Well as the title says really what can I expect, been driving 4 months but luckily never been stopped, but then there’s always a first time
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Nowt if you aren’t an arse and you’ve done nothing wrong.
When I first got stopped, I was ■■■■■■■■ myself, but they couldn’t have been more friendly or professional. They found one minor defect - a slight leak on the mid lift brake chamber, but even the examiner said he could only hear it with his ear right up to it, and put no blame on me. Took about 30 minutes, we all shook hands at the end and parted as friends! Main thing was passing the attitude test when I first opened the door, being friendly and not arsey with them - it may be a pain in the are, but they’ve got an important job to do.
Well passing the attitude test won’t be an issue, like you say there doing their job! But what sort of things do they ask for?
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Simmons84:
Well passing the attitude test won’t be an issue, like you say there doing their job! But what sort of things do they ask for?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Your records mostly. If you have haz on then they will want to see the transport documents and that your ADR kit is all in order. They will also want to change your fire extuishers. They can tell if you haven’t looked at them because they will be covered in dust. I normally open the fire boxes on a Monday and give it a good ■■■■■■■■■ then again when I have to collect an ADR load.
Ah right things like the defect logs and licences and what not? I’m not ADR or anything so no need to worry about that side of things
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Simmons84:
Ah right things like the defect logs and licences and what not? I’m not ADR or anything so no need to worry about that side of thingsSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Basically. Just make sure you have nothing sticking out of the curtain otherwise thats grounds for them to have you open the back up and then they’ll go to town if you haven’t strapped everything with ratchets. 
Thanks guys
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Simmons84:
Well passing the attitude test won’t be an issue, like you say there doing their job! But what sort of things do they ask for?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
On mine, they had the full works there, vehicle examiners, tacho examiners. The tacho guy took my charts and card off to analyse, while the vehicle guy went over the truck, and had me sat in the cab pushing buttons, switches and pedals. I was a bit concerned when he was laying underneath asking me to release the brakes, and asked him if I could stick the wheel chocks in place, but he wasn’t bothered and said yes if it makes you feel happier. At the time I was only doing the odd day for a local company, so they asked what else I did (was a sparky, so showed them my work diary which they were quite happy with). When he came back with the charts, I asked if it was all OK, he said there were a couple of occasions where I’d gone over 4:30 by a minute or two, but nothing they were going to worry about.
Couldn’t fault them in all honesty. I’ve had a couple of stops since - one at purfleet behind the premier inn where they pulled everyone, took one look at me and said I could go straight out, the other one was on the a52/a46 roundabout for a lights and tyres check, all OK and out in about 5 minutes.
I’ve been pulled 3 times in 30+ years so salon gas your not working for diy dodgy I really wouldn’t worry
nick2008:
I’ve been pulled 3 times in 30+ years so salon gas your not working for diy dodgy I really wouldn’t worry
Despite driving an average of 100k miles a year I’ve not been pulled by the law or DVSA this century!
Radar19:
. I normally open the fire boxes on a Monday and give it a good ■■■■■■■■■ then again when I have to collect an ADR load.
Now nobody would take that statement out of context , would they? 
Had them cruise by me slowly not so long back, but they saw I’d ratchet strapped the load to the trailer undercarriage and left me alone.
Don’t panic,I don’t know why so many drivers are scared of them.
I used to be a bad boy a few years ago and got parked up for 24 hours.
Before they went they brought me tea and even got me a sandwich when they went for there dinner.
When they finished for the day they made sure I was ok for the night and left.
They are doing a job and to be honest without them some employers would be lethal
I’ve driven past them loads of times just never actually had the pleasure lol
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Casual Observer:
Radar19:
. I normally open the fire boxes on a Monday and give it a good ■■■■■■■■■ then again when I have to collect an ADR load.
Now nobody would take that statement out of context , would they?
Dipperdave might 
I’m not scared of them, just more curious about it all, you hear dad thing about them, but as long as your keeping to the law then there’s no problem. The only time to be scared of Themis she you know you’ve done something wrong
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Let’s face it, apart from obvious issues on the road, they know exactly who they want to target when they sit at the side of the road, unless they’re having a purge on everyone that day.
Talking to one of the vosa guys at Portsmouth, he said that one thing they look for is all the curtain buckles being straight on a curtainsider - if some are buckled at an angle, they take it as a reasonable guess that its because there are some ratchet straps securing the load which have meant the buckles being displaced. Simple little thing, but makes sense.
My one and only stop was coming back from Scotland (Beattock A74 Sth/bnd) on a Friday afternoon.
Ford Galaxy thing pulled out as soon as I went past it. " Follow me " jobby. Pulled into the inspection area and the mechanic guy asked who I was driving for (I was in a plain white MAN TGX pulling a plain white fridge).
I told him DHL, and he then said " Ah, no probs I will just check your tyres drive ". 5 mins later I was on my way.
I’ve been stopped a few times over the years, I’ve had dodgy cards where I’ve run over my time and I’ve been pulling the most dodgy battered and unloved ferry trailers.
Everytime I’ve been stopped by Vosa, dvsa, etc they been polite, professional and friendly and even with the dodgy cards I got no more than “ok I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, off you go”
Just remember they’re doing a job, just like you and you want to be treated properly and with respect when at work and so do they.