Hi folks, hope someone here can clarify a problem we have at work.We have some 3ton plated trailers that we use for moving Yanmar style footpath tractors around during winter for snow clearing.These trailers are mainly 12volts but we do have a few 24volt ones. Most of them have trailer lighting boards fitted to them because the fixed/original lights are always being damaged .Rather than keep fixing them, each towing vehicle has its own lighting board which can be fitted to whichever trailer it is towing. Would I be correct in saying that if there are lights fitted to the trailer then they must be in full working order. Unless they are covered up, then using a lighting board would then be an offence. Also the l/board would also have to have the correct vehicle registration number displayed and have the full set of lights that the towing vehicle has, i.e. number plate and fog lights in addition to the basic lights.
These trailers are around 6metres from hitch to tail door and have side markers fitted which obviously will not work when using l/boards. Our boss has said that the company transport manager says we are not doing anything illegal but many of the drivers disagree. Hope someone here can help answer my queries.
Thanks in advance,
Dave.
Seems that I have double posted this somehow, sorry if it causes any problems, it wasn’t done deliberately.
tanto:
Seems that I have double posted this somehow, sorry if it causes any problems, it wasn’t done deliberately.
Dave,
I fixed that for you, and it wasn’t a problem.
A double post is an easy thing to do, it happens frequently.
Sometimes it happens to me!!
As for your question, I don’t know the answer, but I reckon I know what I’d do to find out.
IMHO, it’s going to depend on whether the lights count as obligatory lights necessitated by the size of the trailer. If so, then all the lights need to be in working order.
A quick phone call to the LGV M.O.T. test station would get you the answer to that one, then you could apply the info to the job on the basis that if they’re needed for M.O.T., then they’re a legal requirement and should be functional.
Cheers Dieseldave,
I did think about contacting the local test centre as our transport manager is about as much use as an ashtray on motorbike. Will try to visit them at the weekend when I am off.
I would imagine the fixed lights are obligatory as they are the ones fitted as standard to the trailers.
Thanks again for your help and also for “fixing” my duplication error.
Thanks Paul, think the trailers are around 1.8 to 2m wide. Need to measure tomorrow. If I remember correctly, they are fitted with front markers .Our TM seems to think we can slap a lighting board on anything being towed and we will be ok , but we aint convinced, he has been proved wrong in the past
Edited 7/2/13
Hi Paul, I measured the trailers today and they are 6.2metres from hitch to tail door and 2metres wide.Front markers are definitely fitted to them.
Cheers,
Dave.
tanto:
Hi Paul, I measured the trailers today and they are 6.2metres from hitch to tail door and 2metres wide.Front markers are definitely fitted to them.
Then it would seem that (working) front markers are legally required and therefore they are not legal with a trailer board.
tanto:
Hi Paul, I measured the trailers today and they are 6.2metres from hitch to tail door and 2metres wide.Front markers are definitely fitted to them.
Then it would seem that (working) front markers are legally required and therefore they are not legal with a trailer board.
Paul
Hi Paul, spoke to our training officer today (he flagged up these issues in the past) and he has been trying to get this sorted with the transport manager for around 2-3 years now. Apparently if we fill in our pre start check books as normal but add that we have raised concerns with our manager/upline/ or whoever and get them to sign it, then he reckons we then have mitigating circumstances on our side should it be required. He has a meeting next week with the TM and others from our plant section and he will raise the issue again.
The TM has seemingly said that if the need arises, we are inform anyone ( police/commissioners etc ) that he has instructed us to carry on .(as he is right and we are wrong) At the end of the day it is our licence on the line and I am sure the TM will not pay any fines we incur and he definitely cant take the points, so the quicker this is resolved the better.
Thanks again Paul for your help.
Dave.
A quick phone call to the LGV M.O.T. test station would get you the answer to that one, then you could apply the info to the job on the basis that if they’re needed for M.O.T., then they’re a legal requirement and should be functional.