Shandy123:
Blaming drivers for the increasing prevalence of the symptoms of the situation they find themselves in (lack-of/poor parking, packed roads, over-demanding/micro-managing TMs leading to tired/littering/aggressive) drivers makes little sense. Yes, we need to try to be professional and corteous out there, but the roads and pressures of today are a far cry from the 50s and 60s, when lorry drivers were the ‘knights of the road’, roaming the country’s (largely empty) A roads
I would suggest there were far worse bosses (and more of them) then than now…
At least now drivers have hours rules, HR departments, legal aid, far better kit,…and some drivers still don’t have the backbone to just say no.
There is no excuse for dropping your own standards (provided you had reasonable standards to begin with).
Are you suggesting that because a traffic office is watching you on a tracker you should think ‘stuff it’ I am going to behave like a bully and put some lives at risk?
No, but I’m suggesting that it (and being ‘available’ by mobile), plus overcrowded roads, and a system that seems designed to harass commercial drivers, all add to the pressure to get to the drop regardless of traffic or weather conditions, rather than being left to get on with it like a professional.
dieseldog999:
i think the important relevant fact regarding this post is this…after reading the original daily mail article.how many instantly googled “candy love”
Everyone knows that “candy love” is old hat. Tentacle ■■■■, that’s where its at now.
Grumpy Dad:
The public already see us as the scourge of the roads, slow and ■■■■■■■■■■ with an uneducated east European buffoon at the wheel, but to make matters worse they condem the whole industry on the actions of the few.
Yeh ok, but this d/head was an ‘uneducated BRIT bufoon’ at the wheel …, there are plenty of those around who drag our rep into the [zb] also.
^^^
this
Always ■■■■■■ me off to see other nationalities rubbished for no reason other than for the pure hell of it.
Im mixed, Russian and Spanish but dont differentiate between anyone based on their flag, i take people as i find them, theres good and bad in all races…
dieseldog999:
i think the important relevant fact regarding this post is this…after reading the original daily mail article.how many instantly googled “candy love”
Everyone knows that “candy love” is old hat. Tentacle ■■■■, that’s where its at now.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
it always looks a bit fishy to me that stuff…
The reputation of lorry drivers in general is pretty dire. The last 12 months in particular have inflicted a permanently damaging effect on the industry. Watching TV’s/laptops/phones is commonplace. Being ■■■■■■ whilst driving appears to be increasing. Bridge strikes are reaching epidemic levels. Litter where trucks park is piling up. Damaged petrol station canopies are also becoming a regular sight.
The older/wiser fella’s on here have been warning of dropping standards for at least as long as I have been on here.
I reckon they are right. The dumbing down of passing tests in auto’s and the sheer ease of driving artics, surely means the steering wheel attendants are now becoming far too prevalent. A complete lack of a police presence, millions of idiots whose driving standards are crap at best, an attitude of " F U " and a general breakdown in any sort of pride are now culminating in a ’ Death Race 2000 ’ style of driving on the road.
We are no longer the best drivers on the road sadly We just simply have the biggest vehicles, and have become the biggest bullies.
NOBODY likes us anymore and we are rapidly becoming a laughing stock.
Now beaver fella you come out with a lot of ■■■■ a lot of the time but in this case I am sad to say you are 100% correct in all you say.
Once upon a time I was proud to say I drove trucks for a living but now I don’t tell anyone that is part of my job.(And I do care what others think.)
Grumpy Dad:
The public already see us as the scourge of the roads, slow and ■■■■■■■■■■ with an uneducated east European buffoon at the wheel, but to make matters worse they condem the whole industry on the actions of the few.
Yeh ok, but this d/head was an ‘uneducated BRIT bufoon’ at the wheel …, there are plenty of those around who drag our rep into the [zb] also.
^^^
this
Always ■■■■■■ me off to see other nationalities rubbished for no reason other than for the pure hell of it.
Im mixed, Russian and Spanish but dont differentiate between anyone based on their flag, i take people as i find them, theres good and bad in all races…
Andy my comment has been taken out of context, it’s not aimed at any nationality, it’s a comment of how the public incorrectly assume, much like how people have incorrectly assumed my comment was anti EE drivers, which if they bothered to read other posts would see this is not the case.
Whenever I get to where I’m delivering or collections I’m always bright chirpy and try to be helpful.
Most of the time it gets us off on the right foot and I’ve rarely had problems.
I know some who turn up with attitude and seem to wind up having a row everywhere.
Treat people how you like to be treated and often things go ok
Shandy123:
Blaming drivers for the increasing prevalence of the symptoms of the situation they find themselves in (lack-of/poor parking, packed roads, over-demanding/micro-managing TMs leading to tired/littering/aggressive) drivers makes little sense. Yes, we need to try to be professional and corteous out there, but the roads and pressures of today are a far cry from the 50s and 60s, when lorry drivers were the ‘knights of the road’, roaming the country’s (largely empty) A roads
I would suggest there were far worse bosses (and more of them) then than now…
At least now drivers have hours rules, HR departments, legal aid, far better kit,…and some drivers still don’t have the backbone to just say no.
There is no excuse for dropping your own standards (provided you had reasonable standards to begin with).
Are you suggesting that because a traffic office is watching you on a tracker you should think ‘stuff it’ I am going to behave like a bully and put some lives at risk?
No, but I’m suggesting that it (and being ‘available’ by mobile), plus overcrowded roads, and a system that seems designed to harass commercial drivers, all add to the pressure to get to the drop regardless of traffic or weather conditions, rather than being left to get on with it like a professional.
Well said. The ridiculous thing about the industry, as it was when I started in 1978, is this implied thing to ‘speed’. I don’t. I get abuse for that attitude, even on here. I get paid by the hour. What is the point in me speeding? To risk my licence by getting points on it?
The attitude of many car drivers has become a mixture of selfishness, perceived indestructibility (a few mms of steel between many drivers and oblivion), arrogance (use of mobile phones whilst driving), lack of risk awareness (very high amongst car drivers often the bigger the car the more stupid the driver). On top we of that we have, as we did back in the 1970’s the old chestnut of ‘the load is late due to… get it there as quick as you can, don’t spare the horses i.e. drive as fast as possible except when you see a speed camera.’ Why? Do train drivers break speed limits to make up time?
The industry is still stuck in the dark ages IMO. A solution? Well operators being co-responsible for speeding fines for a start. Won’t solve everything but slow many hgv drivers down to within the law. Then we can start to eliminate the Speedy Gonzales culture out of the road transport industry.
There does seem to be a very large prevalence of the “I just don’t give a [zb]” sort of mentality. Anyone with half a brain knows that drivers of every nationality are culprits.
I think a driver’s perception of the world being against them does often make you take a “devil may care” type of attitude. When morale is at it’s lowest and you’ve just had enough. It seems to be this on a large scale. It’s difficult to take pride in a job where everybody else is preventing you from doing so. Unrealistic expectations from managers, telling you that loads need to be delivered yesterday. Ridiculous shifts, and unscrupulous planners trying to squeeze every drop of blood from you. Constant clock-watching and breathing down your neck. Treat like the dregs of society when your reach your drop. Being made to hand-in your keys and sit in a holding cell. When everything seems to be against you doing your job well, there seems to very little incentive to actually do it well.
Rottweiler22:
There does seem to be a very large prevalence of the “I just don’t give a [zb]” sort of mentality. Anyone with half a brain knows that drivers of every nationality are culprits.
I think a driver’s perception of the world being against them does often make you take a “devil may care” type of attitude. When morale is at it’s lowest and you’ve just had enough. It seems to be this on a large scale. It’s difficult to take pride in a job where everybody else is preventing you from doing so. Unrealistic expectations from managers, telling you that loads need to be delivered yesterday. Ridiculous shifts, and unscrupulous planners trying to squeeze every drop of blood from you. Constant clock-watching and breathing down your neck. Treat like the dregs of society when your reach your drop. Being made to hand-in your keys and sit in a holding cell. When everything seems to be against you doing your job well, there seems to very little incentive to actually do it well.
I think there’s a lot of truth there. If people (drivers) are treated like responsible adults and are given some decision making responsibility the vast majority will respond well. We’ll be happier and more involved, and take more care with, and get pleasure from working.
Being treated as an ignorant fool doesn’t do much for one’s esteem, and “since I’m treated as someone who is irresponsible, I’ll play your game, and be irresponsible”.
The more companies (mostly big ones) use systems to bypass fools, they will fail to remove said fools and we have more need for said systems.
Cue: race to the bottom, dumbing down, paying peanuts, job satisfaction.
Olog Hai:
Rightly or wrongly the bar to entry to lorry driving is now very low. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who can handle a car anywhere near competently, can drive a truck because it is an easy task to carry out. There’s little more to do than steer it. Newer ones will even stop themselves now. With all that in mind why would anyone be surprised that the calibre of many drivers is now what it is?
I’ve been saying this for years, well, since these ■■■■■■■ auto ‘boxes became the norm.
Just to get back to the poor bloke that was knocked.
In the many times I’ve been broken down in hard shoulder, it’s nightheater on and in bunk or passenger seat.
I can see the logic and need of standing up the bank in the ■■■■■■■ rain or cold if you breakdown in your car, but I reckon the odds of surviving are pretty good sat in your cab tbh.
…, there are plenty of those around who drag our rep into the [zb] also. 
We just simply have the biggest vehicles, and have become the biggest bullies.