i got pulled by vosa a few weeks ago in salisbury.i saw him parked on the side of the road as i went past.1 min later he was right behind me.overtook me and put on his lights.i then had to follow him around the houses to get to the test center on the industrial estate.what a pain in the rear that is.they checked my tachos and did a thorough inspection on my trailer (it did look hanging).got the all clear apart from a faded MOT disc on the trailer 
i was glad that was all they found,so i smiled,accepted the notice and drove off.my boss went ape.he got the disc off the trailer (it was very faded) and took it up the vosa test center in avonmouth and asked them if they could read it.they said yes.so whats the problem then■■? we then rang up the vosa officer who issued the notice and told him.he said ok,i’ll retract the notice 
Simon:
Carryfast:
Nothing much wrong with any of that but why do they need to take money in fines?.If your wagon fails it’s MOT at the test station there’s no fine to be paid and no charges brought against the driver you just take it away and fix it and problem solved? although too many serious failures rightly have implications for the o licence.So why should it be different if it’s found with a fault on the road?.If your wagon fails an MOT, you take it away and fix it.
If you’re pulled off the road and there’s a fault, you’re demonstrating that you’re driving a defective wagon and not fixing it.
If you hadn’t been pulled you would carry on driving, unless you’re already booked in at a repair place and were making your way there.
I can’t see any reasons there why that should result in the government recieving a payment in the event of that happening.The reason for checking trucks at the roadside should be one of safety just like the test is.It should’nt be one of a ‘pull’ with the intention of obtaining money by way of a fine if the vehicle fails the inspection and why is’nt the presumption on the innocence of the operator and driver in not knowingly or intentionally using a defective vehicle.I’d say there’s already a sufficient deterrent against poor maintenance standards within the O licencing system,if not make it even stronger,without fines being imposed during roadside checks in addition.In the same way that drivers caught by cameras should only have their licences endorsed there’s no need for the money angle as it just brings into question the motives of the prosecuting authorities.
Hombre:
VOSA = TOSSERS. End of story.
Get rid then, let the foreigners rule the land and the standards slip.
Best of luck!
As most of you know my opinions on this subject may be somewhat biased, but let’s get a few facts straight;
Prohibitions are issued to vehicles where their continued use on the road is a potential danger. The matter may be serious (immediate prohibition) or less so, but likely to become serious in the near future (delayed prohibition).
At present VOSA can only issue Fixed Penalties where they prohibit a vehicle. In the case of drivers hours, tachographs, overloads or Construction & Use offences, prior to the fixed penalty legislation being enacted, the driver, and usually the operator went to court. Fixed penalties do not replace that option, what they do is bring this wonderful nation into line with all other European countries. VOSA do not ‘fine’ drivers by issuing a FPN, what they are doing is saying that you may accept the FPN or go to Court, the choice is yours. No-body forces you to accept the FPN.
VOSA does not get to keep any of the money that is paid against a FPN, it goes straight to The Treasury, like the fines did (and do) on court cases. I know of no instances where Examiners are assessed by how many FPN’s they issue.
There is a discretion built into the system that says’ Examiners should not issue FPN’s to drivers where the ‘fault’ on the vehicle would be considered outside the drivers culpability; not viewable on a ‘before first use check,’ not evident whilst driving the vehicle or not indicated by other road users. In other words, in these instances the Prohibition Notice may be issued but not the FPN. Before anybody says anything, another forum member has already had a PM concerning this, if they choose to act upon the information, that is their decision.
I will make no apology for over zealous enforcement officers, whatever uniform they wear or whomever they work for, although I have little time or sympathy for them. Likewise, I don’t intend being sympathetic to folk that believe the creation of a fictitious record to make a minor transgression of the rules ‘disappear.’ If you’re not prepared to do the time then don’t commit the crime.
Life is hard enough for all of us in the current economic climate and it won’t get any easier in the near future. Let’s just get on with it…
End of rant
the point of going to court would be what exactly . the judges would se joe bloggs stood in the coror against vosa its a no brainer who comes out worse of and they no everyone dont have the time to take it to court and also realise that which ever law enforcment is against they will come out on top .
there is more that the fact they wont pull big companys like stobarts etc yes i belive half works on a point system but also the fact that there more likley to take it to court and win and would be bad publisy for vosa and cost them money .
am sure i read somewhere that in the future if officers give you a fine at the side of the road it will cost the victim either way if they wish to take it to court or not , am not sure if this is just the traffic side or vosa also .
scotstrucker:
what got me was the fact the firm i work for are a green haulier too so why didnt they even stop one of them for a look, it made me think that them stobbies are getting preferentional treatment over other smaller hauliers.
one way to find out then…
has anybody on here who works for them ever actually been pulled for a routine despite the “halo” above the truck 
Secretelephant:
a VOSA mechanic will say have time to check 8-10 trucks in any one day
Since when did they become mechanics? Talking about VOSA employee, not taking into account the persons past history.
Armagedon:
Mr Stobart may very well be a green haulier,he is also very rich compared to many and will have access to very fine legal minds,As a member of a Vosa team would you like to confront a tiger or a pussycat,those roads out there are a jungle!
I don’t think Stobarts (or any operator)would need fine legal minds if one of their trucks gets pulled up.Its all plainly written down that a driver should check his vehicle before he sets off and he should know what hours etc he needs to work.
zippy!:
Get rid then, let the foreigners rule the land and the standards slip.Best of luck!
Steady on zippy, affiliation with or party to BNP views whilst in public office could get you the chop !!!
The official line is ‘vehicles on International journeys’ 
geebee45:
/snipAt present VOSA can only issue Fixed Penalties where they prohibit a vehicle. In the case of drivers hours, tachographs, overloads or Construction & Use offences, prior to the fixed penalty legislation being enacted, the driver, and usually the operator went to court. Fixed penalties do not replace that option, what they do is bring this wonderful nation into line with all other European countries. VOSA do not ‘fine’ drivers by issuing a FPN, what they are doing is saying that you may accept the FPN or go to Court, the choice is yours. No-body forces you to accept the FPN.
That’s the one, and possibly only thing I’m “afraid” of. The easy option.
I’ve always held the opinion that it would be unlikely to be taken to court, with all that involves, for the sake of 5 or 6 minutes here or there. Or a blown bulb. Or something as ridiculously minor, if we are to believe even half of the gossip, rumour and general BS and Chinese whispers I’ve heard so far since the introduction of the Fixed Penalty/Graduated Fine system.
But since it’s introduction I can see at least the possibility of a driver failing the “attitude test” and receiving a FPN, due more in part to bad case of PMT of the Enforcement Officer.
Simply “because they can”
ROG:
There are many posts on here that seem to indicate that VOSA fine just about every driver that is pulled in for a check !!
I can’t really believe that this is the case - probably we only hear about those that do get fined.So to the question -
Out of 100 LGVs that VOSA pull in, how many actually get a FINE ?
I’ve never been fined by VOSA in 15 years of driving.
I think that it is indicative of how many drivers simply don’t give a toss about tachograph laws. You only have to look at the bollox posted in this forum about drivers hours to realise just how little clue many have.
Hombre:
VOSA = TOSSERS. End of story.
vostapos rule the mobile cash cards
This forum is probably the worst advert for wagon drivers ever…It attracts all the wrong sort to be honest…Much like all the cowsheete written in the UK truck mags…
Conor:
I think that it is indicative of how many drivers simply don’t give a toss about tachograph laws. You only have to look at the bollox posted in this forum about drivers hours to realise just how little clue many have.
Too true bro !!!
att:
This forum is probably the worst advert for wagon drivers ever…It attracts all the wrong sort to be honest…Much like all the cowsheete written in the UK truck mags…
It all depends on your definition of ‘wagon drivers’/operators and the ‘wrong sort’.But we’re all human beings and like you we’re supposed to have the right to viewed as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a judge and jury not you.The question remains as to wether you and the government are prepared to give wagon drivers/operators the same rights as everyone else on that one.The only bovine excreta that I’ve read lately is in the rail industry’s lobbying against road transport being given a level playing field to compete against it such as bigger trucks and no fuel taxation and the same treatment being given to road transport operators and drivers as rail operators and drivers have in regards to regulations and enforcement and respect for the job we all do.
Mike-C:
zippy!:
Get rid then, let the foreigners rule the land and the standards slip.Best of luck!
Steady on zippy, affiliation with or party to BNP views whilst in public office could get you the chop !!!
The official line is ‘vehicles on International journeys’
Ha ha, er, redeemed by signature below I hope!
Conor:
You only have to look at the bollox posted in this forum about drivers hours to realise just how little clue many have.
True, In fact you’ve posted some ■■■■■■■■ on drivers hours yourself on several occasions recently. 
The traffic light system annoys me, in theory it seems like a good idea, but in reality gives some a licence to run bent.
Ive worked in big companies with green lights, you get pulled into a VOSA check point and your sent back out, i’ve known lots of guys working for these companies that double shift constantly espec near xmass or have full time jobs during the week and do agency shifts at the weekend knowing fine well the chances of getting stoped are pretty minimum.
Worked with large companies where everything is in order on paper, all the right check sheets signed etc… but thats all thats happening with some of the drivers. One place the dayshift would put 30mins on the card other work for doing daily checks which involved getting a coffee, smoking some ■■■■ and chatting with other drivers, assumed the nightshift was checking the motor. Unfortunatly nightshift were doing the same thing. Had a blow out on one of the tyres, tyre fitter came storming into the office, said every single tyre was well bellow 1.6mm and two of the tyres were down to the canvas.