beefy4605:
Me: And you didn’t think to tell me all day?
Him: What difference does it make?
Me: I’ve got plans, I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. You’ve given me zero notice. You said I’d be home today
If you had plans then how would stopping at a shop be needed for supplies ? You either had plans or you hadn’t . I’ll say it - you were chancing your arm
Or maybe plans that would have been easier to rearrange with a few hours notice?
I once had to ring my partner and tell her that I wasn’t coming home on my last shift as I had broken down. Tea was wasted and she wasn’t happy but she accepted it couldn’t be helped.
I wouldn’t like to have guessed the reaction if it had been because I was just doing an extra night out that I hadn’t told her about regardless of if I knew about it or not
Don’t see how the OP is at fault here beefy, it seems to me that he would have done the night out had his gaffer acted honoroubly & informed him of it in the morning when he sent him for the load. This would have allowed him to prepare for it, inform the missus at home etc. Instead his gaffer kept it a secret all day & then landed the soccer punch at teatime in an attempt to back the OP into a corner when the he was under the impression (as a day driver!) he was heading back to the yard.
The gaffer handled it badly & got his just desserts with an undelivered load and unhappy customer - serves him right.
Freight Dog:
Do you justify what you are doing on your days off to your boss?
No I don’t - they won’t be able to get me until Monday morning now - I keep work and home life very seperate . When I go to work I’m at work -if I get home through the week then thats all fine and good if I don’t thats fine as well . Its what I signed up for - this week I had 4 days and 3 nights out . Other short weeks I’m home every night .
The point I was making was the story changes -
I’ve got plans - well if you have plans your going home
I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. If your stopping at a shop then you have no plans .
Freight Dog:
Do you justify what you are doing on your days off to your boss?
No I don’t - they won’t be able to get me until Monday morning now - I keep work and home life very seperate . When I go to work I’m at work -if I get home through the week then thats all fine and good if I don’t thats fine as well . Its what I signed up for - this week I had 4 days and 3 nights out . Other short weeks I’m home every night .
The point I was making was the story changes -
I’ve got plans - well if you have plans your going home
I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. If your stopping at a shop then you have no plans .
They are not exclusive. He can both have plans and not have supplies. They are both reasons why it’s ludicrous to plan him a night out without letting him know.
Freight Dog:
Do you justify what you are doing on your days off to your boss?
No I don’t - they won’t be able to get me until Monday morning now - I keep work and home life very seperate . When I go to work I’m at work -if I get home through the week then thats all fine and good if I don’t thats fine as well . Its what I signed up for - this week I had 4 days and 3 nights out . Other short weeks I’m home every night .
The point I was making was the story changes -
I’ve got plans - well if you have plans your going home
I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. If your stopping at a shop then you have no plans .
I think you’re reading into it. That’s not an unreasonable set of responses from someone blind sided by a sudden demand to do a night stop that was previously planned. It’s all by the by. They shouldn’t have to justify anything. The answer no would’ve done. The bloke kept it a state secret until the last minute to put him against the wall.
Freight Dog:
Do you justify what you are doing on your days off to your boss?
No I don’t - they won’t be able to get me until Monday morning now - I keep work and home life very seperate . When I go to work I’m at work -if I get home through the week then thats all fine and good if I don’t thats fine as well . Its what I signed up for - this week I had 4 days and 3 nights out . Other short weeks I’m home every night .
The point I was making was the story changes -
I’ve got plans - well if you have plans your going home
I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. If your stopping at a shop then you have no plans .
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1
if ever there was a job that was a guaranteed snafu all day and every day then its lorry driving.
unless your doing a plob shift for tesco and the like,then you have a bed and should expect to use it if as and when your day drags on or you get your good news late into the shift as what usually happens…
no doubt the boss decided to hit him with the good news to save listening to the pleading hone calls from 9a.m. and left it till later.
worst case scenario,the blag a kfc or a chippy and get a kip.
theres countless truckies heading home from abroad and similar that get the.your getting turned at the boat and were shipping a trailer out,or the…can you do another wee quick trip and itl be handy.
just par for the course with the job.
obviously there has to be fair play from both parties until it gets to the stage of extracting the urine and being disrespected and used.
I think your boss certainly could have explained the situation better and it may have had a better ending. BUT before i was an distance work i had a day driving job but still got caught out a couple of times as did other drivers. It was no big deal back then, we just accepted it as part of the job but i must also say i was never tricked into it like you seem to have been. Good luck.
Worked for a great bloke. Started as day work but the job involved delays and some nights due to certain reasons. Also if you did do nights you were more use to him and got more hours. He was a rare beast as though he listened to drivers. I said as long as he gave me enough warning to inform the good lady I would do if required. I also made sure I informed him of nights I couldn’t do. It worked a treat. Sadly a big company took over and it all went t1ts… I left.
Freight Dog:
I can see the waters being muddied on this one with what is two seperate issues.
The unforeseen events that cause you to go from within range of base to out of hours
Planned events that will take you from being within range of base to out of hours.
^^^ That.
If I had been the OPs boss then I would have asked if they were up for a night out from the get go. It rarely happens in our work, so it’s always been a yes from, the lads.
Then there are unplanned things, not getting on a ferry because of paperwork problems and waiting for the next one, problem with the load. Something will invariably happen.
However, I always used to take basic kit with me even if I was just doing a 100 mile round trip.
I agree with what a couple have said up to a point.
If I was a dayman I would ALWYS carry minimal basic kit…just in case, for unforseens, emergencies etc…but I’m speaking as a life long tramper here.
This lad just wants to be a dayman, that’s his choice, and there is definitely that kind of work out there, but in this case it looks like his guvnor was on a ■■■■■■■■■ He’s more than likely done the same thing numerous times, and got a shock that this lad had the balls to ■■■■ him off, …thus making him think twice, and plan better next time.
beefy4605:
Good for you .
On the other hand this was my short “easy” week.
It all went ■■■■ up on Monday (not my fault or the bosses ) and I’m only in the door now . 3 nights out . I keep a bag with 2 complete changes of clothes and washing gear in the truck. Knife fork spoon various pots pans and a kettle mugs , coffee tea soup etc inverter and microwave.
Its not a problem .
It does fasinate me that some think the world revolves around them and their needs and they need “rescuing” - please your in a truck not the wilds of outer Mongolia.
Sorry the job didnt work out for you - perhaps you need a complete career change .
Our two situations aren’t parallel. What does interest me is the fact that you think because some drivers like to be kept informed and not messaged around that they think ‘the world revolves around them and their needs’. If you’re happy to sacrifice your home life at the drop of a hat whenever your boss asks that’s up to you, but I think responses on here have shown you’re in the minority. Don’t be surprised when it starts happening more and more, and I hope your boss does start expecting you to do monster weeks every single week, if you ever complain I hope he tells you ‘beefy4605 the world doesn’t revolve around you, you’re in a truck not the wilds of out mongolia’.
As for me making excuses, I did have plans. I enjoyed a family meal out with my folks. Obviously as other posters have pointed out if I’d have known earlier in the day I’d have probably rearranged it, but at going on half 4 in the day there’s not a chance I was going to do that.
beefy4605:
Good for you .
On the other hand this was my short “easy” week.
It all went ■■■■ up on Monday (not my fault or the bosses ) and I’m only in the door now . 3 nights out . I keep a bag with 2 complete changes of clothes and washing gear in the truck. Knife fork spoon various pots pans and a kettle mugs , coffee tea soup etc inverter and microwave.
Its not a problem .
It does fasinate me that some think the world revolves around them and their needs and they need “rescuing” - please your in a truck not the wilds of outer Mongolia.
Sorry the job didnt work out for you - perhaps you need a complete career change .
Our two situations aren’t parallel. What does interest me is the fact that you think because some drivers like to be kept informed and not messaged around that they think ‘the world revolves around them and their needs’. If you’re happy to sacrifice your home life at the drop of a hat whenever your boss asks that’s up to you, but I think responses on here have shown you’re in the minority. Don’t be surprised when it starts happening more and more, and I hope your boss does start expecting you to do monster weeks every single week, if you ever complain I hope he tells you ‘beefy4605 the world doesn’t revolve around you, you’re in a truck not the wilds of out mongolia’.
As for me making excuses, I did have plans. I enjoyed a family meal out with my folks. Obviously as other posters have pointed out if I’d have known earlier in the day I’d have probably rearranged it, but at going on half 4 in the day there’s not a chance I was going to do that.
Is this the same job where they were getting you to pull 70 hour weeks on a salary. Working out £8.70 an hour flat?
beefy4605:
Good for you .
On the other hand this was my short “easy” week.
It all went ■■■■ up on Monday (not my fault or the bosses ) and I’m only in the door now . 3 nights out . I keep a bag with 2 complete changes of clothes and washing gear in the truck. Knife fork spoon various pots pans and a kettle mugs , coffee tea soup etc inverter and microwave.
Its not a problem .
It does fasinate me that some think the world revolves around them and their needs and they need “rescuing” - please your in a truck not the wilds of outer Mongolia.
Sorry the job didnt work out for you - perhaps you need a complete career change .
Your either missing the point or your the type of person to just bend over and do what your told without question.
The point here is that he would have done the night out if he’d been informed early once his boss knew. Last minute night out due to emergency’s is completely different. He refused to do it at the time he got told, and fair play to him.
Sorry, I really have to apologise for what follows in this post as no offence is intended but I can’t sit by and read this ■■■■ for much longer.
Look you choose HGV driving as your profession even took the step to class 1 where distance work is a given, you ain’t on multi drop now Dorothy.
So your gaffer wanted you to do another night out, so what he will pay you for it, forget about how things should work, poop happens and any driver worth their salt will adapt.
Yes he was a bit out of order not nurse maiding you early doors but so what your job is to drive thus profiting the company securing your and your fellow employees jobs.
Boo hoo another night out was unacceptable and you did the right thing for you to leave but I can guarantee there’s umpteen drivers in waiting of varying skill levels ready to fill your boots.
So it works both ways, you’ve hit your limit of 2 nights out on the trot and you’ve left for pastures new, just maybe your previous employer may look for more flexible drivers or be more open about what’s expected at the interview, but I doubt it.
Maybe it’s a sign of the times but surely any potential driver considering this profession should be flexible enough for a few nights out. Even back in the day when I was what would be considered a ‘day driver’ (wtf sort of snowflake job description is that) it was a given I would be expected to do a few nights out here and there and them where the days of frisby tachos.
So perhaps trolley dolloying is your best route to follow from now on.
Anyway sorry to give my true opinion but this forum is in danger of becoming as bland as the admins virtual personality, talk about one extreme to another.
Oh yes I can always go elsewhere but I can’t stand by and watch a once exciting dare I say controversial forum bend over and become a shadow of what it once was.
Dipper_Dave:
Sorry, I really have to apologise for what follows in this post as no offence is intended but I can’t sit by and read this [zb] for much longer.
Look you choose HGV driving as your profession even took the step to class 1 where distance work is a given, you ain’t on multi drop now Dorothy.
So your gaffer wanted you to do another night out, so what he will pay you for it, forget about how things should work, poop happens and any driver worth their salt will adapt.
Yes he was a bit out of order not nurse maiding you early doors but so what your job is to drive thus profiting the company securing your and your fellow employees jobs.
Boo hoo another night out was unacceptable and you did the right thing for you to leave but I can guarantee there’s umpteen drivers in waiting of varying skill levels ready to fill your boots.
So it works both ways, you’ve hit your limit of 2 nights out on the trot and you’ve left for pastures new, just maybe your previous employer may look for more flexible drivers or be more open about what’s expected at the interview, but I doubt it.
Maybe it’s a sign of the times but surely any potential driver considering this profession should be flexible enough for a few nights out. Even back in the day when I was what would be considered a ‘day driver’ (wtf sort of snowflake job description is that) it was a given I would be expected to do a few nights out here and there and them where the days of frisby tachos.
So perhaps trolley dolloying is your best route to follow from now on.
Anyway sorry to give my true opinion but this forum is in danger of becoming as bland as the admins virtual personality, talk about one extreme to another.
Oh yes I can always go elsewhere but I can’t stand by and watch a once exciting dare I say controversial forum bend over and become a shadow of what it once was.
First sensible post I’ve read in a long time well done.
