An accident waiting to happen.

[Chippy_Tea]

I see overloaded vehicles regularly and i wonder if the people driving them are aware they are breaking the law and worse a danger to themselves and other road users, i have to take seven hours training every year to get my CPC card as i drive a vehicle over 7,5 ton i think its time they brought it in for all van drivers (look at the picture and description at the bottom to see why)



What is the Driver CPC?
The Driver CPC was introduced in 2008 under a European Union directive. It was bought in to increase Road Safety, Professionalism and Environmental awareness amongst LGV & PCV drivers in the industry. CPC stands for The Certificate of Professional Competence.

Do I need a CPC?
If you will be driving a vehicle that is over 3.5 tonnes or holding over 9 passengers and want to receive payment for doing so, then yes you do need a CPC.

I’ve already passed my Lorry or Bus licence, do I need a CPC?
Bus and coach (PCV) drivers who hold a relevant vocational licence (D, D1, D+E and D1+E) gained before 10 September 2008, (including restricted vocational licence D(101) issued after 1991 and D1(101) issued before 1997) and lorry (LGV) drivers who obtained their licence (C, C1, C+E and C1+E) before 10 September 2009, do not need to take the initial qualification as they are deemed to hold ‘acquired rights‘. What this means is they have already acquired a good level of driving experience. However, they must still complete periodic training to maintain their Driver CPC.

Vehicle stopped today by RCVU at Sandbach. No brake lights/no tachograph/incorrect drivers licence/overloaded vehicle.Driver wanted for failing to appear. Arrested/prosecuted
@NWmwaypolice

@DVSAEnforcement
vehicle seized

 

[The Baron]

in a previous job I did corporate fleet management and held training for drivers/managers of the said companies in conjunction with the RAC. You would not believe how many companies did not even do Driving licence checks to see if they had a valid licence never mind if they had the correct category on their licence. Some crafty drivers when asked to produce their licences gave photo copies which were accepted by some transport managers, on checking them with the DVLA it was found that some of the se drivers were actually serving bans and so were not valid drivers but going back to the issue most small vehicle transporters (single car) as in the pic are allowed a maximum of 3.5 tonne and usually the transport vehicle would weigh approx 1.5 which leaves a carrying capacity of 1.5 tonne ( and this a light weight bed not a steel one which is heavier).
Now a average large family car like mondeo size will be more or less there to take it to its max so as you can see even without the trailer that vehicle has a 4x4 which would generally excede this max weight.
Now how many small single car transporters do we see every day that are carrying over the allowed weight?

 

[dad_of_jon]

lol - the clue is the blue truck on the back. cos I have an older licence I can drive up to 3.5 tonnes... thing is they dropped off the van I hired to help my daughter move flat I ended up with a merc lwb with the middle rear overhang rather than the short overhang. As a result I was only able to make a turn down a restricted lane with 1 inch to spare

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Now how many small single car transporters do we see every day that are carrying over the allowed weight?

I see them fairly regularly so you can imagine how many of them there are on the roads in the whole country.

I saw a transporter recently with a slide bed imagine how much extra weight that would have added to the vehicle i bet a small car would have taken it to its 3.5 ton max weight.

 

[The Baron]

Yes slide beds are heavy but some of them if done properly which is far and few are registered in the next category and carry a tacho. I have come across many single transporters that could legally only carry a escort/focus sized car so if you see any large estate car or 4x4 on a single transporter they will be illegal on weight alone and then there are the ones with twin rear wheel axles which are made to carry the weight but the extra axle weight takes there carrying weight even lower.
It all comes down to people not understanding the law including the police with many ignorant ( and do not mean that in a bad malicious way as it is a quite specialised section of knowledge and the average policeman will not have this) of the weight carrying laws

 

[Chippy_Tea]

ol - the clue is the blue truck on the back. cos I have an older licence I can drive up to 3.5 tonnes... thing is they dropped off the van I hired to help my daughter move flat I ended up with a merc lwb with the middle rear overhang rather than the short overhang. I ended up with the middle overhang as a result I was only able to make a turn down a restricted lane with 1 inch to spare

Here's one we have to squeeze through regularly its 6ft 6inch wide and the wagon is nearly the same, squeaky bum time the first couple of times you go through. (the bend doesn't help)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It all comes down to people not understanding the law including the police with many ignorant ( and do not mean that in a bad malicious way as it is a quite specialised section of knowledge and the average policeman will not have this) of the weight carrying laws

I agree you only see these articles on twitter when they are out actively looking for them unfortunately that seems to be a daily tweet.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

One from yesterday 2.2 ton overweight, imagine that trying to do an emergency stop

 

[mickthetrick]

some of them transit size transporters are over 3.5t gross weight the iveco sometimes are 4.5 t and over. plus the train weight is more on some. a taco is needed if over the 3.5t. my pal has a breakers yard and has a transit to collect cars and a larger hiab lorry for heavier cars, 4x4 and vans etc. they know roughly the weight of most motors they have to collect and send the right motor for the job. many many dont and overload which ive seen plenty of times.
its very dangerous

 

[Chippy_Tea]

GMP Traffic
@gmptraffic

Stopped M66 Simister island by #ME11the Transit was taken to a nearby weighbridge and found to be 21% over its gross weight as well as exceeding its rear axle weight. Fined £500 and prohibited until excess load removed
@NWmwaypolice