Last few times i have fuelled up at a local garage, this guy comes in, jumps out goes to shop gets snacks and drink. Maybe ten minutes. Leaving engine running, no it is not locked and he is on his own.
But surely in this time of heightened security would you ever leave your keys in the truck?
And at same garage a month or so ago another driver left his truck running… only for one of his supervisors to turn up and reveres truck whilst he was in the shop lol…
I never leave truck unlocked if not in secure yard. Also if your truck was stolen with keys in or engine running your insurance would be voided?
I switch mine on in the morning when I climb over the seats and it stays running all day unless I fuel up. I do however lock it with the spare door key. I need it running for the PTO for the hydraulics to work as it’s a car transporter.
Maybe the guy in question has a spare key too.
Few years ago I was asked to assist one of our (new) drivers who was having trouble accessing a pick up point. Only a few miles so took quarter hour to get there. Truck (part loaded by the way) found at edge of village. Almost parked at roadside… driver’s door hanging open engine running. Driver had gone walkabout to find the route in. I was waiting 5 or 10 mins until he returned. As it happens he had difficulty in turning around and reversing in a straight line. I suspect he found it difficult to chew gum and walk at the same time too. Anyway he didn’t like the job and quit on return to depot. Best news all round too.
I suspect a lot is “Not my truck”, “not my insurance” or “I’ve been driving for years and it’s never been nicked before” attitude. OK, admittedly this might be slightly more prevalent amongst certain agency drivers who seem to bounce from one gig to another giving everyone else a bad name, although I suspect there’s a fair few employed ones doing it too.
Another possibility is some drivers thinking if it gets pinched, it’ll only do 55mph so the police will easily catch it. They haven’t updated themselves to the more modern reasons for pinching trucks which don’t involve worrying about prison.
Would be an interesting version of the “erm boss…you’ll never guess” type phone call.
Didn’t I see somewhere recently that leaving a truck unattended with the engine running is an offence?
Our MP4’s shut down after 2 minutes on tickover, but leaving your vehicle unlocked at anytime seems a bit lax?
bestbooties:
Didn’t I see somewhere recently that leaving a truck unattended with the engine running is an offence?
Our MP4’s shut down after 2 minutes on tickover, but leaving your vehicle unlocked at anytime seems a bit lax?
www.highwaycode.info/rule/123
Rule 123. You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road…
albion:
I’m relaxed about most things, but that sends me nuts, always take the keys out and hand back to the driver if I see it in our yard.
If you could clone yourself and start another identical firm in the Swansea, South Wales area that’d be great, thanks, no rush though, I’m not back to work until January next year
From the minute I start work till I finish the engine is never turned off as the tail lift is used a lot and when the company wont fit new batteries , I aint risking flat batteries causing a non start !
bestbooties:
Didn’t I see somewhere recently that leaving a truck unattended with the engine running is an offence?
Our MP4’s shut down after 2 minutes on tickover, but leaving your vehicle unlocked at anytime seems a bit lax?
I have to leave the cab with the engine running or the grab wont work. They wouldn’t get far with the legs down anyway.
