I have never seen them fighting but it was regularly posted on Trucknet and in regular haunts and on ferry crossings I overheard them saying they did after too many Sherberts .
Grumpy_old_trucker:
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!
A lot of ex Murfitts went on for MTC (Mega Trucking) on Ewals out of Zeeby.
I worked for a firm who did the same work as them, the ones I knew on the whole were a decent bunch of lads…never saw them fighting either. 
They were fighting…
One time at the bottom of Mont Blanc. Not a mass brawl but a couple of drivers getting amongst each other.
My understanding was the drawbar men were paid differently to the artic men and that caused no end of arguments. Add copious amounts of vin rouge/biere over a weekend at a routiers and some people are just at it.
I’ve seen a few scraps on channel crossing’s. Some were drivers (possibly Murfitts) and some were just ■■■■■■ up day trippers.
It was reported in an Italian truck stop of which the name as eluded me due to old age, was it Albatross or something with an A and Bourg or Macon in France of which the correct town escapes me too but it was a Routiers and too much drink and fighting over the waitresses as drivers did in the Cabbage Patch aka B.P truck stop Saint Andre De Cubzac Bordeaux .
At least the BP showers were amazing with a huge cubicle and cleaned after each use, at about a fiver but worth the money.Decent shop full of truck bits including cow fur hairy wooden clogs and wallets with six feet long metal chains to put a few weeks running or trip money in .
Tarmaceater:
It was reported in an Italian truck stop of which the name as eluded me due to old age, was it Albatross or something with an A and Bourg or Macon in France of which the correct town escapes me too but it was a Routiers and too much drink and fighting over the waitresses as drivers did in the Cabbage Patch aka B.P truck stop Saint Andre De Cubzac Bordeaux .
At least the BP showers were amazing with a huge cubicle and cleaned after each use, at about a fiver but worth the money.Decent shop full of truck bits including cow fur hairy wooden clogs and wallets with six feet long metal chains to put a few weeks running or trip money in .
“Cruel bugger!”
What?
“He’s kicked a couple of Jack Russels to death, but can’t get 'em off his cowboy boots”
Hereford or Friesean cow fur were the two different options for the clogs so brown and white or black and white .
All good until the police fined you for driving in them with different interpretations of traffic laws in each country such as driving with flip flops or bare feet .
Tarmaceater:
Cabbage Patch aka B.P truck stop Saint Andre De Cubzac Bordeaux .
Mostly did change overs…
Here but, if I needed some laundry done then I’d weekend here. Food was ok, the facilities ok but sadly the brits were frequently not ok. Handy supermarket round the corner for stocking up with water and other stuff for a few more weeks away.
You will remember Stella the brunette nurse who supplemented her income by satisfying drivers in the truck park.
And the garage across the road with a mad dog that chased trucks down the road by biting the tyres, I serviced my unit there with cash in hand.
The food standards changed frequently whenever different companies took over the BP , in the beginning the food was excellent and good choices.
Tarmaceater:
It was reported in an Italian truck stop of which the name as eluded me due to old age, was it Albatross or something with an A and Bourg or Macon in France of which the correct town escapes me too but it was a Routiers and too much drink and fighting over the waitresses as drivers did in the Cabbage Patch aka B.P truck stop Saint Andre De Cubzac Bordeaux .
At least the BP showers were amazing with a huge cubicle and cleaned after each use, at about a fiver but worth the money.Decent shop full of truck bits including cow fur hairy wooden clogs and wallets with six feet long metal chains to put a few weeks running or trip money in .
You mean Alcatraz, commonly known as the sisters, Phil and her Sister ran it, now it’s just Phil and her son Roger, it’s at Arluno next to the refinery.
As for the Cabbage patch, I preferred the Centre Routiers in Bordeaux.
So back to the point NONE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN MURFITTS MEN FIGHTING, your just spouting what you heard from someone else who heard it from someone else who made it up!
As previously stated I never worked for Murfitts I was on for G&S and then European Road Freight at the time Murfitts were on the go and all the guys I spent time with were great fellas.
Some of you just make stuff up for the sake of it.
Grumpy_old_trucker:
Tarmaceater:
It was reported in an Italian truck stop of which the name as eluded me due to old age, was it Albatross or something with an A and Bourg or Macon in France of which the correct town escapes me too but it was a Routiers and too much drink and fighting over the waitresses as drivers did in the Cabbage Patch aka B.P truck stop Saint Andre De Cubzac Bordeaux .
At least the BP showers were amazing with a huge cubicle and cleaned after each use, at about a fiver but worth the money.Decent shop full of truck bits including cow fur hairy wooden clogs and wallets with six feet long metal chains to put a few weeks running or trip money in .You mean Alcatraz, commonly known as the sisters, Phil and her Sister ran it, now it’s just Phil and her son Roger, it’s at Arluno next to the refinery.
As for the Cabbage patch, I preferred the Centre Routiers in Bordeaux.
So back to the point NONE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN MURFITTS MEN FIGHTING, your just spouting what you heard from someone else who heard it from someone else who made it up!As previously stated I never worked for Murfitts I was on for G&S and then European Road Freight at the time Murfitts were on the go and all the guys I spent time with were great fellas.
Some of you just make stuff up for the sake of it.
Edit to add the place near Bourg en Bresse was “Le Pub” now been renamed “Le Wagon”.
Carisio was a decent place to park up on a Monday
Used to park up along with a few other Irish lorries - didn’t really matter where as we could have a few, enjoy ourselves and not start a riot , unlike “some” of our English neighbours .
But back to the topic - nights out -to me they were part of the job . I wanted to travel , I wanted to see what was the world like outside of Northern Ireland and that ment hopping on a ferry on a Sunday dinnertime or evening knowing I wouldn’t be home for a week or maybe two weeks . You went prepared - a bag of clothes , washing gear , bedding and food and a gas stove , water and cutlery money and maps . You learned pretty quick what you needed and what you didn’t. I saw a bit of Europe and have seen most of the UK and I still enjoy it (apart from London - guess were I’m going on Monday , tip the “village” on Tuesday morning 
)
For me like many others its not about the money - its about the travel , meeting new people and trying to have a bit of fun - to be honest theres not much fun to be had in the UK - far to stressful - our European neighbours have a far better attitude to life I find - 3 hour lunchs / siestas , long weekends with truck bans , decent truckstops and mostly a far better climate - whats not to like ? weekended in Milton Keynes or at the Mont Blanc - I know were I’d rather be .
Suedehead:
Carisio was a decent place to park up on a Monday
Good day’s drive outta Calais…
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Franglais:
Suedehead:
Carisio was a decent place to park up on a MondayGood day’s drive outta Calais…
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Carisio was closed on Mondays throughout the 80s and 90s that’s why we all used Santhia on a Monday night.
It’s closed all together now but we all use The Hotel L’angolo just up the road.
I did get bored with the cabbage patch so ventured on to new places to try including a cracking one owned by a Moroccan family and Moroccan home cooking , it may have been near the Centre Routiers or a WW2 submarine base , I just knew you turn right to the bridge instead of left to the Spanish border direction. ( From the BP )
Another cracker was off the Rocade or Bordeaux ring road near an AS24 fuel station, great atmosphere and food from fried kidneys with Cognac or rabbit stew garlic.
And plenty of restaurants in the big shopping centres off the ring road , another AS24 with free overnight parking and a free shower inside a truck wash and truck garage building, the owner was deaf and mad and shout when you arrive but his banter was hilarious.
Not forgetting the forest road from Bordeaux to Bayonne with plenty of choice hidden from the dual carriageway for a quiet sleep .
Tarmaceater:
I did get bored with the cabbage patch so ventured on to new places to try including a cracking one owned by a Moroccan family and Moroccan home cooking , it may have been near the Centre Routiers or a WW2 submarine base , I just knew you turn right to the bridge instead of left to the Spanish border direction. ( From the BP )
Another cracker was off the Rocade or Bordeaux ring road near an AS24 fuel station, great atmosphere and food from fried kidneys with Cognac or rabbit stew garlic.
And plenty of restaurants in the big shopping centres off the ring road , another AS24 with free overnight parking and a free shower inside a truck wash and truck garage building, the owner was deaf and mad and shout when you arrive but his banter was hilarious.
Not forgetting the forest road from Bordeaux to Bayonne with plenty of choice hidden from the dual carriageway for a quiet sleep .
Were waaay off topic, but: BP Bx was open weekends, when many other restos werent. The Rennaissance just up the road at Marsas was open though, always good and quiet parking. Patrice and Sylvie took it over when the previous owner and his wife moved to a resto in Libourne.
Near the CR in Bx there were at least three other restos, Albatross (renamed coupla times), Monte Cristo, and another.
Near quay Bacalan there was one right on the quay opposite what is now shops; then opposite the rail sidings the 3 Steps, and the International. The International`s owners opened a new place by the AS24 at Carbon Blanc, that is closed now too. The old place had a small entry into a bar, but opened into a huge barn at the back. Oscar (Portuguese amateur rugby player) and Maite IIRC.
On street parking near the old meat market and Gare St Jean too. Couple of 24hr cafes there.
Almost forgot the other resto there that closed earlier when the owner “Sandi” bought a bar in town. Her younger sister Isobel, worked for Oscar and Maite after she moved.
Ed to correct: Orlando, not Oscar
Carbon Blanc that was the one I liked and used a lot , quite a big building, all walks of life dined there , no class system in France unlike the Uk .
One thing I never did a again was to drink a bottle of red wine and eat octopus with the sauce made with the black ink , got to the cab and promptly was sick .
You haven’t lived if not tried offal or tripe , if done the right way is delicious and also cows tongue or calves tongue or heart of numerous animals, this was poverty food for the masses in the medieval ages while the rich fined dined on the best meat .
Even today the friction and rivalry between Porto and Lisbon residents still exists and is handed down through the generation with a hatred between two cities as in the 17th and 18th centuries dying from hunger was common, as the Portuguese ships left port to discover the new uncharted world, ships from Lisbon took the best food and Porto had the remaining poverty food.
How about pigs trotters and oxtail, not the soup the actual tail of the Ox or a bull .
Grumpy_old_trucker:
Franglais:
Suedehead:
Carisio was a decent place to park up on a MondayGood day’s drive outta Calais…
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Carisio was closed on Mondays throughout the 80s and 90s that’s why we all used Santhia on a Monday night.
It’s closed all together now but we all use The Hotel L’angolo just up the road.
Thats why it was a good place to park on a Monday, nice and quiet
In a secret location in Worcs…good food, nice cool pint, European football on tv in an alcove all to myself…what’s not to like.
Last night in an olde worlde thatched roof pub in Cornwall.
This job aint so bad after all.
I’d have to turn that football off 