robroy:
He said he was… ‘‘Merely following his sat nav’’.
Enough said.
Sounds like it was a trucking one as it said the Satnav had been set with the height of the unit in it, not the trailer. The trucking satnavs are useless. i’ve trialled them all and they’ve all tried to send me down roads I can’t go down.
Something changed…
I don’t know what and I can’t say when but something is definately different with the way the newer drivers approach the job. I’m not going to get into the Prat-Nav argument or manual Vs auto boxes but the older generation of drivers had to think for themselves.
If a problem came up with directions, the load, weather conditions, blocked roads or what ever other hitch you encountered, you just found a way to deal with the problem and crack on. You couldn’t just pick up a phone, you HAD to solve the problem yourself. We certainly didn’t have an army of college graduates who couldn’t spot a diesel pump if you shoved their face into it. We had gaffers who told you how far you could take the mickey and if you went further you were looking for a new job.
I do feel for this bloke and he’s genuinely upset about what’s happened but I can’t fathom out why. Just one look at that bridge should have had alarm bells ringing but it didn’t. One of the things you need to do this job is a basic spatial awareness and it’s something so many drivers seem to lack. In the same way that I’ll never be a concert violinist, some people will never have what it takes to be a lorry driver. I’ve came across many bridges that I was too high for, it’s just something I automatically think about. Been to loads of places I couldn’t get to or into or down some godawfully tight lane and never come unstuck. Just one look from where I’m sitting and I know if it’ll go or not.
It’s only a matter of time before a coach full of nuns taking puppies to a primary school gets tangled up in a bridge strike.
robroy:
Ok I feel sorry for him also, new lad just passed his test, we all made mistakes when new, although his was epic…but come on, what’s the first thing you think of (or should) and first consideration, when the words ‘double’ and ‘decker’ are mentioned??
Chocolate…[emoji851][emoji851][emoji851]
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slowlane:
dave docwra:
He was not totally inexperienced, you don’t go straight to a class one these days!Dave…
I’d hardly count 4.5days in a class 2 as experienced! That’s all I had before doing my class 1 and I’ve not driven a class 2 since then.
It’s a big mistake. I do feel sorry for him being so new to the job, but what a mistake to make! Maybe there’s not enough sense of danger any more, or caution.
Sorry but can you tell me where did you get 4.5 days class 2 experience for this Guy from ?
robroy:
but come on, what’s the first thing you think of (or should) and first consideration, when the words ‘double’ and ‘decker’ are mentioned??
Should I eat the chewy bit or the rice crispies first.
Harry Monk:
I feel a bit sorry for him to be honest. He was brand-new at the job, and I think anybody given such a tall trailer to drag around should be pre-routed by the office. In fact, to show my full hand I think double decker trailers should be illegal anyway and there should be a maximum permissible trailer height of 4 metres.
I agree with the trailer height, there’s no need for them to be more.
I also don’t see why some fifth wheels are so high, another thing to catch out the unwary and thick.
As a new driver myself i have been driving loads of curtainsiders some double some single the whole aspect of finding out true height is confusing as the trailer will have two lenghts and then say something about fifth wheel.
Anyways long story short i visually spot the highest point and use a height measuring stick as i dont know how to work it out the other way also i would give myself a couple of extra inches on bridges never hit a bridge of yet 
TruckDriverBen:
As a new driver myself i have been driving loads of curtainsiders some double some single the whole aspect of finding out true height is confusing as the trailer will have two lenghts and then say something about fifth wheel.Anyways long story short i visually spot the highest point and use a height measuring stick as i dont know how to work it out the other way also i would give myself a couple of extra inches on bridges never hit a bridge of yet
Perfectly acceptable way of doing things Ben, take any marked trailer measurements as a rough guide only, as per your method of physically measuring each and every one is the only way to get it right.
Garbo2018:
So, in my mind, there’s NO excuse whatsoever about hitting low bridges, and you should know the height of your vehicle before setting off on your merry way.Another case for TruckNet CSI here!
Many moons ago the BiL had to cut through Market Harborough before they built the by pass. I recall there was 1 road in, and 3 roads out that all had low bridges on. (There was a route that avoided them, but it involved some pretty tight roads and I only discovered it by accident with an A-Z book and some tyre marks on the road). His route had a 14’6 bridge on and he was 14’3 so he cracked on, only to peel the aluminium roof off his trailer. Investigation by plod revealed the recent resurfacing by council workers (before everything was put out to contractors) wasnt up to spec and the inspectors wouldn’t sign off on it, so instead of skimming and re doing they just slapped another layer on! Plod measured the bridge at 14’1 and he was officially cleared. He gave up driving not long after that though.
When I done UK mail,there DD had audible alarm, think it worked of of gps.canning town to star city,up M1the thing used to scream at you as you approached the origanal concrete bridges
robroy:
DickyNick:
Sat nav was programmed to height of lorry cab rather than the height of the double decker trailer, and he was just following it. Does inexperience come in to play there? I’m all for giving chances for any mistake, particularly one where being inexperienced is just part of it. But not changing your sat nav to the height of the Trailer? Surely being inexperienced would make you double and triple check something like that. Or am I just being harsh?No you aint been harsh mate, a sat nav is a guide, it doesn’t ‘‘send’’ you anywhere, it’s the driver’s call.
If a lot of dumbasses could just realise that there would not be as many bridge bashings and trucks stuck down lanes.
Include me as a dumbass then mate (most already do 
).
Not been stuck down a lane. But have been stuck in a street needing to wake people up to move therecars. And in the last couple of nights it nearly happened again. Totally legal no signs or warnings. I went up a hill for about a mile. Relatively tight but no dramas. Got to the top and nearly ■■■’d myself. Cars parked on both sides of the road one about 5 m in front of the other. Handbrake on and went for a walk. Had that horrible feeling inside - knowing I wasn’t able to reverse out. In the end I managed to get though (just) with fractions of inches to spare.
Put a picture on facebook and I’m the clown lorry driver causing mayhem (I do nights so it isn’t that bad). But the reality is that it was cars parked illegally both times that caused me grief. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong - and more experienced guys wouldn’t have the problem. But I was following the maps we are given, not my satnav. I am mandated to go down those roads.
I feel sorry for the bloke. You are much more experienced than me. And maybe you could have done a tight reverse down a hill for a mile. But I wasn’t capable of doing it. I’m guessing the lad who his the bridge feels pretty awful about it - and I won’t be sticking it to him for making a foolish mistake, which if we are honest we are all one bit of distraction away from doing.
Even on agency a lot of companies would ask if I had 6 or more points before doing licence check as their insurance wouldn’t normally cover it (luckily got non, somehow).
Being a brand new pass that would ring alarm bells for me as anyone getting that isn’t being too careful. Not a good thing if you’re being sent out with a large truck for virtually the same time.
If that bridge is 13 foot odd, I don’t think many trailers would fit under it, never mind a double decker. Think it might be time to hang up his HGV licence and possibly car one too, although he won’t get another HGV job for years.
Wonder why he didn’t get 6 points unless he claimed he would lose his job.
Rather than slagging off and mocking the driver, I would much rather take aim at the ‘bums on seats’ culture at whatever crappy outfit it was that allowed a new pass out on the road solo with a decker. When your that inexperienced driving wagons you can get panicky & overwhelmed when you get lost or whatever, his head will have been all over the place & he won’t have been thinking straight.
I sympathise with him tbh & think the operator deserve every penny of the £17k fine. You reap what you sow…
I remember about 30 yrs ago when driving for Exel Logistics a new recruit turned up one Monday and it was a lad who was in my year at school but I never really took to him, anyway he went off for the day down to Cornwall but hit that railway bridge that used to be over the A30 near to Victoria on his way back up but fair play he drove it back in its new modified form back to Avonmouth and I happened to be there when he drove in and I had a wry smile on my face and that was his one and only day working there
yourhavingalarf:
Something changed…I don’t know what and I can’t say when but something is definately different with the way the newer drivers approach the job. I’m not going to get into the Prat-Nav argument or manual Vs auto boxes but the older generation of drivers had to think for themselves.
If a problem came up with directions, the load, weather conditions, blocked roads or what ever other hitch you encountered, you just found a way to deal with the problem and crack on. You couldn’t just pick up a phone, you HAD to solve the problem yourself. We certainly didn’t have an army of college graduates who couldn’t spot a diesel pump if you shoved their face into it. We had gaffers who told you how far you could take the mickey and if you went further you were looking for a new job.
I do feel for this bloke and he’s genuinely upset about what’s happened but I can’t fathom out why. Just one look at that bridge should have had alarm bells ringing but it didn’t. One of the things you need to do this job is a basic spatial awareness and it’s something so many drivers seem to lack. In the same way that I’ll never be a concert violinist, some people will never have what it takes to be a lorry driver. I’ve came across many bridges that I was too high for, it’s just something I automatically think about. Been to loads of places I couldn’t get to or into or down some godawfully tight lane and never come unstuck. Just one look from where I’m sitting and I know if it’ll go or not.
It’s only a matter of time before a coach full of nuns taking puppies to a primary school gets tangled up in a bridge strike.
The big change happened about 15 years ago, when in their infinite wisdom they took away the gearstick and put a switch in its place, ok the dumbing down had started a bit before that when constant mesh boxes that needed a bit of nous and control to get the revs right for the next gear were replaced with synchros that needed no such meshing, but the rot really set in when auto boxes took over.
From then the industry has been chasing it’s tail stuffing more and more electronics in the vehicles in order to counter the previous dumbing down move, we’ve now reached the stage that vehicles have to brake for the sods and make weird noises when they’re about to drive off the road, the next stage is the vehicle itself interfering in the steering…what could possibly go wrong 
The training industry aided and abetted the deskilling of the industry, and the DoT aided them in that by allowing auto boxes to be used in instruction and tests, and then to cap it all gave auto passes a bloody manual licence, you couldn’t make this crap up.
Drivers arn’t being trained to control their vehicles as lorries should be, they are being trained to pass a test on a large car, what hope have the youngsters got.
The operators in the industry played their part by removing unwanted non blue sky thinking time served transport management, and in too many places replaced them with layers of power point box ticking admin that wouldn’t know one end of a lorry from the other, they appointed driver trainers that were good at filling in forms but in too many cases haven’t a bloody clue about actual vehicle control…i’ve worked with some of the driver trainers when they were just drivers, Jesus wept some of the sods i wouldn’t have employed them to push a wheelbarrow around but they’ve ended up with the yay or nay whether a driver (who might have two lifetimes of driving under his/her belt) gets the job or not.
Some of us old hands try to help those who want to learn a bit more hands on practical stuff, but this is what the driver trainers should be doing.
Too many operators take the easy option, managing by a combination of one size fits and lowest common denominator, so in a yard comprised of 30% drivers, 30% couldn’t a give monkeys, 30% steering wheel attendees, and 10% blithering idiots, the job will be set out camera’d up and made chimp like in order to cater for the 10%, and the other 90% are assumed to be as useless.
It doesn’t take much imagination to see where such a place is heading.
Until all of the above changes, and it won’t, the slide to the bottom will carry happily on.
Juddian:
30% drivers, 30% couldn’t a give monkeys, 30% steering wheel attendees, and 10% blithering idiots.
.
You’ve just described where I work.
The moron pool has become more concentrated.
A couple of decades ago,your average moron could get a job in various industries…were terms and conditions were usually better than in haulage.
Lorry drivers were lorry drivers,because they wanted to be.
Nowadays,all those other industries have gone,and the only way a moron can avoid shovelling ■■■■ for the rest of his life…is to become a lorry driver.
robroy:
Juddian:
30% drivers, 30% couldn’t a give monkeys, 30% steering wheel attendees, and 10% blithering idiots.
.You’ve just described where I work.
c’mon then rob which one are you… 
m.a.n rules:
robroy:
Juddian:
30% drivers, 30% couldn’t a give monkeys, 30% steering wheel attendees, and 10% blithering idiots.
.You’ve just described where I work.
c’mon then rob which one are you…
I’ll say it before one of my ‘‘fans’’ say it.
No1 in the ‘‘blithering idiot’’ section. 
Garbo2018:
So, in my mind, there’s NO excuse whatsoever about hitting low bridges, and you should know the height of your vehicle before setting off on your merry way.
Yep, you should know, but who told you that?
Many on here have pre-experience experience. Went out with the old man in the cab at ages when you don’t even have memories for. Learnt so much without realising it.
I spent a few hours earlier this week in and out of our main yard, an agency driver was being inducted and far too much information was being thrown at him over the course of several hours, most of it won’t stick. Speaking to one of the current driver trainers (not the one bombarding the agency driver), he agreed, incidents and damage have increased since the extended induction was introduced, are drivers getting worse or is the training simply not fit for purpose?
It’s been said above, new drivers are ‘trained’ to pass a test, not work in the real world.
The basic rules should be incredibly basic.
Know your vehicle dimensions and weight.
Stay between the white lines.
Don’t hit anything!
