Please report dangerous drivers to the police - Roadsafe. Report to plod, not just whinge here.

^ I suspect the latter. Not sure whether or not it's true. But I keep reading that it's not procedure for companies to look at the footage unless there is a crash (Edit: and even then there are limits). Surely a sample check every so-often should form part of the duty of care of the company? (RHA would lobby otherwise, I am sure. Probably citing privacy issues)

They basically live in those cabs so there's probably a lot that could be seen that maybe rightly shouldn't be seen, for privacy. Always a tricky balance.
He definitely knew there was a camera there but his utter arrogance made him think that he'd never crash (because he's the best drive ever, obvs)

They basically live in those cabs so there's probably a lot that could be seen that maybe rightly shouldn't be seen, for privacy. Always a tricky balance.

That would be easily countered with the cameras being mandatory when driving on consignment. As soon as they clock off, cameras stop.

^ This

Also, a good reminder to get out of your vehicle ASAP and stand a safe distance away if you ever break down. Utterly terrifying

True.
Possibly open to abuse but a better solution.

I'm sure there was push back when tachographs were introduced, but those are commonplace now. And I imagine liability or general operating insurance could be priced to incentivise their use.

Won't stop pricks like that though, unfortunately. He even had one of those dummy seat belt clips and did all that other shit while still having a camera.

Probably the more impactful change would be for haulage companies to periodically/randomly review footage. Or have easier ability to review on a given report from the public.

I wonder what the % of privately owned HGVs is? I doubt it's statistically significant but I bet it isn't zero.

I wonder what the % of privately owned HGVs is? I doubt it's statistically significant but I bet it isn't zero.

Given the amount of subcontracting that goes on in the industry, I wouldn't be surprised if it were nearly 10% (at a guess). I bet the RHA has some proper figures, if anyone is desperate to look. Certainly the % of vehicles run by small operators is high.

A chap round the corner from me owns his own cab. Pretty mad seeing it parked on his small drive.
I've seen him with trailers so I guess he's totally independent. Maybe not.

I cycled past a woman sat in a queue today who was eating her lunch whilst driving! she had a fork in her hand, and the lunchbox on her lap

Surprised he survived, not wearing a seat belt.

From the article:

He added: "Throughout the journey, he used a replica seatbelt buckle in the socket to prevent the alarm from activating, and only put his actual seatbelt on when he pulled up behind a police car at a set of traffic lights.

"As soon as the police vehicle was out of sight, he removed the belt again."

He really deserved a Darwin award.

That you can even buy things like 'replica seatbelt buckles', unbelievable. I mean, it's undoubtedly under the counter or via some shady web-sites, but still.

Surley they're freely available at any scrapyard.

Oh, of course, the 'replica' threw me. He was probably just using one taken from another lorry.

Having seen the footage I'm just surprised he wasn't seriously injured due to the lack of a seatbelt.

Can’t suffer a brain injury if you haven’t got a brain

You can definitely buy replica/dummy ones abroad, possibly even in Europe.

Are we saying these dummy seatbelt buckles are a bad thing?

Why is it a surprise you can buy such a thing? It's just a spare seatbelt buckle, you could pick one up from any car breakers or scrapyard (assuming they had the right model).

It's not as if making selling them illegal would help, the act of using them (without a seatbelt) is illegal anyway.

I guess he's probably using one of these to defeat the warning:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GoBuyer-Anti-shock-Bungee-Buffer-Harness/dp/B08DYGV9Q6/
Readily available; I have one in my car. In my case it lives on the back seat and is occasionally attached to the dog. I actually 'want' to use a seatbelt and appreciate the safety it affords me...

I moved my car two spaces forward along the pavent the other day. I didn't put my seatbelt on for that and it felt really weird.

If you don't go above 15kph or something the alarm doesn't go off (in cars with seatbelt alarms).

"I would've got away with it if it wasn't for that pesky downhill at 15.3kph"

I've occasionally wanted such a thing when I've put something heavy enough on the passenger seat to trigger the seat occupied sensor.

I totally get that.
Going a bit OT now but something that I really DON'T get, (and I have mates that do this and it totally irks me) is people who habitually pull away without their belt on and then awkwardly scrabble around behind themselves, take their hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, wobble about a bit and then eventually clip in!!!
Every time I just silently say WTF to myself and think yup, that would have been so much easier if you just put the belt on before actually driving....