What is VOSA, and can they stop cars?

[tim2718281]

Someone at work was talking about an organisation they think were called "VOSA", which had people running a roadside vehicle inspection.

 

They seemed to be picking cars and directing them into a lay-by for inspection.

 

There were no police around.

 

I know that drivers are required to stop when directed to do so by a uniformed police officer, and this is of course perfectly reasonable. Police officers will doubtless have some good reason for stopping a driver.

 

However, I don't see how drivers can be required to stop by other people. Crooks would have a great time if they could simply direct cars to stop in a lay-by, then force the occupants out and steal their vehicles and contents!

 

(Impersonating a police officer is a serious offence. Donning a yellow jacket with some mysterious letters on it is not ...)

 

Does anyone know what VOSA is up to? Surely if they are a bona fide agency carrying out some lawful activity, they should be able to arrange for a police officer and patrol car to be in attendance, to reassure drivers the agency is acting lawfully.

 

Tim

[Jove]

They have the power to stop!

 

29-07-04 Minister launches VOSA's Power to Stop

[prushton]

I am a Petrol Tanker driver for BP and yes VOSA do have the powers to stop any vechicle and carry out roadside checks, they are basicly the replacement for the ministry of transport, they can issue prohibition notices on vechicle owners if they are not road worth etc.

[Sidewinder]

VOSA normally operate roadside checks in partnership with the Police. The Police officer will direct the vehicle into the checkpoint or weighbridge and VOSA will then carry out the inspection. All perfectly legal.

[buzby]

Here in Scotland, VOSA operate in tandem with the police, on their own a driver can quite legally refuse to follow their instructions to pull over at the roadside and just keep on going. A police officer making a similar request MUST be obeyed or you can be done for failure to stop. The trouble is a lot of folk see a flourescent jacked as 'authority' and just comply. I don't unless I see it is a properly uniformed police officer!

[patdavies]

The Police Refornm Act 2002 allows chief officers of police to accredit other organisations or individuals with the power to stop a vehicle.

 

However, as you rightly point out, this power does not extend to Scotland.

[buzby]

Much of the legislation with regard to Law and Roads are devolved issues as therefore not subject to what would normally be 'accepted practice' in England & Wales. On a side note, wheel-claming is illegal in scotland (the High Court referred to it as 'extortion') which is why private parking firms have not flourished here.

[patdavies]

On a side note, wheel-claming is illegal in scotland (the High Court referred to it as 'extortion') which is why private parking firms have not flourished here.

 

You lucky b***ard

[buzby]

You lucky b***ard

 

 

There's not many compensations for living up here (colder, wetter etc), however differences like this (along with NHS Scotland) kinda make it worth it!

[michelle73]

Someone at work was talking about an organisation they think were called "VOSA", which had people running a roadside vehicle inspection.

 

They seemed to be picking cars and directing them into a lay-by for inspection.

 

There were no police around.

 

I know that drivers are required to stop when directed to do so by a uniformed police officer, and this is of course perfectly reasonable. Police officers will doubtless have some good reason for stopping a driver.

 

However, I don't see how drivers can be required to stop by other people. Crooks would have a great time if they could simply direct cars to stop in a lay-by, then force the occupants out and steal their vehicles and contents!

 

(Impersonating a police officer is a serious offence. Donning a yellow jacket with some mysterious letters on it is not ...)

 

Does anyone know what VOSA is up to? Surely if they are a bona fide agency carrying out some lawful activity, they should be able to arrange for a police officer and patrol car to be in attendance, to reassure drivers the agency is acting lawfully.

 

Tim

Hi Tim, VOSA actually have more authority to stop and check not only LGV drivers but regular car drivers. They do not need to have a reason like traffic police. They can impound your vehicle and also issue you with a prohibition niotice where appropriate.

[michelle73]

FYI:

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) was formed on 1st April 2003 following the merger of the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Traffic Area Network division of the Department for Transport. VOSA provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers with road traffic legislation, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners.

[tim2718281]

FYI:

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) was formed on 1st April 2003 following the merger of the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Traffic Area Network division of the Department for Transport. VOSA provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers with road traffic legislation, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners.

 

Thanks for that. I am catching up with the reading.

 

Interestingly, *no-one* I've spoken to here in Hampshire was aware that Hampshire police have accredited VOSA staff with the power to stop vehicles ... in fact no-one had heard of VOSA. So we'd all be in the position of being instructed to stop by people wearing a jacket with the name of an organisation we'd never heard of, and which we were unaware had the power to stop us.

 

Tim

[rosiecotton]

I know VOSA well, colleagues even work alongside them in some cases, and I didn't know they had the power to stop either...

[IdaInFife]

I know vosa cause they did stop me lol ! but it was a police officer who pulled me over but left evreything to the other guy to explain everything and issue me with a ticket to get me car sorted within 21 days or then they would take it further so it was a good thing as they detected faults that made the car unroadworthy that i didn't know about but they give you 21 days to get it sorted

[tim2718281]

I know vosa cause they did stop me lol ! but it was a police officer who pulled me over but left evreything to the other guy to explain everything and issue me with a ticket to get me car sorted within 21 days or then they would take it further so it was a good thing as they detected faults that made the car unroadworthy that i didn't know about but they give you 21 days to get it sorted

 

Yes, testing and advising of faults is a good idea. By the way, what happened after you got the car fixed?

 

It's the absence of a police constable that's the problem. Anyone can put on a jacket with "VOSA" written on it and direct people to stop in a nearby area. (And when you do stop, what do you do if someone jumps out and immobilizes your car because where you've been directed to stop is private property?)

 

Tim

[HydraUK]

 

It's the absence of a police constable that's the problem. Anyone can put on a jacket with "VOSA" written on it and direct people to stop in a nearby area. (And when you do stop, what do you do if someone jumps out and immobilizes your car because where you've been directed to stop is private property?)

 

Tim

 

Or punches you in the teeth and steels your mobile and keys - no way on the planet I'm stopping for ANYBODY except the old bill.

[tim2718281]

Or punches you in the teeth and steels your mobile and keys - no way on the planet I'm stopping for ANYBODY except the old bill.

 

Well, it seems to me that VOSA's activities will increase, so over time we will all become more aware. And some VOSA staff *will* be accredited with the powers of a police constable, and so on the face of it failing to stop *is* an offence.

 

What you can reasonably do is ask for documentation from the person claiming to have authority to stop, and call the local police to verify it before following their directions.

 

Tim

[bidstermeister]

Do any of them have ID hanging around their neck ?

 

The sensible thing to do, would be to pull up with your window open just an inch (with locked doors, of course), and ask for their ID and what their purpose is in stopping you. You have a right to be cautious in a situation like this - and the Police would be the first to advise this approach if there was a copycat group operating this kind of a thing.

[ivorbiggun]

Or punches you in the teeth and steels your mobile and keys - no way on the planet I'm stopping for ANYBODY except the old bill.

 

Well now that you know who VOSA are you'll be able to stop for them. And how do you know that the Old Bill in the unmarked car really are the Old Bill? Anyone car purchase strobes and uniforms on the net. Point is that you'll be in a whole lot more trouble if you don't stop. It's unlikely you'll be stopped by a single VOSA officer. Normally they'll be in pairs in marked cars or they'll be in a huge group with vans and equipment everywhere.

[HydraUK]

If I stop for VOSA they might find the illegal immigrants I've been using as inner tubes. (They paid to be imported inside the tyres but the ride was soooo comfy)

[tim2718281]

ask for their ID

 

Then what? What does the ID of an accredited VOSA agent look like? Who do you call to verify they really are an accredited VOSA agent for your county?

 

Presumably you call the police.

 

Tim

[michelle73]

Or punches you in the teeth and steels your mobile and keys - no way on the planet I'm stopping for ANYBODY except the old bill.

VOSA Have MORE authority than the old bill!! If you are driving a lorry for example, and a coppper asks you to stop and take your tacho out, he cannot enforce it inless he has a reason to stop you , eg, a headlight or trailer light out. VOSA stop you and ask you take your tacho out, they need no reason to stop you. Same in a car. Old bill ask you stop, they need a reason, VOSA ask you to pull over and they don't need a reason.

[bidstermeister]

Then what? What does the ID of an accredited VOSA agent look like? Who do you call to verify they really are an accredited VOSA agent for your county?

 

Presumably you call the police.

 

Tim

Right... So, we don't stop then ? Is it not fair to have a defence of "unsafe circumstances" or something like that ? If these people supposedly have as much right (if not more) than the Police to pull us over and snoop around the vehicle, surely some foolproof way of ensuring their identity and authority are clearly visible would be a wise move ?

 

Anyway, how are we supposed to know about these guys and their powers ? I know ignorance is no defence, but really - Take a lone female driver with a kid in the back who is afraid of stopping for obvious reasons...

[Sidewinder]

Right... So, we don't stop then ? Is it not fair to have a defence of "unsafe circumstances" or something like that ? If these people supposedly have as much right (if not more) than the Police to pull us over and snoop around the vehicle, surely some foolproof way of ensuring their identity and authority are clearly visible would be a wise move ?

 

Anyway, how are we supposed to know about these guys and their powers ? I know ignorance is no defence, but really - Take a lone female driver with a kid in the back who is afraid of stopping for obvious reasons...

 

But then anybody could put on a fluorescent jacket with 'Police' on the back and pull you over culdn't they? VOSA are the Government agency responsible for improving road safety standards, and regulate amongst other things the issue of MOTs. In the same way as police officers don't wear their ID around the neck, they still have to produce it on request, as do VOSA staff.

 

VOSA inspectors drive clearly marked vehicles and their roadside checks are always well signed - I have never had a major problem with them. If they manage to pull in a lorry driver with a badly loaded vehicle, enforce rest for a driver who may have driven across Europe without taking adequate rest or dare I say it highlights a safety problem with a car that the driver might have been unaware of then that is good surely?

[ivorbiggun]

Well said Sidewinder.

 

I think that most of you who would/might refuse to stop would bring more grief upon yourselves if you refused to stop. Whereas you might have got a warning or a rectification notice if you had co-operated; I'd hazard a guess that you would get your vehicle impounded or prosecuted by the Police for failure to stop. Sometimes humility in the right circumstance is better than bravado behind a keyboard.