Connor is alright,no airs and graces,says it as it is,you know where you stand with him,
Tight as zb though,up at Driffield this evening and he never brought me a bottle or two around 
Think it wants to be a ton a day + n/o money.
Its a shame we cant have what we want, just gotta get what we can 
I think I am extremely lucky, no real pressure, well a lot less pressure than when I did a different job for less money for the same company with limited overtime.
I tend to take pride on the task I have been given and I want to complete my work, yer yer yer I may get slated for it by some but its proved good for me without fail in my work life.
We get our jobs the day before and then a call occasionally asking if we can fit something else in, if I have the hours and nothing on that night I say yes, if not I explain and the response is “Cheers, only asking” as they know if I have a few hours driving left I will ask if there is anything on my way back needs picking up, why not?
I could get more experience (only back hgv driving three months) and if lucky and max out hours get agency work and get a tad more money…but seriously my bread is well buttered here 
Money is not the big picture, its how you can relate or are treated by your employer.
limeyphil:
I’ve been offered a job. The work is interesting, European low loader work. It can be dirty work. And it’s 100% legal.
It’s no secret that i’ve run bent as a nine bob note in the past, I’ve earned very good money from it.
I had a chat to the bloke and he wants me to stick to the 90 hour per fortnight rule. I will probably max out my driving hours in week one, Therefore i’ll only do half a week ish after that (56 hours week 1 + 34 hours week 2).
He’s offered me £500 per week in the bank, I won’t be home much, maybe once a month.
If i was doing monday to friday and home every weekend, I’d say it’s probably about average nowadays. I could be completely out of touch.
half a bag of sand a week for max hours and thats including your night out money? dont be such a ■■■■■■■ mug phil. how the ■■■■ are you even considering this?
I was made redundant after 23 year and after being humiliated in the job centre by an older guy who should have known better, even security there called him a few names (yes it went that far) I went with an agency (office work) for £14000 a year a few years ago simply because I wanted to work and not claim.
I think personal circumstances and working ethic plus the fact there is sod all else about at the time you need an income all come into play.
I would work for buttons rather than not work at all pride to a certain extent and more importantly my families needs.
You can advise people if you have a better offer for then but if you have not got that to offer them…well
The question being…Is the job a lifestyle or just another form of earning money.
The answer to this question should dictate what’s acceptable to you…
Andy smg:
The question being…Is the job a lifestyle or just another form of earning money.
The answer to this question should dictate what’s acceptable to you…
Good point Andy
limeyphil:
I’ve never had an accident. Never fallen asleep at the wheel, never put anyone in danger, and never obeyed the rules.
Conor will be going mental with that comment lol
nearly there:
limeyphil:
I’ve never had an accident. Never fallen asleep at the wheel, never put anyone in danger, and never obeyed the rules.Conor will be going mental with that comment lol
I bet Conor isn’t whiter than white either, just an assumption.
limeyphil:
I’ve never had an accident. Never fallen asleep at the wheel, never put anyone in danger, and never obeyed the rules.
Top lad!!! basically rules are there to be broken lol
I think i’ll go for it. I packed in European work when the wife was ill, She’s tip top now. I’m working on tankers at the moment (just local work) and running my plumbing firm. I’ll be making less money when i go tramping all over Europe, But there’s more to life than money.
But a few extra packets of ■■■■ to cover daily living costs won’t do any harm. 
Just to stick my oar in here , (and speaking as somebody that has practised every running bent technique to t-shirt standard in the 80s as an owner driver) there are 3 types of drivers (TODAY, not the 80s before somebody picks up on it) that are complete ■■■■■■■ dickwhits,… those that a; DO run bent, those that b; ADMIT that they run bent, and those that c; BOAST they run bent as if it gives them some kind of kudos 
What possible attraction is there to run bent (and worse run bent when you don’t even own the bloody truck ) in todays virtual zero-tolerance regime in transport, that can …and does, result in a jail sentence. I question the intelligence of all 3 categories of ■■■■■■■ dickwhits mentioned, and especially the ones on here,… that have more than likely in previous more innocent posts, gave away their locations, co. that they work for, and in some cases their name .
It would not take a wannabe Columbo that works for VOSA to be reading this forum 
(and I know for a FACT that some DO !) to grasp an opportunity to make a name for himself.
So I would suggest a speak, brain, and in gear approach on here in future, … ( ffs! he said, shaking his head )
t29sab:
limeyphil:
I’ve never had an accident. Never fallen asleep at the wheel, never put anyone in danger, and never obeyed the rules.Top lad!!! basically rules are there to be broken lol
actually rule’s are for the guidance of wise men and the total adherence of fool’s.hth.
Robroy, nice to see someone on here with some common sense !
and people wonder why driving proffessional is going down the pan, there are a few drivers who drive over the water for the money incentives, but the majority do it for being on the continent for there own reasons.
if you,re a pro continental driver mate then you know that if you break the driving rules over there you,ll end up with your truck impounded ( been there, done that) and the sudden need to take out the new capital one credit card to pay the fine!!!
m.a.n rules:
t29sab:
limeyphil:
I’ve never had an accident. Never fallen asleep at the wheel, never put anyone in danger, and never obeyed the rules.Top lad!!! basically rules are there to be broken lol
actually rule’s are for the guidance of wise men and the total adherence of fool’s.hth.
I like that.
Funny and true.
Ive gotta laugh here really.some drivers think driving after any amount of alcohol is fine but throw in a hour or two extra driving for extra cashband your a evil cat killer.get a grip
Go for it Phil if it takes your fancy, running around europe is far better than running around the uk, ok the money may be better in the uk, but theres a much better feeling of de ja vue
£500 in the bank is not a bad wage, if you add on NI, Tax, that has to equate to around £650-£700 which most drivers on here do not earn, so i would guess the employer is taking carev of the deduction side of things ( in his own fashion ) so good luck. Most of the boys at SOLSTOR are banking £400, and thats for 3 x 15 + 3 x 9 hr rests for uk/european work, in other words, maxed hours, then put up with NO running bent, and office bollocking for infringements such as over speeding on a motorway, and threats of disciplinary actions, and being grassed up by your work mates, plus if you manage to get the freight back to the depot, you wont get paid a night out, if the truck is in the depot ( theres been drivers who have pulled out and ran to Clacket Lane )
So Go Phil its not all that bad, and as they say, there is always someone worse off.
£500 is mug money for Euro tramping. Haulage companies seem to have cottoned on to the fact that many drivers only take one thing into account, their take home pay. And they don’t care what they have to do to get it.
Forget take home pay and break it down into hourly rate plus night out money. It probably won’t seem so desirable then.
Unfortunately that’s what companies are paying these days the days of big money on euro jobs are gone
Unfortunately that’s what companies are paying these days the days of big money on euro jobs are gone