We run Launceston to Midlands every night with 5-6 trucks, one member of office staff wants us to go but transport manager doesn’t, and nor do we! Anyone else hitting the M5 later?
Stussy:
We run Launceston to Midlands every night with 5-6 trucks, one member of office staff wants us to go but transport manager doesn’t, and nor do we! Anyone else hitting the M5 later?
This is only the second Red Warning since 2018. It isn`t a “bit breezier than normal”. It looks like the area you mentioned.
bbc.com/news/uk-60417263
Tell the office politely but firmly “No”.
“BBC Weather presenter Simon King said the wind strengths forecast for southern parts of the UK were comparable to the Burns’ Day Storm of January 1990, which caused widespread damage, and the storms that hit the UK during the winter of 2013-2014.”
Given that it’s a red weather warning now which is…
Red Warning: Dangerous weather is expected and, if you haven’t already done so, you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the severe weather. It is very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure. You should avoid travelling, where possible, and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities.
I’d say its right not to go. Don’t get me wrong the world can’t stop but sometimes things are beyond anyone’s control. If things went belly up would that one member of office staff be liable for negligence?
Current stance is that we’ve all said we’re not going, apart from two that want to go, so good luck to them if they do!
It was dicey enough over Dartford in a decker overnight last night and that wasn’t a red warning event…
Announced on radio that QE2 bridge will be closed from 0500 tomorrow morning.
Our place has put a stop to any double deckers going out from 5am tomorrow until midnight. They won’t go out whether drivers want to take them or not.
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Stussy:
Current stance is that we’ve all said we’re not going, apart from two that want to go, so good luck to them if they do!
perhaps one of those 2 driver’s could take the office bod along for the ride.
Lots of companies in South West have stood down till Monday
I had two drops Avonmouth today and was supposed to be reloading empty flower pots from Tesco when my Gast was well and truly flabbered when I received a phone call from my T/O telling me not to reload and just GTF away once tipped! I’d like to think that they were concerned about my wellbeing but I suspect it’s more to do with our acute shortage of units and trailers!
Funny how its always the office monkey that pushes. They get the brownie points whilst you get put in the danger zone. You can end up in hospital after getting cloute with the curtain pole whilst pointy shoe gets to go home to his skinny latte!
My lot have cancelled all deliveries tomorrow. Nothing we carry is that urgent than Jonny and Jenny cant wait an extra day for.
Gidders:
Announced on radio that QE2 bridge will be closed from 0500 tomorrow morning.
My mates got 0330 start.
Watford
Grays
Erith
Croydon
Apart from the obvious risk to the truck driver, if a car is alongside when the truck is blown over, or is blown off course…
Came down last night over Shap that was bad enough, not a decker but a high taut.
Last drop Holsworthy tomorrow, it’ll be fun running back up empty to Bristol. 
If it’s bad enough, I’ll be parking somewhere.
Remember the last red warning the worst conditions ever driven in. Was sitting in stationary traffic watched a truck on other carriageway getting tipped over while stationary. For me trucks should not be on the road with these warnings in place.
robroy:
Came down last night over Shap that was bad enough, not a decker but a high taut.
Although I wouldn’t recommend pulling either in high winds, if my life depended on it I’d sooner pull a decker than a high taut. At least you have the centre of gravity on your side.
mjallby:
Remember the last red warning the worst conditions ever driven in. Was sitting in stationary traffic watched a truck on other carriageway getting tipped over while stationary. For me trucks should not be on the road with these warnings in place.
I came over Thelwall in (was it) 86 during Michael Fish’s '‘nothing to worry about’ storm.
Pulling a single axle super cube step frame foam carrier.
A bit stupid you may say, and you’re maybe right. 
In mitigation I was an owner driver, so ‘‘it had to get there’’ and I was young and fearless, eyes front doing a manic laugh with some 80s rock track (maybe Whitesnake ‘Here I go again’ 
) full pelt on the stereo. 
…and a bit mad
I saw the weather forecast on Tuesday dinnertime, got on the phone and booked 3 days holiday for the rest of the week - one of the perks of agency. Whilst the trunk up to Scotland won’t have the wind the South is going to have it’ll have a foot of snow and 60+MPH gusts causing blizzard conditions. It’s also Friday at the beginning of half term so there’ll be all the car driving mongs going on holiday up to the lakes/Scotland who can’t drive on a sunny summer’s day, let alone 60-70MPH winds and horizontal snow over Shap. After coming as close as I ever want to get to getting stuck in it in November I’m not interested. Highways Agency are pre-emptively shutting the A66 from midnight to all vehicles.
We have just come back from the Isle of skye (I’m sure there’s a song about that), to Plymouth, by car (about 14 hours driving), was going to stop near Sandbach, even had the hotel booked, to break it into 2 journeys, but looking at the Amber and red alerts, that would have meant travelling back during the most windy time ( as I pick my children up from my ex on a Friday afternoon).
Knowing there will be a lot of companies where a driver is just a bum on a seat, there would probably have been a fair few trucks and vans out.
Not wanting to be part of someone else’s accident, we decided to just get back down south.
Just need to make sure my motorbike is secure, and not likely to get blown over now.
The recent M5 quiet space was rudely interrupted tonight by an accident at the top of Clevedon hill. On my way home there was an artic on its side in a field off the M5 near w-s-m. Perhaps an omen. Busy on the roads, maybe early half term escapees. Seems earily quiet now. The windy bit is supposed to be during Friday morning so I hope us night trunkers won’t have anything to worry about later, beyond paying attention and holding the wheel with both hands of course.