so today I put in a defect form for my reverse lights not working.
my supervisor said “you will be lucky if the fitters give you a new bulb. it will pass an MOT without any reverse bulbs.”
so I asked the fitters and they just laughed and told me to come back with a real problem.
I’ve since been asking other drivers in my company and it seems there are about a dozen rigid and artic trailers that have no reverse lights.
Not required for MOT. Whether or not that’s dangerous will depend on where the vehicle is used. In the real world, I would prefer them to be working tbh.
Speaks volumes about the firm you work for if you ask me…
I’d be keeping a serious look out for something else if that was me, if they don’t care about that then what other “hidden” things do they not give a [zb] about? Yeah yeah I know “it’s only a bulb on non essential lights” but the attitude stinks if the OP’s side of the story is anything to go by.
it’s multi drop pallet work but I’m not in much of a position to pick and choose my jobs as I’m only 7 weeks into my first class 2 job so most will still see me as inexperienced.
Then I advise you keep your head down but keep legal for the next month or so, don’t worry the 2 year thing is bollux, go knocking on the doors of any employer with the right attitude and 3 months experience and you’ll be fine you’ll get another job in no time (just secure your next job before quitting this if possible)
Ok maybe a bit dramatic BUT you report no reversing lights get told to carry on its only a bulb,but get to a drop start reversing hit some poor bugger,rozzers turn up if its serious enough take a look find you have no reversing lights specially if its dark,
Ask if you knew you say yes but was laughed at and told to carry on,they will say you signed the check sheet and left depot with a known defect.
Won’t be the fitters who get a bollocking will be you just saying that’s all.
Daytrunker:
Ok maybe a bit dramatic BUT you report no reversing lights get told to carry on its only a bulb,but get to a drop start reversing hit some poor bugger,rozzers turn up if its serious enough take a look find you have no reversing lights specially if its dark,
Ask if you knew you say yes but was laughed at and told to carry on,they will say you signed the check sheet and left depot with a known defect.
Won’t be the fitters who get a bollocking will be you just saying that’s all.
Ok maybe I should have added “and don’t crash” into my previous statement
btw OP, you could always do yourself a favour and get some 24v bulbs, beg, steal, borrow (ok don’t steal, stealing’s bad) or failing that buy some off eBay, I always carry a few spare popular truck and trailer type bulbs (I’m not talking about headlight bulbs btw) I know a lot of modern kit has LED’s now but if it is just a regular bulb then a couple of quid out of your own pocket will at least help you avoid Daytrunkers scenario
peterboroughmatt:
Stick your hazards on when reversing.
+1
Good call, it’s amazing the things you do automatically yet don’t think of at the time when offering advice, also another help would be put your rear fog light/s on to light up behind you in a dark yard.
I was advised a couple of things when I first put a defect in for no reverse lights…
“Good job you are only going forward then”
And more seriously…
If you have bo reverse beeper working then you need 1 reverse light working, if you have a reverse beeper then you can get away with no reverse lights working.
Both things sounded like utter bull until i picked up a B&M new single decker that had nonreverse lights on it anywhere. When i queried it i was told the (brand new) trailer doesnt come with reverse lights as it has a built in sensor and a audible warning.
H4L:
I was advised a couple of things when I first put a defect in for no reverse lights…
“Good job you are only going forward then”
And more seriously…
If you have bo reverse beeper working then you need 1 reverse light working, if you have a reverse beeper then you can get away with no reverse lights working.
Both things sounded like utter bull until i picked up a B&M new single decker that had nonreverse lights on it anywhere. When i queried it i was told the (brand new) trailer doesnt come with reverse lights as it has a built in sensor and a audible warning.
But reversing lights are also fitted to help you see what’s behind you in the dark when reversing so seems daft not to fit them, we have great ones on our new trailers they’re almost as good as headlights.
H4L:
I was advised a couple of things when I first put a defect in for no reverse lights…
“Good job you are only going forward then”
And more seriously…
If you have bo reverse beeper working then you need 1 reverse light working, if you have a reverse beeper then you can get away with no reverse lights working.
Both things sounded like utter bull until i picked up a B&M new single decker that had nonreverse lights on it anywhere. When i queried it i was told the (brand new) trailer doesnt come with reverse lights as it has a built in sensor and a audible warning.
But reversing lights are also fitted to help you see what’s behind you in the dark when reversing so seems daft not to fit them, we have great ones on our new trailers they’re almost as good as headlights.
Yep them bright lights halfway down the side are excellent.
H4L:
I was advised a couple of things when I first put a defect in for no reverse lights…
“Good job you are only going forward then”
And more seriously…
If you have bo reverse beeper working then you need 1 reverse light working, if you have a reverse beeper then you can get away with no reverse lights working.
Both things sounded like utter bull until i picked up a B&M new single decker that had nonreverse lights on it anywhere. When i queried it i was told the (brand new) trailer doesnt come with reverse lights as it has a built in sensor and a audible warning.
But reversing lights are also fitted to help you see what’s behind you in the dark when reversing so seems daft not to fit them, we have great ones on our new trailers they’re almost as good as headlights.
Yep them bright lights halfway down the side are excellent.
We haven’t got anything that fancy Nick unlike the company just around the corner from us !!
Dipper_Dave:
Just take the bulbs out your brake lights and put them in your reversing lights.
Joking aside If you have two working fog lights it’s perfectly legal to remove the N/S one and use that bulb to replace one of the blown reversing ones.
Dipper_Dave:
Just take the bulbs out your brake lights and put them in your reversing lights.
Joking aside If you have two working fog lights it’s perfectly legal to remove the N/S one and use that bulb to replace one of the blown reversing ones.
Keep a copy of the non rectified defect number, if you caused damage somewhere reversing in the dark there’s your Ace card if it came to a tribunal.
As said above, its a shabby outfit by the sounds of it, no we didn’t have reverse lights years ago, but there have been instances when i’ve had to remove all the lenses from all the trailer rear lights in order to have enough light to reverse into some dark places.
Fortunately these are more enlightened (pun not intended) times but some bodgit and scarper outfits it appears are still muddling on metaphorically tying one of their drivers hands behind his back and still expecting him to do the impossible
