LETHAL MACHINE FOR HIRE • I wish to express my
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concern and to inform you (if you don't already know) of serious loopholes in the HGV driving and tachograph laws which you may be able to help alter.
I took and passed the HGV test when it was introduced in about 1970. I left the haulage business shortly after and have not been in an HGV cab since. A few weeks ago, to help my company relocate, I went to hire a 16-tonne GVW HGV and was amazed how easy it was to hire this great monster when for the past 17 years all I have driven is a car. Surely it is not in the best interests of road safety that someone can jump into the cab of these vehicles without any test of competence or relevant recent experience. Also, I had never even seen a tachograph, let alone know how to use one, and know little of the laws relating to its use.
On returning the vehicle to the hire centre I was amazed no one wanted my tachograph sheet and I was allowed to do as I wished with it. Incidentally, the cab was littered with discarded tachograph sheets. This happened at three different companies so it is obviously normal procedure.
I could have driven for 24 hours at any speed and, bearing in mind my lack of experience of handling a 16-tonne, 12m-long, fully-laden HGV, this could have been a lethal machine.
I think this makes a mockery of the tachograph laws because I understand a legitimate hauler and its drivers have to abide by the strict regulations governing drivers' hours, speeds and rest periods and so on, whereas anyone with the relevant licence can hire a vehicle indefinitely with no risk of prosecution, apart from a spot check. What's to say a driver of a hire vehicle, due to lack of experience, speed fatigue or driving illegally long hours, has not already caused an accident, maimed or even killed someone?
W Beckett Sheffield