Are facilities that bad

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

While trundling up the A1 this morning,between Leeds and Darlington at silly o clock,and listening to Alex Lester,I came past the southbound lay by near Boston Spa,and was amazed to see that trucks were parked at both ends of the lay by,with curtains around,meaning the lay by was full to capacity.

This got me thinking,as I proceeded North,and I observed every lay by,between there and Scotch Corner,and they were nearly all full.

There was space at the Quernhow,the Quick Grill,Leeming services,and,I’m assuming,Barton Lorry park,and Londonderry,so no shortage of places then,which could have been used to ensure that the drivers concerned got a decent nights sleep,without the buffeting of trucks going past,and also the possibility of another vehicle going into them while they were stationary.

Now for me,when I was doing nights out,I would NEVER park in a lay by,for some of the reasons mentioned above,and always worked for companies that paid parking charges,but why are people putting their own lives in danger through lack of proper sleep,when facilities are available to park properly?

If it’s the grub you don’t like at a particular place,then eat before you park there,or if you need a decent shower,then do likewise,or shower at the services the next morning.

Any thoughts?

Ken.

2

Personally, I try and avoid parking in truckstops and MSAs overnight, because experience has taught me that I’m safer tucked into a nice deep layby or quiet industrial estate - unless I’m stopping with friends from the same firm or wherever.

When I park in one of these “proper” places, I am seen by all and sundry pulling in alone…seen walking to the building to pay alone…seen walking back alone…and seen getting into my truck alone.

I am so sick of being followed about - yes, it does happen, happened recently at Birch Westbound as it goes - that I never take the direct route to my own truck, having to go via other trucks to confuse anyone watching.

In a layby or industrial estate I stop, I shut the curtains. No-one knows who’s in there…if I need to get out I do so through the passenger side so as to give the impression that there is a “driver” in there too. I have no obvious female name plates etc. in the window.

Safe for the load? Probably not, but where is these days?
Safe for the diesel? Ditto

But I’m afraid when it comes down to it, there’s not a lot I could do to defend either of those things anyway…so I call into services or whatever to use the facilities I need, then pull out to where it’s safer for me to park.

I know there are those who will disagree with this attitude, btw, but it is born of experience, and is not going to change anytime soon. :wink:

3

when i was tramping id choose a big layby or ind est over a truckstop i dont see the point in parking at one when your not gonna eat and still pay full price parking .not only that but most truckstops and services are busy all night so there still noisey and if you want to leave early somtimes they pack you in that tight it takes forever to get out.but also with me after doing euro work and parking and showering for nothing the majority of the time i wont pay on principle.last time i was in germany i paid to park but got the full price of the parking ticket back when i bought a meal.as lucy says if people want whats in your trailer they,ll take it .look at the stuff that nicked from trailers at so called secure lorry parks everyone knows most of the guys that patrol the park arnt there all night.

4

I would not disagree with your approach for one minute Lucy, your own protection and peace of mind come first every time. I do think however itsa sad reflection on modern society that you need to take such precautions and cannot go about your business unmolested.

Do you carry pepper spray or such like as a last resort, if not perhaps you should?

5

CM:
Do you carry pepper spray or such like as a last resort, if not perhaps you should?

Are they legal??

6

I take on board all what you say,and I know Lucy has mentioned of her experiences in the past,but what I’m trying to get at,is that if you park in a lay by,especially the majority of the ones that are in this country,then surely,with all the traffic passing you within inches,you cannot possibly get a decent nights rest.

As you quite rightly say,your load is not safe,no matter where you park,but your own personal safety is,but how can you park up,and feel safe within such a small distance of the Queens highway?

As for parking in truckstops…

Well I must say Carl,I personally have always been able to get in early enough to find a nice quiet spot,away from the through traffic that moves around these places,but in fairness,there is less traffic moving through the average truckstop at night,than what there is on somewhere like the A1 for example.And even if I wasn’t eating there,as long as I’m not paying for parking,I would rather stay in one,than risk my life.

Ken.

7

i allways park at a place such as a transport caff if theres one there, sadly there are less and less all the time.

i found when i did a fair bit of north east that the quernhow was a nice quiet spot. i aint stayed in a while. barton park was good for the ■■■■■■■ ive stopped at them all one time or another.

my fave place on the n.e route they knocked down years ago, normans down by ferrybridge, brotherton was it called? great staek pie & chips! :slight_smile:

i dont know if theyre all so bad ken, but i firmly believe that motorway services are bollox. they are just too expensive for what you get, saying that i prefer them to a layby.

in the case of the old caffs that are left maybe its that a lot dont get paid for parking, or just dont want to pay for some other reason.

i think laybys are ■■■■■■■ horrible places unless theyre the type made of an old road, the buffeting you get on a normal one can be worse than the night changeover blokes on the services!

at the end of the day you mostly have park where you can in this country, the overall situation re parking a hgv is a national disgrace.

i just wish i could get blair or any of those ■■■■■■■ in the govt and have them captive with me in the cab for 6 weeks while i go about my business, at least then theyd know why we complain over parking, and it IS their ■■■■■■■ fault at the end of the day!

8

You do not need to buy such items as the normal–Hair spray, Fresh -air
Brake-cleaner spray any of this type of spray will do the job and what does one do any way grab the first item that comes to hand and use that, oh yes the type of spray with a good cleaning fluid will do the job better,

9

mrpj:

CM:
Do you carry pepper spray or such like as a last resort, if not perhaps you should?

Are they legal??

Have to confess I am not entirely sure, but then if it came down to the wire and it was used in self defense then it should stand the test of reasonable force in a court.

Its a fair point about the legality, does anyone else know for sure?

10

mrpj:

CM:
Do you carry pepper spray or such like as a last resort, if not perhaps you should?

Are they legal??

No, they’re classed as a firearm, which is why I’m not answering the first question. :wink:

11

if you park in a lay by,especially the majority of the ones that are in this country,then surely,with all the traffic passing you within inches,you cannot possibly get a decent nights rest.

To be honest, I’ve been sleeping that way for so long that I don’t even notice it.

12

that I never take the direct route to my own truck, having to go via other trucks to confuse anyone watching.

So some bloke is happily in his bunk and you jump in the passenger door, hop over the engine cover and then jump out the drivers door? :laughing:

i’ve done some early mornings and without going into detail worked alone. The wheel brace is a handy tool. :wink:

13

mrpj:

CM:
Do you carry pepper spray or such like as a last resort, if not perhaps you should?

Are they legal??

As far as I know they are not legal in the UK, but this doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself.
Lucy has taken the main steps in self protection, by avoiding getting into a situation in the first place and thinking about you safety.
But although you can’t carry a weapon for self defence, you are allowed to use resonable force. If you felt threatened and in the “moment of panic” picked-up and used something lying about to defend yourself this could be considered resonable.
On another subject, remember to keep tools to check your wheel nuts and jack the cab as you never know when you’ll need to do a bit of emergency maintainance or a good spray polish to keep the cab clean.

14

muckles:
As far as I know they are not legal in the UK, but this doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself.

If they’re classified as a firearm, which I had a feeling they were and was subsequently confirmed, I’d be very careful carrying them. You know what the courts can be like, common sense isn’t always applied.

15

i have only ever had a handful of odd nights out but i parked up somewhere quiet but near a shop. i would rather find somewhere quiet and urban than have vehicles whizzing past all night. ok, it may put the wagon at risk but as long as you are safe in the cab, do you care? if it comes to it, you can always tie the doors together so no one will get them open from outside. what more do you need?

16

remember to keep tools to check your wheel nuts and jack

Nowt wrong with checking your wheel nuts then suddenly deciding to go and grab a bite to eat. :laughing:

or a big 6 cell maglite torch so you can see where you’re going. :wink:

17

mrpj:

muckles:
As far as I know they are not legal in the UK, but this doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself.

If they’re classified as a firearm, which I had a feeling they were and was subsequently confirmed, I’d be very careful carrying them. You know what the courts can be like, common sense isn’t always applied.

The problem is they are classified as an offensive weapon an if you are caught with one or use it, you will be charged with that offence and obviously you will be guilty of the charge.
But with a bit of thought you can look after yourself, but not be gulty of carrying an offensive weapon.

18

poke some one in the eye with your keys they wont ask for more.

19

mrpj:

muckles:
As far as I know they are not legal in the UK, but this doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself.

If they’re classified as a firearm, which I had a feeling they were and was subsequently confirmed, I’d be very careful carrying them. You know what the courts can be like, common sense isn’t always applied.

If I were to have carried such a thing at some point in the past (before finding out how illegal it was) it was for true desperation scenarios only.

Now…let me see…allow myself to be raped or killed and live (or not) with the physical and emotional consequences forever v. 10 years inside, 6 if I behaved whilst I was in there. Easily explained criminal record.

Sorry, no brainer.

For the record, I no longer carry the stuff, having wd40 in the cab instead…I did once, but I didn’t realise just how illegal it was at the time (I thought that it’d be like coshing someone with a crowbar in legal terms). Once I found out, it went.

20

having wd40 in the cab instead

Put the little red tube in,squirt,and set fire to it.

Makes a great flamethrower,and is ideal for cremating spiders in your garage. :laughing: :laughing:

Ken.