The end is nigh

As from the twelfth of august I shall no longer have a heavy goods entitlement on my licence. My medical is due and I can’t be arsed.I retired fully at the beginning of April and thought I might keep my licence going till my CPC ran out, but when push came to shove I couldn’t be bothered. I was out on the bike this afternoon and saw a few of the old firms trucks about and have to admit to a tinge of sadness that I will never drive a truck again. Never mind, been there done that.
It was a small tinge, retirements okay, getting some bike rides in, in the nice weather. :smiley: :smiley:

knight2:
As from the twelfth of august I shall no longer have a heavy goods entitlement on my licence. My medical is due and I can’t be arsed.I retired fully at the beginning of April and thought I might keep my licence going till my CPC ran out, but when push came to shove I couldn’t be bothered. I was out on the bike this afternoon and saw a few of the old firms trucks about and have to admit to a tinge of sadness that I will never drive a truck again. Never mind, been there done that.
It was a small tinge, retirements okay, getting some bike rides in, in the nice weather. :smiley: :smiley:

I retired about 6 months ago, 2 month early but jumped at the chance. not regretting one iota. I go for walks on me own, walks with wife and walks with grandson. I obviously do other stuff like a few household chores etc that fills time. we go on hotels.com for short cheap breaks every month so seeing uk as a tourist not a driver.
Being honest after 46 years on the road i was a little scared i would miss it, no way. don`t wont drive a truck ever again and not sorry.
Looking at all roadworks an stuff im not missing that crap.
Get up when you want, have a late night beer/wine when you feel like it, (i have a 2 day drink ban) go out and explore dont not become a couch potato. you like your bike so you should be fairly fit.
Enjoy your time , you spent long enough giving your time to someone else.

knight2:
have to admit to a tinge of sadness that I will never drive a truck again.

I go through stages of driving, time off, driving, time off etc.
During my times off I look at trucks in the morning and think “I fancy getting back into it again”
Then ill see a truck leaving its yard at half 2 in the afternoon going to god knows where to finish at god knows when and think “■■■■ that for a game of soldiers!” :laughing:

No need to have a tinge of sadness, not in my book anyway. I have just fully retired but unlike you still have my licence etc so could still drive and am regularly asked but always declined.
During my last couple of years I thought yeah will keep everything going and do the odd job,more to keep my hand in than anything else but as the time grew closer I thought why bother,why put myself through the stress and hastle of traffic etc, so when things run out they will not be renewed.
Litte dubious about your comment ‘retirement is ok’ especially as you have just literally finished.For me retirement is one of the highest points in my life and a chance to fulfill all my hobbies and see more of the big bad world.Retirement for me is going to be bliss and although on occasion I may fell like a little drive of the latest truck I will soon divert my attention on other far more satisfying tasks. Hope it all goes well for you.

jakethesnake:
No need to have a tinge of sadness, not in my book anyway. I have just fully retired but unlike you still have my licence etc so could still drive and am regularly asked but always declined.
During my last couple of years I thought yeah will keep everything going and do the odd job,more to keep my hand in than anything else but as the time grew closer I thought why bother,why put myself through the stress and hastle of traffic etc, so when things run out they will not be renewed.
Litte dubious about your comment ‘retirement is ok’ especially as you have just literally finished.For me retirement is one of the highest points in my life and a chance to fulfill all my hobbies and see more of the big bad world.Retirement for me is going to be bliss and although on occasion I may fell like a little drive of the latest truck I will soon divert my attention on other far more satisfying tasks. Hope it all goes well for you.

We do need a like button, well said that man

I’m an oldie , been retired 13 years and loved every one of them . Holidays when and for how long you want , time to catch up with all the things you were " getting round to ". Wake up and hear rain battering on the window and stay in bed for an hour . Nobody is your boss any more ( unless you’re married )What’s not to like ? Enjoy life before it’s too late .

Enjoy your time , you spent long enough giving your time to someone else.
Very clever statement, il dwell on that.

“The end is nigh” …More like “Let the good times roll “ , you have done your sentence so now it Fun in the sun time. Change of view needed Pal.

Since i wont be retired for a long time (25+ years) its in my interests to get you back in the workforce so its less depressing for the rest of us. :slight_smile:

I think you need to go sit on a traffic jam or two, get up art daft o’clock and if the other half doesnt object, keep a pee bottle by the bed. Just dont empty it out the window or the neighbours might complain (fussy buggers)!

Oh and just remember, you can always do another medical and get back into it, CPC allowing.

If not, have a nice relaxing retirement and think of us lot…

If it wasn’t for bad financial choices and 2 ex wives and now a high maintanence much younger one I could have retired 4 years ago but as I actually like my job I have no intention of packing in, all tickets valid until 2020 so good to go till then … (at least) :slight_smile:

Well done mate. Im on the verge of quitting the rat race myself. Im past retirement age, but have a bit of mortgage to clear up, then Im out of it. I dont regret trucking, but Ill regret getting out of it even less.

I’ve spent years planning to retire, instead of holidays, trading houses to bigger and better, and flash cars (well 1 to get it out of my system), I’ve been steadily overpaying my mortgage and putting money into a pension pot. I know I’m rock n roll… :wink:

I could have retired 2 years ago at 52, but so far I’ve not been able to look staff in the eye and say, thanks but I’m off and you’re TUPEing over to Wincanton :open_mouth: Customers want so much pointless corporate stuff doing, it makes the job miserable some days.

Anyway, enjoy your retirement, if you don’t need to drive a truck at 2 in the morning, no earthly reason to!

If you enjoyed your working life, Knight2, you’ll take that with you into retirement and enjoy that too :sunglasses: . I did! Robert

Whole heartedly agree with whats been said already.I retired 7 years ago, before all the DCPC came into force and never bothered to renew my licence when the time came.
First 3 months it was playing catch up on all the jobs that I never had time to do because they couldnt be done in a weekend,never liked jobs dragging on w/e after w/e Now its just a matter of doing the "jobs" as and when they happen,or before they get worse and need replacing altogether. Longer holidays,well more like a change of scenery,as and when We want, scan the net for cheapy late deals and go. A pint mid week now instead of "cant" got work at silly o`clock in the morning.
Wake up,nasty weather outside,no need to venture out in it,back into bed with a cuppa
Not a bad morning,just nice for going fishing for a couple of hours

NO REGRETS ABOUT RETIRING ONE BIT

I retired a couple of years ago then did my LGV as it was something I always wanted to do. I now work one or two days a week or none if I dont fancy it. The driver shortage is a boon for supplementing your pension

Thanks for all the replies, though I think I could have put it better. After 53 years I don’t miss working for a living at all. Though I found it slightly strange at first. The end is nigh, just referred to driving trucks, I like driving trucks, just not doing it as a job.

I have to agree with all the other retirees, i retired in February this year and love it. When i left the yard for the last time i felt a little sad but with a great sense of relief as if a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Still wanting to do some driving for a purpose i now deliver meals on wheels in my car, that satisfies my driving needs. Like you said there’s too much b/s today and the lorry driving i miss was gone years ago. It’s not the end, just a change :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

This thread interests me. I’ve been paying into private pensions since I was 16. I’ve only took a couple of years off in my working life. I still put a fair bit in now. I retire at 55 (10 short years) and I will be comfortably off. I am looking forward to it, I’m glad my parents gave me such wisdom years ago. It seemed not so good when I was young, but now as the time draws near, the sacrifice was well worth it.

Although I had a fairly good pension from the NHS, I stayed on for two years and deferred my state pension in return for a better payout. I am currently getting £222 a week from the State so a worthwhile investment. I think it’s not so good these days though.

I retired from driving twice. Once at 40 when I went into management, till 11 years later when I realised the cab happy side of my nature wouldn’t go away.

Then again at 60. Missed it almost immediately but soldiered on with petanque, dancing and living till someone asked me to transfer a couple of little dogs with my car across France.

That was 7 years ago and I’m loving it. I get my travel kick on every trip, especially if it is somewhere new and as I can do what I like and am only dependent on how much people will pay, my horizons have stretched from Malaga to Inverness and Vigo to Budapest.

I still get a twinge when I see one of the wagons rolling on, then I remember that he is going to be hanging about at someone else’s whim, and not neccessarily politely either, and think, nah, this is the life. :smiley: