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RSA at the NCT

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  • 28-04-2008 1:53pm
    #1
    Fey!
    Registered Users Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭


    Got my car NCT'd this morning. The NCT tester tester was there, but there was also some guy in a bright orange RSA jacket with a badge that said "Vehicle Inspector" in the area where the cars are inspected.

    What rights do the RSA have to be in the NCT centre when cars are being tested, can they actually go near any cars in there, and are their "vehicle insectors" in any way qualified to inspect a car (as in, are they mechanics, etc)? Can the RSA, for all their official looking jackets and badges, actually stop you on the side of the road and inspect your vehicle either with or without a Garda presence?

    In other words, what rights do RSA officials have?


    On another note, my NCT was free for some reason noone could explain to me!!!! Definitely not complaining about that! :D


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    #2
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,465 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Do the RSA oversee the implementation of the NCT? Could just have been someone from the RSA doing a spot check. It's common practice in some form or another everywhere else they have such a test.


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    #3
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    Alun wrote: »
    Do the RSA oversee the implementation of the NCT?

    No SGS do this.

    OP how did you know it was RSA?

    AFAIK the NCT is free if you're kept waiting longer than a set time after your appointment time, 30mins I think.


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    #4
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,465 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    stevec wrote: »
    No SGS do this.
    SGS, a private company, implement the NCT test itself, I was suggesting that there's someone else, a government agency of some sort, maybe even the RSA :pac:, who then oversee that implementation, by arranging for quality control, spot checks etc. Doesn't seem that far fetched to me ... someone must do it?


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    #5
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    Alun wrote: »
    SGS, a private company, implement the NCT test itself, I was suggesting that there's someone else, a government agency of some sort, maybe even the RSA :pac:, who then oversee that implementation, by arranging for quality control, spot checks etc. Doesn't seem that far fetched to me.

    Sorry, I don't get you.

    NCTS Ltd implement the testing, SGS audit and QA check NCTS Ltd.

    I know NCTS are part of the SGS group, that's how it is though.

    The RSA might have some input into what gets tested but I doubt it, I would have thought that the DOE or other government department define all this.


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    #6
    Slidey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,811 ✭✭✭✭Slidey


    Cant say for the nct, but for the commercial vehicle test (vtn) the RSA guy does the inspections.
    Normally you dont know about it until you are finished doing the test and he comes in and tells you what you have been doing wrong!


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    #7
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,465 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    stevec wrote: »
    NCTS Ltd implement the testing, SGS audit and QA check NCTS Ltd.
    I know NCTS are part of the SGS group, that's how it is though.
    I knew that, I just viewed SGS and NCTS as effectively one and the same thing for the purposes of the argument. Everywhere else I know about there's some government agency or another that does the spot checks. Seems a bit weird that they're allowed to audit and check themselves if that's really the case.


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    #8
    Fey!
    Registered Users Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭Fey!


    stevec wrote: »
    OP how did you know it was RSA?

    AFAIK the NCT is free if you're kept waiting longer than a set time after your appointment time, 30mins I think.

    The giveaway was the big orange jacket with "RSA" in big letters on the back, as well as "RSA" on his badge.

    As for the free test, I was told it was free when I went to pay when I was checking the car in, so it had nothing to do with a wait of any kind (although I was there an hour in total).

    NCT appeared to have their own tester checking out the guys testing the cars.

    What allows the RSA do ANY kind of checks on a vehicle, be it private or commercial? I wouldn't want anyone going near my vehicle without my approval; if I bring it for DoE or NCT, then their employees can check it over, as their employees (I would think) are qualified/trained to do so. There's nothing to say that some gombeen from the RSA is qualified/trained for anything other than pushing a pen or be generally outspoken.


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    #9
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    Alun wrote: »
    I knew that, I just viewed SGS and NCTS as effectively one and the same thing for the purposes of the argument. Everywhere else I know about there's some government agency or another that does the spot checks. Seems a bit weird that they're allowed to audit and check themselves if that's really the case.

    Yeah, It seems strange allright. SGS is huge and vehicle testing is only a tiny fraction of what they do.

    Given that SGS employs 50% more people than our entire civil service, I doubt there'd be anyone there qualified to audit them.:pac:


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    #10
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    Fey! wrote: »
    The giveaway was the big orange jacket with "RSA" in big letters on the back, as well as "RSA" on his badge.

    Ah OK I misread that in your first post.
    Fey! wrote: »
    NCT appeared to have their own tester checking out the guys testing the cars.
    You mean 'RSA'???
    Fey! wrote: »
    What allows the RSA do ANY kind of checks on a vehicle, be it private or commercial? I wouldn't want anyone going near my vehicle without my approval; if I bring it for DoE or NCT, then their employees can check it over, as their employees (I would think) are qualified/trained to do so. There's nothing to say that some gombeen from the RSA is qualified/trained for anything other than pushing a pen or be generally outspoken.

    Beats me, sounds very strange. Did the RSA guy specifically look at your car or was he just observing things with a clipboard?


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    #11
    Fey!
    Registered Users Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭Fey!


    The NCT had one of their own guys watching what the testers were doing; I've seen this before, and understand that it's to do with quality control, making sure that the tests are done properly and are consistent. That I have no problem with.

    The RSA guy was walking around with absolutely no supervision in an area with no public access; as far as I'm concerned, the RSA are private, so what right do they have to be in the middle of the NCT tests? If they are testing the NCT, who gave them permission and why?


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    #12
    DannyBuoy
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭DannyBuoy


    Was it a duel car test / driver test centre? If so that would explain it as the RSA audit the driver testing. He may just have been hanging around waiting for the next driver test.

    Its the AA audit the car testing btw.


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    #13
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    How long were you waiting for the test?
    (From NCT customer charter)
    4. Ensure that the average lead-time for an appointment at an individual Test Centre is less than 3 weeks with a free test if this is greater than four weeks.

    -.-

    7. Keep queuing times at each National Car Test Centre to no more than 30 minutes provided you arrive on time (free test if queue time to start of test is more than 60 minutes).


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    #14
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    DannyBuoy wrote: »
    Was it a duel car test / driver test centre? If so that would explain it as the RSA audit the driver testing. He may just have been hanging around waiting for the next driver test.

    You could be right about that.
    DannyBuoy wrote: »
    Its the AA audit the car testing btw.

    No, AA handle appeals that aren't resolved internally - nothing to do with auditing.


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    #15
    Slidey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,811 ✭✭✭✭Slidey


    The guys who do the road inspections for the RSA are trained and qualified mechanic and i would bet they would run rings around some of the planks working in the nct centres.
    The guy i met from the RSA is one cute whore and feck all would get past him.
    I think that the RSA were involved in writing the new testing manuals for both the NCT and the DoT testing schemes.
    The Nct one is just finished and should be published and implemented within the next month or 2


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