Ok MLC
Your next shift wil be in this....
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10411359.stm
Pat, tell your lads to watch it on the road.
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Errr no!
Only driven by people who don't work shifts and like TV cameras!
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The driver guy and his brother are on one of the cop shows on telly. He's a bit of a ...insert imagination here... to lorry drivers in general.
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I'll bet any money that thing's not limited to 56 mph!
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roll on cash cow britain
you pay taxes and have a job,lets see if we can fine you
still waiting for a copper for my burglary to come and see me
i have it on record my crime is important to someone
probably the burglar as he drinks his white lightening
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I do wonder how lorry drivers keep their licence, but then those which drive while watching a DVD probably don't deserve to.
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This Scania has been on the road for a few months now and at first it was rolled out decorated in the usual Police livery, but that was soon removed to make it a plain white unit.
Your right HM, it isn't limited and I see the driver has had to drop AN from his christian name.....I wonder why?
There are now a couple more working the M5 and cover mainly Worcester area and Bridgwater. Worcester is a plain white Scania but Bridgwater is a plain white Volvo FH Unit, so beware!
That vehicle is tying up two Police officers and does around 8MPG, only around 8% of all vehicles on the road are lorries and what is needed more than anything is the sight of more Police cars on the road who would target ALL road users, not just the minority.
The driver of the lorry in the clip used to be a lorry driver before he had a career change.
Obviously the hard work and skill involved in loading/tipping and pulling a trailer was too much for him.
Pat
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That's an uncharacteristically mean -sounding post for you Pat.
>>Obviously the hard work and skill involved in loading/tipping and pulling a trailer was too much for him
Well maybe so; but perhaps he just thinks he's got a job he likes better, and maybe with better wages? Was he recruited just to drive the lorry, or was he a proper copper first? Not a job I'd want.
I'm not anti-lorry-driver, but there's a clear need to police lorries properly, just like other vehicles - there have been some horrendous accidents involving lorries and in my opinion there's plenty for these units to do.
Do you mean 8% of road-licensed vehicles are lorries? If so the proportion of vehicle miles must be considerably higher; does your figure include visiting foreign lorries?
Whether 'Gus is a bloke you'd want to spend an evening in the pub with is neither here nor there. Is there something you can't tell us?
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>> Do you mean 8% of road-licensed vehicles are lorries? If so the proportion of vehicle miles must be considerably higher
When I drove a cab 90,000-100,000 miles a year, we had an idea that as we did 6x the average private motorist's mileage we should have been allowed to accumulate 72 points within 3 years...
>> I do wonder how lorry drivers keep their licence
We had to be 6x as careful.
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>> This Scania has been on the road for a few months now and at first
>> it was rolled out decorated in the usual Police livery, but that was soon removed
>> to make it a plain white unit.
>> Your right HM, it isn't limited
So.. if its not limited, the how does it pass the C&U/MOT reg's?
It was my understanding that all HGV vehicles had to be limited (with a possible exception of fire engines?)
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>> So.. if its not limited, the how does it pass the C&U/MOT reg's?
>>
>> It was my understanding that all HGV vehicles had to be limited (with a possible
>> exception of fire engines?)
And Tacho, does it have that?
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>> >>
>> >> It was my understanding that all HGV vehicles had to be limited (with a
>> possible
>> >> exception of fire engines?)
>>
>> And Tacho, does it have that?
>>
Wouldn't need a tachograph as effectively it isn't being used as a commercial vehicle; nor would it need an operators licence for the same reason, although I daresay there's also an exception for the police anyway.
It's worth noting, perhaps, that although the unit is primarily intended to police lorry drivers, it also gives Mr. Plod a trucker's-eye view of other road users and what goes on below the window line. Based on my experiences over the years, that might mean some VERY interesting bits of film on "Police Camera Action"!
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>> So.. if its not limited, the how does it pass the C&U/MOT reg's?
>>
Military vehicles are not C&U or MOT'd. In my day they were serviced and inspected every 6 months. I remember that the car I used would be withdrawn from service if it went over its service date. A problem as I would then have to aquire another set of wheels to do my job while mine was in the workshop.
Maybe the police work a similar system, or crash their cars so often they get fixed more often. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 26 Jun 10 at 08:57
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>> Military vehicles are not C&U or MOT'd.
Police vehicles ARE subject to MOT, and the same laws as the rest of us; I know because my neighbour's son owns the garage which does a lot of our local force's cars. He worked for the force years ago when they had their own repair shops.
The BIB got their come-uppance a year or two ago when they presented one of their traffic Volvo estates for test, and it was promptly failed because of the layout of the dashboard cameras and display, causing a re-fit across the fleet!
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"Police vehicles ARE subject to MOT, and the same laws as the rest of us; I know because my neighbour's son owns the garage which does a lot of our local force's cars. He worked for the force years ago when they had their own repair shops."
I am sure that providing they are maintained in their own workshops they are MOT exempt.
In any event they get them MOT'd anyway. They will also display 'Nil Rate' VEL.
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>> Police vehicles ARE subject to MOT,
Not according to this they're not. (see item 'i')
tinyurl.com/24mnjmg
Types of vehicle that do not have to take an MoT test.
a Motor tractors
b Track-laying vehicles
c Articulated vehicles that are not buses (Bendi buses) or lorries
d Works trucks
e Invalid carriages weighing no more than 306kg when unloaded
f Vehicles used only to pass from land occupied by the person keeping the vehicle to other land occupied by them, and not travelling on the road for more than a total of six miles a week
g Hackney carriages or private-hire vehicles licensed by local authorities authorised
to check the roadworthiness of these vehicles
h Hackney carriages (vehicles licensed to carry passengers) getting tax discs from Transport for London
i Vehicles provided for police purposes and maintained in an approved workshop
j Goods vehicles powered by electricity
k Trams
l Trolley vehicles that are not auxiliary trolley vehicles (auxiliary trolley vehicles are vehicles that are adapted to run from power provided from a source on board when it is not running from power from some outside source)
m Vehicles authorised to be used on the road by a Special Types General Order made under Section 44(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988
n Vehicles used only on certain islands that do not have a bridge, tunnel, ford or other suitable way for motor vehicles to be conveniently driven to a road in any part of Great Britain
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 27 Jun 10 at 03:54
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>> There are now a couple more working the M5 and cover mainly Worcester area and
>> Bridgwater. Worcester is a plain white Scania but Bridgwater is a plain white Volvo FH
>> Unit, so beware!
Amazing news, considering that truck isn't owned by the Police, is borrowed for a week or two while the cameras are around and then returned. There certainly aren't fleets of them around.
And the last time I saw it (which was a few days ago) , it was silver
You have been seriously misinformed!
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>> Amazing news, considering that truck isn't owned by the Police, is borrowed for a week
>> or two while the cameras are around and then returned. There certainly aren't fleets of
>> them around.
This implies, or reading between the lines, this is a stunt for BBC's motorway cops?
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Nothing to do with M/way Cops. It's done to promote the dangers of HGV drivers not paying attention. It's a safety campaign, nothing more.
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No MLF, I am not misinformed.
If I was at home I would link to a PowerPoint presentation showing photo's of the other wo in action complete with articles about them from VOSA.
However, I'm on holiday and have better things to do.
Mannatee, yes I do have information I can't divulge. Remember that I go back many years as a lorry driver!
Pat
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>> If I was at home I would link to a PowerPoint presentation
A powerpoint presentation provided by someone else....I'm impressed!! :)
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>> A powerpoint presentation provided by someone else....I'm impressed!! :)
Only if its 50+ slides long, with guady purple on blue, with pointless transitions and animations.
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Doesn't take much to impress you, does it?
The facts are out there MLC, I would have expected you ao all people, to be aware of them.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Sun 27 Jun 10 at 19:44
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>> The facts are out there MLC, I would have expected you ao all people, to
>> be aware of them.
>>
>> Pat
>>
The facts are (and remain) that it is a publicity stunt for the benefit of the TV cameras to highlight dangerous practices by HGV drivers.
The trucks are only around for a few days, do not go on regular 'patrol'. are not owned by the Police and will never be owned by the Police.
Anything else you've heard is bunkum!
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I would have thought some kind of periscope arrangement mounted on a roof-rack on a patrol car would be equally effective? Something resembling the Googlemobiles used for Street View photography maybe...
Last edited by: Typ 8L on Mon 28 Jun 10 at 14:30
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>> Only driven by people who don't work shifts
Is there an option? I thought shiftwork came with the keys to the company car?
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Fors and against as in most things, if used for stopping serious problems then a good thing overall, making the Volvo driver in the clip put his seat belt on causes him to have extreme blind spots when he approaches junctions, the mirrors are huge and obliterate almost all the view when approaching junctions and roundabouts, not much safety gained there without the belt he can duck and dive around the mirrors as needed.
In the real world i've never been reprimanded for this as most traffic officers are fully aware of why we don't wear them, i imagine this was a handy bit of footage for the camera crew.
I fail to understand why full time drivers still risk using a hand held mobile, especially the ones you see with it held to the right ear in full view, a blatant mickey take imo and i would nick someone for taking the proverbial.
It might make some think about their harrassing and tailgaiting, given a bit of common sense application of coppering which i've nearly always found then probably no bad thing.
MPG wise it should really be doing about 15mpg running solo in top gear assuming the bloke drives proper like keeping the revs low, i can get 11/13mpg on a good day with one of these Scania's on supermarket work loaded out empty return, admittedly at 50mph max cruising @ 1000rpm.
I don't suppose the truck rental/lease is costing much, good bit of product placement and cheap advertising for the truck maker.
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making the Volvo driver in the clip put his seat belt on
>> causes him to have extreme blind spots when he approaches junctions, the mirrors are huge
>> and obliterate almost all the view when approaching junctions and roundabouts, not much safety gained
>> there without the belt he can duck and dive around the mirrors as needed.
.
>>
Agree with GB on this; my regular drive's an FM9 Volvo and the mirrors are a very poor design. I do try to remember my seat-belt on the motorway but when on side-roads with angled turnings (and I spend at least 60% of my driving time on such) then the belt is a severe hindrance for the very reasons GB describes. I'd far sooner be wearing it 100% but I also need to see around me as best I can; my truck being a "day-cab" I don't have the benefit of a side window in the nearside of the bunk like some do. On my last truck, which was thus equipped, life was a lot easier.
I've even tried easing my body forward gradually to avoid the belt locking up, but to make any sort of reasonable progress you need to move quicker than this, especially on roundabouts where cars tend to go up your inside.
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Pat - I am aware of the ones in the south west (M5) area being used - the local news ran an item on them about 6 - 8 weeks back (must have been a slow news day) Cant recall what they were or the colour - only that they were unmarked.
Usual item showing some poor sod being stopped for a minor infringement looking very sheepish while th elocal news team got their footage
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>> Pat - I am aware of the ones in the south west (M5) area being
>> used
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8675474.stm
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Be interesting to see if they use them in the winter, a solo tractor is not something you want on slippery roads.
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The driver of the one in the OP is a very experienced lorry driver (in a past career) GB, so he should be capable of getting a unit up and down a motorway even in the snow I think.
Pat
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Watched a new (to me ) episode of Motorway Cops on BBC1 last night and much of it centred around Angus and his white lorry cab.
They pulled a driver for being on the phone driving an MRS Artic and it turned out he was 3 times the limit with open can of booze in his cab. Thought the use of the lorry was good as it was obvious from the clips shown that few lorry drivers were expecting to see a camera being pointed in their face from another lorry!
Also showed a traffic car pulling a van driver for being on the phone but they continued to charge him even though they could not find a phone in the van and for some reason, refused to search him as they didn't have the right? Found that strange but what I did't find strange was at the end of the program it said no further action was taken against the driver! So now you know what to do if stopped on your phone - deny it and hide it!
Also there were 2 separate accidents, one a lorry ran into the back of another almost obliterating it. Driver could not give any reason for it. Another, a car, overturned on the motorway, according to the passenger the driver fell asleep and they grabbed the wheel and car went out of control.
IIRC the car driver and the lorry driver got two widely different fines and penalties.
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...So now you know what to do if stopped on your phone - deny it and hide it!...
Or chuck it out the window.
Which might work if the coppers either didn't see you do that, or did see you do it, but couldn't find the phone on the verge.
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When I got stopped for using my phone in 2008 (I had a Bluetooth earpiece and was holding the handset, looking up a number to dial when they saw me) the police asked me for my mobile number and which network I was on. They gave me the impression they could look through my records later on, to find out whether I had actually been on a call at that minute.
It might have been MLC who stopped me, right area.
Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Wed 12 Jan 11 at 09:56
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"They gave me the impression"
The police aren't above putting the frighteners on to goad someone into admitting something. In a programme I watched recently they implied that the ANPR device had recorded whatever transgression the perp had committed. They said in the voice over that it wasn't recorded.
I don't have too much of a problem with that so long as it isn't outright entrapment, as I think people sometimes get caught in stings when they wouldn't necessarily have done so had undercover people not been leading them into it.
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..."They gave me the impression"...
I know of many instances in which mobile phone analysis has been used to detect more serious offences.
It is possible to discover if the phone was in use, and which cell it was using.
There's obviously some time, trouble and expense in doing that.
I don't know if the police would bother for a simple 'using the phone while driving' offence.
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>> When I got stopped for using my phone in 2008 (I had a Bluetooth earpiece
>> and was holding the handset, looking up a number to dial when they saw me)
>> the police asked me for my mobile number and which network I was on. They
>> gave me the impression they could look through my records later on, to find out
>> whether I had actually been on a call at that minute.
>>
I'm baffled by that, as it's an offence simply to hold the phone.
I understand that getting hold of the records is not at all straightforward, but isn't needed for this offence anyway.
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>> So now you know what to do if stopped on your phone - deny it and hide it!
And put it on silent, as the driver who got pulled over did.
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ANPR varies - the bog standard kit can store and record a digital "still" so in theory I suppose they use it. Forces some times piggy-back a CCTV van and ANPR vans so in theory they could record. They can't bully your phone number out of you.
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...They can't bully your phone number out of you...
But refuse to tell the police your computer password and you could end up in prison:
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/05/password-computer-teenager?CMP=twt_gu
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Someone can indeed forget his computer password.
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...Someone can indeed forget his computer password...
Yes, but the law takes a dim view when that someone is suspected of being involved in child abuse and that password is 50 characters.
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Many encryption algorithms are unbreakable in practical terms.
>> failing to disclose an encryption key, an offence covered by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. (as stated in the news link)
While I condemn child abuse, I think that guy would have got more than 4 months in jail if he had disclosed contents of his computer.
I would be interested to know if some criminals have account in a Swiss bank, whether the bank will reveal password of that account if requested by police.
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New police vehicle - Lorry. - midlifecrisis
