DrivingMissDaisy:
I’m not allowed nights out anymore she said! Not even one…
Same here. Though to be honest, I don’t think I could be bothered doing nights out anyway. I would like to have one once in a while but that rarely happens where I work just now. The last night out I done was about 6yrs ago almost caused WW3 between me and the missus. Gaffer asked if I could do one night out cos one of the trampers needed home for a funeral. I agreed but wished I hadn’t when I told her about it.
The monkeys:
It works for me, in fact I tend to get in the way of routines etc when I am back.We have 5 children, so escaping from that lot is the best option. Luckily I have a very strong willed wife.
We both took the decision for me to go tramping, and I will start being away for longer than a week at a time.
As has been mentioned you need a strong relationship with a lot of trust, as the time away will pick away at any shortcomings.
The only thing it costs me is a babysitter twice a week, so my wife can go running
FTFY!
Great comments guys (hangover has nearly gone)
Thankfully our relationship is rock solid and has been tested many times over the years with what life has cruelly thrown at us so the trust thing would never be an issue.
I have to be honest I am in the way around the house most of the time 
so I bugger off tinkering with my 4x4 weather allowing.
I was more shocked at her eagerness for me Tramping 
Its likely not going to happen as I am happy where I am but I have said that I was bombproof in a job before and made redundant after 23 years so now its a case of being one step ahead of the game.
Now with the exMrs I was the one left at home (no kids) her Civil Service job had 3 or 4 nights out a week and I went climbing at the weekends to get away, I loved it
I don’t mind nights out when necessary, but where I worked they used the trampers as free night security. If I was told to night out at my home base I’d pull the curtains around and jump in the car and drive home.
I know a few who do just that
Then again I know of one guy who went back to work to live in his wagon after falling out with his Mrs, it was a few weeks before anyone knew what he was up to, the boss went past and saw the lights on one night
Drift:
I know a few who do just that
Nothing wrong with it, free to dispose of your time how you wish.
Horses for courses. When I went back to driving, I was on days. Then I started the early mornings and 14 hour days. When I was offered a job with nights out, it actually made things easier for reasons mentioned above, like not having the alarm going off at 3am and me getting home every day, needing a shower and dinner, just at the time she wants to settle down in front of the TV.
She found it a strain at first - two small kids and no adult around to help, but it was soon routine, although I only did four a week and finished early on Fridays. These days, with vastly improved communication, I think that a lot of the problems we had would not have arisen.
Over the years, and before I got married, I did a lot of nights away, I found that even if you don’t spend your evenings in the pub, or shagging any bit of skirt you can get your greasy hands on, your wife or GF will probably think that you might be. You also may well assume that she is off out with your best mate or whoever. So long as those feelings don’t take over, it usually works out.
I well remember a bloke I knew who worked for a brewery in Newcastle. He did a day trunk to London and spent alternate nights, and alternate weekends in each city. He also had a wife and children in each city and I never did know if either of them found him out.
A lot of sense talked on here as well as some rather spurious reasoning I suspect…
I think a fair few drivers that tramp long term are, in effect ‘keeping out of the way’ for reasons other than ‘I have to, it’s the job I do’. Almost as if in a ‘vocational escapism.’
We all know that tramping very rarely pays better than shifts and, although it makes sense if you’re facing a long commute, if you’re close-ish to the yard then tramping definitely makes little sense. Unless you have a VERY generous gaffer. 
Tramping usually makes sense to me with the types of job I go for, containers and fridges, which are long hours, early starts, late finishes.
Now, simply 9hrs off is never enough to get out of truck, get home, cleaned up, spend some quality time with the missus, bed, up, cleaned up and ready for work.
9hrs off IS enough to grab a quick shower, food to take back to the truck, ring the missus whilst eating some grub and washing it down with a beer, 7hrs kip, alarm goes off, card in, snooze for 9 more mins, dressed, vehicle check, ■■■■, offski 20 mins after alarm went off.
I’ve done both shifts and tramping. I am currently tramping and apart from Mrs TT not being here it’s ideal.
I get bored easily though
What’s all this 9 hours rest business?
Minimum of 13 for me.
Muckaway:
What’s all this 9 hours rest business?
Minimum of 13 for me.
Do I have to trawl your posts to find those couple of days you were in a proper job and ■■■■■■■■ like a little girl? 
waynedl:
Muckaway:
What’s all this 9 hours rest business?
Minimum of 13 for me.
Do I have to trawl your posts to find those couple of days you were in a proper job and ■■■■■■■■ like a little girl?
That was February-September actually Soon as something better ie no manual handling, long days or nights away came along, I was off.
And off again when I started to get phuket about.
9hours ? That’s a lie in
My mrs wouldn’t let me go back tramping 
I’d like to point out that some drivers really do put the ‘tramp’ in tramping…
How do you trampers keep clean then? If I don’t get at least one shower a day I don’t like it…
Not sure I’d fancy a wet wipe in the layby…
(you can make up your own jokes about the last comment)
Truckulent:
I’d like to point out that some drivers really do put the ‘tramp’ in tramping…How do you trampers keep clean then? If I don’t get at least one shower a day I don’t like it…
Not sure I’d fancy a wet wipe in the layby…
(you can make up your own jokes about the last comment)
I always try to get a shower a day, talking to a bloke at our place who told me in 2 years he’s never used a shower on the road! Further into the conversation he also didn’t know we had showers at the yard 
smelly get, didn’t even have a towel and wash bag and he started laughing at me when I said I need a daily shower to feel fresh.
I try get a shower every day , if I can’t get to 1 I have 2 flannels one for face hands 1 for elsewhere, I couldn’t have baby wipes wouldn’t feel clean, I know people who get 1 shower a week/month/year lol no need for it
I actually get grumpy when I have not showered
Though back in the day a wash in a mess tin full of ice cold water kinda made me grumpy too
limeyphil:
Juddian:
Tramping is a single bloke’s scene, even if he’s married.Not for all. Its worked really well for us. probably strengthened our relationship.
A relationship should be strong enough that nothing can tear it apart.
I spent 12 years running to the middle east where I was away between 6 weeks and three months,and I am proud to say I am still married to my first wife,a good record for m/e drivers.
Maybe the fact that I left her at home with a couple of rug rats had something to do with it!
Many benefits
Coming home was just like being on honeymoon again.
Wife learned to do all the jobs about the house,changing fuses,decorating woodworking,gardening to name but a few.
These days being semi retired and only doing two shifts a week,on occasions when I book in for work I’ll be told that a camper has not turned in,would I mind a night out?
Course not! I’ll not do all week,but I don’t mind doing one night.
(And it’s still like being on honeymoon again when I get home!)
