QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

[Buzzer]

Hi all thought this would be a good new topic to try and resolve any questions in transport that needed an answer, there is a wealth of knowledge on transport technicalities that can be answered by you chaps who frequent these threads so lets see what happens, Buzzer

To kick this off I would like to know is how old does a truck have to be before it becomes exempt from the annual MOT and TAX rules, also could I then register it as an agricultural vehicle for bale carting and would there be any mileage restrictions and distance from your base involved, thanks in advance.

[tribsa]

Hi John
You cant carry goods on a vehicle registered as a historic you might get a M series Bedford registered agri or plant but a lot of that has just changed & you need a certificate of road worthiness (a light MOT)

Cheers
Rich

[tribsa]

Hi All

What about this permit fiasco.
900 permits for the whole of the UK but we can go to France
Cheers
Rich

[Buzzer]

Hi All

What about this permit fiasco.
900 permits for the whole of the UK but we can go to France
Cheers
Rich

Hi Rich my Steven has applied for permits but I think it will be simple as this is just another one of those scare tactics, just shut the gates to all foreign trucks and sit back and wait for that little scam to disappear, they wont want to lose there exports will they, John

[Buzzer]

Hi John
You cant carry goods on a vehicle registered as a historic you might get a M series Bedford registered agri or plant but a lot of that has just changed & you need a certificate of road worthiness (a light MOT)

Cheers
Rich

Rich what if you just have say a 7.5ton flatbed and just register it as an agricultural vehicle, would you have to MOT that, John

[tribsa]

You would need a good ministry man to re-catcorise that

[Chris Webb]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

[ERF-NGC-European]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

Have you tried looking in back editions of David P Soye's 'The HGV Driver's Handbook'? It used to come out fairly regularly and contained drivers' hours etc. Robert

[mat79]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/73/section/96/enacted

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[Chris Webb]

Thanks Robert and Mat79,I'll investigate both.

[Gidders]

I recall the UK driver hour regs from my youth.They were very straightforward to understand and definitely more driver friendly.Unless,that is,you are one of those guys who can't get enough hours in or don't have a home to go to.Old git's little rant over!

[Buzzer]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

[Roymondo]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Your "grandfather rights" to drive 7.5 tonne lorries will indeed expire on your 70th birthday, as will your car (and motorcycle, if you have it) entitlements. Renewing your car entitlement only requires you to confirm you are fit and meet the (car) eyesight requirements, but if you want to renew your 7.5T entitlement, you'll need a D4 medical (and to meet the higher LGV eyesight standard).

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[John West]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Your "grandfather rights" to drive 7.5 tonne lorries will indeed expire on your 70th birthday, as will your car (and motorcycle, if you have it) entitlements. Renewing your car entitlement only requires you to confirm you are fit and meet the (car) eyesight requirements, but if you want to renew your 7.5T entitlement, you'll need a D4 medical (and to meet the higher LGV eyesight standard).

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Wow, you had me panicking there Roymondo. Sad old man that I am, I have a 600 Honda, which I ride occasionally to remind me that I was young once. I passed my motorbike test in 1965. When I changed from the little red book to the piece of paper in a plastic case I noticed that they had missed off my motor bike licence. I didn't have a bike then, but on principle didn't want to lose the licence. That was sorted out with a couple of letters. When I was forty, or whatever age it was, and I got a letter telling me I needed a medical to renew my HGV, I was running a parcels franchise. I sat it on my desk for a while then decided I would never drive a lorry again, so let it lapse. I also realised at 70 last year that I was losing my 7.5 ton licence, but again it didn't bother me too much (I have a few chums who haven't realised that they're no longer entitled to tow their caravans, but that's another matter).

So when I saw your post, I hurriedly pulled out the licence. I see I have an A and an AM licence until '21, so I guess I'm ok! Phew!

John

[Jelliot]

Not so long ago I was waiting in the transport managers office and he made a comment " Tomorrow it'll all be back to normal "....
I've been in road transport all my life and I'm pretty sure I've never experienced a "Normal day " I have no idea what " Normal " is....... What is normal in road transport ?

Does it mean it starts of a complete mess and just gets worse from there, but by the end of the day everything seems to have been accomplished and the customers are none the wiser...


Jeff.....

[biggriffin]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

When I started driving, the hours rule was explained like this, see you when you get back tonight, leave it with you,

[Buzzer]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

When i started driving HGV's in the early 70's i was given two blue log books and a six inch ruler and left to my own devices, life on the road was great back then when your young and eager and wanted to show every one you could do the job but you do slow down in the end when you come to your senses, Buzzer

[Bewick]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Your "grandfather rights" to drive 7.5 tonne lorries will indeed expire on your 70th birthday, as will your car (and motorcycle, if you have it) entitlements. Renewing your car entitlement only requires you to confirm you are fit and meet the (car) eyesight requirements, but if you want to renew your 7.5T entitlement, you'll need a D4 medical (and to meet the higher LGV eyesight standard).

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Wow, you had me panicking there Roymondo. Sad old man that I am, I have a 600 Honda, which I ride occasionally to remind me that I was young once. I passed my motorbike test in 1965. When I changed from the little red book to the piece of paper in a plastic case I noticed that they had missed off my motor bike licence. I didn't have a bike then, but on principle didn't want to lose the licence. That was sorted out with a couple of letters. When I was forty, or whatever age it was, and I got a letter telling me I needed a medical to renew my HGV, I was running a parcels franchise. I sat it on my desk for a while then decided I would never drive a lorry again, so let it lapse. I also realised at 70 last year that I was losing my 7.5 ton licence, but again it didn't bother me too much (I have a few chums who haven't realised that they're no longer entitled to tow their caravans, but that's another matter).

So when I saw your post, I hurriedly pulled out the licence. I see I have an A and an AM licence until '21, so I guess I'm ok! Phew!

John

That sounds like you had a "close shave" John !! The only advice I would have been able to offer you was that you go back to the promotor of the raffle and ask for your 2 quid back ! Cheers Dennis.

[John West]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Your "grandfather rights" to drive 7.5 tonne lorries will indeed expire on your 70th birthday, as will your car (and motorcycle, if you have it) entitlements. Renewing your car entitlement only requires you to confirm you are fit and meet the (car) eyesight requirements, but if you want to renew your 7.5T entitlement, you'll need a D4 medical (and to meet the higher LGV eyesight standard).

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Wow, you had me panicking there Roymondo. Sad old man that I am, I have a 600 Honda, which I ride occasionally to remind me that I was young once. I passed my motorbike test in 1965. When I changed from the little red book to the piece of paper in a plastic case I noticed that they had missed off my motor bike licence. I didn't have a bike then, but on principle didn't want to lose the licence. That was sorted out with a couple of letters. When I was forty, or whatever age it was, and I got a letter telling me I needed a medical to renew my HGV, I was running a parcels franchise. I sat it on my desk for a while then decided I would never drive a lorry again, so let it lapse. I also realised at 70 last year that I was losing my 7.5 ton licence, but again it didn't bother me too much (I have a few chums who haven't realised that they're no longer entitled to tow their caravans, but that's another matter).

So when I saw your post, I hurriedly pulled out the licence. I see I have an A and an AM licence until '21, so I guess I'm ok! Phew!

John

That sounds like you had a "close shave" John !! The only advice I would have been able to offer you was that you go back to the promotor of the raffle and ask for your 2 quid back ! Cheers Dennis.

I did take the motorbike, car and HGV test Dennis, I was 3 months short of gaining my artic HGV on Grandfather rights. I remember pausing for a long time at the junction as we left the test depot near Milnthorpe. My instructor, who's name I can't remember, had said, 'don't assume you'll turn right, he will be 'upset' if you do! So after a couple of throat clearances, I said 'sorry, I was told not to presume where we were going' I suspect that that may have actually helped me. I passed. The other person on the course, Harold Doling, who had an ironmonger's shop on Dalton Road in Barrow, and I was a friend of his son, Alan, failed. He had only taken the test to move a mobile shop that occasionally came to town. I was slightly more serious!


I do remember finding the instruction course actually helpful. My memories are of approaching Greenodd and being asked by the ex police tutor, what traffic is coming towards you? Of course you could see around the bay, but I hadn't noticed. His other great insruction was ' take your foot off the (expletive) brake' as we approached a corner 'the corner will remove your speed'. So thatcourse was well worth taking for a self taught lorry driver!

Some of us didn't pretend that we had been driving artic when we hadn't. Not that you would have of course...

[HRS]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Morning Buzzer,
Took my medical last month and my new licence arrived last monday.
C1 = 2022 & all else 22
C = 2020
CE = 2020
74 later this year, not sure if this is of any help. Harvey

[grumpy old man]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

When I started driving, the hours rule was explained like this, see you when you get back tonight, leave it with you,

I always thought that around 1968 you made the rules up as you went along (and always fill the log book/sheet in in pencil, then you can erase things and change to suit your needs.

[grumpy old man]

Now I am getting older 70 later this year I am not sure how much longer I can pass an annual medical for my LGV licence, if I give it up will I still be able to drive a 7.5 ton truck on my ordinary car license or have the rules changed in that respect, on my current card license it does say that I am entitled until 2021 to drive class C1E which is up to 12000kgs train weight (7.5ton + trailer) but after this date I think is when I have to re apply for all classes of driving license including my car classification does any one know, cheers Buzzer.

Morning Buzzer,
Took my medical last month and my new licence arrived last monday.
C1 = 2022 & all else 22
C = 2020
CE = 2020
74 later this year, not sure if this is of any help. Harvey

70 ?? 74 ??...............I'm associating with mere children here Back in the day when I woz a lad there was none of this ere C1E/C/CE/7.5 ton business, it was a case of "get thissen off with yon AEC and ring in when you're tipped".

[remy]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

I started driving in the late 60's but forget how many hours you could drive, not many Ministry checks then so more or less a case of doing what you had to do. My first log book was more like a diary than the graph type, you wrote down on the left side the town you left and time then on the right side where you arrived and time. Most of the time my log wasn't filled in till another wagon going the other way flashed his lights and held up a log book or a piece of paper then it was given a quick scribble.

Think you had to have at least 10 hours off and we usually worked a 60 hour week.

[ramone]

What are the advantages of mid lift units compared with tag axles. I personally prefer a tag for traction and manouverability reasons .With a manual box i would probably be regarded as being downright greedy

[John West]

What are your considered opinions on the 'Smart' motorways? Just for the record I think they are a bad idea, particularly as they put Armco along the very edge even where there is room to actually get off the road. The controlled section on the M42 doesn't seem to run any smoother to me than any other section of motorway.

John.

[dave docwra]

What are your considered opinions on the 'Smart' motorways? Just for the record I think they are a bad idea, particularly as they put Armco along the very edge even where there is room to actually get off the road. The controlled section on the M42 doesn't seem to run any smoother to me than any other section of motorway.

John.

I think until a lot of drivers start changing their style of driving and moving to the left, instead of thinking this is my lane & I am staying in it and sod the rest of you, they are a waste of time & money.

Dave..

[LowRange]

What are the advantages of mid lift units compared with tag axles. I personally prefer a tag for traction and manouverability reasons .With a manual box i would probably be regarded as being downright greedy

Main difference for me is that when empty the ride is bouncier with a tag.

Another thing is that the unit has a bit of tailswing with the tag up which isn't as pronounced in a midlift where the drive axle is right at the back. Manoeuvring through a narrow gate for example requires a bit of extra care due to the wing sticking out when the unit is at an angle to the trailer. Can be a balance of trying to keep the trailer wheels out of the ditch on one side while trying not to take out a post with the opposite side of the unit! I do prefer a tag though for the same reasons you mentioned.

[ramone]

What are your considered opinions on the 'Smart' motorways? Just for the record I think they are a bad idea, particularly as they put Armco along the very edge even where there is room to actually get off the road. The controlled section on the M42 doesn't seem to run any smoother to me than any other section of motorway.

John.

I think until a lot of drivers start changing their style of driving and moving to the left, instead of thinking this is my lane & I am staying in it and sod the rest of you, they are a waste of time & money.

Dave..

Every night between the M1 junction and the M606 junction on the M62 is a complete joke.The biggest problem is they drop the speed limit to 40 mph with no need whatsoever.The real reason is making money from speeding drivers .If they turned the speed limit signs off the traffic would flow.They evem have the speed restrictions on sunday mornings .Its all about revenue

[HRS]

What are the advantages of mid lift units compared with tag axles. I personally prefer a tag for traction and manouverability reasons .With a manual box i would probably be regarded as being downright greedy

Good morning "Ramone"
The big advantage of a tag axle artic is the manoverability.
Wheel base,about 2.8 on a 6x2 tag unit and about 3,4 on a mid lift, twin steer. ( centre of steer axle to centre of drive axle)
Back in the 70.s earley 80.s there were a lot of "ODD" trailers that had different pin lenghs due to ever changing and going forward legislation and it was not uncommon to back a 6 wheeler under an old trailer and either hit the back of the cab or bash your rear lamps and wings on landing legs, BUT a 6x2 tag axle unit would almost pick anything up, ok, some times you may have an axle overload situation but thing were not clear to the boys in blue any more than us back then, and the slider helped. wont go on but that should give you some idea. Harvey

[John West]

Here's a question.

How can I find out the UK hours/driving regs from 1968 up to 1982 ? I have searched but to no avail.

My memory of this is that you were allowed to drive a maximum of 10 hours per day on a 14 hour spreadover, which must be followed by 10 hours rest. You were allowed to drive 60 hours per week and had to have a full 24 hour rest period in any seven days.

John.