That just confirms what we already know.
It will be very interesting when they start actually pulling people over.
i noticed at Carlisle this week there was 3 or 4 curtainsiders pulled in and they had the back doors opened on all of them
Our curtainsider Luton van got stopped last week by VOSA in Glasgow. Wasn’t allowed to go anywhere until he strapped his 2plts in. Both pallets weighed less than 100kgs and were less than a foot tall!!! Our driver never got a fine because he was able to strap the pallets with his ratchet straps, but company got a warning and it has put us on red with VOSA now. I didn’t think it would affect our compliance score as the van isn’t on our operators licence, but it appears it can.
I had to laugh to myself ,at work we have a notice board . On it is a printout from vosa or whoever about the XL rated curtains ( no need to strap blah blah … )
Thing is we have about 10 curtain siders but NONE are XL rated 
I will ask the boss Monday which ones are XL rated , should be a laugh 
Mikey D:
I had to laugh to myself ,at work we have a notice board . On it is a printout from vosa or whoever about the XL rated curtains ( no need to strap blah blah … )
Thing is we have about 10 curtain siders but NONE are XL rated
I will ask the boss Monday which ones are XL rated , should be a laugh
That only applies if it’s a full load any way, otherwise it needs securing
Just working my way through this, not much that I wasn’t aware of through our training but a couple of thing I hoped might be wrong.
(1) No attaching straps or lashings to rope hooks. Most of the trailers I pull have no access to the chassis until behind the 5th wheel. How are we supposed to restrain loads on that first approx 3m or if air management skirts are used the whole length of the trailer?
(2) Mixing chains and straps. As both have different characteristics surely they both have a place Also, I find, sometimes on steel I might not be happy with 1 pack and two or three straps make me feel happier with the overall security of the load.
As a professional driver with to many years experience I would hope that id stopped I would be able to justify my methods.
Just wondering what others thought?
Have they also changed their guidelines, were they need a legitimate reason to ask a driver to open up the trailer? their official guidelines state that they wont be doing random stop and checks on load security in curtainsiders unless there is cause for concern, as in bulges in curtains.
The phrase “ultimately as the driver you are responsible for the load” has not changed, though they do imply others are involved but “ultimately” means your arse is on the line first, dependant on the situation.
Keep em tight guys 
weeto:
Have they also changed their guidelines, were they need a legitimate reason to ask a driver to open up the trailer? their official guidelines state that they wont be doing random stop and checks on load security in curtainsiders unless there is cause for concern, as in bulges in curtains.
Do you need to open the trailer by law if asked by DVSA not the police??
truckerjimbo:
weeto:
Have they also changed their guidelines, were they need a legitimate reason to ask a driver to open up the trailer? their official guidelines state that they wont be doing random stop and checks on load security in curtainsiders unless there is cause for concern, as in bulges in curtains.Do you need to open the trailer by law if asked by DVSA not the police??
No, DVSA can’t make you do anything but follow them into the checkpoint.
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than me
Drift:
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than me
So that makes it right to let them what they want?
weeto:
truckerjimbo:
weeto:
Have they also changed their guidelines, were they need a legitimate reason to ask a driver to open up the trailer? their official guidelines state that they wont be doing random stop and checks on load security in curtainsiders unless there is cause for concern, as in bulges in curtains.Do you need to open the trailer by law if asked by DVSA not the police??
No, DVSA can’t make you do anything but follow them into the checkpoint.
But if you know you haven`t strapped a pallet(like a good boy) why help them shaft you??
Do they ask you to open the rear doors or what?? put a padlock on rear doors?? sorry officer Ive lost the key.
weeto:
Drift:
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than meSo that makes it right to let them what they want?
Nope and I see your point, but if you aint got nothing to hide why poke the tiger
Drift:
weeto:
Drift:
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than meSo that makes it right to let them what they want?
Nope and I see your point, but if you aint got nothing to hide why poke the tiger
Because Im trying to hide the fact I havent strapped one of my 13 pallets??
Drift:
weeto:
Drift:
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than meSo that makes it right to let them what they want?
Nope and I see your point, but if you aint got nothing to hide why poke the tiger
Because its entertaining?
weeto:
Drift:
weeto:
Drift:
Lets be honest, your not going to refuse and piddle them off are you?
If you do you have bigger knackers than meSo that makes it right to let them what they want?
Nope and I see your point, but if you aint got nothing to hide why poke the tiger
Because its entertaining?
Living on the edge, I like that 
truckerjimbo:
weeto:
Have they also changed their guidelines, were they need a legitimate reason to ask a driver to open up the trailer? their official guidelines state that they wont be doing random stop and checks on load security in curtainsiders unless there is cause for concern, as in bulges in curtains.Do you need to open the trailer by law if asked by DVSA not the police??
As far as i’m aware DVSA have no powers of vehicle search. So quite how they are going to ask to look inside a trailer is beyond me. Of course as said above, if your curtains are bulging etc… then it makes sense that they would want to inspect what looks like a possible insecure load. If everything is visually in order they they’ve no right to search anything. Just test the vehicle.
Quite often see trailers with bulging curtains while loaded with wood chip. How would you strap that? 