adam277:
Tbh I can’t remember how to do long division.I can’t even remember the last time I’ve needed to do it either.
A big part of our Maths course at school were logarithms, sines, cosines, tangents and square roots…oh yeh and algebra.
I can honestly say that from the day I left school there has never been an occasion in my life I have ever had to use them. including a mech engineering apprenticeship 
…what a waste of ■■■■ time.
robroy:
adam277:
Tbh I can’t remember how to do long division.I can’t even remember the last time I’ve needed to do it either.
A big part of our Maths course at school were logarithms, sines, cosines, tangents and square roots…oh yeh and algebra.
I can honestly say that from the day I left school there has never been an occasion in my life I have ever had to use them. including a mech engineering apprenticeship
But that’s the whole point of school, to force you to turn up on time, wearing a uniform and do pointless things you don’t want to do. It prepares you for work. 
robroy:
adam277:
Tbh I can’t remember how to do long division.I can’t even remember the last time I’ve needed to do it either.
A big part of our Maths course at school were logarithms, sines, cosines, tangents and square roots…oh yeh and algebra.
I can honestly say that from the day I left school there has never been an occasion in my life I have ever had to use them. including a mech engineering apprenticeship
Ye I done similar. I also done matrices which I can’t even what they are for I know they are like doing two equations at the same time or something.
I know it’s important to know the basics for doing high level stuff but once you understand the basics remembering how to do them or being able to do them can become irrelevant/pointless due to advances in technology.
That being said I looked at an old GCSE mathematics book a while a go and it did start coming back to me quite easily so it’s still in my brain somewhere.
English is slightly different. Everyone should be able to read and write well especially if your leaving university.
Maybe something has to be done about this because too many kids are going into university for the ‘culture’ side of things and are dropping out early or taking some stupidly pointless degree; both outcomes end up in a huge amount of debt.
The government should make this pointless degrees into apprenticeships or stop funding them.
Why should the government fund degrees in Dance, Office skills, Film studies, Acting or …Outdoor adventure and environment.
Good idea may be to start encouraging kids to take a 2/3 year break from school before jumping straight into university so they actually experience the real world and have a better idea of what degree they want to do.
I’ve done a few stints of limping, nothing to do with the ’ flexible lifestyle ’ thing, more of a trial and error exercise with potential employers. Most TM’s at the firms I’ve worked for have expected agency lads to be sheet, and in fairness most have been 
But in fairness to some of the unwashed, more often than not they know most makes of wagon inside & out and have tried many different disciplines and a few are very experienced indeed.
For me though, agencies should be simply used and abused. These parasites are sickening to watch when they are kissing clients ringpieces. They have absolutely no loyalty towards the drivers, and are not to be trusted at all. I understand that transport firms depend a lot on the limping crew, but ideally if more drivers opt for full time work some of these leeches can be driven out.
Many of these pointy shoe dicksniffers prey on new starters who are desperately in need of gaining experience, theoretically if new drivers stand firm, hauliers will have to start investing more in new blood.
eagerbeaver:
For me though, agencies should be simply used and abused. These parasites are sickening to watch when they are kissing clients ringpieces. They have absolutely no loyalty towards the drivers, and are not to be trusted at all. I understand that transport firms depend a lot on the limping crew, but ideally if more drivers opt for full time work some of these leeches can be driven out.Many of these pointy shoe dicksniffers prey on new starters who are desperately in need of gaining experience, theoretically if new drivers stand firm, hauliers will have to start investing more in new blood.
As a limper myself, I agree, but only up to a point.
Firstly, I don’t want full-time work. Everyone I’m assigned to offers me temp-to-perm and every time I politely say “Thanks but no thanks”.
Secondly, I’ve been in the job long enough to know how to play agencies at their own game and if their relationship with me is parasitical, then it’s me who is the parasite. 
As I said in another post, there is no such thing as a “typical” agency driver, agency drivers choose agency work for all sorts of different reasons. There is a place for agencies- in my last assignment I was covering for a driver who was off sick, and I also do holiday cover and take up the slack during busy periods, but then I am also at complete liberty to say “I won’t be around for the next six months because I’m going off cruising all Summer on my boat”, when many employed drivers find it impossible to take even a week off when the sun is shining.
adam277:
English is slightly different. Everyone should be able to read and write well especially if your leaving university.
Oh, the irony…
Harry Monk:
eagerbeaver:
For me though, agencies should be simply used and abused. These parasites are sickening to watch when they are kissing clients ringpieces. They have absolutely no loyalty towards the drivers, and are not to be trusted at all. I understand that transport firms depend a lot on the limping crew, but ideally if more drivers opt for full time work some of these leeches can be driven out.Many of these pointy shoe dicksniffers prey on new starters who are desperately in need of gaining experience, theoretically if new drivers stand firm, hauliers will have to start investing more in new blood.
As a limper myself, I agree, but only up to a point.
Firstly, I don’t want full-time work. Everyone I’m assigned to offers me temp-to-perm and every time I politely say “Thanks but no thanks”.
Secondly, I’ve been in the job long enough to know how to play agencies at their own game and if their relationship with me is parasitical, then it’s me who is the parasite.
As I said in another post, there is no such thing as a “typical” agency driver, agency drivers choose agency work for all sorts of different reasons. There is a place for agencies- in my last assignment I was covering for a driver who was off sick, and I also do holiday cover and take up the slack during busy periods, but then I am also at complete liberty to say “I won’t be around for the next six months because I’m going off cruising all Summer on my boat”, when many employed drivers find it impossible to take even a week off when the sun is shining.
Your situation is ideal for agency work Harry, and being someone who is clearly a wise and intelligent chap I have no doubts at all that you know exactly what you are doing mate
Dependant on your financial position and/or personal circumstances, agency work can be perfect. 4 X 13 hour shifts nets you £500 a week and gives you 3 days off a week, and then ■■■■■■■■ to Dec- Feb. In all fairness if you don’t have a mortgage and/or other ’ serious ’ financial commitments, what’s not to like? 
Roymondo:
adam277:
English is slightly different. Everyone should be able to read and write well especially if your leaving university.Oh, the irony…
:mrgreen
I never finished college and never went to university though. Seeing as I don’t owe the state 30k in tuition fees k have the right to have poor spelling and grammar.
That being said I don’t check my grammar and spelling much when posting on a forum because its not a big deal and I’m typing on a phone.
I found the boots / shoes ( Dunlop ) from sports direct didn’t last very long , last pair 3 months , cracked completely across sole on both boots , previous ones just wore through but never got more than 6 months out of a pair , can’t think of anything I did with them to cause it but not 100% sure , now trying a pair from screw fix ,( going to get at least a year out of them as years guarantee ) .
dozy:
I found the boots / shoes ( Dunlop ) from sports direct didn’t last very long , last pair 3 months , cracked completely across sole on both boots , previous ones just wore through but never got more than 6 months out of a pair , can’t think of anything I did with them to cause it but not 100% sure , now trying a pair from screw fix ,( going to get at least a year out of them as years guarantee ) .
You been on the sauce doze , 
Im betting that years guarantee is filled with clauses in the small print T&C’s. Wear them out and they’ll be inspecting for any signs of mountaineering/hiking/walking/running/football/ kicking crap out of the missus ect…in fact any little misdemeanour at all not to pay out…guaranteed…
AndrewG:
Im betting that years guarantee is filled with clauses in the small print T&C’s. Wear them out and they’ll be inspecting for any signs of mountaineering/hiking/walking/running/football/ kicking crap out of the missus ect…in fact any little misdemeanour at all not to pay out…guaranteed…
I think that’s a bet you’d probably lose. Over the years I’ve twice needed to use the Screwfix guarantee. Once for a PIR security light, once for a pair of boots. On both occasions they simply asked if I wanted refund or replacement and gave me a new one/pair. Most big retail chains are the same - It’s simply not in their interests to quibble about it.
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
Well yesterday turned into a 15 hour day. I was too exhausted to post last night when I got home.
I was stupid to drive the first wagon back. But the second wagon was okay and just old. I gave it a good look over for a reason not to take it out - but it didn’t have anything I could reasonably call a defect.
Managed to make all but one of my drops - and that was because they had the wrong stuff on the pallets. Once I realised it was wrong I just chilled and drove back at my own pace to the depot as I was tired.
That being said my reversing has come on a huge amount. I’m starting to work out how to approach reversing and make a plan. And I had no problem reversing yesterday. So that was a positive to take away from it.
Was really nice to wake up this morning without an alarm. I ideally wanted a day of work today but there was nothing from the agency in Notts.
sammym:
That being said my reversing has come on a huge amount. I’m starting to work out how to approach reversing and make a plan. And I had no problem reversing yesterday. So that was a positive to take away from it.
The success or failure of a reversing manoeuvre in a lorry, especially an artic, is usually decided before you’ve even engaged reverse.
Well today I had to go back in and fill in some more accident forms from my first job. The transport manager wanted more details.
Given I’m not being paid to do this I thought I was doing them a favor. Got there and security said I couldn’t go onto site as I didn’t have my safety boots on. I explained that I wasn’t working and grudgingly they let me on after insisting I put on their dirty high viz. If they wanted me in full PPE they could pay me for it - that’s my logic.
Women in transport office was lovely. I apologized again and she said it happens. She said much worst happens and that it was good that I’d admitted to it. Apparently, most drivers just pretend it never happened. However, she did tell me that the normal driver was not impressed - I can get that as his truck was only a week old. But I think it’s a bit sad that anyone would get emotional over a work tool.
The shunter then came into the office and complained that I didn’t have safety boots on. What a sad little grass. Didn’t even have the balls to say it to my face - he went into the office to talk where I couldn’t hear rather than through the hatch. So I had to be escorted off site due to my flip-flops.
sammym:
Well today I had to go back in and fill in some more accident forms from my first job. The transport manager wanted more details.Given I’m not being paid to do this I thought I was doing them a favor. Got there and security said I couldn’t go onto site as I didn’t have my safety boots on. I explained that I wasn’t working and grudgingly they let me on after insisting I put on their dirty high viz. If they wanted me in full PPE they could pay me for it - that’s my logic.
Women in transport office was lovely. I apologized again and she said it happens. She said much worst happens and that it was good that I’d admitted to it. Apparently, most drivers just pretend it never happened. However, she did tell me that the normal driver was not impressed - I can get that as his truck was only a week old. But I think it’s a bit sad that anyone would get emotional over a work tool.
The shunter then came into the office and complained that I didn’t have safety boots on. What a sad little grass. Didn’t even have the balls to say it to my face - he went into the office to talk where I couldn’t hear rather than through the hatch. So I had to be escorted off site due to my flip-flops.
sammym:
Well today I had to go back in and fill in some more accident forms from my first job.
I’m not being paid to do this I thought I was doing them a favor. .
robroy:
sammym:
Well today I had to go back in and fill in some more accident forms from my first job.
I’m not being paid to do this I thought I was doing them a favor. .
Brilliant, what’s wrong with people these days?
sammym:
Well today I had to go back in and fill in some more accident forms from my first job. The transport manager wanted more details.Given I’m not being paid to do this I thought I was doing them a favor. Got there and security said I couldn’t go onto site as I didn’t have my safety boots on. I explained that I wasn’t working and grudgingly they let me on after insisting I put on their dirty high viz. If they wanted me in full PPE they could pay me for it - that’s my logic.
Women in transport office was lovely. I apologized again and she said it happens. She said much worst happens and that it was good that I’d admitted to it. Apparently, most drivers just pretend it never happened. However, she did tell me that the normal driver was not impressed - I can get that as his truck was only a week old. But I think it’s a bit sad that anyone would get emotional over a work tool.
The shunter then came into the office and complained that I didn’t have safety boots on. What a sad little grass. Didn’t even have the balls to say it to my face - he went into the office to talk where I couldn’t hear rather than through the hatch. So I had to be escorted off site due to my flip-flops.
FLIP FLOPS That says it all
sammym:
But I think it’s a bit sad that anyone would get emotional over a work tool.
sammym:
What a sad little grass.
sammym:
So I had to be escorted off site due to my flip-flops.
Yes I’m nearly 50, I’m world weary and cynical…but…these 3 lines seem designed to provoke…