Opinions - best vehicle for Beeks?

[Erichalfbee]

When I was at university I had a boyfriend who had a Unimog and an Austin Champ......wonderful vehicles to traverse any terrain but I wouldn't need one to get to the bottom of the garden....

 

[user 6228]

I've carried bees in teh back of the Jazz for 50-60 miles without wearing a suit.. Only one sting in 4 years..

Ventilation, blocked entrances and tied down well ..

done Reading to Cambridge.
hive strapped to a pallet in the back of the van with netting around it. No beeking suit on but close to hand.

 

[madasafish]

Do, i admit to owning this 110, well i did until the tranfer box seized at 70mph and came through the floor

the stain on the filler is due to it have long range fuel tanks 210 ltre main with 46ltre under rear wing (thru flow tank), so it often belched when filling up, pouring DERV all over you

i used to just put 50ltre in per fill but once a rather obnoxious bloke started telling me to hurry up filling it as he was in a hurry , so i did 230ltre

 

[peteinwilts]

Until you have an accident then all hell will break loose and the emergency services won't approach to help you!

You could say the same about seatbelts - no need for one until you have a crash!

I am sure there is also some legal aspects as well.

I cannot legally carry a bird of prey on display in the back of my estate as it is a distraction to other road users.

Also, insurance people love to wriggle out of paying, and if they believe you or someone else was distracted by a loose bee in the car, it would probably be considered as your fault.

One of my first sets of bees was a Swarm in a NUC box from HR Pete. It sat in the passenger footwell, and driving down the M5 during thundery torrential rain, one appeared on the lid. then another, and another. By the time I was home there were a few hundred bees sat on the roof trying to give me directions (women!).
They were all very well behaved, but now always keep my suit in the car when carrying bees in the back. Any more than a few loose, and I pop the suit on.

 

[jd101k2000]

I used to fly planes... one day a flying insect was in with me and my instructor... he went mad trying to kill it. I thought it was an over-reaction. He said, 'If you are in your plane alone and get stung and you have a bad reaction who is going to land it?'

Took that to heart - if I am carrying live bees, I wear my suit.

 

[Rob55]

My choice would be a cheap crew cab pickup,keep the little beasties outside on the deck and travel inside in safety. I hate driving with bees inside the car

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used to fly planes... one day a flying insect was in with me and my instructor... he went mad trying to kill it. I thought it was an over-reaction. He said, 'If you are in your plane alone and get stung and you have a bad reaction who is going to land it?'

Took that to heart - if I am carrying live bees, I wear my suit.

I don't fly my bees around that often.


How about this then?

 

[corhob]

I use a Ford Ranger Pick up

 

[wessexmario]

You were thinking of a road legal quad. Here's an option that doesn't have to be road-legal. You'll need a towbar on your car, a quad bike, and a trailer.

The quad bike doesn't have to be road legal because you can trailer it to where the road stops, drive quad bike off trailer, and hook trailer to quad bike for the off-road bit.

I know someone who uses this combination, it works very well and without having to pay road tax/insurance is a very economical way to do it.
If the trailer is long enough to accommodate the quad bike and two hives side-by side at the front, you won't even have to cross load.

 

[alldigging]

You were thinking of a road legal quad. Here's an option that doesn't have to be road-legal. You'll need a towbar on your car, a quad bike, and a trailer.

And a driving licence that allows you to tow a trailer without an additional test.

Newer licences don't come with all the added extra things that the old ones did!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Newer licences don't come with all the added extra things that the old ones did!

Blame caravanners

 

[Stiffy]

Blame caravanners

As a caravanner I resemble that remark!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Newer licences don't come with all the added extra things that the old ones did!

If that's the case I'm going hang on to my old driving license.

 

[madasafish]

If that's the case I'm going hang on to my old driving license.

Mine appears to be 33 years old..

 

[wessexmario]

true, but a trailer test is a once in a lifetime cost, an additional vehicle is a recurring annual expense.

 

[REDWOOD]

I have a new one every five years.

 

[yeogi75]

not sure, but I think the new licences are compulsory as from next year, and the old ones will be illegal , your old green licence lasts until 70, but the new ones are renewed every ten years I think just got mine with photo on, caravans and 7.5 tonne horse boxes and lorry's now require an extra test when passed test now, don't know about caravans on newly tested drivers, you can still tow a trailer but how big depends on weight I suppose.
maybe some can clarify the laws now.

 

[midnight sun]

not sure, but I think the new licences are compulsory as from next year, and the old ones will be illegal , your old green licence lasts until 70, but the new ones are renewed every ten years I think just got mine with photo on, caravans and 7.5 tonne horse boxes and lorry's now require an extra test when passed test now, don't know about caravans on newly tested drivers, you can still tow a trailer but how big depends on weight I suppose.
maybe some can clarify the laws now.

No. That is not true. Even some of the Police believe it. (I found out the other day, not going into detail). It is being widely believed, but I spoke to DVLA (yes I know what your thinking, that they don't know either) but had from several sources that if you still have your 'old' green and yellow licence then it is still valid to the date of expiry on the licence and they have no intention (as yet) of altering that fact. There is also a rumour that you will have to have a photo licence as well as the old one next year, if you intend to keep the old licence as your valid one. This is also untrue. Get a new licence and you will have to pay every so many years to update it and a new photo! Sod that!
Hope that clarifies matters.
Regards Dave

Now where did I park my Steam roller?

 

[wessexmario]

Whichever form of driving licence you have (yes the old green paper ones are and will still be valid) you can check/confirm which groups you are entitled to drive here:

https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk/driving-record/licence-number

Now that this online system is available, it's a good idea to print off your licence groups before ever sending your licence to DVLC. (or in case you lose/damage your licence)
It's not unknown for them to omit groups when sending a new licence and unless you have proof of having had the entitlement (who has a copy of any pass certificate?) then it can be a right pita trying to get DVLA to re-instate them.
I know an ex-traffic cop who nearly lost his motorcycle licence group that way.

Worth checking anyway, those with "grandfather rights" may find they've accumulated more vehicle groups over the years, especially with regard to maximum weight of vehicles that you can drive.

 

[Mogwyth]

not sure, but I think the new licences are compulsory as from next year, and the old ones will be illegal , your old green licence lasts until 70, but the new ones are renewed every ten years I think just got mine with photo on, caravans and 7.5 tonne horse boxes and lorry's now require an extra test when passed test now, don't know about caravans on newly tested drivers, you can still tow a trailer but how big depends on weight I suppose.
maybe some can clarify the laws now.

If you got your licence before 1997 usually you have the right to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to maximum of 8.25 tons maximum laden weight, you can also drive a mini bus with a 750kg trailer.

From Jan 1997 this was reduced to a vehicle and trailer combination of up to 3,500kg or a 3,500kg vehicle plus a 750kg trailer

From Jan 2013 this was reduced further to a vehicle and trailer combination of up to 3,500kg is permitted.

An important thing to remember is, its the maximum laden weight (or Maximum authorised mass as the government now call it) of the trailer and towing vehicle if you loaded them to their limits not the weight of what you are carrying.

Bill