Last week I had a marker light out on the side of my trailer. I was told to go out with it, But I refused, as i been told before any light defected need to be changed. They said because it was a side marker light, that i didnt need. can some please help a new driver. I Know it a basic question. I just wnat to Know where i stand… Cheers
You’re quite within your rights to refuse to take it out. If there are lights fitted, any lights, they must be in working order.
woody2808:
You’re quite within your rights to refuse to take it out. If there are lights fitted, any lights, they must be in working order.
Ditto. My driving assessors tell me that if it would fail an MOT then it would fail a roadside check. They’d soon ‘have you in’ if you’d been GV9’d for it.
Was there no-one in the depot who could have changed the marker light bulb for you 
Has your company stipulated that any trailers with blown marker light bulbs need to be defected and not taken on the road If that is the case then they really need to have the staff available to get it sorted before the trailer is taken out by anyone 
It might be worth just thinking about what you would do if you were halfway through a shift and found a trailer marker light blown Would you park the whole lot up and ring in and say you are not going to drive it any further or would you get it back to the depot and then report the defect
A marker light out is not a safety related issue like brakes, tyres or steering defects and it would be extremely unrealistic and unlikely that you would be GV9’d for it unless VOSA found numerous other longstanding defects or hours breaches. Bulbs can blow more than once on a journey, as I’m sure you will find out as you gain more experience, this is an issue that has been debated a number of times on this forum. The way things are at the moment I’d be reluctant to put my job on the line for a marker light out but as I have said if the company says you cannot take a trailer out without all the lights working then you are within your right’s to say your not doing it but it might just be in your own interest to carry some spare bulbs and a multi-tool just in case. 
If you ever get to do traction work pulling other people’s trailers you will soon find out the need to know all the different types of bulb, lenses, air/electrical connections and tools that will make the whole job work coz you will be the person expected to put it right at 3.00am on some windswept, dark & cold trailer park 
Good Luck & Regards
Dave Penn;
I wouldn’t refuse a trailer for a marker light out.
If it really bothered me I might spend 10 minutes at the garage getting a new bulb for it.
But it wouldn’t really bother me so I would defect the offending marker light and carry on as normal.
It don’t take 5 mins to ask the guys in the garage to give you a set of bulbs which would take(with a screwdriver) about 5 mins to replace.
as for having a GV9 for 1 marker light out■■? are you for real■■? 
hiya, reversing lights can be fitted to a vehicle but are’nt tested during the MOT, fact. thanks harry long retired.
davepenn54:
Was there no-one in the depot who could have changed the marker light bulb
Has your company said that any blown bulbs need to be defected and not taken on the roadIt might be worth just thinking about what you would do if you were halfway through a shift and found a trailer marker light blown
A marker light out is not a safety related defect like brakes, tyres & steering defects and bulbs can blow more than once on a journey and this is an issue that has been debated a number of times on this forum. The way things are at the moment I’d be reluctant to put my job on the line for a marker light out but as I have said if the company says you cannot take a trailer out without all the lights working then you are within your right’s to say your not doing it but it might just be in your own interest to carry some spare bulbs just in case.
Regards
Dave Penn;
They gave me a defect for it, as they said it would cost 140 quid for a call out. I thought they only gave defects if it happened on route to the delivery. I know it a petty thing just wanted to no if i would have been in the right to refuse. Thanks for the help…
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?
. 
Welcome moorey .
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Does the company have anything in place should something like this occur
Were you willing to change the bulb yourself is supplied with the correct equipment to do the job safely
Harry Monk:
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?
Or when a company tells a driver unreservedly under NO circumstances are they to carry out ANY repairs to the vehicle
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?
Took the words out of my mouth! I fear we’re living in a world where drivers are struggling to get jobs and then will find any excuse not to work when they get one! For crying out loud - - just get on with it and change the xxxx bulb!
If you can’t manage that, think about a change of career and let someone else do the job who can change a bulb
Harry Monk:
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?
But Harry isn’t this just what has happened to whole transport game The way all the big company’s have everything contolled by computers and satellite and also just seen something that Volvo are trialling, a complete in-cab video monitoring system roadtransport.com/blogs/big- … ou-so.html
George Orwell was so right just a few years out in his calculations 
Regards
Dave Penn;
Harry Monk:
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?
Listen pal am more than capable of changing a bulb, But under company rules we are not aloud to touch marker light because it was encased and a electrical thingy. all i am is asking is for some advice, itS not me being the fussy one. it s the company they have more rules and regs than anyone i know, if you sneeze at this place you l get hammered, ask anyone that works for ARLA FOODS
moorey:
Harry Monk:
What on Earth is the world coming to when an HGV driver cannot change a bulb for himself?Listen pal am more than capable of changing a bulb, But under company rules we are not aloud to touch marker light because it was encased and a electrical thingy. all i am is asking is for some advice, itS not me being the fussy one. it s the company they have more rules and regs than anyone i know, if you sneeze at this place you l get hammered, ask anyone that works for ARLA FOODS
you must have missed the thread on Arla foods by one of their drivers on here, it seemed as if they where not to bothered about rules/regs
From theoretical site: you are right.
But: I would just ask them to change it for me or just for a new bulb and change it, or, if they don’t have any, just go to the nearest garage and fix it on the way to job.
I could drive with it, as I don’t consider it as a major safety threat, but from my experience in most jobs I worked I know that if I won’t fix it, propably this will be going like that forever. That’s why I will do everything to get it fixed.
But if there will be some VERY IMPORTANT DELIVERY i could even get my risk and go like that, you can always say “It was OK when I was living the yard” 
Its not every day I would notice a marker light out and if I did then I would defect it at the end of my shift as I wouldn`t want it in my cab in black and white as I told Vosa it must have just happened.
Loads of companies won`t let you touch anything on a vehicle now, is this because of the warranty or just more H&S restrictions.
hiya, what is the industry coming to, may be going back in time a bit but a few bulbs, spare lenses, insulating tape always had tools for my benifit, even the BRS expected a driver to be qualified to renew a bulb, i wouldn’t let people know that i was too thick not to able manage that, and as for going to the hassle of going through the defecting process i couldn’t be bothered, get a life and keep your job. thanks harry long retired.
ROG:
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Does the company have anything in place should something like this occur
Were you willing to change the bulb yourself is supplied with the correct equipment to do the job safely
What is the world coming to. Cant you just change a bulb these days without having to fill in 18 forms in triplicate and have them signed off by Lord Lucan and Elvis while Shergar trots around in a high vis jacket with a flashing light on it’s head. What would i have had to do then to fix the air leak that sprung on me today. Sod it all bit of common sense and a willingness to get your hands dirty. Next time just change the bulb and then tell em what you did. If you get a screwing for it as your new to the place apologize and screw them next time by fitting a broken bulb a buggering of to get a brew while you wait for the 'elf and safety to do a risk assessment of the job while you wait for the dayglo stormtrooper to appear and shutdown everything in a 6 mile radius while he does his job.
oh my good harry i was thinking the same thing a marker light could blow at any time what would you have done if it you were at a delivery refuse to go back to base with the trailer and cost 100 quid plus for a call out plus and hrs labour at usually 30 per hr . you are responisble take resonibility and either change the bulb or if its an led just take it out do the job and get it fixed at a more convenient time.
i cant beleive some the stupid questions on here recently my trainer said this or that or the ASSessor said dont do this get some balls no wonder the jobs going down hill it were me id have given you either the night off or a bulb to replace the blown one
rant over