Him “No it’s not, it says fifteen foot five on your headboard” (He’s the expert even though I doubt he has seen me, my truck or it’s trailer in his life).
Me “Are you familar with one of these?” and reach up for my tape measure.
Him “It’s fifteen five, you’ll have to wait” Ignoring the tape measure.
In the end I waited no longer than I would of done and got tipped fairly quickly. I suppose I should be used to dealing with the ignorant by now but I can understand why some drivers get so fed up with transport.
Why does it say 15’5 on your headboard if it isnt?
Or am I reading this wrong and the guard (knobjockey) was just guessing that the headboard said 15’5?
msgyorkie:
Why does it say 15’5 on your headboard if it isnt?
Or am I reading this wrong and the guard (knobjockey) was just guessing that the headboard said 15’5?
Fair question,
My tractor unit, like most of our fleet has slightly lower profile tyres than most standard units. If I was in one of our older lorries with regular tyres and a slider the markings might be right.
I actually bought the tape measure a while back to measure for groupage but we started getting a few more different trailers so I started checking them as we get each batch. Not one has been anything like the size on the headboard, even the ones with the alternative fifth wheel heights.
My last one was 11’8 but I changed it to 12 so I didn’t have to do a couple of crap jobs under some railway bridges. Told transport office and they believed me (said I’d got a different make of exhaust)
I’d have said, ‘fine, you obviously don’t want the load so I will take it back. You better go in and phone the office to tell them you’ve refused the load and that I’m returning to base with it…’
A drop and swap would’ve have tempted me to drop it right outside his little box…
msgyorkie:
Why does it say 15’5 on your headboard if it isnt?
Or am I reading this wrong and the guard (knobjockey) was just guessing that the headboard said 15’5?
Fair question,
My tractor unit, like most of our fleet has slightly lower profile tyres than most standard units. If I was in one of our older lorries with regular tyres and a slider the markings might be right.
I actually bought the tape measure a while back to measure for groupage but we started getting a few more different trailers so I started checking them as we get each batch. Not one has been anything like the size on the headboard, even the ones with the alternative fifth wheel heights.
dessy:
You! Mr Wignell must report immediately to a Dcpc trainer to correct your use of Common Sense!
Haha, when I watched VOSAs ‘circle check’ video during my DCPC the height indicator in the cab was different from the height marked on the trailer…
@Truckulent, if I had been kept waiting for over an hour for no good reason my Manager would soon be on the phone to one of the grown ups and I would of been on my way, tipped or not.
We have fairly regular customers who we normally get along with. It’s easy to forget how awful folk can be till you go somewhere unfamiliar.
