Apparently if vosa stop you now they are asking to see the torch that is supposed to be carried in the cab.I always have carried one but didnt know when this came in.My dad was saying on thursday that a driver was stopped and got done for 15 accounts of not doing pre checks because he never had a torch with him!Its getting beyond ridiculous.
someone talking ■■■■■■■■ again 
Think that rule only applies in ADR equipped vehicles. Otherwise I reckon someone was pulling your plonker!
only if your carrying adr but if you do start in the dark they might ask how you seen too do your daily checks but other words it’s a load of [zb]
Ridiculous it may be.
If you drive the same vehicle/Rigid/Tractor & Trailer everyday & you do all the relevant checks when you park up, 9 hundred & 99 times out of 1000 everything is gonna be ok, BUT you still need to check all round the vehicle (‘even on dark mornings’) in case a tyre has gone down over night or a bulb has blown/leaks etc.
We swop trailers nearly every day & shunters move our tractors around to load us up for the morning so I always carry a torch to check for damage that ‘Magically Occurs’ when you’re not there.
Problem is- I see a lot of drivers who clock on at 06.00 & drive out of the yard at 06.05 (maybe they hav’nt checked the wagon over properly)
I try to wash my wagon at least once a week, that way you find little defects that you would’nt find on a daily check, today I found the spray suppresor on the nearside rear of the tractor hanging on by one bolt, defected, should be sorted monday.
I’m also a Biker & Bikers wash/inspect & Maintain their bikes, that way I know it’s safe when I twist the throttle to warp factor 9 it’s gonna stay together. 
I just apply the same methods to my Truck.
Bud143:
Apparently if vosa stop you now they are asking to see the torch that is supposed to be carried in the cab.I always have carried one but didnt know when this came in.My dad was saying on thursday that a driver was stopped and got done for 15 accounts of not doing pre checks because he never had a torch with him!Its getting beyond ridiculous.
Can’t find anything about that in the VOSA sanctions policy PDF either.
I believe that as part of ADR kit a working torch is a requirement, not sure if it’s required under LQ exemptions like a 2 kg extinguisher.
martinviking:
Ridiculous it may be.
If you drive the same vehicle/Rigid/Tractor & Trailer everyday & you do all the relevant checks when you park up, 9 hundred & 99 times out of 1000 everything is gonna be ok, BUT you still need to check all round the vehicle (‘even on dark mornings’) in case a tyre has gone down over night or a bulb has blown/leaks etc.
We swop trailers nearly every day & shunters move our tractors around to load us up for the morning so I always carry a torch to check for damage that ‘Magically Occurs’ when you’re not there.
Problem is- I see a lot of drivers who clock on at 06.00 & drive out of the yard at 06.05 (maybe they hav’nt checked the wagon over properly)
I try to wash my wagon at least once a week, that way you find little defects that you would’nt find on a daily check, today I found the spray suppresor on the nearside rear of the tractor hanging on by one bolt, defected, should be sorted monday.
I’m also a Biker & Bikers wash/inspect & Maintain their bikes, that way I know it’s safe when I twist the throttle to warp factor 9 it’s gonna stay together.
and, according to VOSA guidelines, if you drive the same vehicle every day, and in the case of a tractor unit and trailer, same combination, you can do the walk round check in 2 minutes
this is taught on the drivers hours course of the DCPC on the VOSA DVD that clearly shows the driver doing his walk round check BEFORE he puts his tacho card in 
Tbh if your working in the dark then having a torch is a touch of common sense imo, whether a legal requirement or not.
That’s only for ADR you need to carry a touch, If your multi manning it’s suppose to be one for each driver.
These types of apps work just as good and and shuts the gestapo up 
play.google.com/store/apps/deta … free&hl=en
I do all my pre-checks in a floodlit warehouse but guess I’m not doing them properly without a torch
where me old man works (tipper operater) they’ve been supplied with wind up torches recently. personally i use an app on me mobile
dew:
Tbh if your working in the dark then having a torch is a touch of common sense imo, whether a legal requirement or not.
this
regardless of where i start, dark yard, or floodlit warehouse, on nights i wouldn’t go to work without a torch.
its a lot easier these days aswell, as alot of the phone apps have some cracking free down load able torches.
chilistrucker:
dew:
Tbh if your working in the dark then having a torch is a touch of common sense imo, whether a legal requirement or not.this
regardless of where i start, dark yard, or floodlit warehouse, on nights i wouldn’t go to work without a torch.
its a lot easier these days aswell, as alot of the phone apps have some cracking free down load able torches.
I’m probably slightly ott but I have my torch in my workbag as a 4 D-Cell Maglite, I also have a smartphone app that will do it if needs be, or I usually keep one of those small LED lights with a hook on in the van as well, as we work overnight they can really come in handy.
These are currently dirt cheap imo
Sure I do carry a torch at all times but to say you can’t do proper pre-checks without one is tosh.
nothing wrong with being ott when it comes to your kit mate.
this year i’ve only done a night job in the uk, but still take a stupidly big bag to work with me.
i always think its ott, got all the paperwork i may need during the night, aswell as maps, sat nav, cd’s, bulbs, fuses, couple of drivers, some gaffertape and a few spider bungees, aswell as glass cleaner, gloves and a duster, (to keep the day blokes happy.)
it weighs a ton, but half of that is the lunchbox.
chilistrucker:
nothing wrong with being ott when it comes to your kit mate.
this year i’ve only done a night job in the uk, but still take a stupidly big bag to work with me.
i always think its ott, got all the paperwork i may need during the night, aswell as maps, sat nav, cd’s, bulbs, fuses, couple of drivers, some gaffertape and a few spider bungees, aswell as glass cleaner, gloves and a duster, (to keep the day blokes happy.)
it weighs a ton, but half of that is the lunchbox.
No wonder your bags so bleeding heavy, is it Polish or Lithuanian you use?
Since 01/04/84, it has been illegal NOT to carry a torch in your cab. Any FOOL knows this !
The VOSA man needs a method that he can ascertain that an intelligent lifeform is in control behind the steering wheel, the torch is used to shine into the offside tab of the driver, if the nearside window lights up then it’s an instant prohibition notice
"Sorry driver, but it seems there isn’t any ‘brain’ material between your offside & your nearside, you can park over there 'till your TM can get his act together & rescue you.
FFS it’s not rocket science, don’t leave the yard without your Torch !
Trev_H:
Sure I do carry a torch at all times but to say you can’t do proper pre-checks without one is tosh.
i wasn’t having a pop Trev.
if you have a floodlit warehouse, your sorted, no need for the torch for checks.
just, our yard is abit dark, when i do my walk round of a night i need a torch to see trailer m.o…t, tyre depth, wing fixing etc. yep, i’m that sad i check the lot each night, but on this job i am in a different motor every night.
driver responsibility and all that, after 20 years, i like to do the whole cover my own arse bit before i set off.
dew:
chilistrucker:
nothing wrong with being ott when it comes to your kit mate.
this year i’ve only done a night job in the uk, but still take a stupidly big bag to work with me.
i always think its ott, got all the paperwork i may need during the night, aswell as maps, sat nav, cd’s, bulbs, fuses, couple of drivers, some gaffertape and a few spider bungees, aswell as glass cleaner, gloves and a duster, (to keep the day blokes happy.)
it weighs a ton, but half of that is the lunchbox.No wonder your bags so bleeding heavy, is it Polish or Lithuanian you use?
polish. but ffs don’t tell orys 