Well, it had to happen sooner or later I suppose. Call from the agency on Wednesday, asking me if I could do a run the next day for a new client. It’s a 5am start, delivering builders’ metalwork products to builders’ merchants and similar establishments. I accepted the assignment and turned up at the allotted hour. My drive for the day is a shiny '05 registered Mercedes Axor curtainsider, with only 20k kilometres on the clock.
The day was fairly uneventful, but while turning it around in one of the yards, I dinked the rear under-run bar into an unyielding stack of concrete slabs. I was only moving at a walking pace, but the bar looks decidedly bent to me when I get out to inspect the damage. I had visions of never being asked to work for that client again at the very least Still, at least there was no damage to the slabs…
Of course, I reported the incident to the TM on my return to base. I expected some sort of reaction, but his only query was whether the truck was still roadworthy. A closer check reveals that the bar itself doesn’t appear to be bent, but two of the bolts securing it to the chassis have sheared.
Ah well, all part of the learning curve. They even said they’d be happy to have me back driving for them (with some remark about not giving me the best truck next time…)
I have to say, I find builders merchants right [zb]'s to deliver to. Like you say, all part of the learning curve. Don’t let it worry you too much . Just learn from it. This firm with the Mercs wouldn’t be liveried up in blue and white would they?
Hi roymondo
I know the feeling m8,weve just had a brand new axor where I work and as the new boy and new driver (passed c2 march) ive been avoiding it as it gets inspected as soon as it returns to yard.
however a couple of weeks ago I ended up having to drive it , I only got a few miles down the road and a bloody great big stone hit the screen and just about holed thru.
Not that there was anything that i could have done about it but I still felt bad and was dreading telling the boss, whose last words when leaving yard were “look after her” .Anyway turns out he took it really well and just said it was one of those things and dont worry bout it-havent driven it since mind lol
It sounds like one of those incidents even the most experienced of us could have had, so don’t be to hard on yourself.
As has been said builders merchants can be a nighmare to tip at, with stock lying all over the place and customers vehicles parked everywhere.
However the fact they said there’d have you back must mean you have done a good job and they have a good attitude to those who work for them.
Anybody ever had to tip at Ridgeons at Snettisham in Norfolk. As you drive through the village the locals point you in the right direction before you ask, but as it get tighter you think you’re on some sort of local wind-up.
Some of the drops I’ve been doing I’m really glad I’ve got a tiddler of of lorry!
Narrow lanes, little tiny yards, farms, residential roads with parked cars all along either side, you name it we do it.
Even our own yard is very very much the average one described here…lorrys, vans, FLTs and sideloaders all over the place and very narrow to get in to certain parts of it at times.
the bosses are not all the monsters that some people perceive them to be. i know a company who had 3 rigids written off by an agency driver within 12 months before they finally banned him
Still, at least there was no damage to the slabs…
. Just learn from it. This firm with the Mercs wouldn’t be liveried up in blue and white would they?