Has anyone else,ever had or come across a situation when takeing anything for test,you either do empty or loaded,example:drawbar trailor go’s in empty.fails down on percentage’s,so take it back fully loaded and it still fails.Now everything is working ie in and out up and down etc etc if the brakes were any tighter it will not move.now when you look at paper work lane 1 machine set at 45%.when we went back lane 2 machine was set at 50% 
Now after that i took artic trailor for test.there we was ready and waiting like good little boy’s do in line when the numpty started his inspection on the lights,and tapping,then came round to the cab and said and i qote"it’s failed anyway" why i ask good man 
because and i qote again"the end cap on the side under run bar is’nt 4inch’s all the way round 
Now when and where is there a point that one should reframe from sticking one on said face of moron.when i calmly said thats how motracon built it you pil*** ,i got its wrong.is it me.Or is there someone else out their .Heeeeeeeeeeellllllllppppppppp.Im off to see my doctor now 
Vosa appear to be a law unto themselves. I run a fleet of rigids, 1 of which is an FM7. My garage always take the trucks for test and whenever the FM goes in they always ask for the last weeks tachos as they can not test the limiter on these for some reason.
The trucks always go down empty and they use their weight simulator…until last year when they didn’t put it far enough into the back of the vehicle and bent the supporting bars on the false floor right at the back of the body. In fairness, they paid up to have it replaced but I still had to go down and show them the damage. They have now downrated the machine to stop this re-occuring but this has caused another problem as we have now been told the vehicle has to go down loaded. My gargae fortunately works in a gravel pit so they are now having to borrow ton bags of aggregate to ensure there is enough weight for the brakes to pass, despite the brakes being exceptionally good!!
Just glad we don’t have to deal with them too regularly!!
Ive worked in hgv garages since i left school 11 years ago ,so ive got a fair idea how trucks work whats safe what isnt etc.I also like to know when ive signed off a inspection sheet to say that vehicle is safe it is actually safe and roadworthy.If i did make a mistake and get something wrong then il stand there and take my punishment as needed,but who is actually watching over vosa because it becomes quite clear when you arive at a test centre the testers themselves really have no idea.Im not calling all of them but ive yet to meet one who i would drive away thinking to myself hes a nice bloke whos good at his job.To be fair tho its them boys in the laybys with hivis jackets and toffee hammers you need to be wary of,ive been out no end of times for defective steering joints and as per normal the joint is still more than serviceable,i have tried to reason with vosa before saying thats still ok etc but its pointless rant over.Dont get me wrong i know we need someone to look out for the wrong uns but believe me the good uns are getting punished too
There arev times when you can get one up on them. Many years ago [before it was VOSA, just MOT inspectors] I was on my way to dover one sunday afternoon. As I approached crick on the M1 I was pulled in by a police landrover, Some of you may remember the guy with the handlebar Mustache and the plus 4s who was an inspector. he came up to me and without even looking up at me said “records”, no please or anything. I was about to hand over my tacho when I stopped in mid flight so to speak, I asked him "who are you? he then lookeed up and said “Its obvious who I am”.I replied its obvious your an ignorant B*rd and if you dont show me some ID you dont get to see my records.
He then shouted for the policeman who was standing there and told him I had refused to give him my records. the copper looked at me quizzically so I told him what had happened, He is Mr so and so,[I cant remember his name] the copper said, he is MOT.
I said to the copper you know that, but I dont ,and until I see his I.D. he dosnt see my records.
At first the cop tried to reason with me but I stuck to my guns, and in the finish he said to the MOT guy, " I’m afraid the drivers right you must show him your ID, and guess what the Baard didnt have it with him.I did eventually show my tachos to his colleague who had his ID
but from that day , even at the risk of unneccessary mither I always ask for ID, or warrant card.
quite agree fella’s i to can remember the day’s off getting a tug by the old bill,and then said geezer would come to the window and ask for the record’s.And i too asked to see his id,as i still do to this day, no id go away 
“have a nice day”.But when the test station manager showed me the two different books they work from ie: the mobile lot and the station boy’s it all seem’s a bit hippercriticale,as they are the same dept after all ,there should not be two different books .And what also did’nt help on the day we went they had there very own standard’s bloke in whatching them 
So as driver’s or owner’swhere do’s it leave us my trailor whith the not correct size end cap on side bars ie: to small,then being prejuged and failing,then we have skelly trailor’s,no side bar’s “is it me”,sorry skelly boy’s" but you must see where im comeing from.anyway nurse’ie can i have my medication now 
Hi,
When I took a drawbar outfit in for a test I was told that the drawbar was fine but the truck had to have side underun bars the same as the trailer, I pointed out the tipper ram behind the cab and to re check that it needed them !
He had also failed to notice that it didn’t have spray supression on the truck either for the same reason.