Turkish delights
Page 46
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A s an international haulier
I have been somewhat perturbed over the past couple of years by the number of Turkish-owned. Turkishdriven, but British-registered trucks operating to Turkey. It would seem that they do not come into England very often, if at all, as they can often be seen on the other side of the Channel waiting for trailers. They appear to be exempt from displaying a valid tax disc or Operator's Licence and some, at least, do not have a "green card" for Bulgaria-or indeed for anywhere else. Does a Turkish national not need a work permit to drive a British truck? Does he not need a British or a European driving licence-and who is supplying these vehicles with their Turkish permits?
On my last trip I also saw two Romanian owned and driven trucks in Istanbul on British plates. Where did they get their permits? If it is too difficult for the British authorities to catch these people, perhaps their German counterparts could help them.
After all, I am sure they would be interested in potentially uninsured international drivers and trucks, and untested (how can they be when they do not come into England?) trucks trundling up and down their motorways.
Name and address supplied.
Not relevant
T wish to make it clear that 1 comments and criticisms made in my Sound Offarticle bear no relation or relevance to the company lam associated with at present, nor when the article was penned.
I would also like to apologise for any embarrassment or inconvenience the remarks may have caused.
Glenn Johnson Attleborough, Norfolk.
Too soft on thieves?
uclging by your article on
truck thefts I must be unusual because after more than 10 years in the game I haven't yet lost a truck (CM1521 April).
But should I really count myself as lucky? If I was running a bank or a post office I probably wouldn't be surprised because no-one had come in and robbed me. But even my single secondhand tractor must still be worth more than £10,000, even in the recession, and judging by newspaper reports plenty of post offices get robbed for much less than that.
The difference is that if a bank or post office is robbed the police and public take it very seriously. I get the idea that when a truck, even a brand new £60,000 premium tractor unit, is stolen no-one except for the owner, and maybe other truckers, takes it seriously Your magazine seems to be
doing its bit with the Crimefine articles, but the police don't see truck theft as a serious crime and the insurance companies are only interested in delaying paying out as long as they cum
You said in your article that we need a national police team to crack down on truck theft. What we also need is to treat these vermin the way we would the villains who hold up banks and post offices.
That means targeting the gangs and when they're caught locking them up for a long time.
Dave Walker Dungeness, Kent.
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