old 67:
(snip)
has anyone else been left to their own devices to go to the test centre?
Regards John.
Yes, not a test centre though. I was pulled off at gate 14, M6 Northbound, years ago and told to go to a layby on the A34 near Stone where I would be inspected. They were there and waiting, a quick tap round and C&E dipped the tank and off we went again! 
I assumed that they radioed ahead to say that I was on my way?
Pete.
I get stopped about 3 times a year !
I think Harry Monk means the Benefits Agency when he mentions the BA not the Border Agency as assumed by another poster
I never got stopped in the whole of my driving career. Nearest I ever got was at Telford Services on the M54. The parking there is a bit tight and there was only one space on my left - the last one before the exit. I blindsided in and tipped the seat back to take a 15 min break when there was a tap on the door.
Of course I expected it to be some dodgy geezer buying diesel or selling his sister, but no - it was a bloke in a high viz vest and he had a van with a flashing light on. He apologized for disturbing me but said that I had parked in the space that they were using for inspections, and would I mind moving. Naturally my first instinct was to tell him to bugger off - I am on a break. Fortunately my brain woke up in time to stop my mouth.
I pulled out and parked in a space that had appeared opposite, and a few minutes later a foreigner came in, escorted by a jam sandwich. I went off to have a ■■■■, and they were still tapping wheel nuts and grilling the driver when I left.
Last time i got pulled was in a transporter overtaken and pulled by one of the marked Galaxies, check weights, no problem there, vehicle check no probes there.
They had my tachos, i had a bad one from the previous week due to blow out on the side of the motorway, odd sized tyre the fitter had to run half way round the country to find, so by the time i got going again and found somewhere to park (difficult), i’d run an 18 hour day…i’d written the genuine reason on the back of the card.
They had no problem with the long day, as it was obvious from my cards that it wasn’t a regular stroke i was pulling, indeed they said they could see where i’d slowed down to try and fit in laybys on the road i was in.
As said here many times, they are nobody’s fool, but neither have i found them vindictive nor anything other than helpful and reasonable, if you are, if i was taking the ■■■■ out of them and spoke to them in snotty tones i imagine that could change quite quickly.
No complaints.
I was pulled by one of them waving me down on the A 46 leaving Ashchurch near Tewkesbury, quick vehicle and tacho check, all good, on me way in 10 minutes flat.
Couple of times recently i’ve been parked right next to their checkpoints on the M1 services, i’d have thought during a quiet spell one of them would wander over and have a butchers, not the slightest interest shown, we’re on a green light though, our vehicles are clean and kept well up to scratch and we don’t get anywhere near maximum hours.