i’m a realtivly new class c & 7.5 tonne driver that has done a few jobs such as tesco direct multi drop and a few trunking jobs out of manchester.
Today i was due to take out a truck (DAF 7.5) to make two pick ups and bring back to the depot. Going through the routine checks i noticed the right rear light cluster was not working (indictator was fine but no break or rear light). After checking around at the depot i got a couple of spare bulbs and tried changing them to no avail. After a further check i found the wire bundle leading to them was all rotted away.
Because this was something i couldn’t fix nor anyone else at the depot, i was asked to drive it anyhow.
After a bit of deliberation, and a call to my uncle who is an operator of a small haulage firm in belfast, i decided to refuse driving it and apologized that i would have to decline driving it to both my agency(who understood and also when i rang told me not to take it) and to the company bosses (who did not take this well).
I tried to explain that i had made an effort to fix it with new bulbs as i hoped it was a simple blowing but as the wires where all rotted i couldn’t fix it. I was asked to drive it to the garage which was 30 mins away. I said i would come along and wait for it to be fixed but i did not want to drive it knowing it was defective. This was met with “We can’t drive it as that would be illegal and my lisence would get points”. This quote was cleaned up for posting . So i explained that was exactly what i was worried about, and as a driver my licsence is my livelyhood.
Suffice to say after some abuse was thrown at me i made my final apology for letting them down and left. I don’t really blame them for the truck as they rented it, although manners cost nothing!
Basically just a quick post to see if i did the right thing. I have always been told if it’s not fixable don’t take it, by my old instructer, my uncle and also the colleague i worked with for tesco direct double manning.
Any thoughts? Also this might be worth posting as an experiance for others who find them selves in simaler situations.
Finally i would like to add that all other jobs and people i worked for who really nice and really helpful knowing that i was inexperianced, and they showed me alot of the ropes. This particular company was an exception rather than a rule so please don’t let this put you off.
Hi mate, fair play to you for refusing to drive it, its your licence and if you dont think it is road worthy then it doesnt go out. However when asked to take it to the garage I would of. I would of filled out a defect sheet for the vehicle and got it signed by the gaffer to say that you was taking it round to the garage to be repaired.
Dont know what other more experienced people would of done, but I am pretty sure you could of drove it round to be repaired
Yes you did the right thing.Broken tail lights are something which can be spotted from a distance and therefore increase the likelihood of being pulled.If,as you say,the wiring showed signs of rotting you could hardly bluff your way through by saying “it was alright when I left”.You have shown yourself not to be a soft touch so maybe you’ll get more respect from that company now (or not asked back),
dont quote me on this but if you were to drive it to the garage to be fixed,and if you could prove if you got pulled you were on your way to get it fixed i think you may have been ok… at this point it would have been fixed and then you could have gone out and completed your collections. i may be wrong,adivce please from people in the know
Yeah i’ve been reading through all the regulations etc and i believe i could have gone and got it repaired. It mentions “only exception/allowance is your on you way to get defect repaired”. This was prob my bad. Another lession learned though!
At the end of the day mate you done the right thing, you wasn’t sure so you didn’t go any where. But like you say lesson learnt and you will know in the future.
I am glad you have had read through the regs and they say what they say because I wasn’t sure if you could drive it to be repaired.
I am sure you did the right thing by not driving the vehicle. every driver is responsible for the condition of the vehicle they are going to drive, minor things like replacing bulbs & lenses can be done ( &tyres can be sorted albeit by a specialist fitter) . if a repair cannot be done at the vehicles location (be it at its depot or on the road) ,it should be recovered to a repair center ,if a defect constitutes a serious saftey issue it should not be driven on the public highway. fill in a defect report & hand it in, & keep a copy yourself ,i dont kow how you would stand legally if you did drive it to the garage for repair , i would say dont risk your license . i am new to this so please seek further advise then you will know for the future.
clarkyboy:
dont quote me on this but if you were to drive it to the garage to be fixed,and if you could prove if you got pulled you were on your way to get it fixed i think you may have been ok… at this point it would have been fixed and then you could have gone out and completed your collections. i may be wrong,adivce please from people in the know
You’re wrong. In the circumstaces described you’re not allowed to take a vehicle on the road with no brake or tail light, knowingly.
Well done that man…you were 100% correct…and if the wires are rotted away I do not see their argument, as that is blatent ■■■■ poor maintainance and a sad lack of proper daily checks on the part of their regular driver.
Keep up the good work.
Something I always tell my trainees it’s your licence youhave paid for it don’t let some one else risk it.
shame on the company possibly putting other lives of people at risk or in danger of death should someone crash into you
the tm should be stripped of his job
and informed about health and safety
send the company a link to this thread
Fair to you for sticking to your guns, must add though, you say it’s a hired vehicle, surely then it shows not only the incompetency of the company, but also the hire firm, and drivers. Sounds like bad news all round to me,and you have had a very lucky escape.
. So i explained that was exactly what i was worried about, and as a driver my licsence is my livelyhood.