caledoniandream:
By the way half of the steering wheel attendants don’t even know where you top up the water, or where the dipstick for the oil is for that matter, so see it as something new learned today.
It’s getting worse everyday with people who are so H&S or use it that you cannot even go to the toilet yourself (What do I do Boss, if the toilet has been cleaned with chemicals? do I use my HAZchem PPE?? maybe I should ask on a forum what to do, would it be safe to have a ■■■■■?)
In fairness some manufacturers don’t exactly make it easy for you. Try topping up the water on an FL10 or an FM for example without tilting the cab; or for that matter simply dipping the oil on a 2013 Renault Premium without doing the same. Dipstick is there all right but you cannot reach the ■■■■ thing. In the case of oil dipsticks especially that is just rank bad design; you can have as many sensors and other electronic whizzbangs as you like but that good old-fashioned metal probe is at least as reliable. Plus, if like us you have CCTV in the yard, you can be seen on camera actually doing the check thus eliminating one of the bosses arguments if the engine does fail. Regrettably the latter course of ■■■ covering is increasingly essential.
Much of this is down to production reasons. We’ve all had that situation where a rear bulb blows and whilst you have a spare bulb you don’t have the requisite Torx bit to remove the lens; back in the day it was flathead or at worst a Phillips screw so most of us got by with a pen-knife; the reason, apparently, for the Torx bit is that it makes it easier for the assembly to be done by a robot. Ditto front bulbs, you’ve often got to be a bloody contortionist to get at them in modern units. And then there’s the plethora of bulb types. Change is not always improvement.
caledoniandream:
By the way half of the steering wheel attendants don’t even know where you top up the water, or where the dipstick for the oil is for that matter, so see it as something new learned today.
It’s getting worse everyday with people who are so H&S or use it that you cannot even go to the toilet yourself (What do I do Boss, if the toilet has been cleaned with chemicals? do I use my HAZchem PPE?? maybe I should ask on a forum what to do, would it be safe to have a ■■■■■?)
In fairness some manufacturers don’t exactly make it easy for you. Try topping up the water on an FL10 or an FM for example without tilting the cab; or for that matter simply dipping the oil on a 2013 Renault Premium without doing the same. Dipstick is there all right but you cannot reach the ■■■■ thing. In the case of oil dipsticks especially that is just rank bad design; you can have as many sensors and other electronic whizzbangs as you like but that good old-fashioned metal probe is at least as reliable. Plus, if like us you have CCTV in the yard, you can be seen on camera actually doing the check thus eliminating one of the bosses arguments if the engine does fail. Regrettably the latter course of ■■■ covering is increasingly essential.
Much of this is down to production reasons. We’ve all had that situation where a rear bulb blows and whilst you have a spare bulb you don’t have the requisite Torx bit to remove the lens; back in the day it was flathead or at worst a Phillips screw so most of us got by with a pen-knife; the reason, apparently, for the Torx bit is that it makes it easier for the assembly to be done by a robot. Ditto front bulbs, you’ve often got to be a bloody contortionist to get at them in modern units. And then there’s the plethora of bulb types. Change is not always improvement.
Very true.
Apart from all the electronic gizmos that we don’t want and which cause so much trouble, we are being conned and treated like children by the manufacturers of just about everything. There was an interesting series of programmes on TV a couple of months ago called ‘The men who made us spend’. This revealed the tricks manufacturers get up to and the connivance of politicians who are able to claim that the manufacturing economy is (or rather was) buoyant as a result of the extra sales. Just two examples of planned failure revealed are the large cassette type paper printer that has a clock/counter inside which stops it working after 1000 sides, but which can be wound back to print more if you only knew how; and one of the well known small tablets in which it is impossible to change an expired battery.
It’s unsafe and should be fixed first. If it suddenly goes bang it could leave you in very hot water… perhaps, literally.
And, if I had a boss encouraging me to take a truck out in that state, I’d be wondering if he has the same ‘it’ll be reet’ attitude to brakes/suspension/steering faults etc… … That he hasn’t bothered to mention…
Driveroneuk:
I agree. There are few here who could, for instance, fetch one back from Europe, including on & off ferries, with no clutch.
I can and I can run a wagon with a water leak like that but this is 2014, not 1984 and quite frankly we shouldn’t have to be doing crap like that just because your boss is too tight fisted to sort the thing out.
Its people with your attitude that is holding back conditions for drivers and doing nothing to improve them. You may find it funny calling those of us who refuse to put up with such crap “beancounters” and the like but we’re the ones who are doing things like bringing the practice of sheeting down loads or building up tilts on a dockside in horizontal rain and force 9 gales to an end, something that I doubt any driver would bemoan the loss of.
But hey if you’re happy going out in a motor with all the stress of wondering where its going to break down on you and leave you stranded, fill your boots. Its not like there isn’t enough cowboy haulage companies that’ll take you on.
Stop every hour as required, let it cool down, then top it up, possibly 30 minutes.
sitting in the cab may cause the screen to mist up, but only for a few seconds.
Don’t be a wimp like some of the others on here, just get on with it and a earn a days money.
Last but not least, have you thought that the boss has tried to book it into a garage, but because they are busy it cannot be done immediately, not every garage jumps to everyones whim, and at least it is earning rather than being parked up.
It really does depend on how bad the leak is.You’re not going to get very far if it’s a constant stream.Let the engine reach operating temp in the yard before you set off to best gauge the rate of loss.Let the boss see for himself if you need to convince him.There are lots of good points on here about safety aspect.You don’t want to be topping up on the motorway hard shoulder or dual carriageway only somewhere safe so keep on eye on that temp gauge.Remember that if you have to top up by a substantial amount in winter you need to use antifreeze solution or you could freeze up your radiator .
theres always the option of being such a herbert that you refuse to drive it as a truck with a water leak is !! unsafe!! ,and then watch as your paid off due to no work until the truck makes it into the garage to get fixed,though with that attitude,if I was boss,then you would be starting back the 1st dry sunday midweek. show some gumption and get on with it.no doubt you may reap the benefit by your employer in the future,and if not,then theres plenty of other jobs. if you were a boss,and cutting back,what kind of driver would you keep on,the hands on get it done brigade,or the jobsworth herberts…rocket science or what?
Maybe those who think this guy’s boss is a penny pinching so and so and they wouldn’t be seen dead demeaning themselves by topping up the water might like to change things around a bit and substitute themselves and their own car.
A final written warning has been received about being late for work. The company is the best payer in a large area and there is little other work anyway, but what there is badly paid. The company are good to work for and treat everyone well, however the last few months have seen you get several warnings for being late, this has cost the company a lot of money, but many things beyond your direct control have conspired to make you consistently late for work. Today your car has a slight water leak, it’s a 30 minute journey to work, you have taken notice of the warnings received and have allowed yourself an hour to get there. Your mate who is already late for his own job,which is in the opposite direction, has had a look at your car and told you that if you take a gallon can of water and stop a couple of times to check if you need to top it up, then you’ll be fine and get there with luck five minutes early.
So what are you going to do? say ■■■■ it, or do as your mate suggests?
Driveroneuk:
I agree. There are few here who could, for instance, fetch one back from Europe, including on & off ferries, with no clutch.
I can and I can run a wagon with a water leak like that but this is 2014, not 1984 and quite frankly we shouldn’t have to be doing crap like that just because your boss is too tight fisted to sort the thing out.
Its people with your attitude that is holding back conditions for drivers and doing nothing to improve them. You may find it funny calling those of us who refuse to put up with such crap “beancounters” and the like but we’re the ones who are doing things like bringing the practice of sheeting down loads or building up tilts on a dockside in horizontal rain and force 9 gales to an end, something that I doubt any driver would bemoan the loss of.
But hey if you’re happy going out in a motor with all the stress of wondering where its going to break down on you and leave you stranded, fill your boots. Its not like there isn’t enough cowboy haulage companies that’ll take you on.
I never referred to anyone as a bean counter. Suggest you re read the thread to see who said what.
Consider these points. It’s all very well getting a note from the boss saying “Yeah I know about the water leak, so take a big barrel of water & top up every hour or so”, but I would argue if VOSA pulled you they would judge it unfit for the road. Their reasoning would be obvious. You would be driving a vehicle that will at some point in the near future break down. What if that occured on an mway, or busy duel carrage way or A road. If an accident occured because you were stuck at the roadside on a refil then I would imagine you would bear some responsibility, especialy the way the authorities try to blame truck drivers if at all possible.
On a seperate point our place runs Renault Premiums with water free coolant. The stuff is so expensive any leak has to sorted pronto. It would also prevent any topping up on the road if a leak occured as you are not allowed to mix water with it.
Consider these points. It’s all very well getting a note from the boss saying “Yeah I know about the water leak, so take a big barrel of water & top up every hour or so”, but I would argue if VOSA pulled you they would judge it unfit for the road. Their reasoning would be obvious. You would be driving a vehicle that will at some point in the near future break down. What if that occured on an mway, or busy duel carrage way or A road. If an accident occured because you were stuck at the roadside on a refil then I would imagine you would bear some responsibility, especialy the way the authorities try to blame truck drivers if at all possible.
On a seperate point our place runs Renault Premiums with water free coolant. The stuff is so expensive any leak has to sorted pronto. It would also prevent any topping up on the road if a leak occured as you are not allowed to mix water with it.
Apart from anything, it’d make me wonder what else would be classed as acceptable if it was leaking or falling off etc. And if the engine goes pop who do you think the boss would blame? You’d get no Brownie Points for driving it either.
What a few are struggling with is the fact we no longer live in an era of drivers helping the gaffers out and dothing their caps and bowing their heads in the hope of being knighted with their guvenors pork sword for going above and beyond.
The days of old timer screwdrivers is over now. With the blame culture society us as drivers professional or otherwise need to padd our arses as much as possible because when ■■■■■ go skyward we are the ones up ■■■ river without a canoe.
In this instance the water needed topping up every hour, its a nonsense to even contemplate taking it on the road, but some who still live in a bygone age would happily bend over and do as their told.
We all could drive it just a few of us would choose not to, although I would bend my rules a bit to take it to a garage for repair…just in case a medal was on the cards.
well I refused to take a wagon out due to an oil leak, boss threw his toys out of his pram good style, another brown tounge driver took it out (t**t), made me look a right git, hence I have now just moved on from this job, my choice.
If a wagon has a defect then it don’t go out. (except to the workshop)
Which says: Dripping giving rise to a patch in excess of 75mm in 5 minutes Delayed prohibition - which would of course have a negative effect on the vehicle owner’s OCRS.
dreamlands2001:
If a wagon has a defect then it don’t go out. (except to the workshop)
That of course is what it says in the company policy. It’s remarkable though how flexible this policy can sometimes be if there’s an important customer wanting a delivery.
