BlkKnight

Hi Guys,

I don't usually post these "please can you vote /sign" threads, but on this occasion I believe it has merit - rather than just to help someone win something.

A friend of mine lost her brother due to a foreign HGV driver driving on the wrong side of the road round a blind bend.

Please can you sign this govt e-petition which has the aim to regulate foreign drivers minimum standard of driving and equipment.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46875

Thanks in advance.

Jason

Dr Hu

I drive the M6 every day - pretty much every accident you see on the Motorway Network involving a car & lorry is a foreign plated lorry these days... mostly side swipes & spin into barriers.

I would say I see at least 2 a week minimum.

RA Dunk

Signed.

billythekid

Whilst this is a terrible incident and I feel for them, the actual suggestions in the petition are not perhaps well guided / informed.

All goods drivers undergo very similar training in the whole of the EU.

This includes.

1.Extended testing for each entitlement, C1, C and C+E. (i.e theory and practical for each licence with C and C+E being non combined)
2.Periodic training - 40 hours every 5 years. (compulsory from 2014).
3.EU drivers hours rules strictly limit the hours drivers can drive with any vehicle post 2006 having a digital tachograph.
4.Medicals to obtain licence, and repeat medicals from the age of 45 years old every 5 years plus yearly once past 65.

The majority of the public have no idea that any of this happens, and if your average car driver had to jump through these hoops you would have a lot less cars on the road! Truck drivers must also have a minimum of 45 hours rest in any 7 day period - which is more than most people who work shifts or full time jobs ever get. Did you know a pilot can work for upto 16 hours a day with 8 hours of that in the air.. but a truck driver can only work or drive for 9 hours a day... (extended to 10 hours twice a week)... think about that next time you get on a plane..

On top of that, any company that operates within the EU must have an international operators licence - which is quite a serious bit of paper to obtain. Even small to medium size fleets can require £100k+ in funds available just to get their licence. Again most people have no idea.

Then there is the maintenance, which on most fleets will be 5 or 6 week inspection intervals - thats the truck off the road for a day every 5 to 6 weeks.

As for tachographs, the new smart tachos wont make much difference on the existing ones TBH. All it means is that the start and end location will be done for the driver, and there will no doubt be an element of "black box" recording for GPS location - but again this is redundant as most modern fleets are packed to the hilt with GPS tracking / black box / data / cctv etc etc.

I can see where they are coming from as their loved one has been killed but its already a legislative minefield and I think they would maybe get a better response by perhaps looking at other issues.

Finally - there is a new EU tax ruling due to come in soon, which means all HGVs from abroad will have to pay about £1k to drive on UK roads. BUT due to the reverse agreement with the EU on LGVs UK trucks also have to pay- there is meant to be some kind of rebate.

In other words, if you apply any changes to EU drivers they also apply to all UK drivers..

HTH.

STEVEBOXER

I have signed 👍

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

Don't think it's coincidence that this guy was foreign too...

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/...needed_sleep_/

Dave1980

signed

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Whilst I feel sorry for the OP
& I also know there is a standard to address , with Turkish plated HGV'S usually been the worst offenders ( not just driving but maintenance & safety checks )

But your statement , although part correct
- but - you will find most motorway side swipes are caused by car drivers undertaking , sitting in blind spots , joining motorways from on ramps & giving no regard to the goods vehicle

Sure it's allways the lorrys fault in JO publics eye
But at least it's regulated & in this day & age if you have more than 1 or 2 incidents in a 5 year period your
Most likely to loose your job
Be standing in front of the traffic commissioner

What can you say about car drivers ?
Well look around day 2 day how many do you see , laugh at , or just plain say 2 yourself **** me shouldn't be driving

Back to the OP
I'm in this industry , & changes have been made regarding foreign freight
I'm truly sorry for your loss
& I for one would gladly welcome a reduction to this invasion
As most of our UK Haulage is turning into salt as we can't compete with lower European fuel , tax & transportation costs .
Also out exportation profit margins are very poor .

If you believe the hype
In around 10 years general haulage will be a monopoly with around 2 or 3 players
Ie. stobbart & norbert dentresangle controlling the logistics & supply
& with most small haulage firms having to sub contract from thease to gain the job or turning to different aspects like heavy haulage & non perishables .
Either way its goin to get a lot worse before it gets better ...

Regards

Luan Pra bang

All this stuff about the training of eu drivers is rubbish. I can get an EE License for an HGV posted to my home with no problems at all. You don't even need to have ever even sat in an HGV. I used to see Spanish drivers walk in the warehouse throwing empty beer cans or wine bottles in the bin, some of them arrived up to two days early so I know full well that 12-15 years ago they did not give a f*ck about tachos as the UK Police could do nothing about it when caught.
I would like to see some crash stats though, are foreign HGV drivers more likely to crash than UK drivers ?

billythekid

If you can get a matching numbers DL C+E, Digital T/Card and a Driver CPC card - without doing any tests etc.. I will eat my hat.

mrmadcap

Yes you are correct, i got a licence to fly a Boieing 747 by just saving up four tokens that appeared in the Daily Sport.

nick172sport

iTrader: (6)

signed im a driver

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

Signed. All this stuff about strict regulations in the EU would be fine, if it was actually enforceable (or enforced), but all that happens if they get caught flouting the rules is they scarper off back home.

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

^
That simply isn't the case anymore
Vosa enforce a much tougher approach I can guarentee .
You will be arrested , documents checked , vehicle impounded etc etc until your proven name , nationality & residence is proven
... Then depending on what has taken place
The appr fine or court app will ensue just like a UK driver

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I understand the sentiments of all this on both sides:

Only this afternoon I drove round a bend to be faced with a HGV coming head on at me. My initial thoughts are, why is he on my side of the road? What a idiot, a manic, is he trying to kill me?!

Ahh, not so.

What really happened was some huge woman in a Micra (god knows how she fitted in there) with milk-bottle glasses had half-pulled out of a junction into the HGV's path. The HGV had nowhere to go and had to swerve around her to avoid hitting her. A laden HGV isn't going to stop on a penny, she's damn lucky it managed to swerve enough to avoid her.

Of course, I calmly yet quickly stopped as far to left as I could, ready to mount the pavement to allow the HGV to squeeze through...I wonder how many car drivers would have just froze in panic when faced with danger?

After the HGV had sorted himself out and I carried on, I drove past the massive micra woman, still there with her car halfway across the road looking completely gormless (think Kathy Burke as Waynetta). It just confirms what I already know, there are people using the UK's roads that should not be using them, regardless of the type of vehicle they are driving. Legislation on foriegn drivers IMO is just a small part of the big picture.

DARB

Not work, just drive for 9 and 10, a few weeks ago I worked 6 consecutive 15 hour shifts

billythekid

So how do you record this 90 hours work?

POA? Other work?

Are you even recording it at all?

How many hours in the 90 hours did you drive an in scope vehicle?

richyprodrive1988

I am an HGV technician and I have to say that vehicles from abroad are of very low quality and poorly maintained. I'm not sure what the rules are regarding MOTs are outside the uk but they must be nowhere near as strict as what we have over here. You just need to follow these vehicles to see they belong on the scrap heap

stevie boy

but are you counting split rests as full shifts? as at least 3 of the 6 will then be 12 hour shifts.

unless you've broke down etc 3 times on the last 3 days after using your 3 9's on the first 3 days

DARB

^^^ this

Roughly 6 hrs driving 1 hr other work and the rest on the bed getting some well earned shut eye

I know that technically they are 12 hour shifts, but if I clock on at 10pm and then clock off 1pm then that's a 15 hr shift

Here's a typical chart for my shift