Ive been driving class one trucks for over 5 year and I’m looking to go on the continent, having never been across the water I’m quite apprehensive about it. is it better to throw yourself straight in or try and get a job doing a single hit and back? not sure how to tackle it, any advice would be appreciated 
to be honest there is hardly any difference between UK work apart from the parking, food, the facilities, the friendly greeting by security at factories and warehouses. The freedom to park without keeping an eye open for clampers, ■■■■■■ or scumbags
The car drivers are in my opinion more aware and forgiving than the general UK driver although the Dutch and Belgians think British car drivers are more courteous 
Apart from looking in the other mirror a bit more often it is just the same
and dont forget to drive on the right 
However it is a good way of seeing Europe and getting paid for it.
the cheapest booze in calais is in bottles wine warehouse…zone industrial les dunes 1 km from the ship.
smokes are the same price all over belguim,dont bother window shopping,just buy them.
the contiunent is easier than working around england,they are not so obsessed with silly hiviz jackets and get on with the job,no handing keys in to sit in a canteen.
much easier and better food,less traffic jams.
keep you tacho right,the french and spanish are gone over the top with fines.read the other topics on this and listen to what coffeeholic is saying.
hes generally right there with the euro laws.
good luck with it, i went on my first trip within a week of passing my class 1 and just got stuck into it.
top tip would be never be afraid to ask and listen to experience. i’ve been doing euro for 8 years now and probably still learn something new on every trip (or maybe i’m a bit slow on the uptake 
)
Cheers for the advice
keep the speed down on motorway exits!
glenman:
keep the speed down on motorway exits!
Darned right, assume all sliproads are 90 degree hellish bends with odd cambers, unless you can see it’s not. Some of those exits are nightmares.
Wil you be going to Ausfahrt? It’s the biggest town in germany, and the main street is called Einbahnstrasse by the way
allikat:
glenman:
Wil you be going to Ausfahrt? It’s the biggest town in germany, and the main street is called Einbahnstrasse by the way
Snigger… Snigger…
You can tell I’m the muppet who had a “holiday” that was 8 days, 3,500 miles across europe.
France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Italy (Davos down to Italy - the stelvio pass was shut that week), back into France, then Andorra and Spain, back home Bilbau to Southampton.
In february, in a heavily laden, beat up astra, with 3 other people on board. Icy Alpine mountain passes, with brakes and clutch complaining, and me praying to find the secret engine brake button…
Crazy. I’d do Euro work any time
first trip to the continent i was eating lunch on the boat and the older driver sat at the table asked me where i was heading .i told him just outside nice and he asked what route i was taking and i had to tell him i didnt really know as it was my first trip.he just said "well everyone has a first trip "and then gave me directions and a few tips,one of which was stick to the signposted limits on exits.true enough it all made sense when i left the motorway by the way i took my son round europe with me for 3 weeks and no matter how many times we passed an “ausfahrt” he sniggered,and still does to this day
oh,another tip told to me on the first trip was dont pull out when the car in the outside lane flashes his lights,it just means get out of the way fast car coming through.
Just take your time, nice and easy. Like others have said there is no rush.
The exits off the motorways as said are different to ours and if you go rushing down them you could end up in trouble, the same can be said for some of the parking areas.
Cheapest ■■■■ are route66 in Lux 1st exit after you cross the boarder come off go over the motorway over roundabout the nfirst right its down there on the right hand side…
Depending on which country you go to they are always happy to see you there not like in the UK where you are made to feel a clown for bringing the stuff they must have ordered.
Dutch Coffee is like tar it will wake you up, believe me!, you get a free brew everytime you fill up ur tanks, also in most places you get rewards too!
The best thing about the other drivers on the continent (unless they are French) they will slow down if it’s taking you time to overtake them, not like here where it can take the whole of the M1 because he can now drive on his limiter with you half way past him.
French, Italian and some Spanish toilets, avoid them like the plaque, minging sqwat pots, German toilets are ace, they have the self cleaning ones. Expect to pay about €.30c in Belgium to have a tinkle or a ■■■.
If in doubt ask! You will meet many a schwanz kopf (one for brit pete lol) who will tell you how much he has done and the time he drove back from the moon in one shift, but most people will help you out.
You will however now find that you are the only English driver on the ferry!
Ask on here when you know where and when your going and people will help you out
Spacemonkeypg:
French, Italian and some Spanish toilets, avoid them like the plaque, minging sqwat pots,
Mmmmm…
French toilets…
(Apologies to anyone eating breakfast at the mo 
)
Yes that’s one of the better ones
I have always found it better to use a fine Tesco/Asda bag than one of those contraptions
sounds like ive got a bit to take on board. Cheers for the advice, as it was mentioned, everyone has to do a “first trip”…I’ll post when I hear where I’m going 
The other cheap places for ■■■■ is Andorra and Spain, didn’t make it into Lux, but everywhere else is 4 euro or so for a pack of ■■■■.
Harry Monk:
Spacemonkeypg:
French, Italian and some Spanish toilets, avoid them like the plaque, minging sqwat pots,Mmmmm…
French toilets…
(Apologies to anyone eating breakfast at the mo
Ah, the ubiquitous ‘spread axle’ and it looks like a previous user has missed by a bit, yuck!!!
One piece of advice for the use of this type of bog is take your trousers and pants off before use, I’m sure most of us ‘old hands’ (eh Gregg/Carl??) have had an accident of some sort
I’ve said this before when 1st timers have asked for advice, take care at the first roundabout you come to and be very carefull when turning left onto a dual carriageway when there are no traffic lights!!! LOOK LEFT FIRST, NOT RIGHT!!!
If you find yourself back loading from France, once in the warehouse / on the loading dock, when approached by a supervisor (not office waller) put out your hand (to shake his) and announce yourself “je suis en routier Englais, parlez vous Englais SVP?” Over the years (many) I’ve always found with the French that if you try to speak their language they will help you.
Good luck, just relax and enjoy the experience, Ross.
GO and read the EURO sticky
this has lots of ifo for every one who
comes over to here,