Went to check in at an rdc with my keys…where after years of nearly every driver I know complaining about being herded into some crap hole of a pen, after handing your keys in, and having to endure listening to an endless tirade of ‘drivercrap’ and having to inhale some dirty ■■■■ 's b.o., they have finally allowed us to sit in our cabs…where I am now, stretched out on bunk, night heater on, listening to Bon Jovi,.with a coffee cooling off…and getting paid for it.
(So something good has come from this Covid crap after all)
Thing is, while I was in there for about 30 seconds, I counted about 6 drivers stood (no chairs) in the old waiting room, at least one of them totally stressed out watching a computer on wall (presumably telling him how many pallets left on?)
Other 2 stood rocking from side to side waiting to get away, the rest looking thoroughly bored with their lives.
Ffs,.why can’t some people just chill out,.and be grateful we are getting better treatment, for once, for whatever the reason.
I sometimes hang around,just to see if there’s any agro,going off.
Highlight of last week was a jam roll,trying to bribe the goods in staff at sainsbury Hoddesdon…with a can of"pilsner"
Years of conditioning seemingly hard to break I suspect. I saw the same in Tosco Doncaster yesterday afternoon too, almost ruined my sleep on the bunk it did!
I suspect these guys are also the same ones who stop it on the handbrake, abandon it across the front of properly parked lorries, sprint into goods in and generally resemble a heart attack in the making.
I agree. I have witnessed it over the past few weeks my self. Almost like bears coming out of hibernation to roam and moan once more.
I really hope everywhere adopts the new system they have in place at the moment and the H&S pricks get proved wrong. Almost 8 months and I haven’t heard of any disasters with guys driving off bays while getting tipped or babies getting killed. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere and you can get peace to sit a watch Netflix while getting a dinner at your own leisure. (I understand I can take a break whenever I want but if I’m lucky enough to have a job and finish it eats away at time off later)
Also if you really must check on how many years you have left until your unloaded in the RDCs then it forces you to get out and stretch your legs. Win win. Instead of staring at a screen wishing you had a magic lamp.
Wish Amazon would just let you hand the keys in instead of making you drop it and park outside (more cos I can’t be arsed disconnecting the hydraulics and also gives the option to open the roof if they complain the trailer smells).
So for the very odd time that I do a RDC, twice in 4 months, I’ll brave the waiting room, especially as I’m usually the only one in there
thehighlandscot:
I agree. I have witnessed it over the past few weeks my self. Almost like bears coming out of hibernation to roam and moan once more.
I really hope everywhere adopts the new system they have in place at the moment and the H&S pricks get proved wrong. Almost 8 months and I haven’t heard of any disasters with guys driving off bays while getting tipped or babies getting killed. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere and you can get peace to sit a watch Netflix while getting a dinner at your own leisure. (I understand I can take a break whenever I want but if I’m lucky enough to have a job and finish it eats away at time off later)
Also if you really must check on how many years you have left until your unloaded in the RDCs then it forces you to get out and stretch your legs. Win win. Instead of staring at a screen wishing you had a magic lamp.
It was never about safety. They just didnt like the idea of a driver lying on his bed getting paid. Management hate to see ANY workforce getting an easier ride than them.
If they can devise a cheap way of penning you guys in a holding area whilst also segregating you then mark my words it WILL happen.
thehighlandscot:
I agree. I have witnessed it over the past few weeks my self. Almost like bears coming out of hibernation to roam and moan once more.
I really hope everywhere adopts the new system they have in place at the moment and the H&S pricks get proved wrong. Almost 8 months and I haven’t heard of any disasters with guys driving off bays while getting tipped or babies getting killed. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere and you can get peace to sit a watch Netflix while getting a dinner at your own leisure. (I understand I can take a break whenever I want but if I’m lucky enough to have a job and finish it eats away at time off later)
Also if you really must check on how many years you have left until your unloaded in the RDCs then it forces you to get out and stretch your legs. Win win. Instead of staring at a screen wishing you had a magic lamp.
Eventually spent 3 hours on the bay, some discrepancy on notes.
Those 3 hours soon passed, lying on bunk, on phone, quick power nap, and something to eat.
Left there feeling relaxed, …but if I’d have had to sit in that waiting room crap hole (Tesco Liv btw) for those 3 hours, getting gbh on the ear holes, listening to some ■■■■ telling me ‘‘I tipped here, I loaded there,.and I told him straight, I ain’t doing that’’ … I would have been stressed out completely.
Hauliers should start a campaign to keep it up after Covid, a relaxed driver is a more productive driver, but we all know it won’t happen, and the argument back will be…‘‘Well a large section of drivers still used the waiting room anyway’’ .
So what chances have we.
thehighlandscot:
I agree. I have witnessed it over the past few weeks my self. Almost like bears coming out of hibernation to roam and moan once more.
I really hope everywhere adopts the new system they have in place at the moment and the H&S pricks get proved wrong. Almost 8 months and I haven’t heard of any disasters with guys driving off bays while getting tipped or babies getting killed. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere and you can get peace to sit a watch Netflix while getting a dinner at your own leisure. (I understand I can take a break whenever I want but if I’m lucky enough to have a job and finish it eats away at time off later)
Also if you really must check on how many years you have left until your unloaded in the RDCs then it forces you to get out and stretch your legs. Win win. Instead of staring at a screen wishing you had a magic lamp.
Eventually spent 3 hours on the bay, some discrepancy on notes.
Those 3 hours soon passed, lying on bunk, on phone, quick power nap, and something to eat.
Left there feeling relaxed, …but if I’d have had to sit in that waiting room crap hole (Tesco Liv btw) for those 3 hours, getting gbh on the ear holes, listening to some ■■■■ telling me ‘‘I tipped here, I loaded there,.and I told him straight, I ain’t doing that’’ … I would have been stressed out completely.
Hauliers should start a campaign to keep it up after Covid, a relaxed driver is a more productive driver, but we all know it won’t happen, and the argument back will be…‘‘Well a large section of drivers still used the waiting room anyway’’ .
So what chances have we.
Just go back to the cab anyway, that’s what I done before all this. What they going to do, kick you off site?
Don’t do these sorts of places anymore and I actually enjoy driving again. Best thing I ever did was get into niche work that doesn’t involve going anywhere near any of these dumps.
You are doing well to get tipped in 3h out of Tesco Livi. Did you leave a box of roses in the back of the trailer?
There should definitely be a stand against going back into those sweat pits by both the drivers and the office staff. Who wants to be sat/standing in the waiting room with all the aggro it brings when you could be having a proper rest safely in your cab. The office staff must be in favour not having angry drivers who have been sat for hours pestering them every 15mins and 20 eyeballs burning into the tops of their heads.
But as said the management will take it as an offence that you get to lie on a bunk and shut your eyes while they are stuck at their desks. A if I have to do it so do you attitude.
It would be interesting to hear their tune after driving hundreds of miles to get there though.
Same at Tesco Middlesbrough in Friday night, couple.of drivers just sat there staring at the screen. I had two hours in my bunk instead, with the ability to to choose my own TV channel and set my own volume instead of Bargain Hunt at volume 100
thehighlandscot:
I agree. I have witnessed it over the past few weeks my self. Almost like bears coming out of hibernation to roam and moan once more.
I really hope everywhere adopts the new system they have in place at the moment and the H&S pricks get proved wrong. Almost 8 months and I haven’t heard of any disasters with guys driving off bays while getting tipped or babies getting killed. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere and you can get peace to sit a watch Netflix while getting a dinner at your own leisure. (I understand I can take a break whenever I want but if I’m lucky enough to have a job and finish it eats away at time off later)
Also if you really must check on how many years you have left until your unloaded in the RDCs then it forces you to get out and stretch your legs. Win win. Instead of staring at a screen wishing you had a magic lamp.
Eventually spent 3 hours on the bay, some discrepancy on notes.
Those 3 hours soon passed, lying on bunk, on phone, quick power nap, and something to eat.
Left there feeling relaxed, …but if I’d have had to sit in that waiting room crap hole (Tesco Liv btw) for those 3 hours, getting gbh on the ear holes, listening to some ■■■■ telling me ‘‘I tipped here, I loaded there,.and I told him straight, I ain’t doing that’’ … I would have been stressed out completely.
Hauliers should start a campaign to keep it up after Covid, a relaxed driver is a more productive driver, but we all know it won’t happen, and the argument back will be…‘‘Well a large section of drivers still used the waiting room anyway’’ .
So what chances have we.
Do the chairs still look as if they have had IS bombers in there with mini explosives strapped to their buttocks?
Nah they’d took the chairs out, but I know what you mean.
Those same chairs have been there since around 2007 ish when it was new.
I remember as I was briefly doing a bit of agency for Fowler Welch while I was between jobs at that time, ,and you even got free coffee in those days.
toonsy:
Same at Tesco Middlesbrough in Friday night, couple.of drivers just sat there staring at the screen. I had two hours in my bunk instead, with the ability to to choose my own TV channel and set my own volume instead of Bargain Hunt at volume 100
TvBgone…
Go Google it.
I turned the telly off with it years ago at DHL Hatfield when the entire warehouse were watching some footy game instead tipping drivers. Just as the crucial penalty kick was being taken…■■■■!.. telly off. The ensuing mayhem was a scream to watch.
DAF95XF:
Tosco Avonmouth don’t allow you to sit in the cab anymore unless there’s more than 15 drivers in the waiting room…
Well that’s a a plastic RDC chair myth,
Current UK law concerning gatherings of 6 or more people from different households…
So the notices in the windows of the doors there I must be imagining then…
Tossco are breaking the law, so if it’s true, best get a sheep to explain to them.
The limit on numbers only applies to socialising. Larger gatherings for work purposes are specifically exempted from the “Rule of 6” so no, Tossco are not breaking the law.
