SmashedCrabFace:
‘…There’s a lot of talk going around that driving for a living is stressful … who thinks it is a stressful job …?’
It’s subjective - meaning that it’s up to the individual what he reckons.
One bloke’s ‘…stress…’ is another bloke’s anxiety or ‘bad day’ and a third bloke’s adrenalin kick, etc, etc.
Thus, the subject cant be categorised as a whole: Besides, who on here is gonna admit that they’re stressed or gob-off that they can’t cope?
hotel magnum:
if you want stress try double manning, ok if you trust the other mans ability, not so good when hes an idiot or a drunk…
I double man every shift and my regular agency co=driver has just had a letter from the boss warning him about his aggressive driving after 4 drivers, mix of employed and agency but not me, complained about him. Some of them had done the run with him and some just encountered him on the road.
Even that doesn’t stress me, he hasn’t crashed or killed us yet and I admit I might get a little stressed should that day arrive but until then, meh. I just lie on the bunk and chill while watching a video or listening to music on my phone. Okay, okay, sometimes I curl up in the corner and scream like a girl but that’s never more than two or three times a week.
skids:
I used to get stressed all the time. Now I just dont let anything get to me. I did get a bit stressed with a manager on new years eve though when I ended up in Rugby truckstop for the night.
Well done 4 days, non stressed 
Wed Jan 04, 2012
limeyphil:
what if you are carrying cream cakes?
what if you run low on LPG, then have to switch to diesel?
what if the train gets there before you?
you may have to go 2 hours south of crick, and then,
back again?
then you slip on some ice. stop filming, stop filming. the lift axle is down, but i’m so [zb]ing stupid i leave it down. no [zb]ing wonder it’s slipping.
it’s so intense, the stress, the stress, arghhhhhhhhh.
Phil, have you been dabbling in your own product? You are confusing stress and crap television, they are not the same thing. 
hotel magnum:
if you want stress try double manning, ok if you trust the other mans ability, not so good when hes an idiot or a drunk as it takes time to rid yourself of these people even if you just refuse to work with them in the future. worst one the idiot who thought he did not have time to wait behind an italian on the approach to ventimiglia down the mountain only to get to the toll booth with all the brakes on fire, first trip out with a brand new trailer, and 21 ton of bang on, its no wonder i have grey hair.
Was that loading out of Anagni? if so i used to do that run 
Here’s a related question, does anyone get road rage?
I don’t, I see someone else do something stupid on the road, or I spot some bad driving in general and roll my eyes and just fall back a little.
However I’ve a friend who regularly goes nuts behind the wheel. Every time I’m in her car I can almost guarantee she’ll go off on one simply because some plank in front didn’t indicate, or if someone is doing 30 in a 40 limit… Personally I wouldn’t consider driving to be very stressful 98% of the time however she seems to act as though its the most stressful thing a person could possibly experience.
I guess this goes back to the point already made about an individuals attitude to little nwgitive circumstances or “mole hills” if you will. 
SmashedCrabFace:
There’s a lot of talk going around that driving for a living is stressful. I just can’t see it.As a new driver, it wasn’t long ago that I was being dissuaded from entering this industry because “it’s not like it used to be” and “it’s not worth the hassle” and all that crap. I’m glad I took no notice and cracked on with getting my licences anyway. Best move I ever made, I haven’t done a day’s work since I left my old job four months ago.
Sitting in a traffic jam is about as stressful as getting your balls massaged by two hot Swedish blondes while a third feeds you melted chocolate off her ■■■■■■■. In other words, not that stressful.
So, who thinks it is a stressful job and why? If you do think it’s stressful, have you ever done a proper job where you were required to work for your pay?
Peace and love,
SCF.
i do if ive done
sun -7 hrs
mon-8 hrs
tues 8 hrs
wed-7 hrs
30 hrs,i get gauranteed 50 hrs so on my last shift i want to be back and done in the minium hours possible,the last thing i want is a 15 hr shift[doing it for nothing],so if a loader starts to mess me about i start to get wound up,traffic lights changing to red[if one does they all seem too]wind me up,traffic,accidents etc,dont know if its stress as much as wound up,fed up.
strange because if ive done 65 hrs up to my last shift,it doesnt bother me in the slightest if i do 15 hrs,traffic,loaders,i just sit back and relax
I dont get stressed three delivery times early on time and late i allways get one.
Ady, that ain’t stress - it’s greed! 
Piston broke:
Ady, that ain’t stress - it’s greed!
Coffeeholic:
limeyphil:
what if you are carrying cream cakes?
what if you run low on LPG, then have to switch to diesel?
what if the train gets there before you?
you may have to go 2 hours south of crick, and then,
back again?
then you slip on some ice. stop filming, stop filming. the lift axle is down, but i’m so [zb]ing stupid i leave it down. no [zb]ing wonder it’s slipping.
it’s so intense, the stress, the stress, arghhhhhhhhh.Phil, have you been dabbling in your own product? You are confusing stress and crap television, they are not the same thing.
your stressing me out now coffee.
It is as strssfull as you want to make it, its in your hands.
If your job is stressing you, change employer.
If that doesn’t work, your in the wrong job. 
billybigrig:
If your job is stressing you, change employer.If that doesn’t work, your in the wrong job.
…or if that doesn’t work maybe they’re just not cut out for work full stop. If they find sitting in a chair and not doing a lot stressful then how are they going to cope with a proper job that requires some effort?
When I get phone calls I just say “I will be there as soon as possible” and hang up Dont let them get to you they certainly dont pay me enough to get stressed out.
personally i think it depends what your doing, if your a night driver following a regular route knowing your getting home in 8-10 hours no stress…if your miles away from home getting unloaded by 1 armed numptys yes same as takin a 40 ft into london for a house move definatly stressfull in my opinion.or trying to find a badly sign posted business at 6am with about 2 mins to spare. i think we shouldnt assume every other truck driving job is as easy or stressfull as our own.
dbk23:
personally i think it depends what your doing, if your a night driver following a regular route knowing your getting home in 8-10 hours no stress…if your miles away from home getting unloaded by 1 armed numptys yes same as takin a 40 ft into london for a house move definatly stressfull in my opinion.or trying to find a badly sign posted business at 6am with about 2 mins to spare. i think we shouldnt assume every other truck driving job is as easy or stressfull as our own.
I’ve done pretty much all of the above and not found any of it stressful, no point stressing it achieves nothing. Any stress arising from those situations will be self inflicted.
alamcculloch:
When I get phone calls I just say “I will be there as soon as possible” and hang up Dont let them get to you they certainly dont pay me enough to get stressed out.
or.
The longer you are hassling me on the phone, the later I will be, Bye!!!
No certainly not today: Not much work so I was on stock work, 2 loads of stone from Wickwar to Ducklington. Each trip I took a different route taking in Cotswold scenery 40 mph on scways and 50 on the M5. 50 minute break at Duntisbourne and then 20 minute break near Stroud…just to make sure I finished at normal time. I got to hear of one driver complain I was “hanging job out”…Nice to know someone was stressed about my day because I sure wasn’t…
Muckaway:
No certainly not today: Not much work so I was on stock work, 2 loads of stone from Wickwar to Ducklington. Each trip I took a different route taking in Cotswold scenery 40 mph on scways and 50 on the M5. 50 minute break at Duntisbourne and then 20 minute break near Stroud…just to make sure I finished at normal time. I got to hear of one driver complain I was “hanging job out”…Nice to know someone was stressed about my day because I sure wasn’t…
Must of been the DAF driver, he would have done 6 and said he was taking it easy and still of been in the yard washing his lorry at 3.
