Hullo.....remember me?

First of all I must thank Coffeeholic for his help in getting me onto this new-style forum. I was getting a tad peeved at being asked for a forum password when I didn’t know one existed. But I’m here now and intend to stay that way.

Perhaps that last statement is a bit misleading, I’ve not become a trucker once more, but I do intend to pop in a bit more frequently.

So, it is fast approaching six months since I last drove a truck and there’s not a day goes by without me reminding myself of that fact. When I hung up my keys to join Rolls Royce I fully intended to drive at some point, perhaps at weekends, holidays or the like. Unfortuneately the reality is always somewhat different to the dream. For one reason or another the nearest I’ve got to a truck is sitting next to one at the traffic lights and that saddens me.

I think I said many months ago in one of my first posts that I realised my vocation in life. It was to be a trucker. I still stand by that, but the fact of the matter is that I daren’t give up what I have at the moment to fulfill that vocation once more. And that causes great inner conflict.

Still, I’ll work something out. Or maybe I have already you may be asking yourself? Why else would Popeye rear his ugly head after all these months? Well, you might just be onto something there, you clever people. I knew I couldn’t fool you lot.

I have in my head an idea - it’s lonely in there, I’ll grant you that. But it’s in there all the same and it won’t go away, not unless I have another idea which will take it’s place, but that would mean thinking and that hurts me. The idea involves Popeye, a nice uniform, a tooting horn with a nice shiny fire engine attached. No, I’m not joining the fire brigade - too old, but I am contemplating buying a fire engine to use as a limousine for hen-party’s, stag do’s, children’s parties even weddings. It’s still an idea at the moment but I plan to develop it after Christmas and New Year, but I need help.

The help is not in locating an engine - I’ve seen a couple on ebay and know of a few others I could lay my hands on for not too much money (about a £1500 will get you a half decent one - seen a lovely 3 series Scania, but it was £5500 too rich for my blood). No, what I need is some basic advice. For instance what responsibilities will I have as the owner of a truck? I’ve driven for various companies but never contemplated what their duties are. Would I need an operators licence? Do tachograph laws apply to me if I’m driving for my own financial gain? Another thought I had was whether my class 2 licence would be sufficient for the driving of an ex-fire appliance? Fire engine drivers were put through their PSV according to my dad, who was a station officer and training commandant in the fire service.

I really don’t have the first clue about this, but it seems like a good idea in principal. In saying that, I don’t intend charging headlong into this thing without the benefit of some knowledge. If the outlay is going to prove to substantial then I’ll probably put it on the back burner for a couple of years, but the notion of having my own truck is extremely appealing. The idea that it could make me some money is also pleasing, but the best thing about it is that I might be able to continue working in Rolls Royce AND get to drive a truck.

Should this idea blossom I will be as happy as a sand-boy (does anyone know what a sand-boy is?). Any advice from you good people will, as always, be greatly appreciated.

I hope this post finds you all well. For those who remember me I would like to pass on my best wishes and hope that you are going from strength to strength. For those that don’t have the first clue about who I am, then may I just say that as a truck driver you have picked the best site to join and that I wish you all good luck in your big adventures out on the highways and byways.

I look forward to your replies. Take care.

Kind Regards,

Popeye.

aka Paul.

Hiya popeye…

Yeah, I remember ya mate… you wrote on an old thread that I wrote last January when I was taking my class 2.
Heres the thread in question… But I was known as Fireblade back then…
http://www.trucknetuk.com/bbsuk/Forum4/HTML/000441.html

Sorry to hear your not yet on the road as it were… I havent driven a truck since passing my test last winter, but I hopefully will be on the road soon, as I am taking my class 1 this coming January, nearly a year to the day…

I’m lined up for a job too, and my present employer is paying for my training, and giving me a job on their truck fleet… the company being Ford Motor Co…

Glad to see ya back mate…
All the Best to Ya… :smiley:

Remember you, Popeye?, How could we forget. You kept me amused for hours with your tales of the hill monster. Good to have you back.
As far as the fire engine goes, Haven’t got a clue mate, will leave it to the experts to advise you. But whatever, GOOD LUCK, and Stay in touch.

All the best

Kate
:slight_smile:

glad to see you again popeye :smiley: :smiley:

i can see the idea with the fire engine

hen night and uniforms :wink: is this for a career or personal gain :blush:

good luck i will look into it for you

jon

Hi Popeye- Welcome back.
Try : www.VOSA.Gov.uk.
Click onto T.A.N. (Traffic Area Network)
on that page (top left) is a drop down menu.
Click onto GV “O” Licence.
This should answer some of your questions.Also, you could ring the Scottish Traffic Area office (Edinburgh-details in there somewhere as well!),they will answer questions and send you a booklet about Goods Vehicle operators licences.
In my opinion, you would need a class C driving licence- :slight_smile: Sorted!
For insurance: Carrying PASSENGERS for hire & reward.(Like a minibus)
Annual visit to the Goods Vehicle testing station, same as any rigid over 3.5 tons.
Road Tax disc?-hmm…I’m not sure :confused: A phone call to Swansea perhaps?

Hope this helps, :smiley:

Hi Popeye.

Im afraid Ive well and truely turned into a lurker since we last spoke, but I couldnt resist saying a quick hello. Like you I havent driven a truck for a good six months or more.

I cant really offer any concrete advice, but, I do know that when I took my cat C test the fire brigade were training a couple of their fire fighters in a 12ton flat bed to put them in for the DSA test. I dont think you`ll need any pcv licence as the engine will have less than 9 seats.

Glad to hear you are well.

Regards Mart

Welcome back Popeye, how could we forget you? :laughing:

I’me afraid I’ve got no real ideas about this, but Cat C should cover you for driving a fire engine, insurance would have to cover passengers on a - for hire or reward basis, or something similar. All the obvious things seem to be covered in the previous posts so I’ll leave it to people who may really know what they are on about. :sunglasses:

Best of luck, don’t be a stranger.

Hello Popeye,
Ive joined the site since you were last on, but I thought Id say hello anyway. Just make sure you empty the water tank before letting your passengers on board :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Can`t add to the advice already given, but would have thought your Class C would cover you
Best Regards
Trevor

Nice to see you again Popeye me ol’ son.

Bully

Flash, HE’S ALIVE!!!

ROFL. Seriously though, your questions would be better answered in the Owner Drivers forums.

It really is your lucky day!!! :laughing: :laughing:

Well nearly anyway :wink:

Hi Paul, believe it or not, but I have a mate who does just what you are thinking of …with a fire engine!!!

I have got his web address here somewhere, I will post it for you when I can find it :blush:

No doubt I shall see him sometime in the next few days, when I do I will warn him about you :laughing:

He is a genuine sort of fella and I am sure he will help you out with any questions you have.

cheers
STEVE.

I knew you folks would come through for me. Many thanx for all your replies - ATKIG, you’re offer of your friends web addy is excellent, I’ll certainly fire (pardon the pun) off a few questions to him in the fullness of time. DEESIDER, thanks for the link - I’ve had a brief look at it and believe there is alot of information that will prove invaluable. AND EVERYONE ELSE, thanks for taking the time to post your good wishes - it’s good to be back among you, although I was never really away - just pre-occupied elsewhere!!

I have found out one thing in the last few days and it really surprised me - the licence I need to undertake such a venture is nothing more than an ordinary car licence! How? Well apparently the fire engine is under 7.5 tonnes in weight when it is unladen, ie; when it has no water on board.

As I said it’s almost six months to the day since I jumped out of my beloved Scania for the last time. And boy am I missing her. There have been many days since where I’ve been sat in Rolls Royce questioning my sanity - I really miss the road and it hurts at times. I’ve spoken to Mrs Popeye about it and she is 100% behind whatever I decide. For now I’ll stay put as the money is too good to pass up, but I have no desire to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary cooped up in a factory. Once we get on an even keel and are settled financially I’ll be out of there and back where I belong. I just wish it was tomorrow.

I have a confession to make - I never did get around to getting my Class 1 - too many other things needed seeing to. But I have promised myself I will get it and I intend to do so, however long it takes.

Anyway, enough of this nonsense. It’s time for me to go, I’ve got a new floor coming tomorrow and I’m laying it myself, so it’s an early night for me.

Take Care everyone, it really is good to be back among you.

Kind Regards,

Popeye.

Hullo Popeye my old friend, I for one miss reading your adventures so if your fancy ever takes you down the road again, we want to hear. And what about our joint vice “THE BHOYS” good to see a goal difference like that.

Like I said kick around the site in the future and give us all a laugh as im sure we have newbies here that have never heard of ya!!

regards

kev!

Hi Popeye,

If you check your personal messages you should have the phone number of my mate who has the fire engine.

Apparently the insurance is expensive because the minute you hire it out it becomes a “private hire” vehicle.

Don’t take any notice of the adverts that tell you the vehicle is tax and mot exempt…Its not if you use it for a busines purpose.

I was talking to my mate today and it seems that there are a couple of guys in the Glasgow area who already do this and earn good money doing it !!!

Anyway give him a ring, he is expecting a call, and he will give you the lowdown.

cheers
STEVE.

Steve, I don’t see any message in my inbox. Could you re-send the info to see if it’s working? Cheers.

Well, I now have a plethora of brownie points at my disposal as I have just laid a laminate floor in our living room (open-plan, so the upstairs has been done too - and so has the wee porch, or vestibule, to give it it’s Sunday name!). Mrs Popeye is on cloud nine and keeps kissing and hugging me - result!! And here was me thinking all the laying had to be done in the bedroom - what have I been missing out on for all these years!!!

I went back into work today after taking a couple of days holiday in order to get the floor put down, but there wasn’t much happening so I took a half-day! On the way home I passed the Salvesen Class 1 rig I sat my test in. And guess what? George “mind I don’t spill my tea” is still training these poor sods! Funnily enough the trainee was having forty winks (he was parked up whilst doing this - honest) whilst George was sitting stuffing his face - no change there then! For a brief second I was tempted to pull in and ask for a wee shot of driving for old time’s sake, but then I remembered that me and George don’t exactly see eye to eye - he’s 4’11" and I’m 6’1" boom, boom!

KEV!!! How the devil are you? What about them Hoops, it’s superb. The SPL trophy is coming back to it’s rightful owners at the end of this season and it will stay in Paradise for many years to come. I was due to go to last nights CIS Cup tie against Partick Thistle, but wanted to finish my flooring so I didn’t go - couldn’t get rid of my ticket either, which was unfortunate. At least the result went our way and it sets up the prospect of an Old Firm semi - imagine that!! And they say these draws aren’t rigged!!

OK, I’m off now. Was just popping in to see that I was still registered. I’d pulled the computer out of the wall to do my DIY and wanted to see that everything was as it should be. The last time I took my plug out something weird happened and I lost all my settings, cookies and allsorts. Looks like I’ve been more fortunate this time.

Take Care peeps.

Kind Regards,

Popeye.

Popeye-you have e-mail

cheers
STEVE.

Thanks Steve, I’ll give your friend a call the week after next. I’m back-shift this coming week which means I’m out of the house at 1.30pm and don’t return until shortly after midnight - and I wouldn’t want to 'phone someone at that time of the night, plus I’d be shattered anyway. But tell him that I will call.

Sorry I haven’t answered your mail sooner, but I’ve had a slight mishap!

Fresh from my floor laying success my wife asked me to fix our wobbly dining table. ‘No problem’ to me I thinks and breenged right in. I soon found that the cause of the wobble was that a part of the table frame had split. The screws that held one of the legs onto this particular part of the frame were more or less useless. I realised that in order to alleviate the wobble I would have to bolt, rather than screw the part of split wood and attach the leg to that. This meant widening the original screw holes.

Instead of using a power tool I decided to use a tool which is designed for making holes in walls, wood etc. It is like a screwdriver but instead of having either a flat or star-shaped head, it has a point - a very sharp point. I took the tool in my right hand amd the piece of split wood in my left. I then began pressing the tool into the hole, turning it ferociously in order to widen the hole. I managed the first hole without incident but on the second and final hole the wood split once more and I put the pointy-tool straight into the palm of my hand. I realised pretty quickly what I’d done when I looked at my hand - the tool had almost gone straight through my hand! I say almost, because when I turned my hand over I could see the skin bulging at the point where it would have penetrated! It was at this stage that I let out my first scream - and I can scream pretty loud! The second scream followed suit about a second or two later when I pulled the tool out of my hand! These screams alerted my wife and children that dad was in a wee bit of bother and they came running downstairs. My wife walked over to where I sat slumped against the wall looking at my hand. Unable to speak, I pointed to my hand and then at the tool. She couldn’t quite make the connection due to the distinct lack of blood! When I managed to utter a few audible noises that sounded like words she got the picture and went and got me a piece of towelling. As I got ready to wrap my hand in the towel, we both peered into the hole - I wriggled my fingers and could see things moving inside. Whether it was the bones, pieces of cartilage or muscle I don’t know, but it was pretty freaky. This wriggling motion caused the first appearance of blood. It started way down in the hole and we both watched as it slowly rose to the top and onto my palm. It then stopped and started to conjeal almost immediately - as it did so it began to pulse in time with my heart beat. I looked at Mrs Popeye and told her that I was going to try and clench my fist with the towelling inside and that this action may well incur some blood loss and for her to be ready for that.

I let out another scream as I began to make a fist and had to help myself as it were, by forcing my fingers shut with my right hand. To say the pain was excruciating would be an understatement - it was bloody sore though! We both looked at the white towelling expecting to see a deep red colour seeping through its fibres, but nothing happened. I opened my hand - accompanied by another scream - to survey the damage. The hole had closed up and the initial spot of blood hadn’t gotten any bigger. I was relieved and perplexed at the same time. Mrs Popeye suggested I go to hospital and get it checked out, but I declined. I wasn’t going to sit in a waiting area for 4 hours just to get an elastoplast - hospitals are there for the sick, not the bloody stupid! This all happened last night and after a nights sleep my hand is a wee bit better. It has swollen up quite a bit and I am unable to close it tightly due to the pain but that shouldn’t be a long-term problem. Next time I’m asked to do a wee simple job I’ll be a wee bit more careful!!

Take Care - I know I will!

Kind Regards,

Popeye.

I was going to type the name of Kenny Everetts hapless DIY character, but can’t remember it. It was Reg something or other I think.

Maybe you should pay a visit to your local quacks surgery in the morning Popeye. A lot of blood coming out of a hole in your hand is good in many ways, one good thing is, it will wash out foreign bodies. As you didn’t bleed much I would imagine that any foreign bodies are still in there and could cause you some trouble :frowning: . Probably, the surgery nurse will be able too give it a good clean out (scubbing brush and dettol ? :smiling_imp: ), this may cause you a little more pain :unamused: , but is better than a poisoned hand :sunglasses: . If your jags aren’t up to date the nurse will probably give you a tetanus jag to ensure you don’t get lock-jaw aswell. Seeing the nurse will save you bothering the doc who is probably very busy with all the hypocondriacs and general layabouts trying to get a sick note. He (or she) might also have to see the odd sick person. :smiley:

Learn from this mistake and try to avoid DIY all together in the future. I, like a lot of other sensible people, leave household repairs and upgrades to the professionals. Keeps them in gainful employment and saves me untold pain and suffering, not including the added expense of putting right my balls-ups :laughing:

You’re right Simon, I should get it checked out. On the other hand (no deliberate pun intended, but it does fit like a glove in this context pardon the pun!) if your doctors’ surgery is anything like mine then you need to make an advanced booking to be unwell! It’s much the same for the nurse. I need to get my ears syringed at least three times a year (eh, what was that? Pardon?) and each time I make the appointment I’m always informed that the nurse is fully booked that week and that I’ll have to make do with someday in the following week that doesn’t have a ‘Y’ in it!! Seriously though, the nurse is just as busy if not more so in our wee town.

I had thought about my tetanus jab and moreover when I last had one. The honest answer is I can’t remember, so I’ll probably phone the surgery just to check that out.

As for leaving these jobs to the professionals - you have a point there, but I’m one of these people who likes to try something for myself and then call in help if and when I balls it up. Mrs Popeye was ready to organise a joiner to fit our flooring for no other reason than I would be working and she wanted it done a.s.a.p… Plus the fact that I would be knackered when I got home from work and wouldn’t be arsed doing joinery work. But I told her that I would not set foot in the house whilst the joiner was in - I would be mortified as I knew that I could carry out the task myself. In the end I took two days holiday and did do it and made a damned good job of it (allow me this opportunity to bum my load, please), which has really pleased both of us. Now, minor repairs to jiggly table legs…that’s a job well left alone. Especially where I’m concerned!

By the way, what exactly is lock-jaw? For years I, like most of you I presume, have been told that if you don’t keep up your tetanus jabs and you step on a rusty nail or something similar, that you could get lock-jaw. No-one has ever given a rational explanation to me about what this condition entails other than them making a silly face with their mouth wide open and trying to speak at the same time, saying “giss is gock-gaw”!!

Take Care.

Kind Regards,

Popeye.

ps…anyone remembered Kenny Everett’s DIY characters name yet??

nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.asp?TopicID=443