Over the last couple of months our depot has suffered from five separate roll away incidents. Four of them were luckily caught by the driver quickly reapplying the trailer brake once he’d released it and realised the problem. The fifth one unfortunately got away, injured the driver trying to stop it and resulted in the cab of a four week old unit being written off.
My theory is that this has all happened since we moved from an all Mercedes to all MAN depot. As you all know the Merc has a handbrake in the middle of the dash and I personally would always pause when climbing down on the steps to visually confirm that it was indeed engaged. The MAN handbrake however is completely out of sight once the driver gets out of the seat, coupled to a very quiet alarm that can’t be heard if you’re picking up a running fridge.
Now I am in no way at all blaming MAN for what is clearly 100% driver error in the first place, but I am curious to know if any others have experience with this and whether certain marques are more or less prone to it?
To reiterate; this ISNT a problem with MAN, it’s a problem with bad drivers not doing their job properly.
Edit to add; in 4 years operating Mercs we didn’t have a single roll away.
Our MANs all have a VERY loud alarm if you open the door without setting the parking brake BEEP BEEP “WARNING - APPLY PARK BRAKE” which repeats until you do actually apply the parking brake (even if you immediately close the door).
Maybe it’s a change, maybe not! Would the driver who is rushing so much that they forget the handbrake pause long enough to check it?
I watched an Actros driver catch a roll away after stretching his skel this morning. It was just caused by rushing around, he’d dashed back to the cab and it started to roll as he climbed the steps.
We have an extremely loud and annoying after market warning fitted to our Terbergs if you break the beam on the doorway without the handbrake being applied. At the moment the pointy shoes standard fall back has been to issue a memo threatening disciplinary action etc etc etc. Pretty sure that they’ll go down the Terberg route eventually.
The steps when I’m split coupling, I stop and visually check the handbrake. In a MAN I have to look over the drivers seat to do it, in a Merc I can see it from the steps.
Love it or hate it, the Mavis rail has a great deal going for it. It’s the year 2018 why are we still climbing onto a catwalk and subjecting ourselves to possible crush/fall injuries?
You’ve not had much luck with those MANs have you. I saw the one that was wrecked on the A1 Grerat Ponton a couple of weeks back.
slowlane:
Maybe it’s a change, maybe not! Would the driver who is rushing so much that they forget the handbrake pause long enough to check it?
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You are correct, I personally know all the drivers involved and to a man they are always the ones running to goods in, the gatehouse or wherever. I feel that with the handbrake not being in their immediate eyeline they are in their rush neglecting to do a final check of it before getting out.
People make mistakes and have lapses of concentration, every single one of us, but that’s where fail safes or engineering controls should catch our ■■■■ ups where it’s possible, as much as I have my routine for coupling etc of double checking, can I guarantee I’ll never forget something, no and nor can anybody else.
If the alarms are fitted but they ain’t loud enough, then that’s the problem, no amount of threatening memos will stop people having lapses of concentration
The engineering control is extremely cheap and simple but very effective at countering this issue, but it has to be loud enough
yourhavingalarf:
You’ve not had much luck with those MANs have you. I saw the one that was wrecked on the A1 Grerat Ponton a couple of weeks back.
Another mate of mine who despite being hourly paid rushes around like his arse is on fire. Same job 5 days a week and knows where he “should” be by X time and consequently rushes to make up time when behind. Too close and too fast was the cause of that.
Would have thought that in the electronic age, systems would be built in. I cannot take my car key out without the parking brake being on…
Not so simple in trucks I’m sure but there should be something inbuilt to prevent this
idrive:
Would have thought that in the electronic age, systems would be built in. I cannot take my car key out without the parking brake being on…
Not so simple in trucks I’m sure but there should be something inbuilt to prevent this
You have to weigh up the constraints though, you could have it that as soon as you open a door whilst stationary the handbrake comes on, but there’ll be plenty of times that’ll get in the way of doing stuff, people would moan about the nanny state and elf n safety!
Volvo put the handbrake on when you turn it off, but how many do that when coupling up?
I think the door open warning is the perfect balance of stopping a potential ■■■■ up, whilst still allowing you to do what you want / need to do albeit with an annoying buzzer going off, but it doesn’t restrict you
idrive:
Would have thought that in the electronic age, systems would be built in. I cannot take my car key out without the parking brake being on…
Not so simple in trucks I’m sure but there should be something inbuilt to prevent this
Nah, we need to give drivers something to do. All these electronics keep coming we won’t need a driver.
idrive:
Would have thought that in the electronic age, systems would be built in. I cannot take my car key out without the parking brake being on…
Not so simple in trucks I’m sure but there should be something inbuilt to prevent this
New Scanias and Mercs have automatic park braking. When the truck stops and goes into neutral the brake is engaged.
Also throw in to the mix tiredness and a monotonous job doesn’t help. Are the roll a ways happening at the end of the shift when the brains have clicked into going home mode and can not walk to get out of there.
Couple of months back I hooked a trailer up and jumped in then realised I hadn’t taken the trailer brake off. I’d already taken my hi-viz jacket off and thought Ill just nip out the passenger door, put the brake off and jump back in.
As I climbed back in I was in the passenger footwell, I noticed the truck beside me was no longer beside me but almost at the back of the cab. then I realised I was rolling.
I’d not put the handbrake on.
A stupid mistake that could have been costly and more dangerous if not for the fact I was too lazy to put my hi viz back on and had unlocked the passenger door, meaning I was at least in the cab when it started moving.
I wasnt rushing about either, was just a stupid error on my part.
Much like my split couple error last year when I forgot to lock the pin, it was a wake up call and now I double check before I get out the cab and more than once ive found myself back into the cab to check before I release the trailer brake, and ill wait for a few seconds after ive pressed the brake to make sure the whole lot isnt moving. Im mega paranoid about it now, and thats not a bad thing
Driver error will always find a way to by-pass any aid and safety device concocted to prevent mistakes
How the hell do i show one of my saved videos from Facebook on here without my profile flashing up prior to the video being shown ? I had a good roll away video to show.
DAF arent good either as they basically have the same ding ding for “lights on”, “gear selected when off” and “you’ve left the bloody brake off”.
One tip i got when hooking up - put your yellow airline in first. If you dont feel pressure on it, go check the handbrake. Saved me once after i was told this when i was about to connect the red line.
Why on earth a £100K unit doesnt have a very loud voice fitted by default I really dont know. Not exactly expensive but penny pinching accountants in cheap rubbish truck makers (looking at DAF and MAN) no doubt block it.
Out of interest is this happening when its dark? Could be same problem as the DAF with people thinking its the lights? Has nearly happened to me a few times (yes, bad driver, should be strung up).
Or could even be the handbrake is put in but doesn’t lock as easily as the old ones. I’ve had some trucks where you pull it down and it springs back unless you use lots of force.
Cant remember with a MAN bit know i hated any I’ve driven so might even be that. Drivers secretly wanting rid of them. If so, boss should threaten to buy anyone who does this an…IVECO!!
