Is this a new requirement for mot.

[GeoffL]

Will you please explain that to my numb nut borther-in-law whos bloody great Labradoodle jumps about all over the car, side to side and front and back whenever it sees other dogs outside whilst being taken anywhere

He refuses to put the stupid mutt on a lead because " she doesn`t like it " as he says and is already banned from several parks.

Actually, I might have been wrong as I relied on this article found on the Internet, and there doesn't seem to be an explicit requirement to restrain dogs. All I could find is the Highway Code, para 57, which states:

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.​

​

The Highway Code invariably uses the key word 'must' and references the actual law when something is required by law; anything else is mere guidance (albeit that can be cited as a factor supporting [say] a charge of driving without due care and attention, or [in this case] a dangerously insecure load). So it would be on any prosecution to prove that a dog was dangerous in fact, which should be easy to counter if the dog is well-behaved, or that (say) carrying an unrestrained dog invalidated your insurance.

 

[r4dent]

At a push, even tying your dog's lead to a rear headrest complies with the letter of the law.

True, but if it is attached to a collar, it can also break the animal's neck in an accident .

Use a harness.

The requirement to restrain animals applies in MoHos.

 

[trevskoda]

People forget that a loose dog in any veh will be like a missile in the event of a sudden stop, this could kill you and the pet, who would want to pick up there dog after it has went out the windshield and landed 30ft or more up the road.
The big problem is police over here dont seem to bother that I see, they have more important things like stopping you on a sunday because the tax went out of date on friday, an easy catch.

 

[Fisherman]

People forget that a loose dog in any veh will be like a missile in the event of a sudden stop, this could kill you and the pet, who would want to pick up there dog after it has went out the windshield and landed 30ft or more up the road.
The big problem is police over here dont seem to bother that I see, they have more important things like stopping you on a sunday because the tax went out of date on friday, an easy catch.

I have seen what you describe Trev. If someone wants to sit in my car without a seatbelt (as happened once ) I will try to explain why they should wear one. But if they insist, I insist they sit on the front passenger seat. I would never allow anyone to sit in my car or Motorhome at the rear without a seatbelt. If people had seen what I have seen, only once, they would always wear a seatbelt.

 

[trevskoda]

I have seen what you describe Trev. If someone wants to sit in my car without a seatbelt (as happened once ) I will try to explain why they should wear one. But if they insist, I insist they sit on the front passenger seat. I would never allow anyone to sit in my car or Motorhome at the rear without a seatbelt. If people had seen what I have seen, only once, they would always wear a seatbelt.

Been there had the ticket, about 35 years back a cop came out of the shore rd barracks with a mate, he fell asleep and crossed the road hitting a car, his passenger was about 35ft up the road with his face full of glass and the forehead half scalped as the roofline removed the lot.
If you let anyone travel in your veh without a belt then you will be getting points or worse if caught, I switch of when folk say oh sure we are only going down the rd a bit I wont bother with the belt, wifes parents from the country used to try this, soon got the message.

 

[winks]

Probably not the engine and under the vehicle, the tester is a mechanic after all, but just like bringing someone in to work in your home you wouldn't want it to be £$%^ up would you?

Cheers

H

 

[trevskoda]

Very clear here on the form, a veh must be clean and steam cleaned underside to present to the examiner.

 

[Wooie1958]

I have seen what you describe Trev. If someone wants to sit in my car without a seatbelt (as happened once ) I will try to explain why they should wear one. But if they insist, I insist they sit on the front passenger seat. I would never allow anyone to sit in my car or Motorhome at the rear without a seatbelt. If people had seen what I have seen, only once, they would always wear a seatbelt.

I have personally witnessed what happens with an accident when a car hit a tree with an unreastrained rear passenger, i.e. no seat belt.

I happened upon it probably less than a minute after the car hurtled past me on an unlit country lane, they didn`t make the corner and went head on into the tree.

The rear passenger was outside the vehicle and had collided with the occupied front passenger seat and carried on through the windscreen.

I stayed with the critically injured driver until the emergency services arrived, i heard later from the drivers family none of them survived.

It is something i never ever want to witness again.

 

[wildebus]

You do get some jokers who work in MOT test stations that like to think they are comedians.

I don't know if this particular example is actually genuine or not, but if it was is very unprofessional - https://garagewire.co.uk/news/mot-banter-leaves-motorist-feeling-amused-if-not-embarrassed/

 

[wildebus]

Very clear here on the form, a veh must be clean and steam cleaned underside to present to the examiner.

do people actually get their vehicles steam-cleaned every year before an MOT? no wonder they chop them in before the first one is due.



PS. they don't really need to be steam-cleaned
"3. There is no set rules for the underside of the vehicle to be washed before a vehicle test but in line with law, the examiner may refuse to conduct the test if the exterior of the vehicle, or any other motor vehicle with it, or any part of or any equipment of the vehicle is so dirty it makes it unreasonably difficult for the inspection to be carried out"

 

[Fisherman]

I have personally witnessed what happens with an accident when a car hit a tree with an unreastrained rear passenger, i.e. no seat belt.

I happened upon it probably less than a minute after the car hurtled past me on an unlit country lane, they didn`t make the corner and went head on into the tree.

The rear passenger was outside the vehicle and had collided with the occupied front passenger seat and carried on through the windscreen.

I stayed with the critically injured driver until the emergency services arrived, i heard later from the drivers family none of them survived.

It is something i never ever want to witness again.

Sadly I witnessed lots of serious accidents on the roads in my time.
I used to dread being turned out to an RTA.
If people had seen what I saw, there would be less selfish dangerous driving on our roads, I am absolutely sure of that.

 

[trevskoda]

Yes a lot do steam clean them, many of our roads are filthy with farmers animal waste and dirty tractor wheels, towns no to bad but winter salt is why many have them s cleaned.
Yes very true most cars are traded in on year 3 as dealers dont want 4 year old cars on the f courts, most go to wilsons auctions just across the rd from me.
Hurst motors send all 4 year old motors there every week, I have had some bargains from there, one was a 4 year old fait for £400 with only 43th on the clock.

 

[wildebus]

I have seen what you describe Trev. If someone wants to sit in my car without a seatbelt (as happened once ) I will try to explain why they should wear one. But if they insist, I insist they sit on the front passenger seat. I would never allow anyone to sit in my car or Motorhome at the rear without a seatbelt. If people had seen what I have seen, only once, they would always wear a seatbelt.

Something people should take note of ... not just passengers on the rear seats can be a problem.
When I was a service engineer, we had company cars and I remember one day when a fellow engineer was taking a printer back to the customer.
He had it sitting on the rear seat of his Maestro/Montego (can't recall which he had) and had an accident on the way there. The printer turned into a projectile and went through the front seat totally crushing the back of it. Luckily, he had put the printer on the passenger side of the rear seat!
After that, strict instructions came out to never carry any heavy objects on the back seat! (no rear belts back then and the printer I am talking about was a proper job at least the weight of a small adult.)
This event always comes to mind when there is anything not secured down in the back of my motorhome, human or otherwise.

 

[Fisherman]

Something people should take note of ... not just passengers on the rear seats can be a problem.
When I was a service engineer, we had company cars and I remember one day when a fellow engineer was taking a printer back to the customer.
He had it sitting on the rear seat of his Maestro/Montego (can't recall which he had) and had an accident on the way there. The printer turned into a projectile and went through the front seat totally crushing the back of it. Luckily, he had put the printer on the passenger side of the rear seat!
After that, strict instructions came out to never carry any heavy objects on the back seat! (no rear belts back then and the printer I am talking about was a proper job at least the weight of a small adult.)
This event always comes to mind when there is anything not secured down in the back of my motorhome, human or otherwise.

Just think David, when seatbelts were first introduced, most cars only had them on the front seats.

 

[mark61]

Just think David, when seatbelts were first introduced, most cars only had them on the front seats.

Surely, if most cars had them in the front, they had already been introduced.

I do often think about the benefits of a luton type van as a MH or at least a properly fitted bulkhead, because all that stuff in the back is gonna end up at the front from any head on at even a relatively low speed. Magnetic knife holders out in the open always make me

 

[colinm]

do people actually get their vehicles steam-cleaned every year before an MOT? no wonder they chop them in before the first one is due.



PS. they don't really need to be steam-cleaned
"3. There is no set rules for the underside of the vehicle to be washed before a vehicle test but in line with law, the examiner may refuse to conduct the test if the exterior of the vehicle, or any other motor vehicle with it, or any part of or any equipment of the vehicle is so dirty it makes it unreasonably difficult for the inspection to be carried out"

As this, part of mot covers oil leaks, the tester may have thought excessive dirt was hindering checking this.

 

[caledonia]

Probably not the engine and under the vehicle, the tester is a mechanic after all, but just like bringing someone in to work in your home you wouldn't want it to be £$%^ up would you?

Cheers

H

Tester doesn’t have to be a mechanic just a competent person who has completed the relevant training.

 

[caledonia]

do people actually get their vehicles steam-cleaned every year before an MOT? no wonder they chop them in before the first one is due.



PS. they don't really need to be steam-cleaned
"3. There is no set rules for the underside of the vehicle to be washed before a vehicle test but in line with law, the examiner may refuse to conduct the test if the exterior of the vehicle, or any other motor vehicle with it, or any part of or any equipment of the vehicle is so dirty it makes it unreasonably difficult for the inspection to be carried out"

HGVs must be Mot washed before being presented for test. Which is an up on the ramps job and a proper wash of the underside so the tester can see what he or she is testing.

 

[Deleted member 95622]

When we were looking for our camper and going through the gov.uk MOT checker I did see a lot of advisories (and a fail or 2) where oil leaks were an issue - not just the leak, but from what I've learned doing this is that oil dripping onto rubber seals, etc. causing them to perish is the issue - so it would not surprise me if that's part of the underlying reason why engines ought to be kept clean.

Also wifey had an issue recently in her mini - smell of burning oil ... A small leak dripping into something hot enough. In my 40+ years of driving I think having a car catch fire with me driving it is one of my biggest fears...

But saying that the only time I've ever had an engine steam cleaned was some 30+ years ago when a water hose burst on a hot engine and gave it an accidental steam clean in the process! I'd hazard a guess that the amount of electrics in a modern car presents far more of a fire hazard than a little oil leak though...

-G

 

[wildebus]

I think it is important to distinguish between what is good practice and what is a regulatory requirement.

Is it a good idea to keep your engine nice and clean? Yes. it is a requirement? No.
and the thread about side markers is the same ... If side markers are fitted to a Motorhome, must they work? It is good maintenance to keep the lights that are fitted working, but an actual requirement? No.

As this, part of mot covers oil leaks, the tester may have thought excessive dirt was hindering checking this.

If something is hindering the testing of an item, the tester cannot fail that item for that reason. As an example of this, an MOT carried out on a car I used to own:

Advisory notice item(s)

• Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

That was an regular annual Advisory looking at the history. The tester must test the vehicle as presented. I have no doubts some people deliberately obstruct the ability to test of parts they think will fail