well you are certainly treated as a professional rather than something someone just walked in on the bottom of their shoe, yes.
there is no lorry hatred in mainland europe compared to here, and you can get showered etc everywhere. there are good restaurants everywhere with parking for trucks and even msa s give 25% discount to truc drivers.
it really is a totally different job
Agree with whats been said. You get ■■■■■■■■ in every country, but things are far more relaxed with regards trucks and their requirements. Most Europeans seem to realise that trucks are here to stay and part of modern life.
Yes, you can get showered and fed without hassle. Me, I haven’t paid for parking in a year, and nearly always park in service areas - which are secure, or as secure as things can be, 2euro will get you a hot shower and another 5 - 10 will get you a decent meal. How things should be.
It certainly is a different job across the water.
I always find the europeans a lot more prepared to accept the fact that you are there in the first place (although this doesn’t exempt the cars and vans from cutting in front of you etc…), and they do tend to have much more realistic facilities for parking etc…
There just tends to be much less of a ‘greedy’ attitude towards most things in the first place (parking, costs of meals etc) for every road user, and the places that are available off the beaten track are either fairly well known, or are signposted. They don’t appear to charge ridiculous prices for grub/showers like you might expect them to.
I rather like the grown up way they deal with most things anyway, the fact that you are trusted not to do a runner at the end of your meal, and the fact that you are able to purchase alcohol etc…
Much as I love the UK, it is a pretty cack place to drive a lorry 
Certainly treated with respect and if you park in a supermarket car park, you will see marked out spaces for truckers to do their shopping rather than a tatty transit trying to clamp you.
Restaurants with Mercs and Audis in the car park are joined by Scanias and Iveco.
Even the office staff treat you with respect.
BUT
this week I was given a job to do in Belgium and I discovered that even the continentals do
tell big white lies 
It is generally a much better way of life driving in Europe compared to here in Britain, you are treated better though as a foreign driver, as like in Britain, you are the first to be blamed for anything by the locals. However drivers there are by no means payed anything close to that of a doctor or lawyer and probably teachers. Most probably get a similar wage to here, if not less in lots of places, only the cost of living is less on the most part.
Has the bull started then Malc ? Strange really how these companies seem to think they can bull their drivers who they expect to be knowlegable about all things trucking. 