As the title suggests really what are the realities of driving over the water? Is it all it’s cracked up to be or have the glory days well and truly finished? I’ve never really done it but would love to. All opinions welcome 
A lot of Euro wannabies only last a week.They can’t get home for a weekend and time off is sat in a foreign service area on a weekend.
Their partners have no idea of what the job entails and book up things expecting him/her to back home on a Friday night.
When not home they become suspicous of an affair going on.
Most UK drivers turn their nose up at foreign food and quote i am not eating thst foreign muck.
There is no cammaradie.It is every man for himdelf.
They all sit in the cab.Curtains shut being anti social.
It is now Eastern European ■■■■■■■■■■ of the market.They can double man and be in some places in one or two days compared to one driver taking four days.
There is hardly any UK hauliers out there now.
Places like the old Freds truckstop at Coslada Madrid are a distant memory of good banter over a few jugs of wine with fellow Brits.
It’s great I love it, much easier, in some countries like France and Spain long open roads that you can spend a whole day on the limiter on watching the beautiful scenery, no stupid ‘drivers waiting rooms’ to spend hours sitting in, still not that common to need your hiviz on when tipping, good food, better standard of driving from your fellow truckers most of the time.
I love running to France, Italy and Spain, so laid back. Nothing is better than being loaded and having a delivery date in 3/4 days time and it’s up to you how to get there. On euro work I don’t have anything to do with the office for days at a time, left to get on with it, and even then it’s just one text to say ‘empty’.
Cheers fellas
A good example is the dual carriagway from Valencia to Zaragoza.A free road that changes its view every ten clicks.
It seems to go on forever.With a strong tail wind it seems you are flying along.
But back on subject free parking.Better food.More room on the roads.
Respected by other road users and load/reload points.
Friendly people.No grumpy fork lift drivers.The UK forkies think they are managment and superior to a driver.
Being weekended on a hot and sunny beach.
Long public holidays and regional Fiestas.
Park the truck and join in the fun with the locals.
Bad points are heavier on the spot fines of thousands of Euros or those dreaded words “Ze must pay.”
Being waited on by smartly dressed staff with a clean white linen table cloth and numerous amounts of cutlery\wine glasses.
The UK has no respect for truck drivers and is 20 years behind the times.
As you can see from Toby’s 2 conflicting posts, there are good n bad points.
We work to similar JIT schedules as UK drivers do, except the distances involved are longer so the time scales are suitably longer hopefully. However you still park up, eat, keep in contact with home and sleep. Socialising is less important than it used to be.
Only 10 years ago there were several large British fleets running all over Europe. Now there are far fewer British drivers. Most of us are happy to sit n chat for a while with a fellow Brit. But time constraints mean we’re less likely to sit n chat all night, sinking a few jugs of wine as we do, than we used to. We’re just as conscious as the boss is that missed delivery slots can mean loosing that work to cheaper competition. It’s reliability to delivering on time in good condition that keeps us in a job.
On the other hand, weekending can be great. If you have the chance, pick a spot on your route that looks interesting. I’ve spent weekended Sundays doing the tourist bit in Crecy, Limoge, Cahors, La Caylar, Salou, Milan, Beaune, the list goes on and on. I’ve also spent Sundays on a godforsaken service area in the middle of nowhere, with nowhere to go, nothing to see and nothing to do but housekeeping n getting ratarsed while chatting with whoever happens to be stuck in the same dump just as bored as me. Swings n roundabouts.
Thanks for the replies it sounds right up my street
gunner1983:
Thanks for the replies it sounds right up my street
Take a bike on the back of the cab and explore the countryside when parked up. 
And do not moan at the emplyoyer when you can not make it back on the weekend.It depends if you are lucky and get a load back before the factory finishes work.
Get some bar bell weights to keep fit with all that fine cuisine.
They cook with cream and animal fat that is hidden in the food.
After a year of that, you end up looking like the Michelin Man.
Then consider truck driving bans that commence on the eve of a public holiday.The Police will be there waiting to fine you.
As for a bike in the cab take the wheels off to fit it in the passenger seat well or chuck in the trailer with a good bike lock.
Drivers in Europe get a 25% or more discount at most places for a drivers meal.
toby1234abc:
Drivers in Europe get a 25% or more discount at most places for a drivers meal.
I’d better qualify that statement of Tobys.
Drivers in Europe often get a discount at places catering to drivers. At most of these places it’s built into the table price. At motorway services tell them you’re a truck driver, if there’s a discount you’ll be given it (they may ask for proof). This discount only applies to proper cooked meals, not a cheese sandwich or similar.
I enjoy it.I’m more relaxed on euro work I find it less stressfull ,one load out one load back,good services,cheap booty.don’t like viaducts or big bridges in a right had drive though,makes me knuckles go white 
bald bloke:
gunner1983:
Thanks for the replies it sounds right up my streetTake a bike on the back of the cab and explore the countryside when parked up.
Have to say I’m gonna do this ,I seen two polish tippers in Germany last week with bikes on rear of cab.
i love driving over there, for some reason they drive a hundred times better and the road network is fantastic. yeah there are more eastern europeans over there, mostly delivering here, and yes if given the choice i would always rather take the boat than the train because nobody speaks english on the train and they are all miserable tw*ts.
you see some great sights,although a lot of driving can be in the dark !!. And sometimes you can get some odd trips delivering/collecting from the more unusual countries or islands.
Anyone that does euro work knows the cost of phoning home browsing the web etc
Its a rip off and I know roaming tariffs are going to change soon.is it the same in america when you drive from state to state ?
GBD:
i love driving over there, for some reason they drive a hundred times better
Not driven much in France or Italy fella? (or has the UK’s standard of driving sunk below both of those in recent years?)
I don’t do any cross-border runs nowadays, just staying within France, but will echo what others have said about being more relaxed on the main routes: roll onto the autoroute, engage cruise and away you go. Apart from the biggest cities there are very few hold ups, and even in most urban areas the traffic density is less than in Blighty. It’s just a more pleasurable driving experience, without even mentioning the other positive points that previous posters have cited above. Go for it if the opportunity arises 
~ Craig
The hotels over there have free and ample space for Lgv’s.No class system exists.No snobbery too.
Some have reduced room rates for drivers.I would use a room in the summer when it was too hot to sleep in the cab.
In the winter a chance to get out of the cab for a hot bath.
Brescia truckstop in Italy has a car rental business so if weekended hire a car to tour the lakes.
They have a gym and hook ups for fridge trailers.
In the UK the truck stops slosh out cheap cash and carry food and the drivers just sit there and accept it.
Although some have got their act together and improved their cooking for drivers.
I have been ‘doing Europe’ a long time now and I get right cranky if I have even to spend a week driving in the UK. Fortunately, 99% of our loads are cross border and very few UK internal ones. You never know quite where you are going … only this week, I loaded a trailer for Wanroij in Holland which got changed at the last moment … did a trailer change and off to Leipzig I went. Two days of pottering along the motorways and then upon reaching the destination being greeted civilly.
I think that is the biggest plus of all … you get to a drop in the UK and you’re made to feel like something on the bottom of their shoe and get met with ‘No safety boots, no entry’ by some turd in a glass box. Most places you arrive at in Holland, after greeting you and looking at the paperwork show you where the coffee machine is (usually fresh filtered, none of this machine crap) and ask if you need the toilets or showers. You go most places and H&S is something they have only read about. The only place I go where some resemblance of H&S is implemented is a huge chemical works in Dusseldorf. Even then their only stipulation is no bare skin (an obvious one). Bugger all about boots, safety glasses or helmets. Compare this to British Sugar where I went several weeks ago and I wasn’t even allowed on site without a pair of safety glasses despite never having had to put them on once I was in there. Oh and the need for a ‘passport’■■ Whats that about?? Obviously sugar is now deemed detrimental to your eyesight. Total overkill.
Deeireland:
Anyone that does euro work knows the cost of phoning home browsing the web etc
Its a rip off and I know roaming tariffs are going to change soon.is it the same in america when you drive from state to state ?
In Canada (and the US) mobile phones have a geographical number, not an 07 number as per the UK. So when you’re out of your local area and call back, its a long distance charge. Its more expensive again if you’re in the US and call Canada and on the few times I need to call customers to ask something, on my Canadian phone, a few minutes costs quite a few dollars. Total rip off. You can get much cheaper deals with US phones though but not much good if all your mates are on Canadian phones as it’ll cost them an arm and a leg to receive your call.
In Europe and you ask for directions you could end up staying with the famiky for a 8 course meal and become friends for life or start up a businesskink as they all know each other in their community and are all related.
For example you are trying to find a tractor dealership.The owners cousin is looking for a tyre importer for his tractors.
His brother in law owns a factory looking for trucks to get him stuff.
Many times the place you deliver to have took me to cafe and paid for a meal or drink.
I said i had to be in Madrid asap, they said Madrid can wait and will be still there tomorrow.
Word of warning.Write down the name of the street where you parked the truvk.Memory loss has occured with many drivers.After a few Cognacs.
Deeireland:
bald bloke:
gunner1983:
Thanks for the replies it sounds right up my streetTake a bike on the back of the cab and explore the countryside when parked up.
Have to say I’m gonna do this ,I seen two polish tippers in Germany last week with bikes on rear of cab.
Yes they do seem to be relieving the Germans of the Dutch bikes in revenge 