I’m not cut out for this driving malarky. My last shift involved me having an accident. 100% my fault. and scared the life out of me. Was on a dual carriageway and turning right at roundabout. About half a mile out I got in RHL. Then realised it was a 3 lane entrance to roundabout abit further on. I looked in my mirrors. I did what I thought I should do. Indicated and looked again. Started to move across. Heard a bang. WTF was my thought. Look again in mirror. Nothing there. Then look at mirror in front of truck. I’m pushing a car along dual carriageway sideways.
Fortunately, no one was hurt. The mum just said ‘thank god we are alive’. The child was in tears - understandably. I was just shocked. She called the Police as she didn’t know what to do. They didn’t come out as no one hurt. I’d be bang on for careless/dangerous driving if they did. Then the husband came. Worst part was that he was nice and said ‘these things happen, it’s fully comp I don’t care’. Tbh if I’d have been him I’d have decked me.
I tried explaining about blindspot and he said he had a class 1 and understood. I don’t know how he kept so cool. But I do know that if I drove tomorrow I couldn’t 100% guarantee it wouldn’t happen again. So I’m hanging up my keys. I could have killed someone - and it just ain’t worth it. I’ve made some money and more than paid for my training back. So I’m up in that sense.
I’m not banned from working for Tesco’s at every DC in the country. Which I’m absolutely fine about. I’ll never say never - if I’m desperate and need to put food on the table then I’ll do what I have to do. But for now I’m retired. Massive respect for the lads who do the job well. Thanks to everyone who gave me good advice. I doubt anyone cares - but I wanted to write this anyway.
I did the exact same thing a few years back and it scared the crap out of me at the time.
I also considered quitting but after some consideration decided to carry on driving, the NS blind spot is something that I will always be very wary of, like you no one was hurt and I now view the accident as a lesson well learned.
Scary how easy it can happen!
Good luck with whatever you move onto.
BTW: Not banned or now banned from every Tesco DC?
I think that you should get back on the horse as soon as possible. Those things happen, YOU will probably improve after this negative event. Did the woman really not see the BIG THUNDERING JUGERNAUT ,I don’t see how you can be 100% to blame.
Well, you know my thoughts on it, sammy.
I’ll just say it’s your call. If you don’t feel safe driving then you’re right to stop. You can, as you say, always come back to it.
The thing with roundabouts is that you can always go round again. I’ve done it, even though I’m perfect You shouldn’t let it get to you so badly that you give it all up. What happens if you have an at fault prang in your car, do you give up driving that? I put a trailer right over the top of a Rover 2000 in my very early days. Luckily it was just the hooks that made his roof leak. I got out, blamed him and got over it
Get back in the saddle and treat it as a lesson learned. alamcculloch has to understand that you’re surrounded by amateur drivers who just don’t realise how dodgy that place near the cab can be, no matter whether their husband has a class one or not.
If every driver chucked the job after bending some metal, there really would be a driver shortage.
Take it as a learning experience, get back in the hot seat and see how you feel after a “clean shift”.
I’d say you would probably be one of the safer drivers after that as now you’ll check, then check and then check again to make sure now.
Good to know that no one was hurt and the husband with a class 1 was so understandable.
Dust yourself off and get back going as it will be harder to start again if you leave it too long as you’ll put extra worry and stress on yourself.
If it’s not for you then fair enough.
Good luck.
the longer you leave it the harder it will be if you want to restart , you will NEVER repeat that mistake , its a situation that will occur again , but next time you’ll be ready for it. even if you decide to give it up for now , try and get a couple of shifts in soon as , once they’re out of the way and you’ve had no problems , have a rethink, dont just give it up , you seem to be a trier and god knows this industry needs people like that
take it from one who’s been there , and by the way it was far , far worse (fatal). best thing that happened, the police made me drive the lorry away from the scene , with the front offside corner missing and power steering fluid ■■■■■■■ out all over the road . you never forget it , i can recall that day clearly, and this was in 1981 ,but , it makes you drive with a lot more awareness.
your doing the right thing.
taliban flipflop have the monopoly in the uk for blindside sideswipes like that.
unless your driving a lhd then theres absolutely no excuse to be so careless and incompetent,it would be even worse than taking the lid off with a low bridge.
your doing the best thing by jacking it in pronto.
go back to fiddling with radios or flying a plane.
mabey you could get a shift with your pal as a 2nd man vanboy as i dont think he is best best mates with the one he has just now?..think of the children
It’s a pity there are not more conscientious drivers like yourself. You made a big mistake but it’s probably very unlikely you will make it again so why throw in the towel when it’s your job and your way of earning a living.
Yes we lorry drivers have blindspots but it’s our responsibility to make sure there is nothing in that blind spot before moving. Too many use BS as an excuse for their lack of ability or lazyness to check and check again.
Unless you have something better to go to don’t give up quite yet.
Everyone makes mistakes. In your favour you admitted and learned from it. No one died. You don’t know the car driver didn’t lunge down the inside at warp factor 10. Chalk it down to experience and get back on the horse.
What you going to do if you have a minor crash in you car? catch the bus? Come on sammym where’s your backbone. Most of us have done it once, fip flops do it weekly and don’t cry about it Just learn by it, these things happen.
As for getting banned from Tesco’s, I got a life time ban as well (forgetting to put the legs down on a empty trailer) We all make mistakes and no one was hurt apart from your pride and the woman may need a new pair of under crackers
Roundabouts should only be 2 lanes… any more than that is too confusing for non locals who haven’t practiced going round them umpteen times…
we have m6 j40 and kemplay roundabouts on the a66 at Penrith…
I’m local, so I have got used to them …
But you can be guaranteed to see last second lane swaps and horns every day…
You shouldn’t let it get to you so badly that you give it all up. What happens if you have an at fault prang in your car, do you give up driving that? I put a trailer right over the top of a Rover 2000 in my very early days. Luckily it was just the hooks that made his roof leak. I got out, blamed him and got over it 
We all make mistakes and no one was hurt apart from your pride and the woman may need a new pair of under crackers