Something that’s been on my mind a while and highlighted due to the start of the latest sugar beet campaign is how do loaded bulk tippers get away with not having the load sheeted?
I appreciate most of the loads ie sand, coal, gravel are sheeted but around Norfolk where I’m from especially this time of year I see countless loads of sugar beet (other farm products occasionally) being transported un sheeted! Surely this is classed as an insecure load!
DISCLAIMER: this is not a personal attack on the drivers/operators of such vehicles!!! Just a general wondering!
Rob
If it falls off it’s DEFINITELY insecure.
If it doesn’t fall off it depends if Plod THINKS it’s insecure. If he decides to prosecute, it will be up to him to persuade the magistrates that it was insecure. The magistrates will lean toward the opinion of Plod as he is obviously more experienced and intelligent than any mere lorry driver.
The only time I run unsheated is when I’ve just steamed the inside to dry it out but then only for a few miles as it kills the fuel economy. Other than that there’s no excuse realy.
Although mine is a shallow bodied tipper, I sheet all aggregate and most loads of muck. I carried a wet clay-soil today so didn’t bother as there were wires overhead and there was nothing to blow off. I also don’t sheet reinforced concrete as the wire will rip the sheet.
I’ve never been stopped by plod or vosa for running without a sheet, and on most sites digger drivers will level the load off anyway.
Unlike on curtainsiders with all the strap this and that, common sense still prevails on tippers.
I never sheet dug muck or wet muck. I sheet everything else unless I forget which does happen occasionally.
Oh and if the tip’s less than a mile or so away I won’t bother.
I’ve not done the job for a few years, but they did try to enforce nets for a season or two several years back without too much joy. The ironic thing is, now most bulkers on the beet job are bigger than they were 10+ years ago enabling a standard easy sheet to be fairly easily pulled over a full load of beet, because the trailers are that much bigger the load doesn’t need sheeting as it’s all held comfortably within the trailer. It used to be a bit of an art loading a nice rounded load with a beet cleaner, climbing over the top afterwards throwing any rotten looking ones off, packing any loose looking ones in and rounding off the front, now it’s just three heaps down the trailer til the weigher alarm goes off, and off you go in with another load, jobs a good’un!
Can you stand on top of the load in the freezing rain and sleet and throw off the lumps of ice and mud, driver?
I don’t understand you, driver. What are these words, “tip”, “bunce” and “dropsy”"?
Yes, I live in Norfolk and I see countless in sheeted loads must be a Norfolk thing!