Back in the saddle, and a lesson in not giving up hope

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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Hello everyone.

Just thought I would share my story of managing to get back on the road after having thought I might never make it back.

The last time I posted here was in this thread After some advice... ...and also a different point of veiw - THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK

Anyway, I just thought it would be nice to give an update, despite the lateness, as a reminder that, no matter how badly things go wrong, you should never give up hope of things improving.

A few weeks after that thread I was in court, I was handed a 6 week sentence and a 15 month ban, which was a much better result than I was expecting. 3 weeks inside was not as hard as I thought (you only serve 1/2 your sentence), everything I had thought of about prison was wrong. If you think your transport office is nothing but a cluster f*** of health and saftey, pointless paper work and jobsworths, prison is just the same but with even worse food than a Roadchef MSA. I spent more time chuckling at the pointless bureaucracy than I did worrying. The boredom was the worst. After my release, I am obviously classed as a convicted felon, this is where the trouble starts. Obviously, with no driving license, and a conviction to my name, employment was not an easy thing to find so ended up unemployed for a 2 years. After 15 months and a retest got my drivers license back and then, after a hearing with the traffic commissioner got my HGV entitlements back. Obviously my license still had a DD40 code on it, but I was lucky to find some self employed parcel/catalogue work to keep me going. Fast forward 2 more years, finally I can send off my license to have my DD40 removed. I decided to take a chance and punch out some applications to agencies to test the water, not really expecting to hear anything as I am still classed as a convict for another 3 years. Fortunately, someone has seen fit to give me a chance, and rather than look at my mistakes, has looked at what I might offer instead. So now I am on my way and have my foot well and truly back in the professional driving door. Despite a sweaty palmed driving assessment with a double decked trailer, and trying to remember just how to reverse, it feels really good to be behind the wheel, and I am hoping I can prove myself over the next few months and find a permanent position in a niche that suits me, for now, I am just grateful to be given the opportunity.

Looking back, one thing I have realised, when you are in a situation like this, you never realise how much it can affect the course of your life. I am sure people would say I got off lightly, and, in terms of my sentence they might be right, but I have to tell you, its been a long road back. Having a conviction is a terrible thing. I still have 3 years before my conviction is spent, meaning an accident I had when I was 27 will be held over me until I hit 35. I still have to declare it if asked, and it will show up on enhanced CRB checks for the rest of my life. It can be really soul destroying knowing that most of job applications will go straight in the bin. People seldom realise the legacy of something like this, and how it affects you long term, maybe if they did they would be a little less judgemental.

Drive safe.

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Excellent post mate, all the best to you.

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Good for you, well done in getting back in the saddle.

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Well done mate hope it all works out well for you.

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You’ve done the crime and you’ve done the time, and very luckily, nobody was killed.

It looks like that you had realised what you did, and you accepted your fate, but at least now you are pulling yourself up by your boot straps, and doing something, rather than sit on your arse and let the state look after you. And it shows that there are some people willing to take a chance on you, and that you are indebted to them for doing so. Don’t let them down.

We all make mistakes and in certain cases have to live with them for the rest of our lives, something that appears you will, but let’s just hope that you don’t make the same mistake twice.

Good luck fella.

Ken.

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Hi there matt, thats pretty inspirational stuff!

I read your original thread, and a similar thing happened to me while driving a bus. I fell into (what i now know is) microsleep and rammed a bus into a load of parked cars, thankfully no-one was hurt… I was arrested at the scene, and sent off to hospital for checks and told i must report to the police station within the week… i had to inform DVLA incase it was a blackout and ALL my licences were suspened.

anyhow after a lot of messing around, i was finally diagnosed as having sleep aponea, and the police dropped any case against me! I still think back to what happened that day and am thankful that no-one got hurt! since then i have got my licences back, retrained as a HGV driver and im in a really happy place right now :slight_smile:

anyhow… all this made me wonder. did you ever get tested for a sleep disorder?? i notice lots of people advised it at the time, but there was no reply from you!

Anyhow, all the best mate, glad your rockin on with your life :slight_smile:

B…

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Dogsbody:
Excellent post mate, all the best to you.

Seconded. :smiley:

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Some story, that…

Fairplay to you for getting back on your feet

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Good on you mate. I read your earlier post too, something we all dread. Wish you all the best for the future.

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Bungle666:
anyhow… all this made me wonder. did you ever get tested for a sleep disorder?? i notice lots of people advised it at the time, but there was no reply from you!

Yes, after the accident, I had to take medical through work before they would let me drive again(I was allowed to return to work until my trial, as obviously, they cant sack you until you are found guilty of causing the accident). Doctor was happy nothing was wrong with me, however, he was very stinging of the company for the hours and shifts were having to work, despite working a very easy day when I actually had the accident. When I eventually was up in front of the traffic commissioner, I showed him the report and he was very interested, but alas, he told me due to limited resources no action was likely as they have to concentrate on the really bad operators. As far as I know, the routes are still as badly planned as they used to be, with no time built in for tacho breaks between drops etc.

Reason I didn’t post was, I was expecting to go to magistrates then be referred to crown court for trial, but as it happened, the mags dealt with it and locked me up there an then. They literally take you out the door at the back of the dock, and thats it, no goodbyes, no nothing, just taken out the back, wait for the prison van, and off you go.

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rpmmatt:
I decided to take a chance and punch out some applications to agencies to test the water, not really expecting to hear anything as I am still classed as a convict for another 3 years.

I have some good news for you mate. What you said used to be true. Prison sentences became spent after 7 years so you’d be clear in 2016.

Fortunately, later this year they’re bringing in new laws which states prison sentences of less than 6 months will become spent after 2 years and as the laws will be applied retrospectively you’ll be in the clear by Christmas :grimacing:

Check this link out.

unlock.org.uk/userfiles/file … storoa.pdf

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Thats very interesting, I remember hearing the proposals for this, but didn’t realise it had passed into law. This is a very positive step as far as rehabilitation goes. I understand the need for checks such as CRB in terms of the protection of children and so on, but really, to many employers use the CRB when they have no right to it. Why do Tesco need to do a CRB check for pushing trolleys?? While the law says its illegal to discriminate against ex offenders, its well known a yes in the disclosure box means your applications goes straight in the bin. When you have no chance of employment and are written off by employers, especially when you are fairly low skilled, its no wonder so many people return to crime.

Cheers for bringing me up to date.

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I had to have a CRB for my current job. Not being a career criminal I had no idea I could put no convictions on my application despite my conviction being over 15 years old and only a compensation order. I told them about it and, well, I got the job so it’s not an automatic bar from employment although I imagine at some companies it could be.

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Hi Mate,

I have an unspent conviction and it won’t become spent till 2015. Driving wise, if asked i declare it, because i am supposed to, and it has never stopped me getting driving work. I am a firm believer that CRBs should only be needed if you are working in Schools, Hospitals or cash handling etc, not for driving a truck. I am happy to declare and discuss my conviction if asked about it, because i believe if i am honest then i have nothing to worry about. Although after 5 years most convictions are declared as spent, where crb’s are concerned, they never are, as they will always show up. So in 20 years time, any crb i am required to get will show up my conviction, even though it’s been “spent” for 20 years.

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Best of luck to ya Matt, hope it all works out well for you mate !!!

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degsy4wheels:
Hi Mate,

I have an unspent conviction and it won’t become spent till 2015. Driving wise, if asked i declare it, because i am supposed to, and it has never stopped me getting driving work. I am a firm believer that CRBs should only be needed if you are working in Schools, Hospitals or cash handling etc, not for driving a truck. I am happy to declare and discuss my conviction if asked about it, because i believe if i am honest then i have nothing to worry about. Although after 5 years most convictions are declared as spent, where crb’s are concerned, they never are, as they will always show up. So in 20 years time, any crb i am required to get will show up my conviction, even though it’s been “spent” for 20 years.

Depends on the conviction and the level of CRB required. Haulage firms will only ever be able to demand a basic CRB and only prison sentences over 4 years (from Nov 2013, over 30 months previously) will show up on this. Read the new (and old) rules regarding legislation on this in the link I posted a few posts up.

Standard and Enhanced CRBs show all convictions though. But like I said, this is to protect vulnerable people and haulage firms couldn’t justify asking for one.

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Best of luck to you rmpmatt, hope you succeed in your new job.

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@ rpmmatt.

Was the DD40 that you mention in the first post on this thread related to the accident? The sentence you received seems to me to be at the high end when reading the thread in the link from 2009.

You have certainly been through the ringer and I hope you can continue to rebuild your life.

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I still can’t understand why they sent you down for that. Totally ridiculous.

Someone said “you did the crime so do the time” It was an accident! NO intent.

Why they don’t sort jobs for cons when they come out is crazy if you ask me, what else they gonna do?

The real crims stay out of jail because they know the system and can play it to their advantage.

Makes me sick.

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Wiretwister:
@ rpmmatt.

Was the DD40 that you mention in the first post on this thread related to the accident? The sentence you received seems to me to be at the high end when reading the thread in the link from 2009.

Yes, the DD40 with 15 month ban and 6 week prison sentence was for the accident. While it seems harsh, at the time, my barrister(who was excellent throughout) was expecting the case to go to Crown court as the Mags can only impose sentences up to 6 months. He was expecting for me to get close to the maximum 2 years. While no one was killed thank god, it was a very serious accident involving multi cars. The motorway was shut for over 6 hours I believe. It was explained, that while the sentence can seem harsh, as an HGV driver you are held to a much higher standard than an ordinary car driver. In my case, if I was in a car it would have almost certainly been down as careless driving with points plus fine.