On another thread on here (titled “Im not sure about the money”) there was one or two not only admitting to running bent to the point of boasting, but others coming on laughing about it and others basically congratulating them for doing so 
I made a comment saying that I would question the intelligence of any driver running bent today with the virtual zero-tolerance towards it resulting in jail if caught. I didn’t get a lot of response but the boasting seemed to stop when I pointed out that I knew of at least one member of VOSA was a regular spectator of this forum (fact) and pointed out that some on here had given clues to their identities and locations on past occasions.
In the old days running bent was a way of life, it was a different industry then, I did it habitually in the 80s as an owner driver and got done on numerous occasions for doing so.
As for as for today, even if I was still an owner driver I would not be so stupid, and a definite no chance if working for somebody else. It was only last week where a firm near me had the owner jailed and a number of his drivers jailed also, but clearly some on here still believe that it is worth losing your freedom and little family life that you have in the first place…for 7to8 quid an hour. absolute knobheads in my opinion.
Research on Boyles transport.Two brothers got jail.Some drivers doing 21 hour shifts.
In the 80’s you ran the risk for the reward in your pay packet. It appears some drivers seem to do it for a V8 badge nowadays. What with the authorities able to track you via countless CCTV cameras and track you via your mobile phone records it would seem pointless to try. The only thing is the lack of Police and Vosa stops you see lately. Fair enough there are hot spots they patrol regularly but these can be avoided. But, I’m afraid to say it will never stop.
Well said that man, that was then this is now. The line has been drawn in the sand now but I think many authorities around the EU should take a leaf out of the UK’s VOSA and show a bit of tolerance here an there, with some theres absolutely no margin for error, all they want is money and that ■■■■■. A big difference between habitual planned bent running and going over a bit once in a while. Just creates a lot of bad blood.
Can’t argue with that one…
Just for info, apologies if this has been posted before.
A list of VOSA sanctions and what you can expect.
gov.uk/government/uploads/s … policy.pdf
You’d be surprised at some of the ‘big’ names that still run bent…even to the extent of telling drivers they are expected to use magnets.
I think there a difference between running bent habitually and doing what it takes to get home on a Friday.
Would I do a 20 hour day? ■■■■ no.
Would I do a 15 hour drive every day? ■■■■ no.
Would I do a 15 hour drive to get home on a Friday? No.
If the law changes would I do a 15 hour drive. Yes.
Would I yank the card 30 minutes from home on a Friday? ■■■■■■■ right I would.
Would I come in and wash the lorry off card? Yes.
Would I run empty to my first collection with no card? ■■■■ no.
Of someone else wants to let them as long as it’s not dangerous
DonutUK:
You’d be surprised at some of the ‘big’ names that still run bent…even to the extent of telling drivers they are expected to use magnets.
If you’re being told by an employer to do this then you deserve the book throwing at you both. I can sort of understand a one man band doing it to try and get on, not a big company. You kill someone with a magnet on then you’re going to be eating prison food for quite some time.
Fileep:
DonutUK:
You’d be surprised at some of the ‘big’ names that still run bent…even to the extent of telling drivers they are expected to use magnets.If you’re being told by an employer to do this then you deserve the book throwing at you both. I can sort of understand a one man band doing it to try and get on, not a big company. You kill someone with a magnet on then you’re going to be eating prison food for quite some time.
I’m not doing anything of the sort…
And by ‘big’ I don’t necessarily mean fleet size…
Tipper Tom:
I think there a difference between running bent habitually and doing what it takes to get home on a Friday.Would I do a 20 hour day? [zb] no.
Would I do a 15 hour drive every day? [zb] no.
Would I do a 15 hour drive to get home on a Friday? No.
If the law changes would I do a 15 hour drive. Yes.
Would I yank the card 30 minutes from home on a Friday? [zb] right I would.
might aswell break all of them thenWould I come in and wash the lorry off card? Yes.
Would I run empty to my first collection with no card? [zb] no.
Of someone else wants to let them as long as it’s not dangerous
How is a 30 minute drive once in a blue moon the same as driving for 20 hours straight ?
One is an incredibly dangerous thing to do and could cause accidents.
The other is a matter of doing an 9.5 hour drive on a Friday night to get home.
Have you never an infringement? Have you never done anything slightly dodgy?
If you claim never to of bent the rules you’re either a liar or you passed your test a week ago.
I can count on one hand the times I’ve yanked the card before I got back in nearly 10 years.
30 minutes on a Friday on the 303 could add up to a ■■■■■■■ mile. At walking pace. That’s exactly the same as driving at motorway speed for 20 hours isn’t it
DonutUK:
You’d be surprised at some of the ‘big’ names that still run bent…even to the extent of telling drivers they are expected to use magnets.
I’m not surprised in the slightest,the firm I work for had a bad reputation awhile back and some of the drivers got done for it.
The amount of drivers who boast to me about invisible running cos who I work for is a bit of an eye opener,even more so telling someone who they have only just met.
Loose lips and all that…
Tipper Tom:
How is a 30 minute drive once in a blue moon the same as driving for 20 hours straight ?
One is an incredibly dangerous thing to do and could cause accidents.
The other is a matter of doing an 9.5 hour drive on a Friday night to get home.
Have you never an infringement? Have you never done anything slightly dodgy?
If you claim never to of bent the rules you’re either a liar, or you passed your test a week ago.
I can count on one hand the times I’ve yanked the card before I got back in nearly 10 years.
30 minutes on a Friday on the 303 could add up to a [zb] mile. At walking pace. That’s exactly the same as driving at motorway speed for 20 hours isn’t it
I see what you mean Tom, but if in those 30mins you have an accident, VOSA would take a dim view. If it was me I would park up, get a lift home, claim a night out, how can the boss argue if your time is up, and get the wife to get me back to the truck Sat am. A few years ago,an owner driver I know brought his motor home on a Sat morn from dealership service, with no card in, somebody pulled out resulting in a fatality (not his fault) and he ended up in Durham nick for it…fact.
There’s running bent then there’s running bent. Ill go up the yard and clean the lorry on a Sunday without the card in whilst I’m there ill use the jet wash and do my car ill use the Hoover I might be up there 3/4 hours does that mean I’m running bent?. On the odd occasion something goes belly up and one night I might need to stay up the yard a few hours to help fix something ill pull my card when the trucks parked up and help my boss for a couple of hours. Am I running bent doing that?. I work for a very small family firm and get looked after well and treated generally as part of the family, when things need doing or something’s gone wrong I feel obliged to help, to go that extra mile I don’t think that makes me or the company I work for bent. If he asked me to drive for 20 hours I would point blank refuse to me that is what running bent is about not doing a little extra in your own free time or doing a little extra here and there to keep the bloke that pays my mortgage sweet.
If at walking pace on the 303 on a Friday I have an accident I ought not to be driving a tricycle never mind a lorry.
I take your point that VOSA would think all their Christmases have come at once but risk versus reward it’s worth it for the few times I’ve done it in my life
robroy:
Tipper Tom:
How is a 30 minute drive once in a blue moon the same as driving for 20 hours straight ?
One is an incredibly dangerous thing to do and could cause accidents.
The other is a matter of doing an 9.5 hour drive on a Friday night to get home.
Have you never an infringement? Have you never done anything slightly dodgy?
If you claim never to of bent the rules you’re either a liar or you passed your test a week ago.
I can count on one hand the times I’ve yanked the card before I got back in nearly 10 years.
30 minutes on a Friday on the 303 could add up to a [zb] mile. At walking pace. That’s exactly the same as driving at motorway speed for 20 hours isn’t itI see what you mean Tom, but if in those 30mins you have an accident, VOSA would take a dim view. If it was me I would park up, get a lift home, claim a night out, how can the boss argue if your time is up, and get the wife to get me back to the truck Sat am. A few years ago,an owner driver I know brought his motor home on a Sat morn from dealership service, with no card in, somebody pulled out (not his fault) and he ended up in Durham nick for it…fact.
that’s what I use to do Robroy . TT I’ve done a bit of bending fella never on the magnet though and the only time I ever ran over 30min was stuck in Brum and needed to get out to park. tipped off the card when parked outside Kemsley mill many a time even had 2 log books in times past , but wouldn’t do it anymore
Then how can you berate me for running a few minutes over to get home once a year if that?
Tipper Tom:
Then how can you berate me for running a few minutes over to get home once a year if that?
30 min ain a few mins is it an i’m talking 20 odd yrs ago things have changed a lot since
You kill someone with a magnet on then you’re going to be eating prison food for quite some time.
You kill yourself, you are not going to be eating anything!