carryfast-yeti:
we don’t do nights out generally,but told to be prepared for one.we have our ‘own’ units,so no excuse for not having a few bits with you.also,Company insist on parking at a ‘secure’ place of parking,for insurance purposes,and all expenses are paid,as well as £26.20 n/o money.
Do you reckon it’s quite common, to be told to be prepared for one if you have your own assigned truck?
Don’t firms have to ask a driver nicely to do a night out? Does anyone other than an official Tramper have it in their contract that they are obliged to do nights out?
Harry Monk:
robroy:
As I said I’m content to stay in my cab, …look upon it as a ‘luxury’ camper van with a trailer behind it.
Hey! maybe I’m a frustrated caravanner struggling to ‘come out’.That’s how I always looked at it. A chance to travel all over Europe and not have to pay for doing it. I don’t do nights out any more as I’m sort of winding down to retirement, and the Euro work isn’t really there any more anyway, but I’ve certainly seen a lot more of the world than if I only ever did day work.
That just confirms that for many of us it’s not about the hourly rate.Bearing in mind that nights out also means less commuting costs.
However some want to keep too much of a good thing, thereby wrecking their home life and moaning about too long away spent living in a truck, at the expense of others getting none of it.
The wage issue is obviously moot in that and being lumbered with more than a fair share of ‘day work’ isn’t always, if often, a matter of choice especially in the case of what’s generally on offer from agencies. 
DCPCFML:
ag1992:
Truckulent:
Personally, I think those that tramp are very under paid and under valued.I wouldn’t do it as I believe in working to live, not the opposite.
Asking you to commit 5/7ths plus of your life for the pay and conditions on offer to trampers is a joke.
Each to their own of course. But truck stops, motorway services and lay byes et al. aren’t my idea of fun.
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I agree mate. I’d never do it as well and I think the 20-30 quid for sleeping away is a insult, don’t know how these boys do it.
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They all love it because despite their claims for not seeing the money as part of their wage, the truth of the matter is that they do. There would be a very simple way of proving this too : if HMRC actually enforced their own rule of the subsistence money needing to be spent on, you know, actual subsistence, backed up with receipt evidence of £26.20 worth of subsistence purchases for each away from base stay, then the desire to do nights out would evaporate overnight (pun intended) as they’d no longer be getting any “free” money.
I disagree with the above, look at France, the drivers collect receipts for breakfast dinner and tea, they eat very well, they hardly work weekends and they are normally parked up by 6.30pm having a Kir aperitif
Wheel Nut:
DCPCFML:
ag1992:
Truckulent:
Personally, I think those that tramp are very under paid and under valued.I wouldn’t do it as I believe in working to live, not the opposite.
Asking you to commit 5/7ths plus of your life for the pay and conditions on offer to trampers is a joke.
Each to their own of course. But truck stops, motorway services and lay byes et al. aren’t my idea of fun.
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I agree mate. I’d never do it as well and I think the 20-30 quid for sleeping away is a insult, don’t know how these boys do it.
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They all love it because despite their claims for not seeing the money as part of their wage, the truth of the matter is that they do. There would be a very simple way of proving this too : if HMRC actually enforced their own rule of the subsistence money needing to be spent on, you know, actual subsistence, backed up with receipt evidence of £26.20 worth of subsistence purchases for each away from base stay, then the desire to do nights out would evaporate overnight (pun intended) as they’d no longer be getting any “free” money.
I disagree with the above, look at France, the drivers collect receipts for breakfast dinner and tea, they eat very well, they hardly work weekends and they are normally parked up by 6.30pm having a Kir aperitif
Why are you talking about… France? 
Does it happen here, in the UK? No.
Winseer:
Don’t firms have to ask a driver nicely to do a night out? Does anyone other than an official Tramper have it in their contract that they are obliged to do nights out?
Feel free to keep on going if you’ve run out of hours or want to work a 15 hour shift just to get back to the yard. 
I never made much money from nights out.
3 or 4 pints and a takeaway…breakfast the next morning,and it’s gone.
commonrail:
I never made much money from nights out.
3 or 4 pints and a takeaway…breakfast the next morning,and it’s gone.
Yep,.as I said, that’s more or less what it’s for.
(Won’t be falling into the trap of agreeing with having 4 pints btw, the snowflakes and purists would be having a minor stroke. )
robroy:
commonrail:
I never made much money from nights out.
3 or 4 pints and a takeaway…breakfast the next morning,and it’s gone.Yep,.as I said, that’s more or less what it’s for.
(Won’t be falling into the trap of agreeing with having 4 pints btw, the snowflakes and purists would be having a minor stroke. [emoji38])
Quite right.
Get yourself half a dozen or more pints and try for a major stroke.
With reference to the French drivers, I could never work out how they actually got anywhere especially on national distance or international work as they took three hours for midday lunch including the social interaction, French restaurants could be very noisy but a great atmosphere and camaraderie?
Breakfast was a quick fire rapid affair with no time for small talk while dunking the croissants and buttered baguette in to the coffee or hot chocolate, and if they were having an evening meal , that’s two to three hours gone , then continue driving after eating that.
The traditional is to shake hands with the restaurant owner, normally behind the bar serving the pre meal aperitif to stimulate digestion, and a digestif after the meal to aid digestion such as a Calvados .
It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak French , they will still talk with hand or arm gesticulating, the same gestures are used around the world, when you eat , your arms are touching the diners sat either side so timing is critical when using cutlery. The conversation is what truck you drive, where you have come from and final destination , they will all chip in and offer the best routes and advice.
In England, pull in to the parking, avoid all eye contact with fellow drivers, promptly pull around the cab curtains and remain there until leaving.
Tarmaceater:
With reference to the French drivers, I could never work out how they actually got anywhere especially on national distance or international work as they took three hours for midday lunch including the social interaction, French restaurants could be very noisy but a great atmosphere and camaraderie?
Breakfast was a quick fire rapid affair with no time for small talk while dunking the croissants and buttered baguette in to the coffee or hot chocolate, and if they were having an evening meal , that’s two to three hours gone , then continue driving after eating that.
The traditional is to shake hands with the restaurant owner, normally behind the bar serving the pre meal aperitif to stimulate digestion, and a digestif after the meal to aid digestion such as a Calvados .
It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak French , they will still talk with hand or arm gesticulating, the same gestures are used around the world, when you eat , your arms are touching the diners sat either side so timing is critical when using cutlery. The conversation is what truck you drive, where you have come from and final destination , they will all chip in and offer the best routes and advice.In England, pull in to the parking, avoid all eye contact with fellow drivers, promptly pull around the cab curtains and remain there until leaving.
Never been a great fan of the French, lovely country but wasted on the locals and all that but fair play to them. When i used to do regular international , you would rarely see a French lorry on the road after 12 noon on a Friday .Something tells me they were the ones getting it right. They were probably off on a bike ride, then having lunch with the local mayor and his daughter
Suedehead , mingling with the local French peasants can lead to child support cases to pay for an inbred child over there .
Tarmaceater:
Suedehead , mingling with the local French peasants can lead to child support cases to pay for an inbred child over there .
Must admit, i wouldnt know toby
NWalesTrucker:
Is this just expected of you in every HGV job that provides a sleeper cab? If you’re not going to get your drops finished within the day, be prepared to stay out? Going for my class 2 plus wanting to go for my class 1 after and seeing what to expect.Would appreciate any input, thanks!
It really just depends on the type of work you choose to do. It really isn’t necessary to ever do a night out in certain jobs and if you cherry pick your way through day jobs (or shift work), you’ll be fine.
Everyone has there preferences but for me personally I couldn’t think of anything worse than staying out in a truck all week, allowing life to pass you by, just to earn £150 odd quid more a week. Work to live not live to work has always been my mindset, the years fly by and its too easy to miss out on all the milestones experienced throughout life, due to working away unnecessary.
I’ve managed 15 years without doing 1 night out, so it is possible mate.
The positive of driving through France is their stunning scenery for example the Jura area, Normandy and the quaint farm houses , it is quite common for families to own two or three houses , one for the beach , one for the mountains and skiing or most likely inherited the holiday homes .
Smooth motorway road surfaces with minimal tyre noise, free parking and aire de repos or rest areas on the motorway network.
But terrible ditch water coffee .
Trapped.in.hell:
NWalesTrucker:
Is this just expected of you in every HGV job that provides a sleeper cab? If you’re not going to get your drops finished within the day, be prepared to stay out? Going for my class 2 plus wanting to go for my class 1 after and seeing what to expect.Would appreciate any input, thanks!
It really just depends on the type of work you choose to do. It really isn’t necessary to ever do a night out in certain jobs and if you cherry pick your way through day jobs (or shift work), you’ll be fine.
Everyone has there preferences but for me personally I couldn’t think of anything worse than staying out in a truck all week, allowing life to pass you by, just to earn £150 odd quid more a week. Work to live not live to work has always been my mindset, the years fly by and its too easy to miss out on all the milestones experienced throughout life, due to working away unnecessary.
I’ve managed 15 years without doing 1 night out, so it is possible mate.
Interesting to note your username being a day man. , think I may have picked a similar one if I did that job.
I’ve always looked upon tramping as being part of the job of being a trucker.
,.I knew what I was getting into.
Way I see it it’s a bit like going to join the Army,.and telling them in the recruiting office you don’t want to go on tour. 
Don’t get me wrong I’ve missed a lot at home over the years, but as I said, I knew what I was signing up for.
As Toby says tramping around Europe is a different ball game to having a ‘‘night out in your tin box’’ 20 miles from base, because you were late getting your tins of beans off at Asda.
Ok,.I don’t do Euro anymore, but even 3 nights out a week around Cornwall Devon is enjoyable rather than a ball ache, but only if you try and make the best out of those nights out, which ok, admittedly ain’t always possible, especially with all the crap in the last 12 months.
After weeks of living like some kind of sad loner watching ■■■■ Eastenders in my cab, things got back to normal last night…I was even starting to see some of you lot’s points about nights out ffs. 
Nice sunny evening,.shorts on,.shades on,.sat in a beer garden like a tourist , having a lovely meal and 2 pints of Hobgoblin.(is that ok Dan? ) sat thinking to myself…‘Job aint so had after all’ 
Good to get away from work environment, for a while, gives you a sense of well being,
Had a lie in this morning, took about 12 and a half off. woke up in a much better state of mind than when I was when on the dark side living the ‘Sad tramper’ life. .
the maoster:
I just really appreciate the fact that I get out of bed an hour later than a day man for a similar start time.
I just really…
Appreciate the fact that when I get up an hour earlier than a tramper, I can enjoy my fluffy carpet, fresh clean toilet, shower in a bathroom that hasn’t had 20+ other sweaties in it, enjoy a brew and a bit of brecky in my own kitchen and make my own reasonably priced snap for the day.
'Orses for courses innit.
The subject is nights out but what about weeks out or months out especially on a long world tour that could last six months, that is gruelling crossing Russia in temperatures where a polar bear would catch a cold .
Being stuck in the cab for a weekend or more is what you made of it and the EE drivers and the Turkish can sit around for days waiting for a reload or back haul home .
Willi Betz drivers hanging their Y fronts up to dry in every MSA fence in the UK , where have they gone ?
I have often stumbled upon a religious festival or public holiday where there was a truck ban for a few days and get in with the locals to a massive street party or see a concert such as Manola Garcia who is a massive star in Spain and sells out concerts in football stadiums.
Or even meet a nice Colombian young lady take her out on a day off to hire a car or go to swimming pool with water slides , if on your own , get a train or bus somewhere and leave the English lads to getting drunk and possibly fighting: Murfits ?
Tarmaceater:
get a train or bus somewhere and leave the English lads to getting drunk and possibly fighting: Murfits ?
I’d like to ask you a question, have you ever personally seen Murfitts fighting or did you overhear a conversation between 2 idiots in an RDC?
I’ve run Europe for 40 years, I never worked for Murfitts but spent many a night AND weekend in their company in nearly every country in Europe.
I never witnessed any fighting, in fact some of their guys were the most knowledgeable and experienced drivers running Europe.
I suspect you’ve never met any and are just posting what you’ve overheard!
