Well it always was mine. Brings it home having done many Interski trips myself. Can’t imagine what the driver must be going through, not to mention everyone else.
This is the exact reason i wouldn’t drive a coach. How it happened doesn’t matter, the loved one isn’t coming back. Any driver can restock a pallet of the most expensive whatever in the world, having to live with the knowledge that someone who was under my care whilst on my coach has been killed as a direct result of my actions is something I can do without!
Condlances to the deceased’s family and loved ones.
Well said. It brings it home even more having been on my side in a ditch myself recently. As you’ll know I felt awful about it. But it was nothing compared to what happens when you do it to a coach. When I used to do those very trips sometimes the responsibility used to weigh very heavily on me when you’ve got to drive through the night and may not be feeling 100%. A split second and it can go all so horribly horribly wrong and ruin so many lives. Whatever happened he was just another driver doing his job and earning a living. If it was me I don’t think I could ever drive again.
switchlogic:
Well said. It brings it home even more having been on my side in a ditch myself recently. As you’ll know I felt awful about it. But it was nothing compared to what happens when you do it to a coach. When I used to do those very trips sometimes the responsibility used to weigh very heavily on me when you’ve got to drive through the night and may not be feeling 100%. A split second and it can go all so horribly horribly wrong and ruin so many lives. Whatever happened he was just another driver doing his job and earning a living. If it was me I don’t think I could ever drive again.
I know I wouldn’t want it. I don’t even like carrying passengers in my car, although on my own I will send it on, with passengers I drive like Miss Daisy. Cannot imagine how a coach driver feels, especially as you say with ferry deadlines and feeling off it.
Back in '08 I was sat in Dover on a march afternoon, a coach from a very well respected West Country company came down the ramp, stopped, the drivers got off that one, ran over to one waiting to board and vice versa. Upstairs in the drivers lounge, I was sat down and the 2 drivers sat next to me. We got talking and they enlightened me to their job. They’d come up from one of the Costa’s non stop, one the boat they’d got a call, a coach of kids waiting had to be in Rimini the following day. Apparently this was not a 1 off. I thought all these antics stopped years ago on coaches??
Now I’m not saying the guy today was like that but it makes you wonder??
Yes that certainly used to happen and maybe still does but having done a lot of Interski work I can tell you he would have been 100% legal without a doubt. They do hundreds of trips a year and have it down to a fine art.
Is it interski or solus which are from Mansfield?
JB:
Is it interski or solus which are from Mansfield?
interski.
Interski are just a travel company they don’t have any of their own coaches so the coach will be hired from a coach company. Solus in this case.
Thanks malc and luke
switchlogic:
Interski are just a travel company they don’t have any of their own coaches so the coach will be hired from a coach company. Solus in this case.
My old PE teacher at school started doing this years ago, he started a company up and found some coach companies to work for him, the problem was that he got his own money mixed up with the firms 
Sympathies to the teachers family and friends of Peter Rippington
Absolutely horrific.
We had one of ours coming back from Austria overnight, so it caused a bit of concern when the news was first breaking.
This is why i always break the overnight drives into 2.5 hr stints when double manned. No need to macho out 4.5 hrs at a time when there are 2 of you.
In March we have some of ours doing 10 days in Austria, coming back overnight, having 24 hrs in Dover, then going down to Salou, which i think is pretty irresponsible of the company. There are enough of us to cover the work without having to do that.
The problem is that the coach manager has her little favourites who she has given all the European work to this year, despite over half of them having no experience of driving in Europe. One of them was driving bin wagons until 5 months ago…just think it is an accident waiting to happen.
Still, if i’m honest, i’m glad i’m not doing the ski runs this year, they really are a major ball ache.
Very sad what has happened. I know Andy owner of Solus and he’s a good family man and feel very sorry for him, the driver and everyone involved in this tradegy. I also think the comments from professional drivers on this site show what a good bunch they are, unlike the comments from the general public who know very little about running and driving vehicles day in day out.
DonutUK:
Absolutely horrific.This is why i always break the overnight drives into 2.5 hr stints when double manned. No need to macho out 4.5 hrs at a time when there are 2 of you.
completely agree with you there ■■■■■, i do the same nowadays when im double manning, i always tell my co driver, if your tired, pull in and we’ll change over. Is it any coincidence i wonder that the chalons area is at the top of what we used to call “the black hole” as in the run up there from macon, long, boring and dark?
Complete nightmare for all involved, my daughter went to Paris by coach last year on a school jolly and I couldn’t rest easy till she got back. This year she’s off to Holland by coach and I certainly don’t feel at ease with the traveling by coach she’ll be doing.
These events are very rare. Sad though for all involved.
bigvern1:
These events are very rare. Sad though for all involved.
You’re right
The coach drivers are often billeted in the ZB part of the hotel. Near the kitchen or laundry where they dont get much sleep. The little scrotes have fun banging on their bedroom doors also they often have to share rooms with each other.
I agree about often being given poorly located rooms.I’d prefer not to share a room,but if you’ve got to do it…What about double manning in a lorry and having to share a cab for your rest period with a snorer/soap dodger etc.? I would imagine that to be a lot more tiring/stressful than sharing a room.
Me and the co driver often used to get separate rooms. Once I’d convinced him to to go to the rep and say ‘I’m not sharing with him, he’s gay!’ None actually had a problem with me being gay but they did with saying that! A few refused to do it! 