Captain Caveman 76:
DV$A are an organisation whose sole purpose is to raise money off drivers who break the rules. The reason for breaking them (not knowing, not caring or thinking they’re stupid) are irrelevant. Whilst you may get sympathy of fellow drivers for a newbie mistake, you’ll get none whatsoever off an enforcement officer.
Have you ever been stopped by the DVSA ?
On the rare occasions I’ve been stopped I’ve found them to be friendly reasonable and helpful.
Me too - They always appear to be looking for the ■■■■-takers and chancers while offering words of advice to those who have made a genuine mistake.
Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk
Never had any problem in 30 years.
Stopped as a newbie overloaded loose it drive and that’ll be the end of it, canvas sheets over waste paper when it had rained all weekend, also it had been weighed with an A series ERF day cab.
Stopped in a few random stops and nothing.
Today there’s only a few reasons to get pulled and the main ones are dirty and I mean dirty trucks that ain’t been washed for weeks / months and your in a flagged fleet.
Been stopped 3 or4 times and always found them ok.
On one occasion they downloaded my card and noticed I had cocked up my breaks the previous day (which I knew), they just explained the rules and said to be more careful in future. It was on one of those stops that they told me they also like to see 15 mins “other work” at start of shift to record daily checks
Like mentioned earlier you will always get the odd arsey one, but I found them fine.
Annoying as it may be to get the roadside treatment, I’m pretty sure that vosa’s presence is beneficial for drivers overall. Unless you want to be sent out to work 18hr days in death trap vehicles by unscrupulous operators or no job…
Juddian:
I’ve always found them decent enough too, but then i don’t take the ■■■■.
Bound to find the odd arsey one, just as you would in any walk of life.
I have to say I’m very much “by the book”. If I ever got caught running bent I’d spill my guts faster than Han Solo’s Ton-Ton!
It’s easier for me to just play it straight, luckily I’m at a company that runs straight too.
Maybe I was just unlucky, but on that second stop I got the feeling the VO$A official was trying to make a name for herself.
Swampey2418:
Ya own fault…Basic’s… So what they doing with you over it…Warning or a Fine
I am sorry for the delay in replying…I got a warning in the end… I totally agree its my own fault…I guess as a 'newbie’it was a bit of a nervous moment! And I guess I was just venting! All a learning curve!
Was actually on my way to get some dodgy wiring looked at that was making my n/s rear lights work intermittently.My lights were not on at the time as it was a lovely sunny afternoon.So this brings some truth into what was said before earlier in this thread about them wanting to take a closer look at mucky vehicles …was in a 10 year old tipper that hadn’t been washed for a few days [emoji50]
Tacho was downloaded and the vehicle was given the once over by the Vosa grease monkey.I explained about the rear light issue and as everything else was okay sent on my way.
Found Vosa to be very easy going and amicable on this occasion.
Just to add they arn’t looking to make money nor to nick you for every infringement.
About 8 years ago i ended up doing an 18 hour shift due to a blowout on a car transporter on the M11 early evening, weirdo size which saw the ATS lad running half way round East Anglia trying to find a tyre i was stuck for about 5 hours…then being late night by now nowhere to get parked for near enough 20 miles from the top of the M11, 16ft loaded transporter wasn’t going off the beaten track to find an industrial area to park at in the dark.
Sure enough the following week i got pulled for check weighing at Saxham, as i handed my charts over i explained they would find a bad one with the explanation written on the back, charts came back a few minutes later and they were quite happy with the over hours one, even down to saying they could see where i’d slowed up at various laybys in the vain attempt at finding a ■■■■■■■■■■■■…mainly though they commented it wasn’t part of my regular routine, plus no doubt i passed the attitude test, so no probs.