Hi all, just recently joined this site as was recommended by a friend. Just left the Armed Forces (Was a Vehicle Specialsit/Driver) and looking up on how not to annoy other drivers! Been working agency the past couple of months and still trying to get my head round the civvy attitudes and working practices!! Did my test many moons ago in an Antar (anyone remember them?) and basically looking for advice on working in the industry, as I’m sure you can all understand, its slightly different from the Army!
Hi, My father in law (70) used to drive an Antar, keeps telling me tales of 150 ton gross weight and getting 20 people in the cab. He is fond of tall tales mind. They still in use?
I drove the mighty antar… I,m glad there only in Museums now.
Antar for me too! Sunny 3sqn in luxurious Senny! Passed test at Fally in a Crusader though. Ah happy days.
Darktower:
Hi all, just recently joined this site as was recommended by a friend. Just left the Armed Forces (Was a Vehicle Specialsit/Driver) and looking up on how not to annoy other drivers! Been working agency the past couple of months and still trying to get my head round the civvy attitudes and working practices!! Did my test many moons ago in an Antar (anyone remember them?) and basically looking for advice on working in the industry, as I’m sure you can all understand, its slightly different from the Army!
Welcome Darktower ,so basically you where a TROG 
…
Ex R.E.M.E
Isn’t it depressing to see most of the equiptment you either drove or repaired in my case are now in museums ■■?
norb:
Darktower:
Hi all, just recently joined this site as was recommended by a friend. Just left the Armed Forces (Was a Vehicle Specialsit/Driver) and looking up on how not to annoy other drivers! Been working agency the past couple of months and still trying to get my head round the civvy attitudes and working practices!! Did my test many moons ago in an Antar (anyone remember them?) and basically looking for advice on working in the industry, as I’m sure you can all understand, its slightly different from the Army!Welcome Darktower ,so basically you where a TROG
Ex R.E.M.E
Ah…humour…i recognise that! Thought i left that behind in Brize Norton! No!!! Was a VS!!! (Trog…jesus…!)
Welcome to civvy street Darktower, bloody crab air
There is no way that you’ll be able to avoid annoying some drivers.
If you get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home, you’ll annoy some because they think you should be swinging the lead to spin the job out as long as possible.
If you swing the lead to spin the job out as long as possible, you’ll annoy some because they think you should get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home
Ex R. Sigs.
Thanks for the replies so far, and yes, it is depressing seeing most of the vehicles i learned the trade on in museums! Amongst others were the Scammel Commander, crusader, and the odd baby bender! But loved the good old Bedford MK, could fix that with a Leatherman and a hammer!
Ahh, now yer talkin. I drove MK/MJ’s for 12 years.
Don’t forget your roll of black n nasty n your bigger hammer 
Simon:
Welcome to civvy street Darktower, bloody crab airThere is no way that you’ll be able to avoid annoying some drivers.
If you get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home, you’ll annoy some because they think you should be swinging the lead to spin the job out as long as possible.
If you swing the lead to spin the job out as long as possible, you’ll annoy some because they think you should get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home
Ex R. Sigs.
Not RAF…Ex RAOC/RLC…spent my last 3 years swanning around Brize! But old habits do die hard, not one to drag something out that could be achieved in half the time! However, i can see the reasoning behind it, i do have a good pension each month!
Learnt many a trick at FVD Recklinghausen and CVD Ashchurch, some of them legal, a majority not! Like trying to bump start an AEC 16 tonne carrier with a JCB FLRT!
Ooooh, the blanket stackers 
I joined up as a Combat Driver n finished as a Driver/Powerman/Blanket Stacker, Scaly style 
I am ex 4624 Oggies squadron at Brize.
I’m Ex QOHLDRS then transferred to REME …then foolishly joined RAF Regt lol
Darktower the difference between service life and civvy street is nominal. A great many of us are ex service personnel, indeed over 4,000 took part in the embassy siege and 78 were actually
hanging from the chopper as it flew in, all on the same 'ook. Others can’t tell you who they are ‘hush hush’ ex SAS and 127,000 of them exist so you will gather that most ex serviceman
are lorry drivers. Your service career has taught you how to deal with people, all types, and an ability to keep yourself clean should make you shine particularly if you keep the rig in good
nick as well.Service life has got you used to ‘bull’ it comes in lorry loads in this industry and if you look and think it can be done…better…easier…quicker…forget it they don’t want to know.
But importantly listen, learn and enjoy a great life on the road, something different every day, can’t be bad.
Must dash just off on a secret mission to kill people,David Cameron has just rang up.
been out the army two years now and what ive learned is that i dont have to be a yes man anymore!
Simon:
Welcome to civvy street Darktower, bloody crab airThere is no way that you’ll be able to avoid annoying some drivers.
If you get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home, you’ll annoy some because they think you should be swinging the lead to spin the job out as long as possible.
If you swing the lead to spin the job out as long as possible, you’ll annoy some because they think you should get on with the job to get it done, get paid n get home
Ex R. Sigs.
I couldn’t have said this better myself, nice one
Oh, I was an Army Docker Southampton
Antars? Thought they were driven by ‘Mojo’s’? As a young gunner in Hildeshem early 80’s I remember the Mojo’s driving the Antars with our guns on the back. the older blokes reckoned they were displaced persons from Poland and the like, couldn’t go home cos of the Iron Curtain. Never heard them speak as they kept themselves to themselves, a bit strange. Good memories.
Vehicle spec/driver! Was that not more of a hobby than a job? Welcome to the jungle.
Good grief! From queens own hooligan to royal engineer minus education to rock ape, now on TNUK! Now that’s a career.
Mojos! That takes me back. On big exercises we used to get them with us to work in the kitchens. We used to get Turks & east Europeans, good grafters.
As an ex scaley myself I obviously have a superiority complex, Leconfield trained you see.
Since I got out in 99 I’ve found out one thing about how not to annoy drivers, stay in the house & never use the roads or pavements. And never, and I mean never, under any circumstances, use a bicycle or even mention them on here.