Approaching 70
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So going back to my original point, I could lose my C1 grandfathers rights because I failed to make the grade of 0.8 visual acuity and can no longer drive a solo stable vehicle i.e a motorhome above a gross weight of 3.5 tons but because my eyesight is still better than 0.5 acuity I can leap into a potentially unstable heavy 4x4 towing an equally heavy caravan with a gross train weight of possibly 5 tons or more and drive off quite legally because I would still have category BE left on my licence. There is no sense to it. .
peedee
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This is a government agency we're talking about - who said it had to be sensible?
But, you're analysis may not necessarily be true. My understanding is that the grandfather rights extend to the visual acuity as well, so you only have to satisfy the 0.5 figure. This is supported by the sentence on the above link that says "You may still be able to renew your lorry or bus licence (ie C1) if you can’t meet these standards (ie 0.8) but held your licence before 1 January 1997".
But give me another half hour and I'll probably be able to confuse you further!
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Now that is interesting and is the first sensibile answer I have yet to what I thought was a glaring anomaly. I really must read things more carefully. Thanks.
As a point of interest I am fairly confident I will get through my next medical. I'll shut up now.
peedee
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The more I read about driving licence entitlements and renewals the more confused I get.
1 I passed my test before 1997 and therefore have grandfather rights to drive up to 7500 kg and can tow a trailer behind so long as the whole lot doesn't exceed 8250 kg. Correct? yes/ no?
2 When I reach age 70 I can drive my 3500kg motorhome but if I want to continue towing a car on an A-frame that weighs more than 750kg then I will need to take the medical to keep my grandfather rights. Correct? yes/ no?
I used to hold C and CE catagories and had to have medicals every 5 years to retain them and passed the eye tests wearing glasses and have code 01 on my licence so I don't envisage this being a problem. Unless of course you know different.
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Some time ago I found a government website where, by entering my details, including age, it gave me a list of vehicles which I could drive (I have a B+E licence). In the list was the rule for a car towing a trailer, and it stated that the tow car could be up to a maximum of 3.500kg GVW and the trailer (caravan in my case) could also be up to 3,500kg GVW - providing of course that such a tow car with this legal towing capacity existed - which I doubt is the case.
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Wex - thank you very much for your informative posts and research. I've been worried about my licence cause I'm 78 and drive a heavy tow vehicle and a very heavy American Airstream. I've passed 3 x three year medicals, but should I fail the next one and lose my C1 and C1+E, it appears I can still drive our outfit on my pre-1997 B licence?
Incidentally my wife has had to wait exactly 12 months for her licence to be renewed by DVLA cause of medical issues - every time she contacted them the answer was "you're in the queue"!!
I think our combined weight is approx. 6 tonnes.
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Beat me to it😂
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I'll refrain from adding to the cheeky (but witty) comments about weight
So long as neither the tow vehicle nor the trailer are greater than 3500kg (and the trailer is not greater than the maximum shown on your vehicle VIN plate) your B+E licence covers it. As peedee says, though, your self certification of health must be truthful but, with three medicals under your belt, I'd guess that wouldn't be a problem.
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OK thanks Wex - you've confirmed that i do have to keep taking the 3year medical - checked the vin and data plates of our outfit - tow vehicle is just over 4 tonnes (class 4 MOT) and our caravan is 3.5 tonnes - will just have to keep fit - strange i can still ride my 140mph motorcycle with no health checks...... forever.
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