Just had a conversation with a member of the family who relayed a stop incident by VOSA of a friend last week.
Basically the chap concerned was driving a truck and had a routine stop by a VOSA vehicle, i will not state an area at this point.
Straight away the attitude was bullying and intimidating, he was ordered to get out, which was fine but could have been phrased better.
However the VOSA chap started to rifle through the drivers personal belongings and when the driver asked why was told to 'effin shut it, you're scum and we're in charge here', and other such niceties decorated with foul abusive language.
During this tirade the other members of the Vosa vehicle found this quite amusing.
My family member has suggested with others that the driver should make a complaint, but the driver concerned feels with a number of onside witnesses that it may well be a waste of time and it's possible he feels intimidated too, he was alone.
Knowing the person concerned this is unlikely to be exaggerated and the driver is not a trouble maker or liar.
In all my years on the road i have never been spoken to in such a way by any of our various road enforcement officers quite the opposite in fact, and i'm not really sure how i'd react.
How could/should this be handled if the driver is persuaded by others to make a complaint.
|
Is there a way, through truckers forums etc of finding out if others have been the victim of this abuse at the same checkpoint on the same day ?
Of course the chap should complain. No one should have to tolerate such unreasonable behaviour but his complaint would, I'm afraid, be successfully denied by the people concerned if it were an isolated one. A number of complaints about the same team from a variety of sources would be far more likely to result in an appropriate response and hopefully at least a disciplinary action.
You must feel very angry on his behalf GB. I know I would.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 19:36
|
i had a similar thing the other week GBim still fuming,i was made to feel like a criminal and all my details were taken by both the police and british transport police
nothing wrong with my truck either
|
I would have held my mobile phone up and told them that I was videoing the proceedings, including his mates, their van, and its reg number. whether the phone was capable of it or not. From the story I assume they can stop you without a police presence. Also an immediate call to the police as he was being intimidated (threatened).
Car dealers are fair game. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 19:42
|
|
Yes they can stop you, but they have NO powers to go through your personal belongings.
|
Definitely complain - tinyurl.com/3xcocq5
Do you think it should be reported to the police as an assault? Not joking. If that's the way the system works it may be the best way of getting attention rather than it being swept under the carpet.
JH
|
>> Basically the chap concerned was driving a truck and had a routine stop
>> Straight away the attitude was bullying and intimidating, he was ordered to get out, which
>> was fine but could have been phrased better.
>> However the VOSA chap started to rifle through the drivers personal belongings
Sounds more like a personal assault to me than a routine stop. Has this guy had any dealings with the driver before? Have they exchanged niceties in the past or never seen each other until now?
If it's the latter then the VOSA guy should be sacked and the other chickens given a stern talking to, I know how I'd react, but it's not legal and I would end up in prison.
Report it, no one should have to be spoken to like that, when they're just trying to do their job.
Last edited by: corax on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 20:47
|
If a man dies after being pushed over by a police officer and no charges are brought against him,
what are you going to achieve by bellyaching about a bit of harsh language, apart from getting the coppers backs up.
|
|
Like to see them try it with me (or Pat come to that).
|
A formal complaint will do no harm and, notwithstanding the issues over lack of witnesses, it may do some good. I also agree with the suggestion of using truckers forums to see if others pulled in the same spot were treated in a similarly rude and discourteous way. If the first attempt is parried make sure to follow it up using the process which will be outlined on VOSA's website.
Most public sector organisations these days have been compelled to adopt complaints systems that will identify trends (e.g. with locations, times and people). I'd certainly be acting pretty quick if I got that sort of complaint about a member of my staff.
|
Unfortunately many of those who become public servants forget they are there to provide a service to us and that we are not there to become playthings in their Stasi inspired fantasy.
The rot set in when many of these minions were given powers above their abilities, comprehension or understanding, couple this to their deep seated personal insecurities, the fact they were often bullied at school or posees many rampant social inadaquacies and bingo, the situation described the OP will arise.
I read with despair elsewhere where some jobsworth deemed it within their powers to inspect school lunch boxes whilst the children were in class, photograph the contents and ahem "give advice" by letter where they felt the contents did not comply to their idea of nutrition.
Such people should be........................snip..............
As always
Mark
Not on this forum please
Last edited by: Pugugly on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 22:53
|
Hee hee! A bit OTT Mark but I agree with the sense of incredulity, stupidity etc that you are voicing plus a wish to (gently and politely) point out the error of their ways. And then shoot 'em if they do it again!
There's an expression that I can't bring to mind at the moment, bureuacratic incompetents or something.
JH
|
Thanks for the views and responses, it seems amazing to me that such a person ever got through the selection process, and quite why he appears to be incharge of/supervising/training (heaven forbid) of recruits seems doubly incredulous.
All points noted thanks, some good suggestions too, from BB's post this just might be a similar area'ish.
I shall telephone my relation tomorrow and tell them about the general feelings here, and relay the views, they can also have a nosey for themselves.
To be honest i'm rather shocked at the abusive nature of the pull, as far as i'm aware there was no faults or offences found at any point.
As i said in the OP, i've always found VOSA, the Police, Customs and Excise and HA etc reasonable fair and polite in any dealings i've had with them over many years, and i daresay the vast majority of decent people found in those and similar jobs would be disgusted by this behaviour.
Edit, it wasn't a checkpoint, it was a road pull by a VOSA MPV with a number of people on board seemingly under the leadership of this unpleasant man.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 22:23
|
|
Lets also hope that someone in authority at VOSA reads this site or HGV forums if it is discussed there.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 22:28
|
Unfortunately I have had quite a bit of professional exposure over the years to most of the Public Sector Departments, Agencies and Bodies.
However I usually appear in connection with the re-structuring of public sector organisations which as the owner of a private company can be most amusing,
I do recall a scenario where 4 very similar public organisations were to be merged and I met the Chief Execs to look at how this might take place. I was amazed to see that everyone was dispensable except for them and that their proposed structure for going forward contained 4 CEO posts. Strangely enough I ended up recommending and implimenting a process where they all applied for one new job in competition with outside parties, it was a shame none of them were competent enough to get the new post.
It is the same dealing with "indispensables" in middle or senior grades in Local Authorities or the Civil Service, they were convinced the world would stop on its axis if their important activities were curtailed often suggesting it was only due to their personal competence that UK PLC was still a viable concern.
6 months or a year after they were consigned to the dustbin of history their department still functions but it is frightening to think they were so crucial as this attitude carried over into how they deal with us the little people.
It is the same with the fag gestapo, parking enforcement officers, SCPs and PCSOs that their powers are minimal, we should seek every opportunity to remind these inadequates of this and to laugh in their faces. snip
As always
Mark
Last edited by: Pugugly on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 22:55
|
The previous entries by "Mark" have been snipped of their content encouraging the murder of public servants. But the remaining material contains rather bizarre comments that imply all of certain public servants are defective. I repeat my earlier comment, now expunged, that this guy might have an agenda outwith a motoring sphere. The site rules include:
"9.1 You must not submit any material to our Site that:
9.1.1 is:
9.1.1.1 defamatory, malicious, threatening, false, misleading, offensive, abusive, discriminatory, harassing, blasphemous or racist,"
|
Norton
Sorry if you have taken my comments seriously, much was TIC
I am expressing sympathy with OP that in my direct experience there are many officious public servants who do not see themselves as such.
Indeed it is there wont to "inflict" or "enforce" themselves upon us rather than to serve us, these are the types who will produce a list of rules or regulations to enforce rather than try to think about the situation they are in.
This has unfortunately been a growth area in the last 15 years and I have had the misfortune of meeting many 100s if not 1000s who now have no concept of the notion of public service and feel they should enforce enforce enforce rather than serve
I suggest you take a look at some of the remedies Jeremy Clarkson recommends for officious officials if you think I overstepped the mark
As always
Mark
Last edited by: Mark on Sat 24 Jul 10 at 23:35
|
If this VOSA guy were a colleague of mine, I would be having a very hard word with him, even more so if he were my boss.
As for the driver, I would make a written complaint, without worrying too much about what VOSA do about it.
If this guy's attitude is as bad as we are told, it might not be long before he is filled in, although many bullies will instinctively shy away from a someone who will give as good as they get.
|
>> Unfortunately I have had quite a bit of professional exposure over the years to most
>> of the Public Sector Departments, Agencies and Bodies.
>>
>> However I usually appear in connection with the re-structuring of public sector organisations which as
>> the owner of a private company can be most amusing,
>>
>> I do recall a scenario where 4 very similar public organisations were to be merged
>> and I met the Chief Execs to look at how this might take place. I
>> was amazed to see that everyone was dispensable except for them and that their proposed
>> structure for going forward contained 4 CEO posts.
>>
>> It is the same with the fag gestapo, parking enforcement officers, SCPs and PCSOs that
>> their powers are minimal, we should seek every opportunity to remind these inadequates of this
>> and to laugh in their faces.
lol what a complete load of cobblers.............no successful private company working in the public sector would let you within spitting distance of a client, never mind give you a job...so go on prove me wrong, tell us who you are and/or which public sector organisations you have 'helped' restructure? I cannot wait to find out..............:)
|
...so go on prove me wrong, tell us who you are and/or which public sector organisations you have 'helped' restructure?...
Yes, I thought Mark's post was too good to be true.
|
Unfortunately as a public servant who's had some encounters with contracted 'restructurers' I can believe Mark is real.
|
Interesting problem GB. Do VOSA have to keep records of ' Pulls ' ?
I wonder if this guy was acting as some sort of instructor, with a van full of recruits, and showing off to them what a hard man he was.
As mentioned, if he carries on, someone will give him a flat nose !
Ted
|
>> I wonder if this guy was acting as some sort of instructor, with a van
>> full of recruits, and showing off to them what a hard man he was.
That's exactly how it was told to me Ted, sounds like he needs a nose job, pity for some decent chap to get nicked though.
Ball's in the driver's court now, thanks for all input, whether he'll make the complaint i don't know, if he does i'll keep you all posted.
It's not often everyone here is in agreement, just shows how far out of touch this ill mannered wretch is.
|
Vosa stop abusive, what to do. - Runfer D'Hills
