Sorry to hear that you get abuse Lucy, I have been driving over 16yrs now. Why is it that some men feel intimidated by a women driving articulated vehicles.
Where I work the lads are great. really good to chat too and really gentlemen like.
I have a laugh every single day. I am the same . we all do our jobs and we help each other.
I had my fair share of abuse when I started my first job. Thank god for TGWU. After all that why there are there. I used to work for KWIKSAVE.
The reason why she doesn’t complain is simple - in fact it’s the same reason I don’t complain. Because, actually, it just proves all that they have said to be right. You have to fight this stuff head on, there’s no point scuttling off and leaving someone else to do it for you. That just makes it worse for those who follow in your wake.
Don’t get me wrong, these places are very much in the minority, and the lads I actually work with are spot on - but then they know me and respect me as a driver. Most places are fine when you go in, the days when people used to ask me to “Get your boyfriend to move the lorry, love” are long gone, although that probably has as much to do with my own increased age as anything else, I suspect. I was a fresh-faced early 20-something when I started driving. I look a lot older than my years now (I’m told 
). That probably says a fair bit too.
I have a reputation both here and amongst those who know me in and out of work for being blunt almost to the point of rudeness and completely full of myself to a nauseating extent. I’m not really like that, it’s a defensive front I put up, and it’s a front that works. The industry has made me that way, and it’s not something I particularly like about myself, but there it is. You do what you do to survive.
The point it is that it would be naive in the extreme to state outright that it doesn’t happen, and happen every day all over the country. Even that great bunch I work with have been known to be truly vile to women they don’t know. They treat me with respect because I’ve earnt it, not as a matter of right, and that’s kind of sad.
Ladybird, nice to meet another experienced hand. Far more experienced than me, in fact - your 16 years knocks 8 well into the shade! 
Lucy:
The reason why she doesn’t complain is simple - in fact it’s the same reason I don’t complain. Because, actually, it just proves all that they have said to be right. You have to fight this stuff head on, there’s no point scuttling off and leaving someone else to do it for you. That just makes it worse for those who follow in your wake.
I disagree. As women are in a massive minority you will never be able to fight stuff like that ‘head on’ simply because you are outnumbered.
I also don’t believe that it ‘proves anyone to be right’. As you rightly say, there is no such thing as a ‘woman truck driver’, only ‘truck drivers’ (regardless of gender). Therefore, surely there is only bullying / discrimination, it shouldn’t matter who causes it or reports it, it should be dealt with and taken seriously?
I also think that complaining to someone and improving your own experiences will make the situation for those that follow better not worse because people will be less likely to do it if they believe there will be a consequence to their actions.
At the end of the day, I’m sure you have a greater knowledge of the subject than me but I think if someone doesn’t complain now and make a bit of fuss then surely the situation will continue forever? I’m sure the first black / asian ‘complainers’ felt the same and maybe this is just a repetition of that situation.
hammer:
As you rightly say, there is no such thing as a ‘woman truck driver’,
Dunno about that. I’ve worked with a few, none of whom were actually female.
You may well be right, Hammer, but I’m glad you’ve picked the black/asian example, because if you look at what has happened since they started speaking up for themselves, it illustrates what I am getting at rather neatly. The prejudice has got worse, not better, and everyone moans about them geting “their own way”. 
I have no idea what the answer is to any of this, but it sure as hell ain’t taking pictures of women who drive trucks and labelling them a “project”. Hello, we’re people, not an “interesting subject”, and no more likely to appreciate being singled out in this way than most Asian communities when some crackpot starts preaching fundamentalism in the name of “minority rights”. It’s counterproductive and only serves to breed further resentment.
A far deeper-rooted change in attitude is needed, an attitude which prevails across society in general. It’s just more obvious in unbalanced situations such as these. This is why I cannot understand women who claim that Feminism’s work is done because we now have greater freedom to choose which jobs we do. Is this really freedom? I don’t think so…But I equally think that the time for bra-burning outright activism has passed, too. We need to work on a far more subtle level to effectively deal with today’s issues - kind of like the rebuilding of Iraq after the initial “war” has been won. We’ve done the bombing, now for winning hearts and minds. Does that make sense?
Sorry if I seem a little over zealous on this one, but it’s a subject very close to my heart and one on which I have very strong, long-held, and carefully thought out views.
TheBear:
I was recently coming towards the Kennedy Tunnel when I caught a livestock rig up (unusual, I know lol). As i drew alongside I was looking at a ll the calves laying there quite contently ‘chewing the cud’. Rode alongside for about a mile and then pulled ahead. As I went past, all I saw was a little blonde driving it. Forgot all about it til the next morning when I parked on the Calais-Dover boat and realised I was parked alongside the same rig. Up in the restaurant was this little blonde who was very attractive. I asked her if ‘she had got rid of all her babies’ and we ended up having a damned good laugh during the crossing.
Bear, was the prime mover by any chance a black blinged up Scania 580?
If so she overtook me northbound on the M6 a week or so back & went into Lymm services.
I’d seen the blinged up motor bearing down on me, looked across & was suprised when i saw the driver.
See plenty of lasses driving trucks, (even one in a Magnum today) no big deal, but as you say, unusual pulling a livestock trailer.
Guess she won’t be seen around again for a while pulling that trailer after today’s livestock movement ban.
I guess there is no real quick-fix answer then 
. I understand where you are coming from and I understand that women wagon drivers are not a ‘project’, I just wonder where the positive press about women in the industry is going to come from? I guess someone will have to find a way of presenting them in a positive but non-patronising way…I have no ideas on that though.
Lucy:
You may well be right, Hammer, but I’m glad you’ve picked the black/asian example, because if you look at what has happened since they started speaking up for themselves, it illustrates what I am getting at rather neatly. The prejudice has got worse, not better, and everyone moans about them geting “their own way”.
I think that you are a little off the mark with this. I think that in today’s world you will find far less discrimination and hear far less racist language than you used to in say the 60’s/70’s. I think that more people (particularly in big metropolitan cities) just see people, not skin colour anymore.
I think the 'Getting their own way" is definately a valid comment though, however I think it only applies to one small section of the community who prefer to define themselves by their beliefs rather than their country of origin or skin colour.
I guess someone will have to find a way of presenting them in a positive but non-patronising way…I have no ideas on that though.
I do. It’s really simple. Work on presenting ALL drivers, regardless of gender, in a positive light. Slip women into that in a proportionate number, and in a manner which shows them as equals. Stop singling us out, as that will always be patronising when it is on the basis of gender alone, as this suggestion is.
Lucy:
I guess someone will have to find a way of presenting them in a positive but non-patronising way…I have no ideas on that though.
I do. It’s really simple. Work on presenting ALL drivers, regardless of gender, in a positive light. Slip women into that in a proportionate number, and in a manner which shows them as equals. Stop singling us out, as that will always be patronising when it is on the basis of gender alone, as this suggestion is.
I fail to see why my suggestion is patronising 
. As there is a general shortage of ALL drivers and women are very much under-represented in this area then targeting them will surely make more sense. While not aiming to ‘single people out’, my point is that someone will have to be used as an example to dispel common myths and show others who have doubts that the job can be done by anyone. In my opinion it is just about finding the right person (although I agree that Scarife’s idea is probably not the best way).
Just my opinion though…
Driveroneuk:
TheBear:
I was recently coming towards the Kennedy Tunnel when I caught a livestock rig up (unusual, I know lol). As i drew alongside I was looking at a ll the calves laying there quite contently ‘chewing the cud’. Rode alongside for about a mile and then pulled ahead. As I went past, all I saw was a little blonde driving it. Forgot all about it til the next morning when I parked on the Calais-Dover boat and realised I was parked alongside the same rig. Up in the restaurant was this little blonde who was very attractive. I asked her if ‘she had got rid of all her babies’ and we ended up having a damned good laugh during the crossing.Bear, was the prime mover by any chance a black blinged up Scania 580?
If so she overtook me northbound on the M6 a week or so back & went into Lymm services.
I’d seen the blinged up motor bearing down on me, looked across & was suprised when i saw the driver.
See plenty of lasses driving trucks, (even one in a Magnum today) no big deal, but as you say, unusual pulling a livestock trailer.Guess she won’t be seen around again for a while pulling that trailer after today’s livestock movement ban.
I’ve seen a black blinged Scania parked in Taunton, no idea who the driver was as the curtains were drawn - only noticed it as it was right in the way of the end two unloading bays
Hammer, my apologies, I didn’t intend to suggest that you were patronising yourself, only that I find the singling out of women to be so. I stand by my suggestion for a compromise, though.
No need to apologise, I’m very thick skinned.
I have only seen a couple of women drivers about Norfolk and one of them was in a learner truck the other week, so it seems to be quite a male dominated occupation in this area.
If they can do the job, then who gives a ■■■■ about anything else? Thats all that matters, being able to do the job.
On Friday i had to load from a small co. based in a very tight yard in Sale, Manchester. I hadn’t been there before.
As i was parked in the access road, still not having managed to get enough cars/vans/pallets moved to enable me to get around the corner into the yard, i noticed another artic had pulled into the end of the access road.
I walked back and spoke with the driver (after guessing who it was… several people stood about, one with a reflec vest on) explaining that i hoped they were not in a hurry as i hadn’t even got in the yard yet. The diver spoke about the possibility of us both having to reverse out onto the dual carriageway. We had a bit of laugh (tongue in cheek) about both being able to drive a truck going forward without problem, but it was another matter going backwards.
I walked back to my truck and continued with my work. The fact she was female & blonde at that, didn’t even enter the conversation. I merely spoke to her as if she were just another driver, which indeed, was what she was.
(she wasn’t 21 anymore though )
When i did get loaded, she had disappeared (the forky had nipped down & lifted her 5 pallets) & helped reverse her out, and after getting another another vehicle moved, i was able to get out around the other end.