I’ve just started doing a bit of work for a small haulier on ferry trailers out of Immingham. They only run a few wagons and the one I was given the other morning had no trailer number plate. Previous lad must of left it on a trailer on the dock.
It’s 3am, the company has no spare truck and you’ve only just started working for them. Would you:
A) Crack on and chance it getting the office to order a new plate when they get in work?
B) Ring the planner on his mobile and tell him wagon is going nowhere without a number plate?
I took option A but wondered what the general consensus was?
Not sure about temp plates like cardboard but it could be enough to get you out of poop street if plod is in a good mode. DVOSA may not be so obliging.
The solution would be to remove the rear plate from the tractor unit and attach it in the best way you could to the trailer, im not 100% if this would be better but I would feel more confident going down the road.
Or just use chalk on the plate of the trailer, you could lend this chalk to the plobbers if they stopped you from moving.
I’d crack on no number plate isn’t going to make the truck unsafe to drive, however if stopped might hurt the wallet, although in those circumstances I would try the “Oh Blimey officer, I must have left it on the docks when I was putting my lamps and lenses on.” (do you still do that for ferry trailers?) If that doesn’t work then burst into tears, nothing more embarrassing for those around than seeing a grown man cry.
But as for the cardboard or chalk options;
There could be an argument that you were knowingly breaking the law, if you didn’t have the correct plate then you shouldn’t have taken it on the road. Being stopped with one missing leaves the argument it has been accidentally lost on route.
If I was plod I would have more sympathy for the latter, but then another plod may deem that an insecure number plate was tantamount to an insecure load. … can’t win really
But it wasn’t insecure, it was missing but still hardly a hanging offence although some would think it was … Does anyone just hang it on a chain and leave it flapping in the wind !
raymundo:
But it wasn’t insecure, it was missing but still hardly a hanging offence although some would think it was … Does anyone just hang it on a chain and leave it flapping in the wind !
It wasn’t insecure, you forgot to put in on and left it on the dock.
raymundo:
But it wasn’t insecure, it was missing but still hardly a hanging offence although some would think it was … Does anyone just hang it on a chain and leave it flapping in the wind !
If your argument is that it had been lost on route then it can’t have been very secure.
some of these plates have sharp edges sir, one flying through the air at 56mph could easily slice a cyclists ear off, and we wouldn’t want that would we sir.
so the options are.
cardboard or chalk = perverting the course of justice
it must have fallen off = insecure load
and lets not even consider admitting that the walk around had not been done thoroughly - immediate forfeit of CPC for that, and you really don’t want to do another 5 days of mind numbing crap do you!
Ive done it before & ive seen it many times, at least one a day. I’ve never been, or heard of anyone, being stopped for it. As you didn’t then it just proves the point. I’m sure someone will be along with a story of how they, or someone they know, got stiffed big time for this heinous crime.
BillyHunt:
Ive done it before & ive seen it many times, at least one a day. I’ve never been, or heard of anyone, being stopped for it. As you didn’t then it just proves the point. I’m sure someone will be along with a story of how they, or someone they know, got stiffed big time for this heinous crime.
I live in a big agricultural area … I’m yet to see a farmer bother with correct plates. many don’t seem to even bother with trailer lights.
Thanks for the responses. I just wanted to canvas opinion before I told the end of the story…
Got all the way to London… tipped… Got back to Immingham and got tugged by VOSA coming into the port. 10 day delayed prohibition on the unit and £100 fixed penalty!! Ouch!! Lesson learned.
Nearly got away with it…touching distance!!!
Firm are covering the fine though which is good of them as technically it was my decision to take it, they could easily wash their hands of it.
Prohibition on the unit for a missing trailer number plate? Sounds like they found something else tbh. Also, £100 for no plate? Sounds a little steep to me, mind you it is coming up to Christmas and somebody has to pay for their do.
JFC999:
Piece of cardboard , felt tip pen , write number on said card , slot in .
Simples !
Jim
+1,done it many times,i just made sure it was the same size of said Number plate,and the numbers were the same size as on the plate,my reasoning is if pulled police or vosa can see you made an effort
the maoster:
Prohibition on the unit for a missing trailer number plate? Sounds like they found something else tbh. Also, £100 for no plate? Sounds a little steep to me, mind you it is coming up to Christmas and somebody has to pay for their do.
You can get a prohibition for a headlight bulb being out these days, and a 300 quid fine for not having sufficient spare tacho rolls to do printouts for Vosa when requested
BillyHunt:
Ive done it before & ive seen it many times, at least one a day. I’ve never been, or heard of anyone, being stopped for it. As you didn’t then it just proves the point. I’m sure someone will be along with a story of how they, or someone they know, got stiffed big time for this heinous crime.
I live in a big agricultural area … I’m yet to see a farmer bother with correct plates. many don’t seem to even bother with trailer lights.
They do not need the correct number plate on a trailer , but the one showing must be registered to them
NewbieNeil:
Was delayed prohibition maoster so 10 days to rectify the issue or it comes into force. Funnily enough I have a number plate good to go Monday!!
£100 is what it is. Didn’t argue just smiled, thanked him and left. No point entering a ■■■■■■■ contest as they hold all the cards.
If it had been a flip flop driving that truck, they wouldn’t have been fined. DVSA policy for non-UK drivers in those circumstances!
Because you were a UK driver you copped for the fine…
