I’ve waited for a driver to come back in with a load for me to take straight back out. He parks up leaving trailer attached, passes me the keys and toddles off. I do my checks, load security, suzies, lights etc. When I come to the fifth wheel, the dog clip is hanging down. I’m assuming he’s driven 150ish miles with it like that. I made sure I re hooked up before I left.
Now, my dilemma is: do I say anything to anyone? I’m not one for Grassing unless its absolutely necessary. But in my eyes that’s a serious, potentially dangerous, failure of protocol. Yes he got away with it this time, but there’s no guarantee he will in the future.
Opinions welcome.
Ta
Cavey.
who hasn’t forgot to put dog clip in at any time in the past? Middle of hitching up he have got distracted by a work mate. he more than likely will have done his tug test.
But he hasn’t lost the trailer.
My opinion is that if you feel the need to speak to anyone then it should be the driver himself. You could just casually mention it in conversation without making accusations or being confrontational. Once you’ve done that, move on and forget about it.
I can’t think how I never managed to drop a trailer when we never had dog clips, and that’s up to 2007 when I last drove in Oz. Oh, hang on, it’s coz I checked just like the op did. Nothing to see here.
Dog clip is usually a secondary back-up there should be a spring loaded piece of metal that prevents the handle being slid forward to the release postion so no real dramas here TBH.
Might be company policy to use them not 100% on what current DVSA policy is on them think it used to be if fitted they liked to see them used but acceptable to not have a dog clip at all also as really with the design of a lot of fifth wheels it’s just a belt and braces thing.
id just tell him and thats it
As above, if anything just mention it to the driver.
I’ve been in a place where the night shift couldn’t wait to grab a gaffer if they found something to winge about, petty tale telling like a bunch of schoolkids running to teacher and made for a horrible atmosphere, and no we didn’t do the ■■■ for tat routine cos quite honestly we’d have been at the window every day, and that would only have brought us down to their level.
I would say nothing, it’s not your business anymore than checking his tacho for any speeding offences would be. The important thing is that you do your job properly and leave others to get on with theirs. There are people employed to make sure we adhere to the rules, leave it to them. 
the maoster:
I would say nothing, it’s not your business anymore than checking his tacho for any speeding offences would be. The important thing is that you do your job properly and leave others to get on with theirs. There are people employed to make sure we adhere to the rules, leave it to them.
Agree. How would you feel if someone was sneaking around telling tales on you for trivial matters?
Seems like most people are thinking along the same lines as me. Since its after the event there’s no point rocking the boat, and as long as I do my job properly there isn’t a problem.
Cheers guys.
Cavey.
Captain Caveman 76:
I’ve waited for a driver to come back in with a load for me to take straight back out. He parks up leaving trailer attached, passes me the keys and toddles off. I do my checks, load security, suzies, lights etc. When I come to the fifth wheel, the dog clip is hanging down. I’m assuming he’s driven 150ish miles with it like that. I made sure I re hooked up before I left.
Now, my dilemma is: do I say anything to anyone? I’m not one for Grassing unless its absolutely necessary. But in my eyes that’s a serious, potentially dangerous, failure of protocol. Yes he got away with it this time, but there’s no guarantee he will in the future.
Opinions welcome.
Ta
Cavey.
Simply mention it to him in passing,like you know you left the dog clip off the other day,or something to that nature,
Its something most drivers have done at some time,no need to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
I would perhaps mention it to the driver. He may not understand the importance of the secondary locking device (as it seems many don’t).
I have witnessed two events of a trailer coming off - both where the dog clip was not in. Further investigation found that on one of them, after a few stop start shunts the release handle simply jumped forward and slid out. I watched it do it when we tested it in the workshop. I was surprised.
On stripping the fifth wheel it was found to be extremely worn on all components.
So - although he didn’t rip the trailer and it is a ‘non-event’ he ‘might’ appreciate knowing how that little clip can actually make sure the trailer stays on the back.
There again he just may not give a ■■■■ and not take your patronising advice kindly
As others have said either mention it to the driver or don’t mention it at-all, personally I doubt that I would feel the need to mention it unless it became a regular event, but if I did it would be mentioned to the driver in casual conversation, certainly not worth making an issue of it.
Going over the drivers head for something like a dog clip not being attached is a big no no as far as I’m concerned, it’s just not that serious and would inevitably get you a bad reputation amongst other drivers.
My relation drives a foreign regd left ■■■■■■, recent fleet replacements have seen non greased teflon coated fifth wheels (new one on me, i’ll stick with a good old greasable Jost ta), also apparently without a suitable safety locking device, it appears that in the right circs when making a tight turn that the release handle can snag on part of the trailer which then proceeds to pull the handle out as the vehicle straightens, handy that… 
progress 
Poor maintenance to get as worn as the one described by Shep, you can feel the vehicle slew slightly side to side when going from power to overrun and vice versa when the fifth wheel wears.
tachograph:
As others have said either mention it to the driver or don’t mention it at-all, personally I doubt that I would feel the need to mention it unless it became a regular event, but if I did it would be mentioned to the driver in casual conversation, certainly not worth making an issue of it.Going over the drivers head for something like a dog clip not being attached is a big no no as far as I’m concerned, it’s just not that serious and would inevitably get you a bad reputation amongst other drivers.
Pretty much my thoughts. But I don’t know how I’d feel if in the future the excrement hit the rotational cooling device and I knew he’d done this sort of thing before but I’d done nothing about it.
Maybe it’s because I’m new or because I’ve always been strictly by the book, but I do tend to worry about such things.
Check pin is engaged, apply dog clip, crack on!
It’s entirely up to you if you’re u want to have a quiet word in the shell like of the driver, but I wouldn’t start rocking the boat, especially as you say you’re new.
Probably just an oversight, as we’ve all done at some point or other, maybe he doesn’t give a ■■■■, not much you can do about it though. You’ve done your job properly. If it happens again though, I would certainly take it up with the driver, and depending on his attitude possibly take it further.
write him a Postcard,telling him about Your Luck,finding out about the Dog-clip not applied.
Check pin is engaged, apply dog clip, crack on!
It’s entirely up to you if you’re u want to have a quiet word in the shell like of the driver, but I wouldn’t start rocking the boat, especially as you say you’re new.
Probably just an oversight, as we’ve all done at some point or other, maybe he doesn’t give a ■■■■, not much you can do about it though. You’ve done your job properly. If it happens again though, I would certainly take it up with the driver, and depending on his attitude possibly take it further.
burnley-si:
id just tell him and thats it
+1
Say to him in a jokey way next time you see him. No need to go running to the bosses. More than likely he just made an error.