDJC]

I agree, there are a lot of drivers out there who are dangerous in a standard vehicle, a mate who holds a licence and could drive a 7.5 van is dangerous, has no idea what road markings are for has a heart condition and is as mad as a box of frogs.

Driving these days is much more complex and challenging than back in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s

There ar so many more distracted drivers on the road so yes I do believe we need better driver training for large heavy vehicles, there are many who cannot use a trailer and many who do not understand loading and weights you see the questions arise on this forum and many of those questions would have been answers by driver training (heavy goods).

I also suspect many would fail thier test if they took it now

I know people won’t agree with what I have written but driving a long heavy vehicle is not the same as passing a test for a car.

I would agree with mandatory triennial testing of everyone.

 

[cyberyacht]

Unless you have a huge van it won't really affect you particularly in France. In France they just accept Motorhomes are 3.5t unless like I said they are huge.

What happens if you sneak into a 3.5T zone and come across a bridge. If it's not makes with a limit, will it take your 5T Moho? Whilst not a 3.5T zone, the 'back way' into Neuhausen has a 4T bridge limit. Would you chance if you were over that?

 

[Orion]

No not lucky at all Lenny, it happened too many times at too many toll booths to be so.

No, you were lucky:

Autoroutes.fr vehicle classification

That’s not to say that like many of us you’re unlikely to be charged as Class 3 unless very unlucky.

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[2x2camper]

Don't agree. The passing of multiple tests is just a money maker for too many including the government.
If you can drive a 3500kg motorhome, you can drive a 4200kg motorhome of the same length.

The only reason there is more traffic on the roads is because we don't have enough roads. Also, apparently the train drivers are currently all on strike. What sort of recommendation is it then to propone trains over road transport? Bonkers.

We have more traffic because we built more roads

 

[Lenny HB]

What happens if you sneak into a 3.5T zone and come across a bridge. If it's not makes with a limit, will it take your 5T Moho? Whilst not a 3.5T zone, the 'back way' into Neuhausen has a 4T bridge limit. Would you chance if you were over that?

Weight restricted bridges normally have advance notice, most of the signs in France are to keep lorries out of the village. Loads of 3.5t limits on the way to Aires you can only get to the Aire by going through them and that is acceptable.

 

[corconx]

Better start thinking up other excuses!

NO

 

[Coolcats]

I would agree with mandatory triennial testing of everyone.

Absolutely agree and would be happy to do so, but even if it was compulsory online update training so that people could understand the periodic changes it would help most if not all to understand the requirements.

 

[Badknee]

No, you were lucky:

Autoroutes.fr vehicle classification

That’s not to say that like many of us you’re unlikely to be charged as Class 3 unless very unlucky.

As many have said a quick word and they change it to class two. What I’m saying is over six years of travelling through France both ways I was never shown as class 3. But now I don’t care a jot as I’m driving a pvc.

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[Thornebt]

Unless you have a huge van it won't really affect you particularly in France. In France they just accept Motorhomes are 3.5t unless like I said they are huge.

So am I better off paying at a toll booth rather than having a SANEF / EMOVIS tag? The toll booth chap might just charge the standard rate but the tag might know my weight. This stuff is all new to me but I need to get my head round it at some stage.

 

[nicholsong]

So am I better off paying at a toll booth rather than having a SANEF / EMOVIS tag? The toll booth chap might just charge the standard rate but the tag might know my weight. This stuff is all new to me but I need to get my head round it at some stage.

Good question.

 

[Geoff185]

I’ve had same tag on last 4 of my vans, two of them were classed as over 3500 never charged excess on them.
Always use tag as pain trying to pay, too high for car and too low for truck payment slot. Wife always has to climb out to sort. Plus tag used on cars when we take them

 

[Al n Val]

Nope, you were just lucky.
Under 3.5t class 2, over 3.5t class 3, over 3m high class 3, more than 2 axles class 3.

We must be very lucky then

both our motorhome were 8.78mtrs, over 3mtrs high (just), 5000kgs and both tag axel, we always get charged class 2

 

[The Artilleryman]

At what weight does the braking system change from hydraulic brakes (car, light commercial) to spring (air) brakes ?

This is a big change in braking style and if you really want something scary, LT had double deck buses with just a foot operated push button for the brakes, never got to drive one so don't know how good/bad they were.

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[Jacasino]

The battery vehicles would have to be suitably designed to run with the extra weight and I think somebody posted above about extra driver training so I don't see a problem, saying that I think HVO and synthetic fuels will come alon g that will prolong the lifespan of IC engines without burning fossil fuels = win,win.

That argument applies to any vehicle carrying extra weight regardless of whether it’s IC or Electric though. It has to be safe to carry the extra weight, it won’t happen because of the mad rush to electrify vehicles - the new Betamax.
Yes in order to drive an ‘overweight’ electric van the driver has to undergo 5 hours of training from a qualified instructor.
Like you I believe the future is probably going to be synthetic fuel.

 

[funflair]

At what weight does the braking system change from hydraulic brakes (car, light commercial) to spring (air) brakes ?

This is a big change in braking style and if you really want something scary, LT had double deck buses with just a foot operated push button for the brakes, never got to drive one so don't know how good/bad they were.

Over 7500kg I would say IVECO daily are certainly hydraulic up to 7495kg or over in rare up plating circumstances, I think some Mercedes Vario under 7500kg have had air in the past.

 

[Widge]

I think full licences should be issued to anyone that can pass this 5 minute skills test.

 

[Sandancers]

We have more traffic because we built more roads

Or;

We have more traffic because there are more people in the UK.

We have more traffic because more people can afford cars, ie two, or more, car households.

We have more traffic because there is less public transport (outside London of course).

We have more traffic because those who declare traffic is a bad thing still have a car or a motorhome.

We have more traffic because of good advertising by car companies.

We have more traffic because being in your nice car beats being on the bus.

 

[The Artilleryman]

He failed that on 2 counts.

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[2x2camper]

Or;

We have more traffic because there are more people in the UK.

We have more traffic because more people can afford cars, ie two, or more, car households.

We have more traffic because there is less public transport (outside London of course).

We have more traffic because those who declare traffic is a bad thing still have a car or a motorhome.

We have more traffic because of good advertising by car companies.

We have more traffic because being in your nice car beats being on the bus.

You have more traffic because there are more vehicles the road. That's the only reason. Put more people into each vehicle and you have less traffic. Stuck in any traffix jam is shit whatever the vehicle is.

 

[Sandancers]

You have more traffic because there are more vehicles the road. That's the only reason. Put more people into each vehicle and you have less traffic. Stuck in any traffix jam is shit whatever the vehicle is.

Do you have a car and a motorhome ?
Do you get stuff delivered by Amazon ?
Round here all chemists seem to deliver prescriptions to people's houses, do you have that ? It never used to happen.

 

[enark]

There is no need to change the law there is a legitimate way to upgrade your licence by passing test. The amount of traffic on the roads today is way more than when the original rules were written. What we need is modern licence arrangements not harping back to days when things were completely different.

To avoid this thread degenerating into a Br~~~~ thread, this is easy to clear up, albeit needing a bit of a read-through to fully get it.

1. Prior to 1 Jan 1997, if you passed your car test (cat B), you would automatically also acquire cats BE, C1, C1E, D1 and D1E. I drove large coaches, four ton trucks and other heavies on a car licence (not for hire or rewards)

2. The decision taken from 1 January 1997, was to remove the automatic rights to be awarded categories BE, C1, C1E, D1 and D1E. These became only awardable following the passing of a driving test, for EACH category. This decision was made entirely by the UK Government, but the REASON why it was changed was because the EU asked UK to conform to the licence category awards in use across the EU. It was never a manifesto issue, just that UK was trying to be a good supportive member of the new European club.

3. So, now that we have left the EU, the UK no longer needs to conform to the EU licence codes (which not all EU member states follow anyway ). There is nothing to stop us reverting to the driving rules that existed before the EU was formed pre 1997.

4. Whether we should or shouldn't, is the matter being discussed following the consultation, and that discussion is based solely on the merits and disadvantages of taking such an action; without the political oversight of the EU.

5. A question that has been raised is whether any new award of UK driving codes will be accepted in the EU. The answer is yes, because UK drivers already are, by anyone who passed pre-1997. It is now entirely the UK's business how we determine whether people can drive different classes of vehicles. In Egypt for example, you pass the test by driving forwards and backwards 6 metres, without crashing, and then by answering ten theory questions. And the Egyptian licence is accepted in the UK and EU for 12 months!

6. Further proof that UK can unilaterally change how we award licences categories was on 16th December 2021, where the government reversed the rules regarding licence category BE, which saw all drivers who hold a category B licence, receive the additional category BE entitlement automatically, without the need to take a separate BE test. This really helps big van tuggers, but does nowt for us chuggers.


So, the law WAS made by UK but BECAUSE the EU asked us to. Now we have left the EU, there is nothing to stop us reverting to pre-1997 rules.
And I really hope we do.

Many passed their bike test in Cyprus, then transferable to full A cat in uk..

to take the test;

arrange with local tester.
hire a 25cc step through, with a top box(critically important)
nip to NAAFI and buy bottle of whiskey
place bottle in top box.
meet tester
ride in a 25m circle on Nicosia airport runway (its disused since 1974)
stop by tester
open top box (tester takes bottle)
tester congratulates you on your pass and hands youth the certificate.
send cert to DVLA
buy Fireblade and kill yourself…

 

[enark]

At what weight does the braking system change from hydraulic brakes (car, light commercial) to spring (air) brakes ?

This is a big change in braking style and if you really want something scary, LT had double deck buses with just a foot operated push button for the brakes, never got to drive one so don't know how good/bad they were.

Depends on vehicle length, hydraulics are only efficient for shorter vehicles, whereby artics are much longer.

also much easier to have flexi connections with air brakes than hydraulic.

and air brakes fail to safe…

 

[enark]

I agree, there are a lot of drivers out there who are dangerous in a standard vehicle, a mate who holds a licence and could drive a 7.5 van is dangerous, has no idea what road markings are for has a heart condition and is as mad as a box of frogs.

Driving these days is much more complex and challenging than back in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s

There ar so many more distracted drivers on the road so yes I do believe we need better driver training for large heavy vehicles, there are many who cannot use a trailer and many who do not understand loading and weights you see the questions arise on this forum and many of those questions would have been answers by driver training (heavy goods).

I also suspect many would fail thier test if they took it now

I know people won’t agree with what I have written but driving a long heavy vehicle is not the same as passing a test for a car.

Nobody disagrees, it’s just where are the boundaries drawn.

arguably a 7495 kg vehicle is neither long or heavy?

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[RobinE]

I had to take the medical and eye test to renew my C1 licence following my 70th birthday in 2020. I passed all the requirements, even though I had some impairment to vision in one eye following some corrective surgery due to a detached retina. Although my vision satisfied all requirements, my optician thought the DVLA would want to check my peripheral vision with their appointed optician, Specsavers. Just because I had had surgery. She was right.
It took Specsavers 3 attempts to conduct the tests properly, involving me in 40 mile round trips on each occasion.

I finally got my C1 licence back a couple of months ago. But C1E was not ticked which means that I am no longer covered to drive my car and caravan (approximately 4.5 t laden). Although I can drive a MH upto 7.5t plus a 750k trailer. I totally fail to see the logic.

Initially, I was peed off, but then realised it's the perfect excuse to get back to motorhoming, so we have traded in car and caravan for a motorhome without too much of a hassle. We will use our BMW i3 as a daily driver which we were pretty much doing anyway. I won't miss the caravan, all getting a bit too much like hard work for me. So all's well that ends well and really excited to get back to motorhoming.

Robin

 

[2x2camper]

Do you have a car and a motorhome ?
Do you get stuff delivered by Amazon ?
Round here all chemists seem to deliver prescriptions to people's houses, do you have that ? It never used to happen.

Yep that is all traffic, alot of which never used to happen and is a contribution to congestion. What was your point?

 

[Puddleduck]

The only reason there is more traffic on the roads is because we don't have enough roads. Also, apparently the train drivers are currently all on strike. What sort of recommendation is it then to propone trains over road transport? Bonkers.

I really enjoy train travel - the only issue is we don't have a train station within 25 miles of us.

I would agree with mandatory triennial testing of everyone.

To start with having to supply an eye sight test certificate every so often. I'd be happy to do it annually as I have my eyes tested annually - family history of glaucoma although I'm okay so far.

I had to take the medical and eye test to renew my C1 licence following my 70th birthday in 2020. I passed all the requirements, even though I had some impairment to vision in one eye following some corrective surgery due to a detached retina. Although my vision satisfied all requirements, my optician thought the DVLA would want to check my peripheral vision with their appointed optician, Specsavers. Just because I had had surgery. She was right.
It took Specsavers 3 attempts to conduct the tests properly, involving me in 40 mile round trips on each occasion.

What would they do / say if there wasn't a local branch of Specsavers?

I've had bad experiences with Specsavers ..... they missed a torn retina and also the next "emergency" appointment wasn't for the next 2 weeks.

 

[RobinE]

What would they do / say if there wasn't a local branch of Specsavers?

Travel at your own expense, no option, I live in Milton Keynes, nearest Specsavers with the DVLA required test equipment is in Northampton.,.
Robin

 

[Puddleduck]

Travel at your own expense, no option, I live in Milton Keynes, nearest Specsavers with the DVLA required test equipment is in Northampton.,.
Robin

No public transport here either so driving license is pretty much essential. Nearest specsavers 26 miles away and I have had issues there - would prefer not have to go back. My local indy optician came up with a completely different prescription to that given at specsavers - and he was cheaper for replacement varifocal specs.

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[x17ken]

There is a lot of "bad law" going on here. The law has not moved on to recognise the needs of modern MOHO owners. As we all know the sales of leisure vehicles has been massive over the past few years and the vehicle technology has also improved greatly - DfT and their current ministers need to catch up on this instead of leaving us to try to force-fit the needs of modern motorhomers into a licence category designed for hauliers. I passed my test in a very small car a great many years ago. Since then I have been allowed to drive some very big vehicles. That's been OK - you adjust just as anyone does when moving from a car to a MOHO. And it is always good to get advice from more experienced drivers. Within the tolerances we are talking about the weight stamped on the plate of MOHOs is sort of irrelevant and a distraction from the real issue. As a MOHO driver I don't really care about the power source. I'm driving a big unit and quite simply I need to take appropriate care. If I upgrade from 3500 to 4200 or whatever. That is just a number but my attitude remains vigilant and appropriate to the vehicle I am driving. My conclusion is that as a community of leisure vehicle drivers we need to petition hard for leisure vehicle driver-specific legislation.