…it just keeps getting worse. I have been in a foul mood since Saturday, with a general “I don’t give a ■■■■” attitude, well today it has cost me.
After delivering in Thurnau this morning, I was heading along the A70 near Schweinfurt when I came across the signs indicating a truck control ahead. I slowed down to the posted 40km/ph and just knew I was going to get pulled, which I did. I had seen the control when I passed the other way earlier, and could have taken a different route on the way back but not doing so is just all part of my general attitude at the moment.
It was both a BAG and a Police control and I was directed into a parking space by a Police Officer, who then approached the cab and started to check through all the papers. Driving Licence, Passport, Community Authorisation, CMR’s Vehicle Registration Document and Tacho Discs, back to the last disc before my weekly rest. He also asked me to open the trailer so he could check the load was secure, it was. He asked me to wait while he went off to his van to check all my documents.
Ten minutes later he was back, telling me there was a problem and to come to the van. I had been expecting this and knew what the problem was. He showed me today’s disc and pointed out that at one point today I had been doing approximately 104 km/ph, which was what I was expecting him to say. At this point, I lost the plot a little and came this ¦ ¦ close to being arrested.
The result was that he relieved me of €60 and confiscated the disc, giving me a receipt in the process. There are several things that could happen now, after the disc is checked back at his HQ.
I could have the €60 returned if they decide I was fined in error. No Chance.
I will receive a letter telling me the €60 was the correct amount for the offence and that is the end of the matter. Little or no chance of that.
I will receive a letter with an additional fine and also points on my record in Germany, receive enough points and I will be banned from driving in Germany for a while. This will be the outcome for sure, the points and extra fine that is not necessarily the ban, and the guy as good as told me it would be this option.
When the extra fine comes through I have three options.
Don’t pay it and never return to Germany. The fine will remain outstanding and I would just ignore any further communications from them
Don’t pay it and keep going to Germany, until I get stopped in a control and a check reveals the outstanding fine, at which point things could get messy, not to say expensive.
Pay the extra and carry on as normal.
I haven’t decided which option I will take yet but so far it has been a crap week, it’s only Tuesday and I don’t see it getting better any time soon.
My name is Neil and I am an angerholic, thanks for listening.
'fraid so, and if I get another control tomorrow before I leave Germany I will be in even deeper ■■■■ because the replacement disc shows 110 km/ph on it this afternoon, it was a steep hill.
Quite frankly, I shouldn’t be on the road at the moment, the frame of mind I am in.
Is it just in Britain where a tacho disc cannot be used soley for a prosecution for speeding etc? Just out of curiosity, if the disc that showed speeding had of being from a previous day, and you by some mis-fortune had somehow managed to lose it, what would the out-come be then? Would you receive the same punishment for not having the disc, would you get away with it, or would you be worse off?
robinhood_1984:
Is it just in Britain where a tacho disc cannot be used soley for a prosecution for speeding etc? Just out of curiosity, if the disc that showed speeding had of being from a previous day, and you by some mis-fortune had somehow managed to lose it, what would the out-come be then? Would you receive the same punishment for not having the disc, would you get away with it, or would you be worse off?
No idea, although I suspect it could have been worse.
So you have the option to "3. Pay the extra and carry on as normal. " thats the one i would take just take the points and pay the fine and hope you get your tacho back.
Have you got any points already in Germany?, and did you explain the mittigating circumstances of the jam tarts to them ;);)…
jammymutt:
So you have the option to "3. Pay the extra and carry on as normal. " thats the one i would take just take the points and pay the fine and hope you get your tacho back.
I will wait for the letter before I make a decision. Not bothered if I get the disc back or not, I have a stamped receipt from them for it. As far as I remember, from a time about 15 years ago when I had a couple of discs retained by the Germans, I got them back in the post.
jammymutt:
Have you got any points already in Germany?
No
jammymutt:
and did you explain the mittigating circumstances of the jam tarts to them ;);)…
'fraid so, and if I get another control tomorrow before I leave Germany I will be in even deeper [zb] because the replacement disc shows 110 km/ph on it this afternoon, it was a steep hill.
Quite frankly, I shouldn’t be on the road at the moment, the frame of mind I am in.
This isnt like you neil. Youve been at it long enough to know the consequences mate. If your clean in germany its fine and they wouldnt dream of robbing you, unlike the italians who take your money regardless! However.... step out of line and you feel the BAGs wrath!! You dont need me to tell you this do you. I hope whatevers troubling you gets sorted and you can get your mind back on the job.
Lucy:
And why don’t the British have a similar system for foreign drivers■■?
Great in theory although seeing as the DVLA have difficulty in administering UK licences (eg the case of people ‘losing’ their LGV licences for no reason as recently highlighted in the press), IMO they stand little chance with a points system for foreign licences.
JB:
If your clean in germany its fine and they wouldnt dream of robbing you, unlike the italians who take your money regardless!
However… step out of line and you feel the BAGs wrath!!
This wasn’t the BAG I dealt with, it was the Police. The BAG were busy with the Italian next to me who had 20 tonnes of paper in his curtain sided trailer and not a single strap in evidence. Problem was he didn’t have any straps, and they were not going to let him continue until he got some and secured the load. His fine was bigger than mine. One of the BAG officers was using a video camera to record the Italians load, I resisted the urge to get mine and join him in a two camera shoot.
Sorry to hear about your problems with the plod and I would have probably reacted the same as you know what my temperament is like .
Can’t really help with the technical side of it but I can do you a good deal on replacement dummies if you’re interested. I buy mine in bulk these days as I get through that many so I can do you a good price .
Done the 20 to 90 bit myself and paid 60 Euro but no points
In Germany with 18 points you lose your driving Licence
The Points stay 2 years
If you get more points in that time they stay 5 years
At 12 points you get a warning and the option to visit a Driving school for about 6 hours ,costs about 300 Euro and they then deduct 4 points
104kmh - 6kmh “tacho error” = 98kmh = 18kmh to fast , 21kmh to fast and they start getting nasty , i dont really think you are going to hear from them again
One of the BAG officers was using a video camera to record the Italians load, I resisted the urge to get mine and join him in a two camera shoot.
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