Yesterday was my first day out on my own driving for the company I have been working for, for the last 8 years. It all started off well I was down for an 11hr day (not including breaks) So started my day at 0400hrs and was given a 2004 DAF CF. Did all my pre start checks and being unfamiliar with the hand held “gun” the drivers at our place use didn’t get out of the yard until 0435hrs.
First off I noticed that the cradle didn’t work in the Rigid I was on so not only did my Sat Nav in the gun not work but it wasn’t charging the battery in it either. Not to worry though as I had come prepared with my own Sat Nav and Risk Assessments telling me how to get to stores from major routes.
After an hour and 25 mins driving and a diversion, I arrived at a place called Sparkhill near Birmingham City Center, I notice there is a fridge wagon parked on the loading area and I remembered from reading the risk assessment that it is a red route so no parking, I carried on for about 2 clicks till I found somewhere safe to turn around and went back in hope Mr Fridge man had gone. No luck he was still there so went another 2 clicks in the other direction to the round about to turn around again, this time Mr Warburton was there so I turned around again an decided to sod it I will wait. Luckily only had to wait 2 mins and he was gone.
After a 10 min wait a lad opened up and took the delivery, I loaded up their empties and card and it was off to the next store Henley In Arden.
Arrived at the store after about a 25 min drive to find that there is another delivery already there, so go past the store (as it is to be delivered through the front door) turned around and came back to be asked by the manager if I can just hold on for 15 mins as it is tip and turn and they were still putting the other delivery away, no probs sat and waited. Tipped and reloaded no problems and then was on my way to a place in Coventry called Eastern Green.
Arrived at Eastern Green about 30 mins later to be greeted with a shopping precinct and a car park area full of cars, I follow what is advised on the Risk Assessment and block the cars in (wasn’t a problem guess they were staff cars) this store had 5 cages but was in a TINY shop, had to bounce the cages up a kerb as there was no lowered kerb (one of the cages was full of wine and beer according to delivery notes weighed 285kg) the ones that looked like they were going to lose some stock of were too heavy I hand balled into an empty cage on the pavement and pushed cages into the store, through a front door where the staff couldn’t even be bothered to hold the door open for me. This was a tip and turn but they only managed to empty 2 cages by the time I had done and they told me I could leave the other cages there as they had a garage to put them in. Next off to another store in Eastern Green, I was praying it wasn’t too far away as it was now 0940hrs and I didn’t fancy parking up on an estate where it was tight for cars to pass anyway without me clogging it up.
So I arrive at the next store which is quite big in size compared to the ones I have been to today but the road is by far the tightest and busiest, when I arrive it is 0948 and I know I gotta get parked up quick, there are cars and vans parked up on all the kerbs and I know I’m going to need all the road to back in down the lane at the side of the store to do the delivery. I’m starting to panic a little now because the van in my way has no driver in sight and I know I gotta get parked up, Mr BMW behind me is getting agitated and I let it get to me, so I give it a go and realise there is not a hope in hell that I am going to get it in, I pull forward a little and then back up slightly to straighten up, as I’m backing up Mr BMW gives a little toot on his horn after I have knocked a ballard over.
I get out to see what he was beeping at as I didn’t feel a thing and I wanted to make sure I hadn’t hit a car and see said ballard on the deck. I thought I had better double check it was me before ringing it in at work, so I ask a woman who was parking her cycle up if I had done it, “I’m afraid to tell you that you did”, I’m absolutely gutted to say the least, I hadn’t even noticed the ballard at the edge of the pavement which makes it even worse. Work didn’t seem that fussed gave me the “it happens all the time” and “at least it was only a ballard and not a person or building”.
Anyways no damage to the truck, I park up and take a 45 min break as I know I got a 2nd run and will it 4.5 hrs driving on the way back. Store staff told me it’s always getting knocked down and that it had only just been repaired and laughed, I wasn’t laughing still had a feeling of “am I really cut out for this?” “am I capable?”
Anyway I tip and reload with card and empties and return to depot for 1230hrs re-fuel get my notes and keys for next delivery and go and see the TM, who has a laugh and a joke about me hitting the ballard.
I do my pre-departure checks as I’m in a new vehicle (a DAF LF) and it’s off to Rainworth in Nottinghamshire, at last a store with an easy park up, I back down the side of the store and have to wait 20 mins for someone to answer the door, I tip and re-load which takes ages as the returns are still in the stores warehouse so I help bring them out to the wagon. Now I wasn’t sure weather I would make it to my next drop and then a 45min -1hr drive back to depot in rush hour traffic fill out accident report and book off all paperwork before needing another 30 min break I ring transport up and tell them they say that it isn’t a problem just park up, so I find a nice layby out in the Nottinghamshire countryside on route to the Farnsfield store, I take my break and decide to fill out my accident report while I’m on it. I take a pic of the truck out in the countryside as the weather is nice and it just seems like its been such an amazing day apart from the bump.
I arrive at the store at around 1600 get some help to tip by some of the lads as the ramp is quite steap, offload 11 cages and get offered a COFFEE, obviously I rip their hands off as I haven’t had one all day. I re-load the empties and make my way home, the exit from the store is tight as is the village. I just take my time I get back to the depot re-fuel (25ltrs) and go and book off done for 1739hrs.
, my first proper run involved getting lost in a prison and nudging a huge day-glo orange skip out of my way 
. You already knew what caused it “Mr BMW behind me is getting agitated and I let it get to me,” you’l have plenty more of those situations, just keep calm and do what you need to do at your pace not their’s.