Its incidents like this that make me glad I am lucky enough to be home every night.
Why don’t the powers-that-be do something about basic sanitation and food facilities for the people that keep the country moving? It is a disgrace and it’s a wonder anyone wants to join the industry, man or woman. 
hammer:
Why don’t the powers-that-be do something about basic sanitation and food facilities for the people that keep the country moving?
Dunno about the food side but the sanitation bit would be a complete waste of money. When facilities are available most drivers seem to prefer to ■■■■ wherever they park, even pulling into an MSA, ■■■■■■■ up the wheel then walking into the building where the toilets are. As more truck stops close and parking gets less there are calls for new truck stops and parking to be opened but who in their right mind would spend money doing that? The cost of cleaning up behind those too lazy to walk to the toilet would take a major chunk of cash on a regular basis.
Coffeeholic:
hammer:
Why don’t the powers-that-be do something about basic sanitation and food facilities for the people that keep the country moving?Dunno about the food side but the sanitation bit would be a complete waste of money. When facilities are available most drivers seem to prefer to ■■■■ wherever they park, even pulling into an MSA, ■■■■■■■ up the wheel then walking into the building where the toilets are. As more truck stops close and parking gets less there are calls for new truck stops and parking to be opened but who in their right mind would spend money doing that? The cost of cleaning up behind those too lazy to walk to the toilet would take a major chunk of cash on a regular basis.
Got to admit Coffee you make a good point nothing worse than jumping out of the cab first thing in the morning and the stench of ■■■■ for breakfast. Not to mention litter and all manner of crap…Kind of makes you wonder what kind of conditions these drivers live in when not working 
thecoder0:
nothing worse than jumping out of the cab first thing in the morning and the stench of ■■■■ for breakfast. Not to mention litter and all manner of crap…
Sometimes quite literally crap, a big old steaming pile of the stuff. 
Update:
Received a phone call from the manageress. She apologised unreservedly and said that they have so far spent over £100,000 this year trying to get the travellers evicted. However, the law always seems to be on their side. She is aware that they have a problem and as upset that things had got this bad.
Apparently they are not allowed to put a lock that can only be opened from the inside of the door as this contravenes Health & Safety legislation 
She offered me some Roadchef vouchers, which I refused. She then sent me £20 of Boots vouchers.
Better than a poke in the eye I suppose.
Grumpybum, go to a hardware or DIY type store and by a rubber door wedge then stick that under the door once you are inside the shower room. They are cheap as chips, I used to carry 5 or 6 for when we had to move computer cabinets along corridors and it was a pain in the arse trying to hold the door open and move the machine at the same time. It might not stop someone trying to open the door but it will make it much harder to open.
whats a shower?
bowserman:
whats a shower?
short burst of rain 
peirre:
he disturbed some scumbags in the back of the trailer__*__, only to get beaten up for his troubles, then to top it off,__*__all that was in the back of the trailer was, empty roll cages and rubbish that he was taking back to the depot
why the hell did he go to disturb them 
if all he had on was rubbish.
i would have sat there chuckling to myself watching in the mirrors waiting for them to jump out them give them a few choice words. there is the other and best alternative … just set of with them in the trailer.
while phoning the cops to report the incident, 2 guys approached him and told him they had witnessed the incident, then THEY beat him up and stole his mobile phone FFS
thats scanderlous. i would like to know the rest of the story though.
grumpybum:
Update:Received a phone call from the manageress. She apologised unreservedly and said that they have so far spent over £100,000 this year trying to get the travellers evicted. However, the law always seems to be on their side. She is aware that they have a problem and as upset that things had got this bad.
Apparently they are not allowed to put a lock that can only be opened from the inside of the door as this contravenes Health & Safety legislation
She offered me some Roadchef vouchers, which I refused. She then sent me £20 of Boots vouchers.
Better than a poke in the eye I suppose.
well thats a good end to the episode i bet you wouldn have got a call with vouchers of a manager.
[/quote]
Coffeeholic:
Grumpybum, go to a hardware or DIY type store and by a rubber door wedge then stick that under the door once you are inside the shower room. They are cheap as chips, I used to carry 5 or 6 for when we had to move computer cabinets along corridors and it was a pain in the arse trying to hold the door open and move the machine at the same time. It might not stop someone trying to open the door but it will make it much harder to open.
Good idea! I’m gonna do that 
Hi,
I work night shifts at Roadchef Chester and you’re right some of the things that go on there are disgraceful.
The manager does know the majority of what’s happening but she still doesn’t seem to be doing much about it.
For instance on Friday & Saturday nights we regularly have drunken idiots in who cause trouble and give us abuse but still there is only 2 members of staff in the whole building (often 2 women) and they work on different departments so are virtually at opposite ends of the building!
There is also certain activities going on in the gents toilets some nights and we’re expected to check in there regularly (again often only 2 women in the building between 11pm & 6am).
It’s true that they have cracked down on the travellers as when they arrive now they seem to be evicted the next day and they occasionally get security on the doors when they arrive. Personally I think that this is because the travellers tend to steal and shoplift right under our noses so the reason that they’ve taken action there is because they were costing Roadchef money.
roadchef_staff:
Roadchef Chester and you’re right some of the things that go on there are disgraceful.
Too right it’s disgraceful.
I remember about 3 years ago parking up at Chester for the night. I went into the restaurant to pay for parking, only to be told there were no “parking only” tickets available, so I would have to buy the more expensive one, which included a meal voucher (that I didn’t want).
That was the last time I ever set foot - or should that be wheels? - on Chester Roadchef.
The irony is that I used to park at Chester as the shower was one of the best I’d found on an MSA.
Kate:
The irony is that I used to park at Chester as the shower was one of the best I’d found on an MSA.
Yeah, apparently in the Gents, you get a meal for two !!!
peirre:
but as for chester MSA I try not to use it at all costs, after what happened to 1 of the wilkos drivers there, he disturbed some scumbags in the back of the trailer__*__, only to get beaten up for his troubles, then to top it off, while phoning the cops to report the incident, 2 guys approached him and told him they had witnessed the incident, then THEY beat him up and stole his mobile phone FFS__*__all that was in the back of the trailer was, empty roll cages and rubbish that he was taking back to the depot
Funnily enough, we were just talking about that incident in the canteen in between runs the other day.
I have to agree with Jessicas Dad though, why bother disturbing them? You never know it may have saved him the job of tipping his rubbish when he got back 
when i did continent work (france and spain mostly) like most irish trucks i had to run empty back to uk do a day or so on groupage and then backload home to irl,anyway .all those motorway services were brutal.the food was crap and way too dear and if you werent in one by 8 o clock you wouldnt get a space to park.i persisted with them for the first month then gave up.we dont have motorway services over here and with the uk,s example we wont be lookin for em
ellies dad:
we dont have motorway services over here and with the uk,s example we wont be lookin for em
With the M50 doubling up as a parking area most of the time, you don’t need 'em. 
Kate:
roadchef_staff:
Roadchef Chester and you’re right some of the things that go on there are disgraceful.Too right it’s disgraceful.
I remember about 3 years ago parking up at Chester for the night. I went into the restaurant to pay for parking, only to be told there were no “parking only” tickets available, so I would have to buy the more expensive one, which included a meal voucher (that I didn’t want).
That was the last time I ever set foot - or should that be wheels? - on Chester Roadchef.The irony is that I used to park at Chester as the shower was one of the best I’d found on an MSA.
How stupid! Whoever it was could have simply torn off the meal voucher and just charged you the lower rate!!!
To be honest when you’re parking overnight I’ve never seen anyone out there checking the parking tickets anyway. There’s definitely no parking attendants there on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night.
How stupid! Whoever it was could have simply torn off the meal voucher and just charged you the lower rate!!!
ah welcome roadchhef_staff, maybe you would like to give us an insight into working for one of these places?
i stopped at cherwell valley this morning and to be fair the showers were spotless all though a little cramped.Iwas lucky as it was about 9.30 so not too busy.5 showers wouldnt go far considering the size of the ■■■■ smelling lorry park.Oh and i saw rats there .