And if you are thinking about joining the army watch “soldier soldier” with knobson green and geronamo, for the inside glimpse of life in the SAS
ROFLMAO
seriously though I wonder how many poor halfwits get suckered into a life of brain cell killing trucking boredom by that stobarts manure. LOOL
alder:
The OP asked for advice, I gave it as honestly as I could. However if you don’t tell them what they want to hear they go into attack modeI did suggest that Sarah could still pursue a worthwhile career and try her fantasy out on weekends to get rid of the novelty value.
Endgame your comment is typical of a good majority of lorry drivers which is why people outside this business treat us the way they do and why many opinions of lorry drivers are that we are thick, ignorant and even stupid. Some people treat us like we are morons dribbling from the side of our mouths and a vacant slot in the skull where a brain should reside. It is no wonder I come across signs with pictures informing us how to climb the steps to get into the cab, Why there are markings where our wheels should be and why when you pull up anywhere 9 times out of 10 the person on the gate has a look of despair on seeing another driver role up to have the instructions carefully explained to him. As a person with a degree and having dealt with people on steering committees, executives and leaders of industry it amazes me why there are not more simplified written procedures to speed queues up when waiting for a load or to be tipped. The reason is that the management of these places have such a low opinion of lorry drivers and view us all as being unable to read a simple document, so they have to draw pictures for us and leave it to the security gate and crane drivers to explain it over and over again
Sarah, you will do what you want anyway but you asked the question and obviously wanted sanction to follow your pathetic dream over doing a degree and following a real profession. I suspect with your attitude you are already failing in that and have not got the conviction to follow that through. This is why you want to join a merry band of people who can do a simply driving test, follow a sat nav and play their music for pocket money. Being a young person with a life ahead of you I can tell you that I have given you the very best advice for YOU not me as my life is nearly over
If you pursue this fantasy my words will haunt you later in life and you will realise what a chance you had in your grip. You said “bye” but I know people like you will come back and read this. I wonder if your family and friends have advised similar to me and that’s why you came on a forum full of lorry drivers who kid themselves that they are in a worthwhile career and that they are in professions akin to an engineer or mechanic?
Good luck and I hope you see sense
I know this thread is a month old but it was interesting to read 
I am female and I did what Sarah did (well half of it she’s done it, hopefully will do the other half soon) but in the reverse order…
as a young female (I am now 45) all I ever did was driving jobs, first in small van (FEDEX/multi-drop) then double-decker buses in London then trucks (agency followed by international class 1).
then my son came along and I found myself to be single shortly after having him so I had to do my best to look after him and set a good example:
I went back to college to top up my qualifications when I was 25yrs old, from there went onto university and qualified as a Midwife.
Now my son is grown up (nearly 20) and I have realised that this life though its given me the stability and financial security is not the life that makes me happy.
Back in my youth I loved being alone and behind the wheel, I still do! My dream back then was to go onto driving for Edwin Shirley and that is still my dream (well maybe not them, maybe Fly By Nite but in my 20s ES were the only company I knew doing gigs/tours)
so now my son is beginning not to need me so much I am starting to look into pursuing what I originally wanted to do
I’ve raised him, he’s a happy young man my job is done
These 16 years in Midwifery have given me lots of life experience, but so did my years behind the wheel driving…
I don’t actually see truck driving as a ‘career’, well it is not to me, to me it is ‘me’, it is what I am happiest doing.
Now I can go back to it and I have the ‘luxury’ of being a skilled midwife so that any time I need to top up my salary I can do some temping in Midwifery.
Sorry am ‘rabbiting’ on…
I’ve enjoyed reading all replies including Alder’s, which although may seem harsh to some I actually found useful:
one always needs to know all sides of a story and not just the ‘shiny’ side but the ‘dark side’ as well 
And if Sarah’s dream is to really drive a truck Alder’s post will not have put her off (hasn’t put me off from going back into it)
oh: and yes, I have recommended truck-driving to my son as a job but he’s got too much sense and he’s not interested HAHAHAHA (mind you he’s not interested in studying either so maybe there’s still hope )
I don’t get it. Why do people actually bother to come on a driving forum to moan about driving, and try their best to put others off?
I must admit after a couple of days on here its making me think twice about becoming a driver …
Truth:
I must admit after a couple of days on here its making me think twice about becoming a driver …
You’ll get that where ever you go. You always get people who are in any industry and hate every minute of it. Moaning and complaining to anyone who will listen. The trick is to try and sort the wheat from the chaff, find genuine critisims and complaints and ignore moaning from people who have nothing better to do.
I am not moaning about driving, I am doing it. and the lady who had a career as a midwife and then gone back to driving is fine, nothing wrong in that. I had a career in IT and have now gone back to driving. The point I was making was that the young lady has her whole life ahead of her and she is throwing away a university education and a promising career to become a class 2 delivery driver where her prospects are dismal and where there is increasing competition just to stay in the job for the whole year. I said my piece and if she takes no notice then fine but my words will haunt her in years to come.
Its hard to seperate the two though sometimes radar, NOT that i am critisising Alder or anyone else for submitting their opinions. It reins me in a bit when i am getting carried away! Need to put up an introduction if myself really and explain my plans and see what people think …
The girl asked for opinions on what she is doing because she wanted a balanced view. It is no good asking for an opinion on a public forum and expecting every single post to be positive.
Agreed mate
Truth:
I must admit after a couple of days on here its making me think twice about becoming a driver …
At least give it a go, if you’ve got the funds for licences. If you have any relevant driving experience you’ll soon know wether you want to progress or not.
Remember, listen to both sides of the subject. And there’s good and bad in all jobs,
DB
I’m of the opinion that if all else fails then try going for your licences.
smokinbarrels:
Great name, great film
Alder stated in previous posts that he wasn’t qualified to do anything but drive trucks. Now, all of a sudden, he has a career in IT.
Alder just makes things up, guys. Best to just ignore him. I doubt he even has a truck licence.
Endgame:
Alder stated in previous posts that he wasn’t qualified to do anything but drive trucks. Now, all of a sudden, he has a career in IT.Alder just makes things up, guys. Best to just ignore him. I doubt he even has a truck licence.
Post it then you liar
alder:
Endgame:
Alder stated in previous posts that he wasn’t qualified to do anything but drive trucks. Now, all of a sudden, he has a career in IT.Alder just makes things up, guys. Best to just ignore him. I doubt he even has a truck licence.
Post it then you liar
Alder, stop sending me inbox messages apologising. Do it in public. Wipe your eyes first though, pal.
Every time this thread gets bumped up I’m hoping it’s Sarah telling all and sundry she’s passed her Class 1 and has been earning a few quid driving
Oh and she gives the haters the middle finger
Come on Sarah (if you’re reading this) you CAN do it !
Truth:
I must admit after a couple of days on here its making me think twice about becoming a driver …
Hi Truth,
I’m not one to rain on anybody’s parade, but there is a time for ‘straight talk,’ so I’d say that it is possible that your caution is well founded.
There are some bad aspects to LGV driving, and whether you’re male or female makes no difference, cos there’ll always be something that a person likes and something that they don’t like.
I think it’s wisest to canvass opinions on here before committing any money for training simply because it could save a person some money, but the note of caution has to be that all the advice offered needs to be evaluated carefully and possibly clarified by Q and A before coming to a conclusion/decision.
At least that bit is free.
Above +1
Truth:
I must admit after a couple of days on here its making me think twice about becoming a driver …
Luckily I didn’t find this board until after I’d passed! The truth is, no matter the job/career, some people love it and some will hate it.
The facts of lorry driving aren’t in dispute. The hours are long and unreliable, family/social life hard to maintain, pay not great (although I now earn more than I did teaching), the press and public seem to hate us (not realising how important our job is) and so it goes on. Despite all this, I love my job. It took nearly 18 months of hard graft and crap jobs to get here though.
Do I regret becoming a lorry driver? Sometimes. But I would have regretted not trying, more.
Cavey.
I still don’t know what all the fuss is about, I mean it is sensible to try and find out a little about something before you jump into it of course. After that you make your own mind up based on what information you have found out.
But to throw wobblers because some of the information you got was not really what you wanted to hear is beyond me.
I couldn’t care less what the OP thinks
Boo hoo