Who was it? Now I know drivers are prone to bit of exageration but saying that working conditions in the UK are currently worse than driving in Balkans during the conflict is stretching it a bit, according to today’s Mirror, this is from"Taff" (didn’t want to use his real name I wonder why) the Mirror’s anonymous source. Anyone an update on the current landmine, IED and shooting threat for the M6?.
Why is it that journalists always manage to find the biggest idiots to interview.
HGV driver who drove lorries in a warzone says UK working conditions are ‘worse’
A lorry driver who has done five tours in a Bosnian warzone says he is not surprised the UK has a driver shortage - as his working conditions are worse in Britain.
One HGV driver says driving lorries during wartime in the army was still better than doing it in peacetime on British roads.
The veteran, referred to by his nickname of ‘Taff’ to protect his anonymity, said: "The conditions we have to put up with, I had better in a warzone. People have no idea how much pressure HGV drivers are put under
Sorry for the copy and paste but couldn’t get the link to work
Drivers are regularly forced to work 15 hours longer than they’re legally allowed to
I’m not surprised Taff wants to remain anonymous
Most lorries are fitted with computers called tachographs, or ‘tachos’, that monitor miles driven once a driver inserts a unique card.
These are meant to help keep drivers under the legal maximum mileage and aid general road safety.
But Taff says drivers are often ordered to cheat these by their employers by pulling their cards out and driving anyway - clocking up the miles in reality but not on record. "We were told to pull our tacho out and keep driving anyway’, he said.
I would say Parking is easier in Afghanistan but other facilities are less than the UK
So yes, going East you have to go as far as Afghanistan to find worse conditions than the UK, going South I would suggest Mauritania maybe - although parking, food, and facilities are still better.
So in reality, only Afghanistan has worse facilities for drivers than the UK, but no diesel fairies so it’s about equal
tachograph:
But Taff says drivers are often ordered to cheat these by their employers by pulling their cards out and driving anyway - clocking up the miles in reality but not on record. "We were told to pull our tacho out and keep driving anyway’, he said.
As my Mum used to say when I was five or six years old and tried to blame someone else for some misdemeanour I had committed… “If someone told you to jump under a bus, would you do it?”
I always found Turkey quite well set up for parking and food.Every village had a garage with parking and most had a little guy with a big stick or gun.You could nearly always find a shower and a good restaurant.Afghanistan was always good for parking and the food was ok if you like chicken and rice.If truth be told most of the ME countries were ok.In Europe I always loved Germany and Italy for food and for parking nothing beats Scandinavia.
> hutpik: > I always found Turkey quite well set up for parking and food.Every village had a garage with parking and most had a little guy with a big stick or gun./quote][/i] > > Right On Hutpik, They did look after us in Turkey before they got motorways - In the winter when the mountain roads were covered in ice, places like at Imranli, the filling station at the bottom of the mountain had glasses of Hot Cay ready for each driver as he reached the bottom - probably the hairiest descent in wintertime Turkey.
Considering how underdeveloped most of the Asian\ME countries were in the 60’s\70’s they done quite well for most things.They managed through some very harsh winters,the ''Micky Mouse’garages were amazing,and generally the hospitality was first rate.I think that you have to look at those countries through more 'flexible’eyes.We all had to learn the ways of the countries and cultures and for many of us it was an eye opener,it was certainly an education.The time I lived in Afghanistan I will never forget,nor regret.
Probably done this interview whilst being paid handsomely , lay down on the bunk of his 71 plate Scania , heater on, food out of the fridge in the microwave and watching loose women, judge Judy or whatever the soft lads watch these days, whilst Thiers labourers on building yards, fruit pickers working in all conditions for much less.
Of your bullied as a kid you either accept it or tell your parents and they will sort it, if your bullied as an adult you grow some testicles and do something about it. Failing that stop whinging and crack on being bosses number 1.
Absolute embarrassment , real workers doing actual tough jobs out their must be spitting feathers.
Don’t worry we are the pro road transport government and we are here to help.
No more of that nasty distance work.
It will be local distribution sector only driving a shiny new EV day cabbed wagon with the win win that you will do less of that nasty driving most of the time as a warehouse 'operative and we’ll make sure that no one has to work longer than 15 hours nor drive for more than 4.5 hours in a shift in the brave new warehousing ‘logistics’ industry that we will build back better.
Mazzer2:
Anyone an update on the current landmine, IED and shooting threat for the M6?.
There’s parts of the M6 and a lot of parts of the M1 look lile they have been bombed. Worst bit is top of the M42 which looks lile the Somme, there’s that many pot holes on it.
cheers Ray
