mickyblue:
Yes you can get doneDrunk in charge because there is intention of moving the lorry if needed
From a PCSO lol
OI i know a bit of the law but not has much as a copper would
I knew there would be one… 
Another point mate of mine was stopped had booze on backseat police said it was an offence to do it ■■? temptation to have one whilst driving would have loved to see that HE IS A TEA TOTALER .
mickyblue:
i know a bit of the law but not has much as a copper would
I’ll ask a Police traffic officer over the next few days whose patrol covers the Leicster Forest East services on the M1.
UPDATE;
I asked -
Although an officer could do the driver for ‘being drunk in charge’ it would be discressionary on the part of that officer.
The officer would look stupid if the case was taken to court and immediately thrown out as it would be deemed that the officer did not use common sense after reasonable on-site investigation.
Most police officers do not like to made to look like numpties - well, my contact did not use the word numpty but something much stronger 
.
Best advice for overnighters who park up and intend to drink - CLOSE THE CURTAINS when you leave the truck so that way, if you are caught getting back into it after having a few, then it becomes obvious as to the ‘intention’.
My contact also asked me to remind those that do drink in such circumstances and are likely to set off within a few hours, to make sure they are not over the limit when they drive off.
They catch more truckers over the limit in the early morning than they do at any other time.
I had parked-up in some small town near Stamford and only a few miles from the A1. I was desperate to find a parking space before my time ran out. I ended up parking on the main road in this town, (no yellow lines) and called it a day. There was a pub not more than a hundred yards away so went in for a few pints. I got talking to the locals and foolishly mentioned what I did for a living, and yes that was my truck parked up the road. During the night some one started banging on my door quite heavily and the pod on the top where I slept. I didn’t move for fear of rocking the cab and ignored it, they ■■■■ off. In the morning I found a parking ticket on my windscreen for parking without my side lights on, although none of the cars had tickets or side lights. Had I answered the banging the police would have insisted I move. If I had I would have got nicked for driving over the limit, had I refused, I would then have either been done for drunk in charge or for failing to carry out a lawful order or both.
I figure the parking ticket was a result.
harry:
One of our drivers regularly got ratted in Tangiers docks . With the curtains closed & the hand brake on he would give it full throttle & change up the box & down for hours. Scary!
Getting rat arsed in Tanger was part of the contract of employment and long before if you got the boat out of Cadiz, then staggering back to port at 4am trying not to get mugged.
Happy days. 
Here’s a wee tip,if you know the driver next to you in the msa’s and that the two of you’s will be up at the same time and leaving at the same time,then swap key’s.This will remove the part of being in charge of the motor vehicle and will also remove the intention to drive part as well.simple and problem solved.
berewic:
In the morning I found a parking ticket on my windscreen for parking without my side lights on, although none of the cars had tickets or side lights. Had I answered the banging the police would have insisted I move.
Or just asked you to put your lights on. 
You weren’t nicked for illegally parking so why would they want you to move?
Coffeeholic:
berewic:
In the morning I found a parking ticket on my windscreen for parking without my side lights on, although none of the cars had tickets or side lights. Had I answered the banging the police would have insisted I move.Or just asked you to put your lights on.
The town I had parked in wasn’t an industrial type town, more a touristy, farming anti truck type. I had every reason to believe they would want to make problems for me, apart from that I was in a draw-bar outfit with too many side lights to expect the truck to start in the morning.
A few years earlier I had legally parked in Stamford, before they put a weight limit on the bridge. After I had parked a group of teeny bopper bikers came roaring around the area I was parked in, then left. About twenty minuets later the fed’s turned up and demanded I move as there had been a complaint from a nearby resident about a disturbance. Although my time was up they demanded I move and took me to the lorry park. This ■■■■■■ me off as I then had to pay for parking.
berewic:
I had parked-up in some small town near Stamford and only a few miles from the A1. I was desperate to find a parking space before my time ran out. I ended up parking on the main road in this town, (no yellow lines) and called it a day. There was a pub not more than a hundred yards away so went in for a few pints. I got talking to the locals and foolishly mentioned what I did for a living, and yes that was my truck parked up the road. During the night some one started banging on my door quite heavily and the pod on the top where I slept. I didn’t move for fear of rocking the cab and ignored it, they [zb] off. In the morning I found a parking ticket on my windscreen for parking without my side lights on, although none of the cars had tickets or side lights. Had I answered the banging the police would have insisted I move. If I had I would have got nicked for driving over the limit, had I refused, I would then have either been done for drunk in charge or for failing to carry out a lawful order or both.I figure the parking ticket was a result.
From the FTA Drivers’ Handbook: “Goods vehicles over 1,525kg unladen weight and passenger vehicles adapted to carry eight or more passengers, excluding the driver, must have their lights on when parked on a road during the hours of darkness. Two lights must be shown at the front and two red lights at the rear.” (Sorry, not about to try and remember the legal reference for that at this time of night/morning/whatever - anyway, I know no-one ever does it, but it may explain why the cars didn’t get tickets!)
On the more general subject of ‘drunk in charge,’ I’m certainly not averse to finishing my shift at a pub, but I always take one simple precaution: I make sure no-one’s around when I get in the cab. And once inside, I won’t be opening the door/window for anyone. After all, they’re more likely to be violent crooks than police.