Licence testing for towing recreational trailers ?

DownUnder said:
Yay 100%, for any towed object. Hate turning down a street and having to wait and watch some guy pull in and out of a driveway 37 times to park his trailer.
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You'll still see that. Pass the test, use trailer once every ten years.
 
I like the idea, I'd support a trailer endorsement for anything that has more than one axle.
 
DownUnder said:
Yay 100%, for any towed object. Hate turning down a street and having to wait and watch some guy pull in and out of a driveway 37 times to park his trailer.
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I once watched someone try to back out of a parking spot for 5 minutes. With a regular compact car - no trailer. I lost interest and went on with my day after a while. They might still be there for all I know.
 
Mad Mike said:
I'd support a trailer endorsement for anything that has more than one axle.
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But it is easier to get into trouble with a single axle trailer, it's harder to "mis-load" a multiple axle trailer.

Seeing some of the absolutely awful tow setups I could get behind this.
I have a buddy that has a home made trailer, a real heavy thing, that is a abomination. He hauls around his side by side ATV, and thing is just BAD. The tongue is too high and too long, the springs are too heavy, no shocks, mis-matched car tires, the thing weighs a TON, and he has no idea on how to tie stuff down.
i lent him my box trailer, set up the trailer on his truck... and he had to stop half way home to call me to tell me how well the trailer pulled... it's amazing how well a trailer will pull IF you get the tongue in the right place and get the load in the right place.
The backing up thing only comes with practice, like parallel parking. Some folks just don't get it... I have another bud that drove a REPO towtruck for years and years. Watching him hookup, then back out of a crowded parking lot (before the owner of the car can become a problem) VERY quickly is fun to watch... all in less than a minute
My house is next to the local boat launch. at least once a year, watching some frustrated YAAHOO trying to get his boat into the water, on the ramp, for about half an hour, I'll go over and ask if they want help, and at least half of them get out of the car to let some loud mouth (that would be ME) that they've never met before, back their boat down the launch. Uhmm I just meant I would try to direct you... but OK
Tying stuff down is another issue.
And trailers should have brakes.
 
Having had to tow a double axle HEAVY box trailer complete with electric brakes and sway bars behind a one ton p/u I have to agree.
Much easier than dragging a single axle where the tongue weight is wrong, and the hitch height is too high or low.
Big, wide mirrors help too.
 
I'd be happy with lots of endorsements. Trailer, Over 400 hp (that would be a fun test as you'd need to prove competency while giving it the beans as they know you will do it on the road), Double trailer, etc. One and done testing, not recurrent cash grab. Something to prove that at least at some point you were marginally competent. Trailer test should require you to start with an empty trailer, load something on and fasten it (most would fail by this point) then proceed with the driving portion including emergency braking.
 
I'd be happy if they would just ban them from the left lane of 400 series highways. Quite frustrating to have some jack@$$ pulling a fooking yacht at 95km/h in the left lane. Or the crews that think the wheels on a cement mixer are perfect for highway speeds.
 
GreyGhost said:
I'd be happy with lots of endorsements. Trailer, Over 400 hp (that would be a fun test as you'd need to prove competency while giving it the beans as they know you will do it on the road), Double trailer, etc. One and done testing, not recurrent cash grab. Something to prove that at least at some point you were marginally competent. Trailer test should require you to start with an empty trailer, load something on and fasten it (most would fail by this point) then proceed with the driving portion including emergency braking.
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I’d be ok with just a written test. make sure people know about loading, balance, load control and braking.

Last summer I was following a pickup towing 2 ATVs, at 110 the trailer started swaying madly. At a fuel stop I suggested that moving 2 of his 8 jerry cans from the back of the trailer to the front. He educated me… turns out his trailer was only rated for 110kmh.

About 20km up the highway, he blew by me at 130. All the Jerry cans had moved.
 
I would endorse this 100% and I would be happy to take the course/test and learn something along the way.

I don't have any training in towing trailers or backing up. I am sure there are things I can learn but so far some common sense has gotten me through for the several years that I have had to tow something (maybe 5 times a year)

This along with safety inspections for any trailers would for sure make our roads safer.

In other parts of the world (i.e. Poland) your hitch can only be installed by a certified shop, there is no such thing as "home-built" trailer and you need a specific category on your license to tow a trailer.

Far too often you see trailers that are barely holding on and people not knowing their limits. Often going to fast. Not to mention that lack of maintenance on the trailers.
 
GreyGhost said:
Double trailer
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Double trailers are 100% limited to only class A licence holders in Ontario. Not the AR, D, or any other class of licence can haul more than 1 trailer.

Now, that doesn't stop Bob with his class G from hooking up his 40' fifth wheel and his fishing boat behind it and heading off into the sunset, but as I often say here, it only matters when there's enforcement, which we're lacking.

This was my setup about 15 years ago.
1709690542519.png

I'm fully legal towing it, I was at a legal length, and yes, I can even back it up because I learned how to pull commerical (Super-B) doubles back in the 90's. But you know how many times I got pulled over and asked to verify I actually had a class A licence, despite crisscrossing the province probably 20,000km inside a 5-6 year time period? Not a single time.
Renboy said:
I'd be happy if they would just ban them from the left lane of 400 series highways. Quite frustrating to have some jack@$$ pulling a fooking yacht at 95km/h in the left lane. Or the crews that think the wheels on a cement mixer are perfect for highway speeds.
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They are.

1709690833238.png

Any vehicle over 21 feet long cannot legally be in the left lane on access controlled highways, trailer, no trailer, truck, car towing a trailer..pickup towing a trailer, doesn't matter.

But, again....I sound like a broken record, but.....enforcement enforcement enforcement. Or lack thereof.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Double trailers are 100% limited to only class A licence holders in Ontario. Not the AR, D, or any other class of licence can haul more than 1 trailer.

Now, that doesn't stop Bob with his class G from hooking up his 40' fifth wheel and his fishing boat behind it and heading off into the sunset, but as I often say here, it only matters when there's enforcement, which we're lacking.

This was my setup about 15 years ago.
View attachment 66413

I'm fully legal towing it, I was at a legal length, and yes, I can even back it up because I learned how to pull commerical (Super-B) doubles back in the 90's. But you know how many times I got pulled over and asked to verify I actually had a class A licence, despite crisscrossing the province probably 20,000km inside a 5-6 year time period? Not a single time.


They are.

View attachment 66414

Any vehicle over 21 feet long cannot legally be in the left lane on access controlled highways, trailer, no trailer, truck, car towing a trailer..pickup towing a trailer, doesn't matter.

But, again....I sound like a broken record, but.....enforcement enforcement enforcement. Or lack thereof.
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They need to change that sign to include a pickup with a trailer on it. Speeding aside, I genuinely believe most people follow the rules they know (or think they know). Education would be better than enforcement in my opinion.
 
Renboy said:
They need to change that sign to include a pickup with a trailer on it.
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Wouldn't matter, pickup drivers usually think the rules don't apply to them.

Renboy said:
Education would be better than enforcement in my opinion.
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The govn't and law enforcement has been trying to educate drivers to move over for stopped emergency vehicles on the shoulder of a road, yet anyone who drives a lot and observes traffic blow past stopped emergency vehicles without making the slightest effort to move over (I think many are so ******* oblivious they don't even realize they're there most of the time), well, it's become obvious that people just don't f'n learn. They were running a blitz on this on the 35/115 a few weeks ago and people in a few local community groups who got nabbed were crying bloody murder about having got ticketed for it, and there was not only people in the comments defending it, but some stating they "didn't know this was a law".. Like, WTF....it's been law for, what, 10 years now? As much as can be physically done to educate drivers has been done including putting it on the signs over and beside the highway, posts all over social media, education blitzes, and a bunch of other things, but, yeah, the average driver is oblivious still.

So....enforcement it is. People are sure aware of the law after getting a $500 ticket and 3 points.
 
PrivatePilot said:
So....enforcement it is. People are sure aware of the law after getting a $500 ticket and 3 points.
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See, they're being educated at a bargain cost of $500. And I bet they now know the rule and will obey it.
All jokes aside, just about every Canadian uses money on a daily basis and drives a car. Why aren't both of those a large part of the high-school curriculum? Instead of teaching useless crap that isn't needed, this would actually save lives and help society.
 
If it wasnt a cash grab , I could support a trailer endorsment of some discription. We all see it , 1500lb boat going to cottage on a single axle 1500lb trailer, with 800lbs of cottage opening stuff in the boat. And no spare, or jack if they have a spare , on the shoulder of the 400. I followed a small trailer last week , lights but not pluged in , no plate, loaded with furniture, did not stay behind them long .
 
I know that many people rant and rave about cameras being just a cash grab, but I'm of the opinion that in the almost complete absence of any meaningful enforcement that they'd do a great job of punishing bad behavior and changing driving habits.

CCTV captures you;
  • in the left lane of a controlled access highway (as per post 13 above) when > 6.5m or
  • failing to move over a lane for stopped emergency vehicles or
  • weaving in an out of traffic or
  • Other infractions that can be properly identified via camera.
then mail the registered owner a warning and then for a second infraction mail them a ticket.

Have a trained civilian employee or a cop on modified work review the image or video before the notice goes out.

Ensure all areas being monitored are clearly signed as such.
 
ReSTored said:
I know that many people rant and rave about cameras being just a cash grab, but I'm of the opinion that in the almost complete absence of any meaningful enforcement that they'd do a great job of punishing bad behavior and changing driving habits.

CCTV captures you;
  • in the left lane of a controlled access highway (as per post 13 above) when > 6.5m or
  • failing to move over a lane for stopped emergency vehicles or
  • weaving in an out of traffic or
  • Other infractions that can be properly identified via camera.
then mail the registered owner a warning and then for a second infraction mail them a ticket.

Have a trained civilian employee or a cop on modified work review the image or video before the notice goes out.

Ensure all areas being monitored are clearly signed as such.
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On the changing behaviour front, after you get three batches of tickets mailed to you, the owner should be forced to spend a few days in drivers ed before their license can be renewed. Many people don't care about the money but do care greatly about their time. I don't think school based just on the number of tickets makes sense and many people get a handful of tickets in process before they see the first one and have a chance to modify their behaviour.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Double trailers are 100% limited to only class A licence holders in Ontario. Not the AR, D, or any other class of licence can haul more than 1 trailer.

Now, that doesn't stop Bob with his class G from hooking up his 40' fifth wheel and his fishing boat behind it and heading off into the sunset, but as I often say here, it only matters when there's enforcement, which we're lacking.
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Correct - but incorrect, as well... as long as you're legal in your home jurisdiction (Michigan, looking at you) - you can legally drive in reciprocal territories. Michigan's got some pretty relaxed double-tow requirements, and we get lots of them into Northern Ontario in moose season.
 
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