does anyone know how long it takes for the dark side to send out letters after an offence.
I was pulled on to a weighbridge & was found to be over weight (d***head TM thinks a 7.5T fridge can carry 4T) the TO said that as it was my first offence I would only get a letter, is this correct or will I get done for being over weight.
any help or advise would be most helpful
thanks
Munty
You will get a letter than you have to tell the traffic commisioner. Dont make the mistake that VOSA will tell him or her.
It is the drivers responsibility to grovel
I think that if the police where on site and they said something about your weight, you could be done by them as well. Although it isn’t definite until the summons or NIP or whatever comes through your door. If they were not on site, you probably won’t be done for it.
It may seem unfair to you, but the driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and load. That makes it your responsibility if the vehicle is overloaded, because an overloaded vehicle is technically unsafe. You would be better to get your truck weighed, with full tanks and you in the cab with all the gear you normally carry, but no load on. Then you will know exactly how much weight you can put in the back.
Then, when your TM tells you to go to a place for a full load, you have documented proof in your hand to tell him exactly how heavy a full load can be.
If you are told that your load is within your limits, but you think you are overloaded, you can go straight to the nearest weigh bridge to check your gross weight. If you are overloaded, you can then go straight back to the customer to get the excess weight removed.
Alternatively, if the customer has falsely declared the weight of your load on the documentation, you might get away with mitigating circumstances, unless you are clearly over weight.
With a 7 1/2 tonner, even 1/2 a tonne over should be fairly obvious, 1 tonne over definitely would be, just from the way the vehicle handles round corners etc. If its got steel springs on the back axle, you can tell just by looking at it even before you get in and drive round a bend. But you need to know what it feels like to drive with a load that you know puts you at your maximum gross weight. That would give you a chance to sort this type of problem out, before it gets you into trouble again.
Welcome to TruckNetUK by the way.