It did not really cause any issues but I am interested to see what the official opinion is on this as well as what others would do.
I got given my unit the other day, Merc Axor, and the driver seat was rocking very freely from side to side, took it to the garage and they said it was the rollers and if the air seat was lowered it is not as bad (but still bad).
There was plenty of other vehicles and I swapped over - I got the impression they felt I was being “awkward”
mrx:
swapped over - there was plenty of other units so there was no delay to the load?
True… but what if there was no other units?
I see it as a safety issue, either sit on the floor peeping over the steering wheel or sit in normal position rocking from side to side - as I stand outside and hold the base I can freely rock it
I have reported the issue in the same vehicle to the workshop before and its still in use… obviously not worth a new seat in a 56 plate unit
ROG:
If its unsafe and/or will cause you problems whilst driving then it needs sorting out before taking onto the roadAs the driver the final decision is yours
No i wouldn’t have took it out either, still insecure when lowered, not a chance.
Simple answer for this, write a proper timed and dated defect out reporting seat as loose and let the office know you have a dangerous defect.
For you to use the vehicle would mean it being signed off by a mechanic as safe or being ordered in writing to use it by one of the office crew…neither will be happening.
One of the best weapons in the drivers armoury the defect book, word of mouth only is deniable.
I would have swapped it also but my company are good like that as they seem to be really staight with rules and regs and sometimes that works in your favour.
After flicking through the defect book, there was mine about 10 days before and 20+ Nil Defects then my one from the day that I refused it again… Someone is signing it beck on the road willy nilly and the other drivers do not seem too bothered about it.
I am not one to normally moan about it but I cant see why it was signed back on and the other drivers were not bothered.
If it is loose and in an accident, I think it could be very dangerous
Driver’s Seat
Driver’s seat loose on its mounting, frame fractured, seriously weakened or otherwise defective
Seat so loose/ weakened/ or in such condition that it could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle - I
“I” denotes an immediate prohibition
(Dont think it is this one, but I am nee engineer)
or
Otherwise than above - IN
“IN” advisory defects not considered serious enough to prohibit the vehicle. They are reported on a Vehicle Inspection Notice explained in the following paragraph.
Where Examiners find on a vehicle roadworthiness defects not serious enough to warrant prohibition, they will advise the user/ owner using a Vehicle Inspection Notice. This notice is advisory only and does not in itself prevent further use of the vehicle.
Even if not prohibitable, some of the defects may mean that the vehicle is unroadworthy and does not comply with the law. Continued use of a vehicle issued with either a Delayed Prohibition or a Vehicle Inspection Notice listing advisory defect(s) risks prosecution under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations or Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations and so it will be in the user’s interest to repair defects as soon as practicable after they are noticed.
As per 17.
The term “insecure” is used many times throughout this Guide to describe a defective condition. This term should be taken by Examiners to mean either:
that a component on the vehicle has relative movement (looseness) at its fixings or in relation to an associated component where there should be none,
or
that a component is not safely or completely attached at its fixing or to an associated component.
Only you know if you were right or wrong!BUT
Heres a different view of the situation
Maybe the blokes in the garage were sick of hearing whinging and bull.
AS in…
Cant take that trailer out it has no MOT disc followed by I know the law blah,blah blah
The trailer is 2 months old how can it have a test disc?
Cant take that unit out it only has one fog light on the rear I know the law …
Tractor was only built with one bloody fog light!
You shouldnt be working in here( garage) at night on your own I know the…
Who goes out with you on a delivery at night? you not on your own?
Etc Etc Etc and on and on …
So maybe there was a bit of wobble in the seat but maybe the blokes in the garage are getting just a little bit ■■■■■■ with the “drama bloody queens” who call themselves “professionals” and bleat like little lasses,spout crap and shouldnt really be allowed near a truck while they got a hole in their backside
