People seem to be forgetting again, it's the CONTACTABLE EDGES that are important. If they can't be contacted, then they can't be tested.

So, for instance, a hole in a stainless steel panel to allow a wishbone to pass through- sphere is applied (if the examiner is in doubt, though obviously they can judge most of these situations by eye), and if the hole is sufficiently small that the wishbone stops the sphere getting near the edges of the hole, then those edges are not contactable and are not tested.

As stated earlier, this is not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact.

A friend has been in contact with VOSA over various issues relating to IVA.
Whilst the manual is there for all to read, it is a guidance for the examiner and he has discretion on the day, he can fail a car if he is not happy.
VOSA will not overrule him.
This is why going the extra mile, being extra vigilant, taking advise from many people and applying it to your build is prudent.
Having a box of bits and being prepared to correct things on the day of IVA has got us through 4 passes.

All of that is true, especially having the box of edging etc. Never-the-less, if the edge can't be contacted then it can't be tested. Always a good idea to carry extra materials in case you get an awkward examiner, but they are on dodgy ground failing a car on an edge that is specifically exempted in the manual.

I've done IVAs too, and have never known a car to fail on an exempted edge. I acknowledge it's a good idea to have extra materials on hand, I fill up the back of my estate car with tools and materals when I attend a test.

With any test VOSA carries out you have the right to appeal if you are not happy with the result.

An examiners decision can and has been overuled after re-examination by senior examiners of Vosa and Bristol is the main place to appeal too.

This has been discussed previously and the same old same old goes on,its the testers interpretation of the written word and their decision at time of test exactly the same with MOT testing.

Two distinct definitions in the dictionary apply to rust and corrosion,rust is the start of corrosion and if I had £1 for every failure for "excessively corroded brake pipes" I would not have to work.

My point,the tester is human as is the presenter and if you go overboard with edging and other safety/trim related items in my opinion is worth brownie points and keep the tester happy.

How about this for a summing up-

The answer to the original question is that as long as the sphere can’t touch them, then edges can’t, or at least shouldn’t, be tested. However, it might be that one gets an examiner that doesn’t understand his own rule book (not happened to me, but it might happen) and he fails a car on a non-contactable edge.

Now the presenter could appeal that failure, and the failure would be overturned, but on the other hand it would be quicker and simpler to take a box of various trimming materials with you to the test and trim any non-contactable edges that the examiner was not happy with.

How’s that?

The last few lines of the above say's it all,do unto others before they do it to you. Do it before the test.......

No thanks. If I went round covering every edge that the examiner might want to test, despite being non-contactable (and therefore not testable), it would take a lot longer to get a car ready for a test.

I'm going to stick with taking some material on a just in case basis, and being ready to apply it there and then. Fortunately the testers at my local VOSA test centre do know their jobs. Others will have to make their own minds up.

Well that's the thread to a conclusion the
Well done gentlemen

Chocolate biscuits........