M11 police pulling over horseboxes

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HHnewsdesk

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Were any forumers among the 26 horseboxes pulled over and checked by VOSA, police and animal health last week (23 Feb) at junction 7 of the M11.
We have been contacted by one driver who was given very misleading info and I'm keen to find out if others were too.
Many thanks
Charlotte, deputy news ed
charlotte_white@ipcmedia.com and 020 314 84553
 
I have never been stopped but for years(10 at least) been a pull over layby for DVLA checks etc along the A120 coming up to the M11 Junct 7 from Bishop Stortford. I understood they were looking at a lot of trailer/farm machinery etc that has high risk theft. They are always stopping HGVs. So am not suprised, seems quite a regular occurance at this stretch. I have a very legitimate quad and I have been pulled over and dont mind as it could be mine thats been stolen.

Whats misleading information then? You have to explain this statement not be sensationalist or are you looking for a story line?

How about anyone have a good experience being stopped?
 
I don't see what the issue is?

Surely it's a good thing to be stopped, the condition of you wagon checked etc to prevent a horrendous accident...?!
 
If you read the OP, the problem is being given misleading info.
If it is the user in CR, she had no issues about being stopped but there was a disparity in what she'd been told and what others were led to believe.
 
milesjess said:
I don't see what the issue is?

Surely it's a good thing to be stopped, the condition of you wagon checked etc to prevent a horrendous accident...?!
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Sort of agree however some of the vosa people dont know the laws fully and are also very good at acting like little Hitlers even for minor ofences , mecanical defects like dirty spraysupression , a marker light out ect ...
 
i have tried sitting on my hands to not write this but i cant.
I really do think that its very important that these spot checks take place. In the past i have been in a car struck by a piece of wood falling off an aged horse box.
On the other hand it has to be said that if vosa can t give the correct information they should be trained up before doing the checks.
anyone disputing the hitler like nature of some vosa officers might like to hear some of the horror stories that proffesional drivers can tell them.
My oh has just made a complaint and the vosa investigation into this consisted of interviewing their officers and backing them up without evan listening to my oh and his witness.fortunately the whole incident was captured on cctv and they seem to have changed their tune now that he have told them this.. and interestingly they haven t approached the services for the cctv footage.
My oh will now ask to tape any further conversations with vosa .. he has been pulled about four or five times in the last 6 months and although it is an inconvenience he does nt dispute the importance of the checks.. most of the vosa officials are polite and informative..but there are some proper little monsters in amongst them as there is in all walks of life.
before i get any slating for the condition of his present vehicle it is 2 months old and serviced two weeks ago.
 
Bloody stupid thing to do if you ask me pulling over a horsebox on the motorway.

What happens if its on a life or death mission to Newmarket???

what happens if the horses start to panic or stressed waiting inside start kicking the boxes?:mad::mad:
 
It's about time VOSA and the Police took a more proactive approach in to pulling horse boxes over... Sick of hearing the excuses that VOSA are under staffed, budget cut's have taken place. The amount of horse boxes that are parked up for months and months on end and then are taken out to the odd show without the owner even giving them a lick over and checking the most straight forward obvious daily checks is unreal...

In the last 3 months I have seen 6 on the hard shoulder with their hazzards flashing, now in fairness, they could of been stopped there for any reason but I wouldn't stop on the HS unless it was an emergency... so asusming they have broken down, they probably havn't checked the most basics, oil, water, wheels etc...

I'm all for VOSA and the Police pulling HB's over, there are some serious looking death traps out there...
 
Leviathan said:
but surely thats why you have a plating / MOT every year??????:confused:
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Not realy and if people think this its very bad news !!! all it means is your vehicle met the required standard on that day, not its been tested and its ok for me to drive around without a care in the world untill the next mot!!!
all vehicles need regular checks by the owner/driver or they should employ the services of someone to check it every few weeks if they are too stupid to do basic daily checks themself.. maybe they are finding alot of horseboxes have faults and or overloading hence more checks !!!
 
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they don t actually stop them on the motorway...they have approved checkpoints and weighbridges.

posted in reply to leviathan
 
I was stopped by PC Plod last year because the trailer back lights were not working. This was a hired trailer from a reputable company too.

These things get missed, and I was glad he stopped me.

They were quite thorough - checked tyres, breakaway cable and my towing vehicle.

The younger one asked about passports, and they were in the car but I refused to show them. :)

He got a wee bit sniffy and asked why - and I told him I only needed to show passports if they were changing place of residence or ownership, going to an affiliated competition because they'll ask for it, to the vets or for slaughter. We were going to the beach for a leisure ride and didn't need to show it to anyone.

We showed them anyway, but it was interesting to see that he knew about the passport and that we should have one, and that he should ask about it, but not any details of the relevant legislation.

I wonder what he would have done if we didn't have one?

The older PC spent his time scratching horse's nose and talking to him and wasn't that bothered!

P.S> my mate got a 3 point and £30 fine for not having done up his breakaway cable. It was there, just not on.
 
I often forget my passports :o What does happen if you're caught without? Everything else is ship shape, or at least should be and I do check lights every time we leave the yard and always hitch up properly so I'm doing my best but I am a scatter brain. Would hate points just for being absent minded when on the whole I do the best I can :eek:
 
As much as it would annoy me (and had they stopped us on our last nightmare trip they would have got an earful...) there was a box locally taken out onto an A-road roandabout, where the back floor collapsed and lost half the horse into the car behind - being pulled and the hassle would have been a far better outcome.

The people pulling should know the laws very well though and should know animals.

Pan
 
Whats all this about stopping them ON the motorway !!

Thay were pulled off at J7 M11 and as you can se from THIS GOOGLE MAP LINK there is a designated place for safely doing all the checks in the middle of the roundabout

Does anyone relly think that the authorities choose to stop vehicles carrying animals on the hard shoulder and put all concerned at risk?
 
Sorry all if you misunderstood what I posted.
My issue is not with the spotchecks — which were done safely in the special area at Junc7 — but with the wrong info given to a lady who contacted me.
She was told she needed a certificate of competence when she does not as she is a private driver.
I was just trying to find out whether anyone else was stopped in the same activity.
And yes I am writing a story — the clue's in the name!
 
ROG said:
Whats all this about stopping them ON the motorway !!

Thay were pulled off at J7 M11 and as you can se from THIS GOOGLE MAP LINK there is a designated place for safely doing all the checks in the middle of the roundabout

Does anyone relly think that the authorities choose to stop vehicles carrying animals on the hard shoulder and put all concerned at risk?
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Yep, me. I was pulled up (and breathalysed ffs) for driving too slowly. Layby wasn't even full width.
 
I would be good if they did something about cars pulling trailers that are too heavy for the towing vehicle as well. All trailers should have a plate from the manufacturer (even mine which is 25 years old, is in perfect condition), showing the weights. I see heavy Ifors being towed by middle size saloon cars. Knowing the weight of my friends Ifor, there is now way it's legal.
 
pip6 said:
I would be good if they did something about cars pulling trailers that are too heavy for the towing vehicle as well. All trailers should have a plate from the manufacturer (even mine which is 25 years old, is in perfect condition), showing the weights. I see heavy Ifors being towed by middle size saloon cars. Knowing the weight of my friends Ifor, there is now way it's legal.
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If the set up looks iffy they do pull them

A standard saloon can have a towing capacity of 2000 so an IFOR which weighs 1000 empty with a 1000 load in it will be legal on a B+E licence BUT if the driver looks under age 35 then the police, not VOSA, might pull them for a licence check
 
HHnewsdesk said:
She was told she needed a certificate of competence when she does not as she is a private driver.
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I found the certificate of competence issue covered on a PDF by ..... VOSA
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/Horsebox Guide low res.pdf
page 19 of 26


1) Certificate of Competence
for the handling and
transportation of horses
Regulation (EC) 1/2005 applies to those people that transport horses in connection with a business or trade. The regulations don’t apply to those who transport horses in relation to non-economic purposes e.g. to and from a specialist show or competition (even where they may win a minor cash prize). However, welfare protection for journeys made in relation to non-business transportation is afforded through provisions set down in WATEO 2006
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pip6 said:
I would be good if they did something about cars pulling trailers that are too heavy for the towing vehicle as well. All trailers should have a plate from the manufacturer (even mine which is 25 years old, is in perfect condition), showing the weights. I see heavy Ifors being towed by middle size saloon cars. Knowing the weight of my friends Ifor, there is now way it's legal.
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The plate means little they can only do someone if the outfit looks unsafe if you have a B&E licence !!!they could weigh you and compare with the weights and argue you were doing something stupid and your combination was unsafe, the insurance could use it as a get out, but in law there is no relationship in law between the towing vehicle and trailer weights in the case of trailers under 3.5 ton....
 
perfect11s said:
The plate means little they can only do someone if the outfit looks unsafe if you have a B&E licence !!!they could weigh you and compare with the weights and argue you were doing something stupid and your combination was unsafe, the insurance could use it as a get out, but in law there is no relationship in law between the towing vehicle and trailer weights in the case of trailers under 3.5 ton....
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According to a very reliable source.

Exceeding the towing capacity of a vehicle could leave the driver open to prosecution under the following:-

Regulation 100 C&U regs 1986

Road traffic act section 40, 41 or 42 with possible penalty points

If overload more than 30% then may consider vehicle/combination being in dangerous condition

===============================================
There is also the laws on exceeding plated weights such as vehicle GVW trailer MAM and the GTW if one is listed
 
If you have nothing to hide and you, your lorry and contents are legal then i don't see the problem with the appropriate authorities stopping for spot checks any vehicle.
Just because it's a horse box it doesn't mean you should be exempt.

I would rather them stop 25 horse boxes and pass them as safe causing a small delay to peoples journeys than hear about 1 accident that involved a knackered box.

And an MOT just proves your box is safe at that time it's presented for it's test, it doesn't mean it's going to be safe for a whole year. You still have to check tyers, your box for wear & tear etc etc. I would be a bit worried to use anyone's box if they thought that an MOT protects them for the rest of the year for mechanical faults and defects.
 
pip6 said:
I would be good if they did something about cars pulling trailers that are too heavy for the towing vehicle as well. All trailers should have a plate from the manufacturer (even mine which is 25 years old, is in perfect condition), showing the weights. I see heavy Ifors being towed by middle size saloon cars. Knowing the weight of my friends Ifor, there is now way it's legal.
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I tow my Fautras (similar size to a Ifor 505) using my Mondeo and this is legal :D

** now for the shock horror that I use this combination to take my two out and about am my licence is now only a B! **


Yep, I have checked that everything is legal and even visited a VOSA inspection site to confirm this ;)

... Trailer downplated
... My two equines are both ponies


But... I have parked up next to a Mondeo at a sponsored ride towing an old Rice with 2 16.2hh+ horses inside, now that was a dangerous and illegal combination :( I did leave a note pointing out the dangers before we left the carpark.
 
We keep getting away from the original question. OP was not disputing whether horse boxes should be pulled over, she was asking if anyone else had and been given incorrect information.

I don't take my passport out if I am going training so maybe I should. I do go into auto pilot on trailer checks though every time - which means checking jeep tyres before I tow (always), hitch up and check all lights. Trailer tyres get checked on a quiet day as its an almighty faff!
 
lilaclomax said:
I tow my Fautras (similar size to a Ifor 505) using my Mondeo and this is legal :D

** now for the shock horror that I use this combination to take my two out and about am my licence is now only a B! **


Yep, I have checked that everything is legal and even visited a VOSA inspection site to confirm this ;)

... Trailer downplated
... My two equines are both ponies
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I was about to jump all over your post until I read the last bit - 2 ponies :D

I am however surprised that VOSA are on the ball with licence issues as the traffic police are the experts on that
 
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