Yes one of the drivers at our place got a GV9 for a defective headlight bulb. Me thinks the real failure was the attitude test and the head light was the peg used to hang it on.
JFYI…GV9’s no longer exist, they are now PG9’s ! Amazes me with all the checks these days that you still see so many trucks with headlights out anyway. Obviously peoples not doing checks or not replacing bulbs as they go !
Wiretwister:
Yes one of the drivers at our place got a GV9 for a defective headlight bulb. Me thinks the real failure was the attitude test and the head light was the peg used to hang it on.
I agree, I did my daily checks once, everything ok, about an hour later I was pulled in by VOSA and a headlight bulb had failed. I just replaced it there and then but even if I hadn’t had a spare bulb there’s no way I would have got a GV9, I would have just told them I would change it as soon as I could. I’m sure he must have failed the Attitude Test.
Got pulled onto Michaelwood services for a routine check. One headlight in-op, given a report stating this and let go to carry on my journey as headlights are not mandatory during daylight hours
I have probably replaced half a dozen headlight bulbs on various vehicles in the last couple of months, I sort of come to expect it with working nights… I even had to replace both bulbs one night, and fuses cos they blew as well… It happens all the time and we are gonna fix them so why do VOSA take such an attitude… ■■?
If my memory serves me correctly the law states that you should carry a set of spare bulbs ?
DOT here can be crappy, in some states they will just tell you to get it fixed asap, in others such as Vermont they will put you out of service for such a thing, even if you fit a new one they still give you a ticket. Last summer I got a ticket at a DOT check because my tyre was going down, not flat but actually going down there and then, so I had obviously picked up a nail or bolt as I drove into the check point, they still gave me a ticket plus 9 CSA points (they don’t go on the licence, just the DOT record) I got the ticket revoked but still got the points 
How unfair is that 
I’ve got a fog light bulb needing replaced just now but since I would need to take bumper off to replace it it will stay like that till its 6 weekly service.
Pat Hasler:
If my memory serves me correctly the law states that you should carry a set of spare bulbs ?DOT here can be crappy, in some states they will just tell you to get it fixed asap, in others such as Vermont they will put you out of service for such a thing, even if you fit a new one they still give you a ticket. Last summer I got a ticket at a DOT check because my tyre was going down, not flat but actually going down there and then, so I had obviously picked up a nail or bolt as I drove into the check point, they still gave me a ticket plus 9 CSA points (they don’t go on the licence, just the DOT record) I got the ticket revoked but still got the points
In some parts of Europe Pat but not in UK, though carrying a set does get you brownie points with VOSA.
As with many other things like this, severity of punishment depends largely on the “attitude test” when pulled. Smile, nod and produce a spare = pass; shrug, glare and mutter something about last driver = fail.
RIZZO… without wishing to be critical of yourself, that is exactly the reason why so many car headlights are out these days. I am reliably informed that on certain cars it’s an hour’s labour to change a bulb!
IMO Construction & Use regulations could be amended to insist that tasks such as bulb changing can be done without any but the most basic of tools, and by the driver not a technician. Unfortunately the motor industry is so powerful that it would never consent to it.
If you do your daily checks and record everything as being well, Then you have nothing to worry about.
If you don’t make a record, Then VOSA will assume that you didn’t do any checks and set off with a headlamp out.
Showing that you are aware of, and care about the regulations is more important to them than everything being 100% ok.
It’s the same with tachograph offences, Thanks to these chaps:
Lord Slynn of Hadley, Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle, Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, Lord Steyn and Lord Hobhouse of Woodborough
We don’t carry spare bulbs, but boss always provides a bulb upon request.
It’s an arse to change a bulb on the new Actros, open flap, remove torq bolt, open part of bumper, remove 4 out of 8 torq bolts - don’t touch the other 4, they’re headlight adjustment - swing out headlight, remove plug that doesn’t want to come off, open spring, change bulb, put back together, use for 2 days and replace other side. Repeat weekly.
No, I’m not touching the glass or anything, just seems to be an Actros thing, or at least ours, but they run 24hrs 5 days per week
I got pulled for the first time a few weeks ago, for a blown headlight. It turned out to be more than just a bulb though it was a wiring fault.
However when I took out my tacho it had chewed up in the head. They had my last 28days which are squeaky clean and the fact that I work for a company with an high quality maintenance record.
I was perfectly calm and helpful with them, my boss offered to call out volvo to get the wiring issue seen to but they still gave us a pg9 and gave me a £30 fixed penalty for “using a dirty or defaced tacho char or card.” the card was completely clean and legal going into the head.
I don’t believe there is any attitude test. I think if they want to be ■■■■■ and hand out fines they will.
RIZZO101:
I’ve got a fog light bulb needing replaced just now but since I would need to take bumper off to replace it it will stay like that till its 6 weekly service.
front fog lights don’t come in to it, they can be blown on MoT and still pass without an advisory, they are classed as auxiliary lighting, and VOSA can’t say anything about them
shuttlespanker:
RIZZO101:
I’ve got a fog light bulb needing replaced just now but since I would need to take bumper off to replace it it will stay like that till its 6 weekly service.front fog lights don’t come in to it, they can be blown on MoT and still pass without an advisory, they are classed as auxiliary lighting, and VOSA can’t say anything about them
I did not know that. Learn something every day. Truck manufacturers don’t make it easy to change some bulbs though
First vehicle manufacturers (both cars and trucks)should be prosecuted if a headlight bulb cannot be changed at the roadside without tools on their vehicles.
Second the driver should have swapped the high beam bulb for the dipped as most vehicles run on H7s and are interchangable.OK you still got a bulb out but most(not all!!) run on dipped beam so your less likely for a tug.
Third why should you have to kiss some bloody VOSA mans arse because something has failed that you have no control over.A bit of common sense on both sides might have helped.Saw a bloody VOSA 4x4 with headlight out on the M6 the other night.Who PG9 s him?
I would be absolutely hopping to have been given a fixed penalty because the tacho chewed up my card. Neither you nor I am psychic, so how can anyone claim that you knew the card was ‘defaced’ until it was removed? We don’t live in Utopia where everything is always perfect. By the time you get towards the end of a box of tacho discs they have started to curl up a bit and as we know not all makes of disc fit the lozenge exactly - that is not your fault or mine. In the past I have had numerous infringements for speedo readings not tallying with the distance trace, on checking these, the discrepancy has been random, it has had nothing to do with misreading the numbers 5,6,8,or 3, but on occasions it has turned out to be the same vehicle responsible.
Personally I myself would fight this in court and make sure every Press man I could get hold of was present to hear what I had to say, which would end up if necessary with: " I’m not paying any fine so you can all pay towards the £■■■ a week to keep me in jail."
cav551:
I would be absolutely hopping to have been given a fixed penalty because the tacho chewed up my card. Neither you nor I am psychic, so how can anyone claim that you knew the card was ‘defaced’ until it was removed? We don’t live in Utopia where everything is always perfect. By the time you get towards the end of a box of tacho discs they have started to curl up a bit and as we know not all makes of disc fit the lozenge exactly - that is not your fault or mine. In the past I have had numerous infringements for speedo readings not tallying with the distance trace, on checking these, the discrepancy has been random, it has had nothing to do with misreading the numbers 5,6,8,or 3, but on occasions it has turned out to be the same vehicle responsible.Personally I myself would fight this in court and make sure every Press man I could get hold of was present to hear what I had to say, which would end up if necessary with: " I’m not paying any fine so you can all pay towards the £■■■ a week to keep me in jail."
Regrettably it don’t work like that. The clue is in Limeyphil’s comment about the regulations above. VOSA inspector has seen the disc, and has signed it in the full knowledge that it’s faulty. Unless the head itself was defective, chart getting chewed up is usually caused by driver not placing chart in head correctly, which, like it or not, is defined as driver being careless. So to cover his arse, driver gets a ticket; it’s not fair, but it’s the rules.
LR18-8:
I got pulled for the first time a few weeks ago, for a blown headlight. It turned out to be more than just a bulb though it was a wiring fault.However when I took out my tacho it had chewed up in the head. They had my last 28days which are squeaky clean and the fact that I work for a company with an high quality maintenance record.
I was perfectly calm and helpful with them, my boss offered to call out volvo to get the wiring issue seen to but they still gave us a pg9 and gave me a £30 fixed penalty for “using a dirty or defaced tacho char or card.” the card was completely clean and legal going into the head.
I don’t believe there is any attitude test. I think if they want to be [zb] and hand out fines they will.
At that point the vosa inspector would have been out cold on the floor
Semtex:
LR18-8:
I got pulled for the first time a few weeks ago, for a blown headlight. It turned out to be more than just a bulb though it was a wiring fault.However when I took out my tacho it had chewed up in the head. They had my last 28days which are squeaky clean and the fact that I work for a company with an high quality maintenance record.
I was perfectly calm and helpful with them, my boss offered to call out volvo to get the wiring issue seen to but they still gave us a pg9 and gave me a £30 fixed penalty for “using a dirty or defaced tacho char or card.” the card was completely clean and legal going into the head.
I don’t believe there is any attitude test. I think if they want to be [zb] and hand out fines they will.
At that point the vosa inspector would have been out cold on the floor
yeah, right, whatever
Sidevalve:
Pat Hasler:
If my memory serves me correctly the law states that you should carry a set of bulbs?
RIZZO… without wishing to be critical of yourself, that is exactly the reason why so many car headlights are out these days. I am reliably informed that on certain cars it’s an hour’s labour to change a bulb!IMO Construction & Use regulations could be amended to insist that tasks such as bulb changing can be done without any but the most basic of tools, and by the driver not a technician. Unfortunately the motor industry is so powerful that it would never consent to it.
Hiya i was told it coats £74 to have a headlight bulb fitted on a audi A4 one and half hours work.
we have a toyota rav that’s a job and half to change a headlight bulb. this should be a 5min job
in my book. i had a Volvo fl 10 at one time, if a headlight bulb blew you could just lift up the front panel
remove the rubber dust cover, pop in a new bulb replace cover shut the front and be away in 8 minutes.
i belive on the new scania you have to plug into a computer after you.ve fitted a new bulb to clear the
fault indicator on the dash. stupid in my book…rant over
John
3300John:
Hiya i was told it coats £74 to have a headlight bulb fitted on a audi A4 one and half hours work.
This is true, according to the Haynes manual for my Passat step one for changing a bulb is to remove front bumper
Dipped beam and indicators are just about accessible but main beam and sidelight bulbs are almost impossible without removing the bumper and dropping the whole light out.
Bulbs still nice and easy on Volvo’s, on my FM open inspection hatch, undo screw and push headlamp forward on it’s hinge. 5 mins to change a bulb, which is how it should be on any motor.