If VOSA lift the cab, what would be the outcome if they found wires deliberately cut under the cab, in order to prevent a red warning light on the dash?
And if the warning light was the ‘cab lock’ and therefore a serious safety matter, would the driver be held responsible? Is lifting the cab regarded as normal everyday safety checks for a driver to carry out?
Also is it a legal requirement to have a trailer height-marked?
And what would be the outcome, if after 3 months of defecting non-height-marked trailers, a driver was stopped by VOSA and asked, ‘What height is your trailer driver?’, and that driver replied, ‘Dunno mate…it’s not marked…but here is my defect book for you to look at.’
Would there be any comeback for the driver or is simply defecting the same defects day after day, good enough to cover the driver’s back?
Andrew Leitch:
If VOSA lift the cab, what would be the outcome if they found wires deliberately cut under the cab, in order to prevent a red warning light on the dash?
And if the warning light was the ‘cab lock’ and therefore a serious safety matter, would the driver be held responsible? Is lifting the cab regarded as normal everyday safety checks for a driver to carry out?
Also is it a legal requirement to have a trailer height-marked?
And what would be the outcome, if after 3 months of defecting non-height-marked trailers, a driver was stopped by VOSA and asked, ‘What height is your trailer driver?’, and that driver replied, ‘Dunno mate…it’s not marked…but here is my defect book for you to look at.’
Would there be any comeback for the driver or is simply defecting the same defects day after day, good enough to cover the driver’s back?
VOSA would not routinely lift the cab unless something alerted them to do so, if the cab is locked there is no need to have a warning light, many lorries do not have warning lights for the cab. VOSA could be held responsible for bending or breaking something if they tried to operate the cab in my opinion.
A trailer doesn’t need to be marked with the height, how could it be, the truck may be a different height. Some companies do mark their trailers thus;
Height when coupled to a 1200mm fifth wheel unit is 13’ 10’’ etc.
However the lorry cab should have an in height cab marker!
The Road Vehicles
(Construction and Use) Regulations 1986
SI No.1078 as amended requires the
maximum height of the vehicle in feet and
inches to be displayed on a notice in the
cab of a vehicle when the overall travelling
height is more than 3 metres.
and the lorry driver should have one of these in his bag;
Andrew Leitch:
Also is it a legal requirement to have a trailer height-marked?
And what would be the outcome, if after 3 months of defecting non-height-marked trailers, a driver was stopped by VOSA and asked, ‘What height is your trailer driver?’, and that driver replied, ‘Dunno mate…it’s not marked…but here is my defect book for you to look at.’
What difference does having the height marked on the trailer make to you knowing the overall height? Not all fifth wheels are the same height so the height marked on the trailer is irrelevant. The height has to be displayed in the cab anyway and the overall height marked on a trailer is next to useless, just the height of the body of the trailer is more useful. If a driver told VOSA he didn’t know the height of his vehicle because it isn’t marked he would be pretty dumb as it is a requirement for him to know it so he will have just incriminated himself. Showing the defect book would only make the situation worse as it would show how long he had been driving about without knowing the vehicle height.
Irrespective of what is written on the trailer or displayed on the in cab indicator, you can adjust them so they cannot be taken as gospel, there is only one way to know the height of your vehicle or sure.
Why would VOSA or Police want to tilt a cab? That is the territory or folk that want to repair things. Things that need mechanically checking can usually be seen from underneath the vehicle. In over 9 years have never seen a cab tilted at a checksite unless by somebody doing a repair.
Many issues with tilting cabs, the usual one being the Maglite (other items also available) on the top bunk punching its’ way thru the screen when the cab is tilted
The only time I can think that a cab may be tilted is to trace ‘additional wiring’ on the speed limiter of tacho wiring systems. In which case the vehicle will probably be in a tacho centre.
If somebody wants to cut a wire to prevent a bulb from indicating a problem, on their own head be it. Recall a 7.5 tonne tipper hire motor where the wires to the pad wear indicators had been cut. It was a shame really, the light had probably been on to warn that the lining thickness was down. Because some numpty had cut the wire and tiewrapped the ends out of the way, the backing plates were contacting the discs resulting in an immediate PG9 due to no friction material and damaged break discs. The vehicle was taken away on a low-loader.
Taking the bulb out of an instrument warning lamp cluster is not always an easy job, probably better to get the fault fixed in the first place
As has already been said, no requirement to height mark trailers as the travelling height depends upon the box height and the height of the 5th wheel. Vehicles over 3m do need their height displayed as per Wheel Nuts post. Best idea is probably mark distance from 5th wheel contact surface to top of trailer roof on trailer, then give driver tape measure (and calculator, in my case) to add the distance from ground to 5th wheel contact surface.
