Driving without mirrors

jwil

Hi all, looking for some advice.

My husband drives LGV lorries. His job involves driving a lot down narrow country lanes. His lorry is too wide for these lanes so he has to fold his mirrors down to get down them. His company expects them to still drive down the lane, but surely this is illegal?

He's got no visibility around the vehicle as a result of this, and yet they will still discipline him if he causes damage due to a tree hitting the top. (The exhaust sticks out the top, so it is not easy to gauge whether it will be safe or not).

He has told them he doesn't feel it is safe but they are not interested. One lane he even needs to reverse down without any mirrors. Their response is to use a banksman, but how can you use a banksman when you can't see them in your mirrors?

Surely if you are expected to have full visibility in a car or when towing a caravan, the same should apply with a lorry?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

harveybobbles

HGV drivers dont use their mirrors anyway do they...?

skiddlydiddly

If he was disciplined it just wouldn't hold water, especially if he can get it in writing they expect him to carry out these maneuvres without the use of mirrors.Is he a member of a union?They can give him some advice.

Hammyman

If they're so narrow he needs to fold his mirrors in then he wouldn't actually be able to go round any corners unless its a short rigid lorry he drives.

You cannot reverse a lorry without mirrors plain and simple without help however you can use a banksman stood at the FRONT of the lorry directing you which way to turn your steering wheel (some ex-Army drivers might remember doing that ) but it needs someone properly trained, not just any person with a driving licence as many examples of car drivers reversing prove.

I've been down some really pokey lanes in Wales and Shropshire over the years where the mirrors have been brushing the tall hedges on either side but I'd personally refuse to go down one where I'd have to fold in my mirrors.

Personally I'd refuse to do it. The only time in 16 years and over 1.5 million miles of driving lorries I've reversed on my own with mirrors folded in was down a short narrow tenfoot inbetween two rows of houses which was about 50ft long and I was driving a flatbed and the cab had a window in the back. I think that says it all really.

forgotmyname

Been there done that, One guy in front of me, One behind and one actually in the back with the sides open.
Nightmare.

Silly people in the office just think brilliant an extra £40 for a home delivery which is near the drivers route anyway.

End of the day it is not my lorry and any damage will cost them dearly to fix. If they insist on me going to these
places who am i to argue.

Deliver to the managers house almost monthly, Take branches off his trees many times. If he wants deliveries and the
smallest vehicle available is 17 tons then what does he expect?

Nilrem

IIRC it is a legal requirement to have two working mirrors, and I suspect he could get into fairly serious trouble with the police if caught without functioning mirros (especially as he's presumably a professional driver with a higher class of training and a more "advanced" licence than normal).

I would recommend he tries to get it in writing (the DVLA and department of transport may be interested in this idea*), and if the company expects him to be using a banksman, then they should also be providing one to accompany him...
If they tried to sack him for refusing their illegal instructions any tribunal would have a field day if he had the proof that they were trying to force him to break the law.

I think the 5ive-o forums may be able to offer specific advice, as they have a mix of serving (and ex) traffic cops, magistrates, and professional drivers (including a very experienced LGV/HGV/bus instructor who I think currently works training the armed forces drivers), and they know the law and best practice pretty much inside out.

*IIRC a company that tries to force it's drivers to break the law can find itself in fairly serious trouble (and I believe individual managers in the company can actually get penalised).

Hammyman

The mirrors are there and functioning, just temporarily not in use, and depending on the age of the lorry it is required to have four or five, not just two.

Happychappy

harveybobbles wrote: »

HGV drivers dont use their mirrors anyway do they...?

Add women to that as well oh sorry, got it wrong, yes they do......but only to apply makeup :rotfl: