I went for an assessment drive this morning with a local builders merchant. I turned up and was given the keys to ‘mess around’ with the hiab so i could get used to it (yes i have my hiab ticket but no experience).
Before getting into the cab i had a good look around the lorry and the hiab. There was a load of oil from the main hydraulic ram to the base of the hiab, obviously had a leak but unsure if it was fixed. My main concern was that three of the hydraulic hoses were damaged. Two had chunks out of the outer insulation layer but the worst was right next to the controls and was badly worn down to the wire reinforcement with the wires themselves badly frayed.
I told the bloke in the office about this but he said what was i talking about, the lorry has just been fixed. I just said im only doing what i have been trained to do and i left.
Was i right to refuse to drive this or have i just thrown away an opportunity.
Probably yes, but without seeing the damage, it’s hard to judge at a distance. In a previous lifew on the other side of the desk I’ve seen both sides. Drivers coming in refusing to drive perfectly good tyres with 2mm thread, and management insisting that a tyre with a shadow of thread left was OK, 'because it would be sorted tomorrow '…
get a grip it was for an assessment drive■■? would you have been using it■■? if they said yeah you have passed take this out then yes refuse but to do an assessment I doubt I would have, anyway if the pipe split sit in cab read a paper while they come and fix it.
anyone who would take that lorry out has never seen a hydraulic pipe let go under load . at best you’ve a real mess to clean up , you probably get drenched in oil and at worst you could be injured or blinded if you are stood in the wrong spot . if it showed up for mot like that it would fail , i have had a fail for similar damage .
Yes it wants sorting, but would i refuse to drive it on an assessment to get a job i presumably needed, no i wouldn’t. foot shot.
Easily sorted after you’ve got the job, defect the thing daily till they get the pipe people out and new ones fitted, quite likely the company don’t know its like that if the previous driver couldn’t be arsed (about the norm these days)…which sounds right because the ram was covered in that much mess the OP couldn’t tell if was a current leaker or not.
worked on hiab for a few years and yes they make a mess but would he have been using it on an assessment? I guess he made his call but I would have done the assessment at least. then refused to drive it the following day
Although an assesment drive isnt the time to start making problems it may have been a test, I.e. well done for spotting the faults the jobs yours. However if I wanted the job it would be more of a passing coment that the thing could do with steaming off if its been repaired or “blimey she could do with a good servicin”.
In the end its your licence and sure theres a school of thought that you could have dodged a bullet here.
Dont beat yourself up about it most companies will supply a decent vehicle for an assesment drive, surely.
Juddian:
Yes it wants sorting, but would i refuse to drive it on an assessment to get a job i presumably needed, no i wouldn’t. foot shot.
Easily sorted after you’ve got the job,
If I’ve read it right the OP says that the ‘driving’ assessment involved an instruction to operate a defective loading crane.So spot on in refusing to operate the crane but ok to drive the wagon.Which leaves the question of the guvnor’s reaction to the defect comment and if it was me I wouldn’t have bothered with the assessment for a trypical zb building deliveries job anyway.Best leave that to the ‘experienced’ East Euro immigrant drivers who are no doubt queuing up for the job.
rigsby:
if it showed up for mot like that it would fail
From the defect described it would not fail MOT. The MOT is not testing the crane. The only fail would have been if the leak dripped onto the exhaust or formed a pool greater than 75mm in 5 minutes or less. The condition of the hoses is irrelevant unless they are leaking.
To answer the OPs question and as has been stated by most, you probably did right. You could have safely driven the vehicle but those hoses and the signs of leakage would probably indicate the rest of the vehicle is poorly maintained and you were well out of there. As has been pointed out, a hose down to the wires ‘could’ fail and that ‘could’ be nasty. Although, the outer layer of rubber being damaged shouldn’t cause a hose to fail - and someone (mechanic) may have deemed it serviceable depending on the surface area that was damaged.
