Was out in my car earlier today, and came across an arctic going the same way as me. (I was on my way to Peter Smythe to see what’s what and book a course)
A few things stood out as unusual -
no number plate anywhere on the rear of the curtainsider trailer - possibly forgotten or fell off/lost i guess
Curtain sides bulging out about a foot either side, didn’t seem terribly safe to me - blocked rear view vision?
Copious ratchet straps on the outside of the curtains over the roof of the trailer holding bulges in - maybe he was holding the roof on!
To me, with no experience this seemed unsafe, unusual and curious, would you have your trailer done like this, is it safe or not (could just be me being picky) though i have never seen another like this one!
I didn’t notice a seal or not, so i’m gonna say not sealed.
Out of interest, lets say you have a sealed trailer, with an uneven/unsafe/unstrapped load inside, and you get pulled by VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days, even though the driver cannot check, is the driver liable for a fine?
greendiff:
I didn’t notice a seal or not, so i’m gonna say not sealed.
Out of interest, lets say you have a sealed trailer, with an uneven/unsafe/unstrapped load inside, and you get pulled by VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days, even though the driver cannot check, is the driver liable for a fine?
Iam sure the experts who deal with sealed loads will be along shortly with their expert knowledge.
You have raised a extremely good point though.
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
Your so cynical rob, you now its not really like that, them DVSA blokes are thoroughly decent fellows not out to shaft you at every opportunity
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
When loading new car tyres they put 3 or 4 ratchet straps over the roof before they start to load, and also some extra timbers in a trellis fashion, when its finished its sealed up. We came over on the tunnel with them so they cant have been far out of profile
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
Your so cynical rob, you now its not really like that, them DVSA blokes are thoroughly decent fellows not out to shaft you at every opportunity
Well.assuming you’re being serious, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it.
Yep, I’m the first to admit to cynicism, but it’s just the way this job has got me, I never started out that way…it’s what the thick end of 30+ years of trucking does to you mate.
I believe absolutely ■■■■ all about this job in terms of what I am told on face value terms, either by bosses, Police, VOSA or anybody else involved in road transport…and it’s served me well so far.
I’m always looking for a real reason, an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda, and so far 99 times out of 100 I’ve found one of them…so make of that what you will.
Btw next time you’re nicked for…I dunno, let’s say not strapping up a light single pallet of cardboard packaging to within an inch of it’s life say, for an example plucked out of the air, or taking a sip from a cup of coffee at the wheel …Then come back at me with that.
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
When loading new car tyres they put 3 or 4 ratchet straps over the roof before they start to load, and also some extra timbers in a trellis fashion, when its finished its sealed up. We came over on the tunnel with them so they cant have been far out of profile
Any time I’ve loaded Michelin at Dundee for Michelin in France, they have been hand balled on in rows in a certain way.
It was over 10 yrs ago, so no straps or anything.
Where as the scrap ones were always packed in like sardines, and the curtains bellied out like a chipliner does,… or worse.
I picked up one off the Irish ferry once, to take to Killingholme to ship out to Holland, it was packed in ridiculously , and yeh I chucked a few straps over the Euroliner roof…and I kid you not on arrival at Killingholme, I was told to take it through the wide load gate .
It had settled and/or slipped that much we had to trans ship it on to another trailer before shipping out.
I took a photo of it at the time, but I’m ■■■■ ed if I can find it.
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
When loading new car tyres they put 3 or 4 ratchet straps over the roof before they start to load, and also some extra timbers in a trellis fashion, when its finished its sealed up. We came over on the tunnel with them so they cant have been far out of profile
Any time I’ve loaded Michelin at Dundee for Michelin in France, they have been hand balled on in rows in a certain way.
It was over 10 yrs ago, so no straps or anything.
Where as the scrap ones were always packed in like sardines, and the curtains bellied out like a chipliner does,… or worse.
I picked up one off the Irish ferry once, to take to Killingholme to ship out to Holland, it was packed in ridiculously , and yeh I chucked a few straps over the Euroliner roof…and I kid you not on arrival at Killingholme, I was told to take it through the wide load gate .
It had settled and/or slipped that much we had to trans ship it on to another trailer before shipping out.
I took a photo of it at the time, but I’m [zb] ed if I can find it.
Its why I am convinced Michelin was just a tax fiddle and paper shuffling exercise. We brought tyres into Dundee and Stoke from Luxembourg and France, then loaded from Dundee to France and France back to Stoke and Ballymena.
I remember one factory, you went in, they checked your trailer, and gave you a chit for a builders supply place, they cut some lengths of timber to suit the trailer and made these trellis work, then you went back to the factory, dropped the trailer and either take a stand or wait for it be loaded.
robroy:
Could have been a load of scrap tyres for re.cycling.
I’ve seen me chuck a few straps over the roof of flimsy Euroliners to ship over, that flex and bend like bananas, just as a bit of a fail safe and to put my mind at rest really.
Now whether it’s legal now n today’s pedantic textbook/theory prevails climate is debatable.
Your so cynical rob, you now its not really like that, them DVSA blokes are thoroughly decent fellows not out to shaft you at every opportunity
Well.assuming you’re being serious, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it.
Yep, I’m the first to admit to cynicism, but it’s just the way this job has got me, I never started out that way…it’s what the thick end of 30+ years of trucking does to you mate.
I believe absolutely [zb] all about this job in terms of what I am told on face value terms, either by bosses, Police, VOSA or anybody else involved in road transport…and it’s served me well so far.
I’m always looking for a real reason, an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda, and so far 99 times out of 100 I’ve found one of them…so make of that what you will.
Btw next time you’re nicked for…I dunno, let’s say not strapping up a light single pallet of cardboard packaging to within an inch of it’s life say, for an example plucked out of the air, or taking a sip from a cup of coffee at the wheel …Then come back at me with that.
I well and truly hooked you with that one, I’m with you on it
chester:
Did you notice if the rear doors had a seal on?
As if it did, then a driver is not allowed to check if the load is safe or fit for the road.
Regardless of seal you would check the load for safety
Absolutely no way would I break a seal to check load security or to be safe in the knowledge that my vocational licence is safe.
When I were wet behind the ears and new to trucking I would happily break seals and check the legality of what I was carrying.
But after listening to the more prolific posters and trucking legends we have on here, then it appears I was doing things wrong. As I later found out on this forum that LGV drivers are not in any way to break trailer seals.
So in answer to your question no I wouldn’t.
.