Do you have to pull over for the traffic wombles (1 Viewer)

[TheBig1]

As I stated earlier in this post I saw one of these vehicles yesterday on the A31 Nr. Ringwood.
Following various posts I "Googled" VOSA for TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT details and discovered the following communications between VOSA and Michael Jones.


https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/vosa_traffic_enforcement

It would appear from these communications that it is quite complex.

what a total waste of a public official's time and resources. clearly mr jones/angry considers himself a closet lawyer

believe the sort of crap written by somebody like that on the internet if you wish, but just remember a VOSA inspector, just like a policeman will eventually get so pissed off that they will go to great lengths to prosecute for absolutely everything possible. treat them with respect and you may have got off with a warning

theres often very little ambiguity when it comes to interpreting motoring law. i cant see mr jones/angry doing too well arguing his case in court....can you?

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I think if Mr Jones displayed the attitude that comes across in his FOI request, he might have a slightly harder time of it than other members of the public. It got my back up just reading it, even though they were reasonable questions on the face of it....

 

[Landy lover]

Interesting set of replies - VOSA were given the right to stop as I understand it commercial vehicles for the purpose of vehicle and driver compliance. Again as I understand it only certain officers in certain areas were warranted to stop vehicles and as time went on these powers were rolled out to all areas. Again the information I have is that the move although approved by chief constables were not favoured by the majority of the police as they felt it gave too much opportunity for abuse of powers not only by VOSA but also by people using look alike vehicles to criminal purposes . Generally a VOSA vehicle will target a vehicle and overtake then illuminate a sign saying 'follow me' along with flashing yellow beacons. They will then go to either a permanent VOSA check site or a temporary site set up in a layby or service area.

Since these powers have been set in place some years ago I am aware that there have been many complaints due to the attitude of VOSA staff who generally have poor if any people skills along with an arrogant almost Hitler like attitude causing many roadside disagreements between drivers and VOSA staff - in some cases where police have had to be involved . It has been very obvious of the recent 12 month that most roadside stops now have a policeman doing the stop and direction and available if necessary at the stop area.

Very recently VOSA and the DSA have been amalgamated into the DVSA The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency so how they stand with roadside stops I wait to find out.

My advice to anyone is the same as with police - if in doubt about being stopped ie you feel in danger or threatened drive to a well lit occupied area - lock all doors and phone 999 and advise the situation. I don't think anyone in VOSA would be silly enough to try and force a stop on a private vehicle - especially one with just women in it

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[Rayb182]

Before I retired from Royal Mail I was a driver, we were told only VOSA could stop us, but, only in a secure area ie police station or RM office and only in a bonded vehicle.

 

[grumps147]

If this is what they are protecting us from, more power to their elbow .... http://www.itv.com/news/border/update/2013-12-20/staff-at-haulage-firm-jailed-over-falsified-tachograph-records/

 

[Landy lover]

If this is what they are protecting us from, more power to their elbow .... http://www.itv.com/news/border/upda...irm-jailed-over-falsified-tachograph-records/

I so totally agree with you on that - that is the main purpose of the roadside checks

Failure to comply with drivers hours & maintenance puts other road users in danger and for those who do break the rules it gives them an unfair financial advantage over those who do comply.

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[busby]

Waste of time debating this matter. If you do not stop for them they will just get the POLICE to pull you further down the road. Then they will go through your vehicle like a fine tooth comb. Loose loose situation. BUSBY

 

[Wildbill]

the traffic officers as they or wimbles as they a are know they are not VOSA they are a different animal all together.

thay are a cheep way of policing the mundane jobs on the motorway of England as it cost les for ther salary £21000 pa but do I vitally important job in my opinion.

I have had the misfortune to have been involved in an accident last night where I hit an object on the road tarring the sump off my van and losing control
it was one of the scariest moment I have ever had while driving they were the first on the seen as they normally are now apparently.

took control of the situation put there lives on the line putting out road
management and controlling the flow of traffic.

assisted both my shelf my wife and my grandchildren to a place of safety
clearing the bits of my van off the road having to take abuse Frome inpatient arsholes.

one of whom was asked to pull in to the side of the road but refused and continued do drive on over the debris
refusing to follow the instructions of a traffic officer at a road traffic incident is an offence I have been told.

any way I cant fault them and have seen a few road traffic incidents over the years.

they were as professional if not more so than the police and now when I see the wombals I will look on them in a defiant light

but don't confuse them with VOSA a lot are ex forces
I fund them curtsies polite with an air of authority
they get a :thumb:from me

 

[Jaws]

As an all female van load I would really like to know the legal position of [HI]stopping for anyone other than the police.[/HI] Really don't like the idea that it could be some kind of ambush/hijack situation. Has that ever happened to anyone in the uk. My parents used to live in Papua New Guinea and over there you never stopped your car, even if you knocked someone over, the first summer I spent over there the passenger of a car which hit someone got beheaded (the driver ran away!!!)

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And THAT is how easy it is to get something that would fool most folk if the wearer was in a position that you expected to see an officer in !!

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[Wildbill]

Link Removed

And THAT is how easy it is to get something that would fool most folk if the wearer was in a position that you expected to see an officer in !!

baring in mind that impersonating a police officer is probably as serious an offence as the robbery it's shelf.
and I think that any one contemplating that tactic is looking at a bullion hist and big money.
but how long is it sins someone impersonated a coop in a robbery not very often
so the chances of getting robed that way are slime odds
but du diligence and care are needed

 

[BreweryDave]

VOSA can appoint 'Stopping Officers' authorised by the local chief of Police who have to be accredited (how you can tell I don't know!) but they can only stop Commercial vehicles, defined as lorries, buses and coaches.
Police can stop anything.
In practice, VOSA never work alone and always have old bill support.

However - all MUST be in uniform to conduct a stop.

So, by definition, only plod can stop a motorhome/caravan.

The 'wombles' are virtually powerless, and certainly cannot stop anything unless they're closing the carriageway - which they often do if theres a crack in the pavement!!!

QED:thumb:

 

[estcres]

Before I retired from Royal Mail I was a driver, we were told only VOSA could stop us, but, only in a secure area ie police station or RM office and only in a bonded vehicle.

When i worked for the Prison Service our situation was very similar, if we were being pulled over by a "police" vehicle, either marked or plain, the driver had a sign which stated that the vehicle was to be escorted to a police station and the items we were carrying, (not prisoners) were to be placed in a safe before any discussions could take place and only then with an officer 1 rank higher than the reporting officer, IE: if stopped by a Constable you had to be seen by a Sergeant.

We travelled the country in Home Office vehicles and these did not have a Tax Disc but a HO exemption disc also they had no markings in any way.

A VOSA enforcement officer wouldn't have got a look in.

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[johnp10]

VOSA vehicle examiners have the power to stop any vehicle for the purpose of inspection.
Where private vehicles, vehicles towing caravans, MHs, "living vans" etc. are concerned, they have had this power for years, they just concentrate on commercials in the main.

"Stopping Officers" are no longer approved by Police Chiefs, but by the Department for Transport, and once appointed can be used in any Police area throughout the UK without further Police permissions.

VOSA has the power to stop. inspect, prohibit, and where some offences are concerned, issue fixed penalty notices to UK and foreign registered vehicles.

This thread seems to be going down the "nothing applies to me" road, as with many other things.
Fair bit of wishful thinking and out of date info about on this topic.

VOSA can and do stop and inspect MHs and caravans without a cop present.
What's the problem?
If the van is ok and not overloaded you don't have one.:thumb:

Obviously there are exceptions for Home Office and others, but that ain't us in our MHs.

 

[WillH]

When I worked in the ports industry we always had Ports Unit police on site, VOSA would put in a weekly appearance along with Customs and Excise and DEFRA. VOSA also had a checkpoint some 3 miles away. The number of overweight lorries they caught was very high until the hauliers improved their act. Customs and Excise also reeled in the lorries using, and carrying, contraband diesel. All in all they were pretty efficient and did a good job. Their operations did interfere with the running of the port but they were happy to co-operate to minimise the problems.

We also used to see them catch criminals, illegal immigrants, stolen cars and drug runners.

Rgds
Bill