take out a unit with smashed near side rear lights hooked up to fridge trailer ?
I went on agency to small operator on Saturday (this is their only vehicle)
Nail of a DAF CF on 56 plate.
Customer asked if I would take it out as it was.
SD
No!
No.
But did you?
Nope.
Depends what it was paying 
No
Customer phoned agency who asked me to take it as it was.
Agency said since it was hooked up lights not needed on unit!
As it happened, in smashing the lights cluster, fuse was blown and the whole near side trauler lights were also out. I looked but failed to spot the blown fuse.
Customer called for elec engineer to come and replace lights, he then spotted the blown fuse knocking the trailer (and unit) lights out.
I was dismayed at the least with the agencies attitude in saying I was ok to take it out because it was hooked up. Agency is exact in the least with their attitude to comply with all regulations and indeed offer dcpc courses.
As usual, when it comes down to it they just want to earn out of you and sod the regulations and consequences.
When all fixed I set off on my day two and a half hours later.
Should I report them all to VOSA?
SD
You could report them all but it would not make you very popular and you will probably never be offered work from them again.
Just let sleeping dogs lie. Vosa will at some point catch them out.
they tried it on because you were a agency driver , you didnt fall for it, it got fixed , no need to report to VOSA , they wont see a problem .
Carry on and forget about it.
Report them to VOSA?
Why?
What benefit is there to doing that?
£12 per hour started 0830 finished 1830, didn’t turn a wheel until 1100
Not really worth it
Agency do not come up with much for me
Customer is sending truck back today and getting their other branch to look after transport, so no prospect of further work there.
SD
Speedy Duck:
£12 per hour started 0830 finished 1830, didn’t turn a wheel until 1100Not really worth it
Agency do not come up with much for me
Customer is sending truck back today and getting their other branch to look after transport, so no prospect of further work there.
SD
Sounds alright rate to me really.
Would rate warrant risking pull by plod / VOSA?
SD
Speedy Duck:
Would rate warrant risking pull by plod / VOSA?SD
Well first you said rear light on N/S unit was bust then you said whole side lights was out which would have put N/S trailer light s out as well , you never explained very well in your first post .
Phone VOSA and see what they say. I suspect that they wont be bothered as it was fixed.
Yes
I did it so as not to confuse the two issues
Agency said it was ok to run with unit lights out as long as hooked up to trailer.
Trailer lights were caused by fuse.
SD
From a drivers point of view you should never risk being pulled by either.
You should fill out defect sheet and get them to sign it off as either fixed or to be fixed. Then you have covered your backside.
Then it is up to you whether you take it out.
To update
I followed up the question with VOSA (by email who directed me to local vehicle examiner, who returned my call promptly)
Very nice gentleman who is a vehicle examiner with VOSA, explained that in his opinion the vehicle is ok to take on roads with rear light cluster inoperable, so long as it is coupled to a trailer with rear lights on operable condition.
SD
Speedy Duck:
To updateI followed up the question with VOSA (by email who directed me to local vehicle examiner, who returned my call promptly)
Very nice gentleman who is a vehicle examiner with VOSA, explained that in his opinion the vehicle is ok to take on roads with rear light cluster inoperable, so long as it is coupled to a trailer with rear lights on operable condition.
SD
Interesting. That’s the last thing of have expected. :-/
Yeah, I was expecting him to say no, and kinda hoping so as well, so that I could go back to agency and tell em off for giving me hooky info!
i wouldn’t take it out like that. i’d just put another light cluster on it.
5 minutes later you’re on your way.
In the event, I didn;t take it out and waited for elec engineer to arrive with replacement light cluster. The operator did not have one.
They were a one (hired) vehicle operator.