Forklift trucks on roads...

[Dave]

Having just got back from my weekly'ride-out' in one piece, I kissed the ground and 'thanked da
lawd'. It was a particularly confrontational ride, possibly because the cagers are having a hard day
of it due to 'massive traffic problems on M6 J10 due to fallen over lorry / lost load of steel'.
No.2 in the worst drivers on the road list was the git who shot out from behind a bus as the bus
pulled in to drop off. He was in a lorry, he took up the entire lane of my side of the road and made
no effort to brake when he finally saw my flashing 'smart' headlight...and me just behind it. I
sincerely hope I really hurt his feelings with the obsceneties I shouted whilst attempting to brake
and lean over far enough in the gutter to miss the side of his truck whilst keeping a straight
line!!! No. 1 was the git in the forklift truck, unloading a lorry from the middle of the road.
Popped out from behind the lorry, without so much as a cautious approach, just missing my head with
his forks, which were raised to cyclist head height, in total contravention of best practices. I
queried whether or not it was legal to offload lorrys with FLT's on the public highway. I didn't
catch his response, other than an 'ey-up' (which is unusual in the black country!), but he may not
have caught my query either, due to the amount of expletives generously depostied within the
query.... Which leads to my query on this thread... Are forklift trucks allowed to utilise the
public highway like a warehouse / factory yard ?...I noticed he had no reg plate and probably wasn't
taxed either.... Do I have grounds to lodge a complaint with the police and is it the police or
local council (or who) that I should complain to ? cheers, Dave (still alive despite their best
attempts...... - ...they're trying to get me you know..and it's not paranoia!!!)

 

[Mark McElhinney]

Yes it is legal to use a FLT to offload on the highway. But legally it is treated the same as a car.
Therefore it must have a tax plate, registration and most importantly a number plate.

 

[Dave]

Thanks guys.... I'll lecha know if I pursue.. ;-) "Tim Hall" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 16:25:06 -0000, "Mark McElhinney" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Yes it is legal to use a FLT to offload on the highway. But legally it
is
> >treated the same as a car. Therefore it must have a tax plate,
registration
> >and most importantly a number plate.
> >
>
> Ours at work is plated for the road. But it's a little electric one, so the VED or whatever it's
> called is zero. We still get a new disc for it each year, showing £0.00.
>
>
> Tim
>
> --
> fast and gripping, non pompous, glossy and credible.