Colonel:
If this is what you found, Wheel Nut, then you did a completely different job to me. There were never enough hours in the day for me and attending baghouses is something that no self respecting driver should do.
You need to lighten up a bit my friend and let the rest of us enjoy life!
sounds like you all switch your sat nav on then follow 
if i am going to a new place i firstly look at a map,choose my route then put sat nav on and see which way it sends me. sat navs are ok to get you into a city centre or a new town you are tipping 
well of to heilbronn in the morning for the umpteenth time so will switch mine off 
Switchlogic, I had many drivers who think like you come through my office door after a job and you will know that they didn’t cut the mustard.
I have seen it all, the middle east warriors and legends in their own mind. I wonder why most of the companies that tried it went bust.
I am not stopping you enjoying life but I am entitled to offer my opinion on this forum and whether you like it or not I will continue to do so.
Sat Navs, whatever next.
Well lets just both be thankful I never came though your office door looking for a job!
I shall giving up driving now since I don’t ‘cut the mustard’.
Toodle pip
So you give up that easy, do you Switchlogic. I was right after all.
Colonel:
So you give up that easy, do you Switchlogic. I was right after all.
Indeed you were you wise old man.
Colonel:
We must have all been super human to deliver our goods to addresses we have never been to before without these modern day aids.
We must have been super human, but not as good as those drivers who also had to light the boiler on their Sentinels. It is called progress and a Sat Nav is spot on in these days of Just In Time.
As well as having a permanent link to the office planners showing our position to the customer. I can use my Sat Nav to give a precise ETA that allows me to plan my breaks and rest periods perfectly.
So when I am called at lunchtime to see what time I will arrive at the shop in Cornwall where I have never been. I can confidentally say I will be there at 14.20.
Hell it even gives this self respecting old man a chance to plan a ■■■■■■■■. 
I’ve spent literally hundreds of pounds over the years buying maps. National maps, City street maps. A whole box of maps. So many maps I couldn’t find the map I wanted in amongst all the maps I didn’t. In the end I just took one Euro atlas for through routes, a few national fold-up maps for more detail and chucked all the City maps in the bin. I would stop at a local services instead and take a sneaky butchers at a City street map when I’m just a few K’s from the drop.
I don’t have a Sat/Nav at the moment but I’m getting close to getting one. I’ve used one in the past and find them very useful for when traffic phone up and want to know “how long”. I can tell them the Sat/Nav say’s 15.21hrs or whatever but like britpete says, always carry maps. Sat/Navs are very good but they aren’t perfect and it’s always a good idea to check the route Sat/Nav wants against the one you and your map want.
Saying that, has anyone tried the TomTom 730t? 'cos that’s the one I’m thinking about getting. 
Wheel Nut:
Colonel:
We must have all been super human to deliver our goods to addresses we have never been to before without these modern day aids.
We must have been super human, but not as good as those drivers who also had to light the boiler on their Sentinels. It is called progress and a Sat Nav is spot on in these days of Just In Time.
As well as having a permanent link to the office planners showing our position to the customer. I can use my Sat Nav to give a precise ETA that allows me to plan my breaks and rest periods perfectly.
So when I am called at lunchtime to see what time I will arrive at the shop in Cornwall where I have never been. I can confidentally say I will be there at 14.20.
Hell it even gives this self respecting old man a chance to plan a ■■■■■■■■.
Thank the lord, someone talking some sense!
I think technology is amazing. For instance the office know everything about my truck and fridge where ever I am. Fuel level, temp, fuel comsumption, any faults, fridge temp, set point etc. I know alot of drivers would hate this but I think it’s great.
Just in time eh!!!, whose time were you thinking of, your own, or the poor old owner driver with a load of nectarines from Ravenna sitting at Tesco Magor/Middleton with a timed delivery that the warehouse, through its reliance on technology cannot unload on time. Only in this country is loading and unloading a problem, with the exception of the Friday night goupage loads from Italy, another disaster that the drivers had to overcome.
Colonel:
Only in this country is loading and unloading a problem, with the exception of the Friday night goupage loads from Italy, another disaster that the drivers had to overcome.
I can’t be the only one who’s had problems loading/unloading on the continent? Say it ain’t so
I must have been pretty lucky then, Baghdad always the first day of arrival, Greece the same and also Spain and Italy. Re-loading not so smoothly but in the main only the groupage caused any real delays.
Colonel:
I must have been pretty lucky then, Baghdad always the first day of arrival, Greece the same and also Spain and Italy. Re-loading not so smoothly but in the main only the groupage caused any real delays.
aah, baghdad. so what century was that?
I couldn’t imagine finding an address in ankara with a satnav, but then again I would not like to do ten drops in one day in barcelona without one.
speaking on-topic again, my garmin nüvi has the eastern-europe map spot on, down to streets and houses, the last couple of trips to greece I had it on just to check it’s accuracy as I don’t really need a map in those parts, it only showed the wrong route through iirc timisoara and thereabouts due to a truck route.
milodon:
Colonel:
I must have been pretty lucky then, Baghdad always the first day of arrival, Greece the same and also Spain and Italy. Re-loading not so smoothly but in the main only the groupage caused any real delays.aah, baghdad. so what century was that?
I couldn’t imagine finding an address in ankara with a satnav, but then again I would not like to do ten drops in one day in barcelona without one.
speaking on-topic again, my garmin nüvi has the eastern-europe map spot on, down to streets and houses, the last couple of trips to greece I had it on just to check it’s accuracy as I don’t really need a map in those parts, it only showed the wrong route through iirc timisoara and thereabouts due to a truck route.
I go to greece fairly often and my old tomtom 910 had it but I bought a 920 last year and the area where Greece should be is blank!
milodon:
it only showed the wrong route through iirc timisoara and thereabouts due to a truck route.
And that is well sign posted anyway, iirc.
You certainly were lucky then, maybe everyone else was getting lost trying to find Campogalliano or getting stuck in a queue on the tangenziale 5 minutes before the Dogana closed for the day.
It is funny that I remember arriving in Pireaus and not actually being cleared for 2 days, or pulling into Aosta to be greeted by locked offices & bolted shutters. A delivery on wheels in the olden days meant following a Bubble on a smoking 2 stroke scooter to the customer, now the driver goes direct to the drop.
If you wipe the desert dust off your rose tinted spectacles you may remember the queues at Chiasso, the Thursday driving bans and the 3 hour siestas.
Me, I have used a big big box of European maps for 30 years. I have found one now that will fit in my pocket, and talk to me
Colonel:
Only in this country is loading and unloading a problem, with the exception of the Friday night goupage loads from Italy, another disaster that the drivers had to overcome.
Even though you may be entitled to put your opinion on these boards that does not mean that you have to post bulls excrement 
Loading and unloading is a problem only in the UK ? don´t make me laugh you have obviously never tried to unload at
Albert Heijn in Geldermalsen
Simon Loos in Tiel
Aldi anywhere you care to choose
Lidl as above and we won´t even mention Lidl here in Llodio or down in Dos Hermanas where a vehicle can get lost for the entire day.
El Corte Ingles in Valdemoro
Eroski in Elorrio
Leroy Merlin in Lille
the list is endless so please research facts before posting utter tripe
Vascoingles:
Colonel:
Only in this country is loading and unloading a problem, with the exception of the Friday night goupage loads from Italy, another disaster that the drivers had to overcome.Even though you may be entitled to put your opinion on these boards
Loading and unloading is a problem only in the UK ? don´t make me laugh you have obviously never tried to unload at
Albert Heijn in Geldermalsen
Simon Loos in Tiel
Aldi anywhere you care to choose
Lidl as above and we won´t even mention Lidl here in Llodio or down in Dos Hermanas where a vehicle can get lost for the entire day.
El Corte Ingles in Valdemoro
Eroski in Elorrio
Leroy Merlin in Lillethe list is endless so please research facts before posting utter tripe
And of course, any car plant in Europe, unless you have a line stopper on, I have sat for days waiting to tip car parts in most Ford factories I used to deliver to, and even sat for 10 days waiting to tip in the Daewoo car plant in Elk, Poland
The difference between us, is that i reseached my loads and would not even consider taking a load that was not going to be tipped immediately on arrival at destination.The fastest way to lose money in this business is having a truck stood waiting on the whims of an importer.
It seems you all have a lot to learn about this business. If you are just a driver for a company then I don’t suppose you mind the waiting. Horses for courses.
I did not realise that this forum was full of people who talk a good story, are prepared to be bossed about by exporters as well as importers, then have the audacity to say it is me writing the tripe. I suppose you are attempting to claim demurrage for the long waiting periods.
So one of you sat ten days waiting to tip in Poland, a very profitable run then. I see I am dealing with experts.
Colonel:
The difference between us, is that i reseached my loads and would not even consider taking a load that was not going to be tipped immediately on arrival at destination.The fastest way to lose money in this business is having a truck stood waiting on the whims of an importer.It seems you all have a lot to learn about this business. If you are just a driver for a company then I don’t suppose you mind the waiting. Horses for courses.
I did not realise that this forum was full of people who talk a good story, are prepared to be bossed about by exporters as well as importers, then have the audacity to say it is me writing the tripe. I suppose you are attempting to claim demurrage for the long waiting periods.
So one of you sat ten days waiting to tip in Poland, a very profitable run then. I see I am dealing with experts.
the job in Poland paid £350 a day demurrage, it didn’t use any derv and there was no wear and tear on the vehicle, where as a one day load in the uk at that time only paid around £300