T his weekend I attended 1 the Great Dorset Steam Fair.
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Many CM readers no doubt did the same, despite the high admission charge (£7.50 each). It is possibly the greatest show on earth with hundreds of historic lorries.
Attending the show, was Dorset Trading Standards in a large truck-based stand owned by Dorset County Council. On the front of the stand was a competition. There was a large block of crushed drink cans—a cube like a crushed car. You had to guess how many cans were in the cube.
Easy! The Holmes children wanted a guess, so I enquired how they, Trading Standards, would know the exact number of cans in the cube? I was amazed at the answer. They would weigh a single can and the cube to find out how many cans in the cube.
I pointed out that as each can was a different product and as the sizes varied, they couldn't be certain of the number.
I told them my story. I once sent a lorry to collect some books for export. The printer assured us that they had weighed one book, multiplied it by thousands, added 20 pallets and some cling wrap and we had our weight.
We made the collection but, on arrival at Heathrow, we weighed the pallets. I was staggered to be 30% overloaded.
My shipper had failed to realise that each book varied in thickness! They had failed to realise the books were not all the same.
Result, I could have faced a serious prosecution. This happened many years ago but I did point out to Dorset TS that its competition and my experience proved these things are easy to get wrong.
Next time they checkweigh a lorry, perhaps they will be more understanding.
I also pointed out that the purpose of the stand was how they protect us, the public, with weights and measures.
The TS didn't seem impressed, telling me it was "only a bit of fun!" Westcountry hauliers, next time you have a vehicle weighed, remember, it may be serious to you, but to them it's only a bit of fun.
I might also point out, my firm has been very cautious since.
David Holmes, Holmes of Heathrow, Middlesex.