Anyone been pulled over while towing/driving horsebox?

Rache

Rache

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Has anyone been pulled over while towing or driving an horsebox? Where you travelling legally or a little over weight, or without the correct liesence? What did the police do? call the yard the collect the horses?

Just woundering as talking to a highway copper friend of mine and he said that unless someone is driving a trailier or horsebox in a life treatening manner, then he's been told not to pull them over and just let them get on with it, as its to much hassle and to much paperwork.

Just wondering if anyone has any stories and outcomes
 
vosa stopped us last week, after the police stopped us for a census (! bad day lol)

they asked me what weight my box was.
me- replied 7.5ton.
him - are u sure?
me - yes, you can check the plate cert in the cab -
him - no its fine. where u going?
me- vets
him- you dont need a tacho by the way.
me- no i kno. i havent got one fitted.
him - well u dont need one.
me - I KNOW!
him - are there many of these at these meetings?
me- what meetings?
him- that meetings that you go to? where are you going?
me- THE VETS!
friend- you mean horse shows?
him - yes the meetings you take the horses to.
me thinking..... no , actually, we fly the horses there by plane, what do you think!
friend (tad more sensible) yes a few.
him - ok then. bye!

i ask you ????????????!!!
and they get paid for that?? from my taxes no doubt!


ah well, could have been worse ;-)
 
It is not the police so much you have to worry about but VOSA, have been pulled a couple of times but them the first time checking weights a few years ago after leaving Hickstead at the weighbridge just before you get to the A23 at Pease Pottage, all was fine and underweight, checked around the lorry for defects and were very polite.

The most recently on the A17, a far more thorough look around the lorry, weighing, checking passports, tax, insurance, drivers licence the whole works, we were well under and lorry was fine, however sadly next to us was someone unloading two horses off a trailer, being towed by a small 4 x 4 (foreign make) that was over weight and VOSA were confiscating their car and trailer. Really wanted to offer them a lift, but didnt dare as there two would have certainly put me overweight.

VOSA are pulling no punches with the regulations, it really is not worth the risk.
 
I havnt got any mode of transport nor the funds to get one, just a little worried to what i was told.
 
* Not L, L's mum, skulking around the forums - must get her to remember her password so I can log in as myself sometimes!! *

Just to echo what Scally said, someone in our PC branch was pulled over by VOSA on a Sunday recently, they were stopping all hgvs/towing vehicles. Extremely polite but very thorough.
Wouldn't have let them proceed if they hadn't had the horse passport, and in addition to checking weight etc as Scally mentioned, also dipped the fuel.
 
Something for everybody to remember if pulled over when carrying horses on board.Under the Animal welfare act, you cannot be held more then 20 mins. If you're stuck on the motorway, you have the right to get your vehicle off there. I was told this by John Parker who helped lay out the rules for transporting horses. I think Vosa are aware off this, as I was stopped last year with two mares and foals on board, they only gave me a quick check and then sent me on my way. I don't think the police know about this though.
 
I got stopped by vosa on a weighbridge. I was underweight,but they werent the friendliest! Told me I travelled my horse with to much space and that he could fall over and break a leg! Also v.offhand with requesting passports etc.
 
scally said:
It is not the police so much you have to worry about but VOSA, have been pulled a couple of times but them the first time checking weights a few years ago after leaving Hickstead at the weighbridge just before you get to the A23 at Pease Pottage, all was fine and underweight, checked around the lorry for defects and were very polite.

The most recently on the A17, a far more thorough look around the lorry, weighing, checking passports, tax, insurance, drivers licence the whole works, we were well under and lorry was fine, however sadly next to us was someone unloading two horses off a trailer, being towed by a small 4 x 4 (foreign make) that was over weight and VOSA were confiscating their car and trailer. Really wanted to offer them a lift, but didnt dare as there two would have certainly put me overweight.

VOSA are pulling no punches with the regulations, it really is not worth the risk.
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If the car and trailer were really being confiscated ,then it was more likely Customs and excise ,and illegal use of red diesel.Vosa would put a prohibition on the vehicle(though lorrys can be confiscated for illegal use for hire and rewars without an operator license.
 
cundlegreen said:
Something for everybody to remember if pulled over when carrying horses on board.Under the Animal welfare act, you cannot be held more then 20 mins. If you're stuck on the motorway, you have the right to get your vehicle off there. I was told this by John Parker who helped lay out the rules for transporting horses. I think Vosa are aware off this, as I was stopped last year with two mares and foals on board, they only gave me a quick check and then sent me on my way. I don't think the police know about this though.
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Does this mean that horseboxes are allowed to use the hard shoulder to get off a motorway if traffic is at a standstill for more than 20 mins?? If that is the case, I think I'd carry a copy of the legislation with me as I'm sure I'd get pulled over (I never get away with anything!).
 
I've come across two people at two different shows (BD) who missed their classes because they were pulled over by VOSA on the way to the venue. Both were OK and were allowed to continue but spent quite a bit of time answering questions and getting checks.

My groom was also stopped with her trailer (no horse inside) because her indicator light was not working. They would not allow her to continue, she had to leave her trailer there and go get another bulb. If she had left the trailer overnight she would have been charged storage, but she managed to get it sorted and be on her way.
 
cundlegreen said:
Something for everybody to remember if pulled over when carrying horses on board.Under the Animal welfare act, you cannot be held more then 20 mins. If you're stuck on the motorway, you have the right to get your vehicle off there. I was told this by John Parker who helped lay out the rules for transporting horses. I think Vosa are aware off this, as I was stopped last year with two mares and foals on board, they only gave me a quick check and then sent me on my way. I don't think the police know about this though.
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We've pulled over as live near a VOSA weighbridge. They put us to the front of the queue. Weighed the vehicle, underweight, the council checked the horse passports and we have even had them do a MOT on the vehicle. We've always been fine, thank goodness. Do try to avoid going that way if I can.
 
[

My groom was also stopped with her trailer (no horse inside) because her indicator light was not working. They would not allow her to continue, she had to leave her trailer there and go get another bulb. If she had left the trailer overnight she would have been charged storage, but she managed to get it sorted and be on her way.[/QUOTE]

I always keep spare bulbs in my lorry so hopefully i can avoid that situation
 
What are the penalties if you are overweight?

I know people who regularly take 2 big horses in a 3.5 who didn't seem to think it that big a deal. If fact did not take me seriously when I suggested it might not be the best idea.
 
j1ffy said:
Does this mean that horseboxes are allowed to use the hard shoulder to get off a motorway if traffic is at a standstill for more than 20 mins?? If that is the case, I think I'd carry a copy of the legislation with me as I'm sure I'd get pulled over (I never get away with anything!).
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As far as I know, that is the case. Its something like article 22 that you have to quote. If in doubt contact John Parker of Swingletree stables in Norfolk. He knows everything about this legislation.
 
Criso I gather they can pull you over and make you make arrangements to get another trailer or lorry to take the other horse.

It would be worth a call to the local weigh bridge and get the lorry weighed with the horses on board. With of course spare lorry yo take other horse if they are over. With tack and feed and humans it is amazing how quickly it all adds up.
 
dwteam said:
Criso I gather they can pull you over and make you make arrangements to get another trailer or lorry to take the other horse.

It would be worth a call to the local weigh bridge and get the lorry weighed with the horses on board. With of course spare lorry yo take other horse if they are over. With tack and feed and humans it is amazing how quickly it all adds up.
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The case i am thinking of they are overweight.
Lorry with payload of 1.1T, 2 x 16 .2 mediumweights, they'd be lucky if the horses are under that as my tb weighs 570 kg and both the horses I am thinking are chunkier than mine and the same height.
Add in 2 passengers and all their gear the question is not are you overweight but by how much.

Problem is that hire companies advertise these boxes as 2 horse lorries up to 17hh, people hire them and put 2 big horses in them.
 
I have been stopped countless times in a lorry. Sometimes (usually) just a weighing and a quick check over, and I suspect they are checking insurance/tax online. Once a real going over of the lorry. Once I was pulled off the M4 by an unmarked police car who took me to the checkpoint on the A46 (ie I wasn't even passing it!). Once I was pulled over on the M27 (on the way to Brockenhurst ODE) by a police car who had some sort of DEFRA lady with him who checked the passports and travelling conditions of the horses.

A friend was travelling 3 horses in another mutual friend's lorry (brand new to him). They turned out to be very over-weight. Weren't allowed to continue, another friend came with their lorry, unloaded two of the horses - still overweight!! Turned out the lorry was so heavy they couldn't even carry ONE horse :eek: :mad: If you are significantly overweight or there is a problem with the lorry eg leaking diesel, you aren't allowed to continue your journey and have to make arrangements to have both vehicle and horses recovered. It's serious sh*t these days and not worth getting on the wrong side of. Luckily we've always been ok - so far...
 
we were stopped with 1 horse aboard en route to Dynes Advanced yonks ago. Unfortunately the policeman waved us over very vaguely when we were doing 40mph on a dual carriageway, my OH (who was driving) tried to go around him, policeman stepped right in front of us and emergency braking was requd. Car behind us locked up and very nearly hit us, gave us a mouthful. Nice. Good start.
They checked everything and found a rear brake light not working, and printed out an order that we couldn't go further with it faulty. I always carry new fuses and bulbs and got it working again, then their printer stopped working so they couldn't print out a new form to say we could carry on. It was farcical and I was getting SOOO stressed at being made so late. Eventually they let us go, begrudgingly, because they couldn't find anything else wrong.

I also got stopped on house-moving day, with 2 horses on, all the hens in a box in the other partition, and living crammed with stuff (so couldn't get in that way to show the horses were okay.) Policeman made me stop on the inside of a tight bend, saw 3 near misses of cars trying to pass the horsebox vs oncoming traffic, until I suggested we move...! Then the animal welfare people who were with the policeman wanted me to drop the ramp and get the horses out on the A47. Yeah, right. Unfortunately the passports were in the other lorry, which had left me behind when I got stopped... argh. Again, it got rather farcical.
I would never overload the lorry, just not worth the risk. I got my lorry weighed unladen before purchase.
 
Just wanted to point out to everyone that if you end up with a Prohibition Notice on your lorry that your Recovery companies will not recover the vehicle. However Some recovery companies will come out but will invoice you for the recovery.:eek:

I found this out a few weeks ago when my LHS back brake leaked, luckily for me i didnt have horses with me but it cost £150+ to get the lorry recovered as my breakdown recovery wouldnt come out as Lorry had a Prohibition notice slapped on it. You will find this info in your T&C's i have talked to all the main recovery companies that recovery horseboxes & it's a standard T & C clause.

It was something i was un-aware of & Vosa being so short of money these days are getting very slap happy with Prohibition notices according to the company the recovered my truck.
 
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dressagecrazy said:
Just wanted to point out to everyone that if you end up with a Prohibition Notice on your lorry that your Recovery companies will not recover the vehicle. However Some recovery companies will come out but will invoice you for the recovery.:eek:

I found this out a few weeks ago when my LHS back brake leaked, luckily for me i didnt have horses with me but it cost £150+ to get the lorry recovered as my breakdown recovery wouldnt come out as Lorry had a Prohibition notice slapped on it. You will find this info in your T&C's i have talked to all the main recovery companies that recovery horseboxes & it's a standard T & C clause.

It was something i was un-aware of & Vosa being so short of money these days are getting very slap happy with Prohibition notices according to the company the recovered my truck.
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something will have to "give" with VOSA soon because some of the storys im hearing at work from very respectable haulage people,they are fed up with them being totaly unreasonble about minor faults just to fine or show what a good job they are doing , or otherwise there is going to be major trouble and they will lose respect and the confidence of the people who they are supposed to serve and it will turn nasty for them, The haulage industry is a vital part of the wider economy and it wont put up with being messed about for very long...
 
dressagecrazy said:
Just wanted to point out to everyone that if you end up with a Prohibition Notice on your lorry that your Recovery companies will not recover the vehicle. However Some recovery companies will come out but will invoice you for the recovery.:eek:

I found this out a few weeks ago when my LHS back brake leaked, luckily for me i didnt have horses with me but it cost £150+ to get the lorry recovered as my breakdown recovery wouldnt come out as Lorry had a Prohibition notice slapped on it. You will find this info in your T&C's i have talked to all the main recovery companies that recovery horseboxes & it's a standard T & C clause.

It was something i was un-aware of & Vosa being so short of money these days are getting very slap happy with Prohibition notices according to the company the recovered my truck.
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I am not quite sure how you think VOSA make any money out of prohibition notices.In fact they cost VOSA money .A prohibition is cleared free of charge.
 
Mike007 said:
I am not quite sure how you think VOSA make any money out of prohibition notices.In fact they cost VOSA money .A prohibition is cleared free of charge.
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I wasnt actually saying that Vosa make money out of Prohibition notices, but they are becoming a law unto themselves. Im also not saying prohibitions aren't warrented before i get jumped on again.

I only posted to make members aware that there recovery companies may not recover them if they got a Prohibition notice. Like everything on here people pick out bit's of people post that they want to be funny about, not sure what people get out of it!!! Should of kept my information to myself.

I guess you work for Vosa???
 
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My impression, for what it's worth, is that VOSA are out in force here and giving out a lot of fines. Whether all of them are merited or whether it's a money making exercise who knows? I know what I would do if I had a 22.5 million debt to clear...
 
If it makes you feel any better the RTA (VOSA equivalent I believe) are just as bad here.

With VOSA regularly checking up on everything you know that you need to have all the paperwork with you and spare fuses etc.
Here they do random crack downs, there was a weekend late last year with lots of comps on round the state, the RTA and police suddenly rocked up at several venues to inspect all vehicles and paper work. It caused total mayhem, about 90% of competitors didn't have their ownership papers on them, about 50% were delcared over weight and everyone was told they couldn't take their horses off the showgrounds till they produced ownership papers and/or got a suitable towing vehicle. As 'home' for most was around 100km away and for some over 300kms away people were not impressed!

But the RTA's 'pie de resistance' was this March - main higway North from Syd is 3 lanes each way, and in places the only road North due to national park/ steep ravines etc and alot of people commute in along it. There was a bad smash between to large lorries at 10AM. At 5PM when people wanted to go home the road was still blocked, contraflow had not been put in place, nor had any signs warning people turning on to the M3 that it was blocked.
People were stuck on the motorway and couldn't get off, truck drivers here are required to have a break every 3 hrs and stop for a sleep every 7hrs +/-, monitored by a tachometer (?). Well some poor buggers having spent all day in the traffic jam, on arrival at there destination 12hrs late were issued with a large fine for not taking their required breaks :o ....the press had a field day with that one :)
 
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