A truck driver on local work in a big city or a very rural county is pulled by VOSA for a vehicle check. They discover his truck has a defective speed limiter. It hasn’t been deliberately ‘wired’, it just doesn’t work.
They prosecute the driver.
How was he supposed to have ever checked the speed limiter, given that his working day is spent on country lanes/city streets and he is never able to exceed 50 mph legally: in fact most of the day he’s driving at 30 mph or less, which can be substantiated by examination of his tacho records.
What do you think.
I hasten to add this hasn’t happened to me, or anyone I know: it’s just a hypothetical question.
Years ago I drive a 7.5 tonner with no limiter and when it was limited you did notice the difference it seamed lack of power in top gear but when there was no limiter on it it would do 75 plus and there be more there if you wanted it.
VOSA would have the same problem as the driver to check the speed limiter, however I would say as long as the calibration plate is in date, fitted correctly then the driver would be given a PG9 if they discovered it was hanging down the side of the chassis rail or a wire missing
delboytwo:
Years ago I drive a 7.5 tonner with no limiter and when it was limited you did notice the difference it seamed lack of power in top gear but when there was no limiter on it it would do 75 plus and there be more there if you wanted it.
How strange. With no limiter fitted it would do 75mph+, but with the limiter fitted it seemed to lack power in top gear? Bizarre. 
Contraflow:
delboytwo:
Years ago I drive a 7.5 tonner with no limiter and when it was limited you did notice the difference it seamed lack of power in top gear but when there was no limiter on it it would do 75 plus and there be more there if you wanted it.
How strange. With no limiter fitted it would do 75mph+, but with the limiter fitted it seemed to lack power in top gear? Bizarre.
Yes cos it would only do 56 with the limiter.When the was no limiter you put you foot down and it would go like a rocket, now when you put your foot down in top gear there no power once you hit 56.
delboytwo:
Yes cos it would only do 56 with the limiter.When the was no limiter you put you foot down and it would go like a rocket, now when you put your foot down in top gear there no power once you hit 56.
No power once you hit 56mph? I just can’t understand why it would do that. Very strange.
No power once you hit 56mph? I just can’t understand why it would do that. Very strange.
Something must be limiting it maybe ■■?
if vosa wanted the speed limiter checked then they would just attach the same device to the tacho they use at annual test too check the speed limiter i would suspect
GasGas:
A truck driver on local work in a big city or a very rural county is pulled by VOSA for a vehicle check. They discover his truck has a defective speed limiter. It hasn’t been deliberately ‘wired’, it just doesn’t work.
They prosecute the driver.
How was he supposed to have ever checked the speed limiter, given that his working day is spent on country lanes/city streets and he is never able to exceed 50 mph legally: in fact most of the day he’s driving at 30 mph or less, which can be substantiated by examination of his tacho records.
What do you think.
I hasten to add this hasn’t happened to me, or anyone I know: it’s just a hypothetical question.
VOSA have to prosecute because it is an absolute offence i.e. there is no leeway available.When it gets to court, as long as everything else is legal(calibration in date and suchlike)I suspect that the driver would be given an absolute discharge because it was impossible for him to check the limiter.
I have never thought about this scenario but when filling in my daily check sheet I never tick the box for the limiter on the outbound column, but do so on the inbound one. The firm are not happy about it but I am not prepared to perjure myself.
scotstrucker:
if vosa wanted the speed limiter checked then they would just attach the same device to the tacho they use at annual test too check the speed limiter i would suspect
But if they had no suspicion it wasn’t working then they would be unlikely to check it.
Speed limiter checks are usually made when they see evidence of speeding !
i can spend days if not a whole week not going over 50 , days that i dont i dont tick the speed limiter box on the defect book , cant check it works if dont use it !!!
pimmer73:
i can spend days if not a whole week not going over 50 , days that i dont i dont tick the speed limiter box on the defect book , cant check it works if dont use it !!!
I think that’s probably the right answer!
Contraflow:
delboytwo:
Yes cos it would only do 56 with the limiter.When the was no limiter you put you foot down and it would go like a rocket, now when you put your foot down in top gear there no power once you hit 56.
No power once you hit 56mph? I just can’t understand why it would do that. Very strange.
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit…but often the funniest! 