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'Can't excessive wear be measured in mm?'
Page 44
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LACK of recognized standards for use in deciding when vehicle wear had become excessive was criticized by Mr. J. B. T. Loudon, solicitor, when he appeared before Mr. A. B. Birnie, the Scottish LA, in Edinburgh on Friday.
John Monteith Ltd., Dalkeith, Midlothian, had been called to show cause why its C licence should not be revoked, suspended or curtailed under Section 178. After evidence by an MoT inspector who examined three vans and four tippers and issued four delayed and three innnediate CrV9s, Mr. Birnie suspended one vehicle—a tipper—for four months.
Mr. Birnie also refused an application by the same firm for a B licence for a tipper.
The MoT inspector, Mr. W. R. S. Soutar, said that of the three immediate prohibitions, two vehicles had excessive wear on the nearside and offside king pins and bushes. The handbrake was ineffective, and the steering wheel loose on the steering shaft. In his opinion most of the defects had occurred over a period.
Cross-examining Mr. Soutar, Mr. Loudon asked: "Are there any laid down standards on the point at which there is such ex cessive wear that the vehicles become dangerous? Is it not possible for you to use instruments? Can you give the wear in millimetres? Could we have something to go by?
"We have two engineers looking at the vehicles—one apparently advising his directors that it is all right and you saying there is excessive play. There seems to be so much difference of opinion about these things."
Mr. Soutar replied: "I will admit we get this all along the line, irrespective of what we think is excessive wear. But to examine a vehicle, and to dismantle every part and measure pins, bushes, etc., would take a colossal time."
Mr. Loudon said his client had his own workshop, blacksmith shop and mechanics. He submitted that the directors had taken reasonable steps on maintenance. As to the inspection of vehicles, he said: "Unless you have some facts to go on, it is apparently just the question of one man's opinion against another man's whether the play on a vehicle part is sufficiently excessive to put, the vehicle off the road there and then."