It has just dawned on me that I am now 2 years on from passing my class 2.
In this time I have driven 13, 15, 17, 18, 26 and 32 tonners some good, some absolute toss. I have worked days, nights, multidrop, trunked, city and rural throughtout England and even been over the water (to the IOW) a good few times. I’ve been recovered and have nursed an ailing truck to the workshop for repair. Unlike many others Class 1 was never my aim, but a job on a plant 8 wheeler with Hiab was what I wanted to crack. I have been doing this since January and have not felt like a newbie for a long time. However I certainly do not feel like an old hand, so at what point do you become one?
So I can quit before I become a wizened miserable old git.
Rob K:
You haven’t been stuck in the drifts on Shapp, nor done the Middle East in a day cab to call yourself an old hand yet.
Have you done that and had nearly 6,000 posts, are you 300 years old?
I’ve done it all mate… there’s nowt you can tell me about trucks and driving… I’ve forgotten more than what you know and I’ve done more miles in reverse than you have forrads…
Rob K:
You haven’t been stuck in the drifts on Shapp, nor done the Middle East in a day cab to call yourself an old hand yet.
Have you done that and had nearly 6,000 posts, are you 300 years old?
I’ve done it all mate… there’s nowt you can tell me about trucks and driving… I’ve forgotten more than what you know and I’ve done more miles in reverse than you have forrads…
I think I’ve worked with him, he also did roping and sheeting in an icy wind, hands going numb and used to go that way before they built the motorways.
Rob K:
You haven’t been stuck in the drifts on Shapp, nor done the Middle East in a day cab to call yourself an old hand yet.
Have you done that and had nearly 6,000 posts, are you 300 years old?
I’ve done it all mate… there’s nowt you can tell me about trucks and driving… I’ve forgotten more than what you know and I’ve done more miles in reverse than you have forrads…
I think I’ve worked with him, he also did roping and sheeting in an icy wind, hands going numb and used to go that way before they built the motorways.
Listen, you know nothing muckles compared to me. I drove the first truck (a Ford) down the very first motorway that opened in the UK which was in December 1958 and it was the Preston by-pass, now more commonly known as part of the M6. There were no speed limits on motorways in them days. Speed limits didn’t come in until the late 60s.
When I used to do Leeds to London there was no M1 then. Oh no, you had to go down what’s now the old London Rd, through Leicester centre and all that. I remember the M1 being built. It started at the A41 junction at Berrygrove and went to near Crick. It was opened late '59 by the then Transport Minister, Ernie Maples.
You youngsters don’t know you’re born, what with motorways, power-steering on trucks, synchro boxes, curtain siders, pallets!, night heaters, satnav etc. There were none of that when I was a nipper, allsithee.
Rob K:
You haven’t been stuck in the drifts on Shapp, nor done the Middle East in a day cab to call yourself an old hand yet.
Have you done that and had nearly 6,000 posts, are you 300 years old?
I’ve done it all mate… there’s nowt you can tell me about trucks and driving… I’ve forgotten more than what you know and I’ve done more miles in reverse than you have forrads…
I think I’ve worked with him, he also did roping and sheeting in an icy wind, hands going numb and used to go that way before they built the motorways.
Listen, you know nothing muckles compared to me. I drove the first truck (a Ford) down the very first motorway that opened in the UK which was in December 1958 and it was the Preston by-pass, now more commonly known as part of the M6. There were no speed limits on motorways in them days. Speed limits didn’t come in until the late 60s.
When I used to do Leeds to London there was no M1 then. Oh no, you had to go down what’s now the old London Rd, through Leicester centre and all that. I remember the M1 being built. It started at the A41 junction at Berrygrove and went to near Crick. It was opened late '59 by the then Transport Minister, Ernie Maples.
You youngsters don’t know you’re born, what with motorways, power-steering on trucks, synchro boxes, curtain siders, pallets!, night heaters, satnav etc. There were none of that when I was a nipper, allsithee.
Yep def gotta go there with you, nowdays trucks are kitted out with all the latest stuff and quite rightly so,todays younger guys have it all and good luck to them.
NOW FOR THE “BUT” PART. what alot of younger guys/gals forget is over the years us “OLDIES” ARE THE ONE’S WHO FOUGHT FOR RIGHTS AN STUFF.
without most of us transport would still be 90 hours a week and forget the tacho and all that crap.now we are making a come back cos of the shortage of drivers, i still won’t drive crap and will not take crap of traffic clerks etc,if i go on a job and its not legal i walk .so should all you new drivers,YOU ARE PROFESSIONALL DRIVERS and have paid alot to do the job so hold your head up an don’t except crap,walk away that way you will get treated with respect.
Please remember before you came along us “oldies” paved the way for you.
NOW GO OUT AND ENJOY THE BEST JOB EVER
rob you arent old enough to have driven a old ford down what is now the m6 as you only a couple of years younger than me and started driving after me
i was fortunate a few years ago the company i worked for took on a guy called ray birchall he was in his 60;s and was ex pickfords heavy haulage now WAS an old hand and will have forgotten more then i and rob and a few others on here will ever know. that is when you become an old hand
we are still learning and will be for a long time to come even if youve done about six - ten years on big stuff as dennis has said you only become an old hand when you do around 20 years
though i have know some so called old hands that are usless and wouldnt know how to tie a dolly if it jumped up and kicked them in the nuts
alix776:
rob you arent old enough to have driven a old ford down what is now the m6 as you only a couple of years younger than me and started driving after me
but there is a point with some of robs posts that to someone who has just joined or just started reading the forum that maybe misslead
i could appear to a car driver that may read the foum that some of his posts could be take at face value and missunderstood or be tken out of context reenforcing the publics impression of a sterieo typical driver
but there is a point with some of robs posts that to someone who has just joined or just started reading the forum that maybe misslead
i could appear to a car driver that may read the foum that some of his posts could be take at face value and missunderstood or be tken out of context reenforcing the publics impression of a sterieo typical driver
Jesus, if they read mine they’ll think i’m a right balmpot!!!
Rob knows everything K:
I’ve done it all mate… there’s nowt you can tell me about trucks and driving… I’ve forgotten more than what you know and I’ve done more miles in reverse than you have forrads…
I bet your going to tell us all about your years driving a Scamell Scarab next…
harry: delboy98 The lovely old 340! Best road for truckers in the whole of Spain. But not for the hurry-hurry crowd…
Brilliant bit of road Harry, tons of places to eat, most of the time you can belt along at 80…
That particualar kilometer (1007) has got one of the best resturants going, 3 course dinner, salad, beer/wine and coffee for 8.50euro…Huge Menu to choose from…Loads of parking…Good sorts behind the bar… and if your into that sort of thing theres a ‘Puti Club’ next door
Rob K:
Listen, you know nothing muckles compared to me. I drove the first truck (a Ford) down the very first motorway that opened in the UK which was in December 1958 and it was the Preston by-pass, now more commonly known as part of the M6. There were no speed limits on motorways in them days. Speed limits didn’t come in until the late 60s.
When I used to do Leeds to London there was no M1 then. Oh no, you had to go down what’s now the old London Rd, through Leicester centre and all that. I remember the M1 being built. It started at the A41 junction at Berrygrove and went to near Crick. It was opened late '59 by the then Transport Minister, Ernie Maples.
You youngsters don’t know you’re born, what with motorways, power-steering on trucks, synchro boxes, curtain siders, pallets!, night heaters, satnav etc. There were none of that when I was a nipper, allsithee.
When I started you had to stop to feed the horse every hour and they hadn’t even invented punctures
OK not really, but it’s starting to sound Pythonesque!
