New Führer Licence

After next-door neighbour, friend, farmer and agricultural apprentice-training-master Sepp had told the parish mayor to 'award' me a Driving Permit for Tractor Class 'T' to add to my existing standard Tractor Class 'L', I had to give up my entire driving licence at the parish council office a few weeks ago. Today I collected my new one.

There it was, the coveted* 'T', allowing me now to drive agricultural vehicles up to 60km/h or, with up to two trailers and a total maximum weight of 40 tons, 40km/h. The basic 'L' allows 40km/h and 25km/h with trailers. Gets a bit complicated, but I think that then allows me to drive a tractor on the autobahn but without a trailer. There is no minimum speed restriction on the autobahn, but vehicles must be capable of doing at least 60km/h - which only the very big ones can e.g. Unimogs & JCBs.

Germany has very specific requirements for driving licences - e.g for a standard car it's 14 @ 90 Minute theory lessons,and 12 @ 45 Minute practical driving sessons of which 3 at Night, 4 on Motorway and 5 Mixed/Cross country. For a Tractor T it is 12 @ 90 Minute theory hours, 18 if you haven't got a car or other licence. So talking about €1000+.
I was literally 'given' mine for free just based on a letter form the mayor to the licensing authority & that was 'only' based on Sepp telling the mayor to do it! Influential, good to know friend!

Just for the record ...... they granted the T Licence from the date my German Driving Licence was first issued in 1991, when my 1972 UK Licence had to be exchanged (without any tests) after 6 months German residency.

*"Coveted" ..... in rural parts!!!