Taxi Driver Online

I was speaking to some of the cab owners last night, and they where on about taxi testing.
apparently the testing station is now using a laser device to check under the cabs and it is failing things that would have passed if the tester had done it himself
things like a very small amount of play in steering components and ball joints, it has failed several cabs but when the owners have taken the cabs to there garages the mechanics could find nothing wrong with the bits that have failed
Does anyone know anything about this new equipment?????????

Are you sure it was not a torch

The device is connected to a machine and the checker can get the reading from

sounds like the set-up at our hackney station. it kept failing cars for brake imbalance. sometimes of up to 28%. road tests were ok, as were rolling roads at garages, but the machine still insisted the balance was off. numerous pad and disc replacements (on various cars) later, it transpires that unless the car was 100% aligned to the sensor the result was a misreading. no apologies, no refunds for money spent needlessly.


BTW AFAIK, it's going to be compulsory for all MOT stations to have one in the next few years.

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

Suggest you ask your council to have more testing stations made available.

And then go to one without the lasers.

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IDFIMH

Welcome to the high standards the London trade has enjoyed for many years at our annual inspection.

Cheer up Skippy, you'll sleep better knowing the opposition has to adhere to your already high standards.

Cant think what a laser would be able to see...any wearing parts such as ball joints, track rod ends and Steering racks would all have rubber boots concealing the worn sections...Things like wish bone or anti roll bar bushes would be clunking if they needed replaced anyway. Im sure the age old testers technique of wriving it about with a tyre lever to feel for play is still standard practice.

So Im blowed if I can see where a Laser fits in...unless its to check wheel allignment..but even then..they couldnt fail something that was so minutely out that it would not show up on an individual part or they wouldnt know which part need replaced...

Seems a tad tittle tattle-ish

Have you been in touch with your area's MOT Inspectorate office to ask about the use of these lasers, & to ask if they part of the equipment that MUST be used in MOT testing now?

Is the MOT testing station being over-zealous & unfair?

If you think so, ask the MOT testing station for a VT17 (appeal) form, immediately after they have failed your vehicle, before you move it off site & have the phone number for your local MOT Inspectorate office to hand & phone them immediately for an appeal re-test.

A cab driver friend of mine did this once when he thought that the testing garage were being unfair. His appeal was upheld two days later when the chap from the MOT Inspectorate came to re-test his cab with the original tester by his side & proceeded to give the embarrassed original tester a mini re-training course on testing vehicles in front of the cabbie.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Might be worth a try, my test is due on the 22nd, and I have already had the car given the once over by the garage that does my servicing and they could not find nothing (they service all the vehicles used at Knockhill race circuit)

That's our next step along with getting the prices dropped with regards to the badges and licensing issues.

Best practice guidlines 2010

Number Of Testing Stations. There is sometimes criticism that local authorities provide only one testing centre for their area (which may be geographically extensive). So it is good practice for local authorities to consider having more than one testing station. There could be an advantage in contracting out the testing work, and to different garages. In that way the licensing authority can benefit from competition in costs. (The Vehicle Operators and Standards Agency – VOSA – may be able to assist where there are local difficulties in provision of testing stations.)

The only new technology that I'm aware of at MOT stations are the remote shaker plates which frees up another man for another MOT. Shaker plates take alot of work from the mechanics. It will give you a direct pass or fail on steering issues etc etc. It's a good bit of kit.

Where it used to take 2 men to do an MOT it only takes one in some garages that have the new VOSA testing equipment

If your garage "could not find nothing" they must have found something.

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Former taxi driver

Shaker??? . . . aka The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing!!

I never knew that the annual cab testing ritual was now a religious event!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakers

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Are you saying that Mr Skippy's motor is a bag 'o nails Mr Jimbo??

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.