On the flip side of the other thread, I would like to say thanks again to the Longs Of Leeds driver who helped me out by giving me an extra strap & ratchet today at Kronospan when I was one short.
Most (not all) wouldn’t give a ■■■■ so as I say, thanks again, it restored my faith in humanity 
Its good to hear a pleasant story about someone doing something nice for someone else
You may get an invoice in the post.
A few weeks ago I had to go to a DHL yard to drop my trailer and pick a spare up, well when I got there it turned out we didnt have a spare trailer there, I had only been driving class 1 for about a week, so what was a relaxed trailer swap turned into a time sensitive collection with my gaffer putting the pressure onto me ( tell them you need to be away in ten minutes) I explained this to them with the response I was expecting " wait over there for your bay then it’ll be an hour or so" well I waited for the driver to pull out of the bay and as he was closing his rear doors I went and asked if he could possibly put my trailer on the bay ( it was really tight and I was being put under pressure ) I was half expecting a polite “sorry mate but I ain’t got time” but instead I got a “of course mate, no problem just move my truck outta the way” which I did and by the time I had moved his truck mine was sat on the bay ready to be loaded
The guy could obviously see I was a bit stressed and literally took hold of me and calmed me down saying "chill out ignore the pressure take your time and enjoy what you are doing "
Well this guy was my trucker hero ( although everyone has been supportive ) he helped me out when I felt I needed it the most, and he gave me some great advice (he spent quite a while talking to me) even after I had been loaded and stopped at the gate for security to check my trailer the security guy told me how the driver had respect for ME for asking for help when I needed it
Well this is a big big thanks, especially to him but also to all the other drivers that have given me support in my first few weeks of driving
Darb:
A few weeks ago I had to go to a DHL yard to drop my trailer and pick a spare up, well when I got there it turned out we didnt have a spare trailer there, I had only been driving class 1 for about a week, so what was a relaxed trailer swap turned into a time sensitive collection with my gaffer putting the pressure onto me ( tell them you need to be away in ten minutes) I explained this to them with the response I was expecting " wait over there for your bay then it’ll be an hour or so" well I waited for the driver to pull out of the bay and as he was closing his rear doors I went and asked if he could possibly put my trailer on the bay ( it was really tight and I was being put under pressure ) I was half expecting a polite “sorry mate but I ain’t got time” but instead I got a “of course mate, no problem just move my truck outta the way” which I did and by the time I had moved his truck mine was sat on the bay ready to be loadedThe guy could obviously see I was a bit stressed and literally took hold of me and calmed me down saying "chill out ignore the pressure take your time and enjoy what you are doing "
Well this guy was my trucker hero ( although everyone has been supportive ) he helped me out when I felt I needed it the most, and he gave me some great advice (he spent quite a while talking to me) even after I had been loaded and stopped at the gate for security to check my trailer the security guy told me how the driver had respect for ME for asking for help when I needed it
Well this is a big big thanks, especially to him but also to all the other drivers that have given me support in my first few weeks of driving
the sad thing about that story is thats how it always was in the past, everyone complains no one will help but there are too many newish drivers who think they know it all from day one and wont ask for help , one of my regular drops has a really bad blind side reverse between 2 skips onto a bay, i had swapped trailers the other day and was sat having 15 minutes when this young lad came in and tried without succes to get on the bay, i walked over and in a friendly way said if he got half way round and then pulled forward and got his nose up past the stack of pallets he would end up straight on the bay instead of screwing it too far round, well his reply was as follows " why dont you just ***** off and leave me to it" 
so i did, he was still there trying after i walked to the toilet and coffee machine 
, theres just no helping some people
The same can quite easily be said about some of the old hands too. A few years ago I was at Booker / Iceland in Livingston, auld boy making hard work of a not too difficult reverse, after a while, I wandered over and said do you want me to see you back, ■■■■ off came the reply, listen I said, it’s ok, don’t worry about the crowd, we all have to start somewhere. At this point the tea mug came flying out the window
Have met many more sociable than unsociable drivers since I have started class 1 driving full time. Got my licence over 7 years ago when i was in the army but only ever used it on wagon and drag but after going to an agency I was put straight onto artic work!
Have met many very helpful drivers, ones that stick out though are a spanish driver who just watched me back into a very tight space in Cannock at 3am, I know it doesnt seem much but was good to just have someone keeping an eye out going in.
The other was when I was at Allied Bakeries, did my run fine but after getting back to the yard and fuelling I had to try and get it onto the bay, if any of you have ever been to Allied Cardiff you will know the yard is very tight, even tighter with units still attached, anyway, the guy seen I was struggling and offered to give me a hand and put it in for me. I jumped out kind of expecting him to just jump in and do it so he could get away, but he called me back into the passenger seat and talked me through it and explained the best way! Was very pleased that he did that as I never had a problem again.
Where I work now the guys are very helpful if needed and have never had a problem, though being a young looking 25 I get looks of shock at drops when they can see that I can actually drive to a half-decent standard, all because I try to listen to useful hints and tips, take my time and dont rush and like to think I am a quick learner!
pete-b:
, it’s ok, don’t worry about the crowd, we all have to start somewhere. At this point the tea mug came flying out the window
that reminds me of when my old man was teaching me to drive, we pulled onto a site to deliver some steel with me driving with L plates on, my dad said he had better back it under the crane as the ground was a bit soft, well it was that soft it sunk to the axles, the foreman came running out of his cabin shouting to my old man how he shoulnt be driving in situations like this until he had passed his test !!! the language which then followed is unfortunately not broadcastable on here
pete-b:
The same can quite easily be said about some of the old hands too. A few years ago I was at Booker / Iceland in Livingston, auld boy making hard work of a not too difficult reverse, after a while, I wandered over and said do you want me to see you back, [zb] off came the reply, listen I said, it’s ok, don’t worry about the crowd, we all have to start somewhere. At this point the tea mug came flying out the window
FPMSL! Brilliant!
It is nice to know that other drivers have got your back but if people want help they should ask. I think I would ■■■■ someone off aswell if I was having a bad day and in the middle of the reverse, at the end of the day if I’m ■■■■■■■ it up, I know where I’m going wrong and I know what I’ve gotta do so the last thing I want is someone in my earhole bugging me like a fly at a barbecue.
If I want help I will ask and hope I will get it. The same as when other drivers have asked me to watch them back I am happy too even if I am rushed for time or have better things to be getting on with.
FarnboroughBoy11:
It is nice to know that other drivers have got your back but if people want help they should ask. I think I would [zb] someone off aswell if I was having a bad day and in the middle of the reverse, at the end of the day if I’m [zb] it up, I know where I’m going wrong and I know what I’ve gotta do so the last thing I want is someone in my earhole bugging me like a fly at a barbecue.If I want help I will ask and hope I will get it. The same as when other drivers have asked me to watch them back I am happy too even if I am rushed for time or have better things to be getting on with.
I wont flash you across those crap lights at Thorney leys now then, ■■■■■■
redbob:
On the flip side of the other thread, I would like to say thanks again to the Longs Of Leeds driver who helped me out by giving me an extra strap & ratchet today at Kronospan when I was one short.Most (not all) wouldn’t give a ■■■■ so as I say, thanks again, it restored my faith in humanity
I think you are confusing sociable with helpful. I’m usually happy to help someone but that doesn’t mean I want them as my new best friend, to hear their life story or have a beer with them.
Muckaway:
FarnboroughBoy11:
It is nice to know that other drivers have got your back but if people want help they should ask. I think I would [zb] someone off aswell if I was having a bad day and in the middle of the reverse, at the end of the day if I’m [zb] it up, I know where I’m going wrong and I know what I’ve gotta do so the last thing I want is someone in my earhole bugging me like a fly at a barbecue.If I want help I will ask and hope I will get it. The same as when other drivers have asked me to watch them back I am happy too even if I am rushed for time or have better things to be getting on with.
I wont flash you across those crap lights at Thorney leys now then, [zb]
ok yeah that I will appreciate!!! I’ll be taking my break about half 12ish under the bridge mate if your local pop down for a chat.
To follow on with Neil’s comment, there is a hell of a lot of difference between helpful or a hindrance, sociable or anti.
I have seen dozens of blokes who will say I will watch you back or come on driver left hand down when they actually mean right.
It is easier to take your time, check it out yourself and weigh the situation up before steaming into the yard.
So many times the bloke who is watching you back, stands out of sight, in a blindspot, or doesn’t say anything until it is too late.
Some people I trust implicitly, some I wouldn’t let them loose with a chocolate orange 
I have mentioned this drop before. OCG Cargill on the Belgelei in Antwerp. You report to the office, two chaps come out, one with a traffic cone, the other with a hiviz jacket. You fold your mirrors in and blind side reverse perfectly into a 90 degree 10’ using only his hand signals as guidance. You do not even need to speak to him, but his coffee is free. this is in Antwerp Jewish areas.
Saaamon:
Its good to hear a pleasant story about someone doing something nice for someone else
yeah just as you say some people you just cant trust when reversing in tight…
I delivered a new trailor to a show (agricultural) and was told reverse it down towards a wall/fence between machines etc,it was fn tight and to get it in blind side…so i grabbed a security man& a guy from the stand ,soooo one on the nearside and the security guy stood on the wall on drivers side at the rear …all went well slid it into the hole &crawled back ,i thought im getting close so stopped opened cab door and shouted back to guy on the wall …plentyroom etc he says, started to reverse again and crunch!!!truck stalled etc …fnhell i crawled /squeezed my way to rear and the git reversed my into a metal post that went through the rear door!!!.
the …just shakes his head and walks away along the wall …me foaming at the mouth crawls out and chases after him…anyway his boss says my fault as he did it as a favour ,ended up i phoned my boss he comes down calling me to the dogs …to my suprise the guy from the stall says not my fault ,other people from volvo stand came over and said there piece and my boss calmed down ,still had to do accident forms but nothing more said…jimmy. 
i had the same situ as the previouse post…first time i had ever been out in my class 2 at work, it was a scania jobby with a split box, paralle parked the wrong way up a MASSIVE incline, (never used this type of box before)
but i thought ill give it a go, fired it up, taco in pulled away and stalled…doh! truck rolled a little bit back…hand break on, try again, stalled again…hmm! not sure i like this as it was rolling closer and closer to the car in front, so instead! there was a driver in our yard ready to be loaded, old boy he was…just sitting there reading the paper…
so off i went to say to him, ‘look this is my first time out in something this size, its a differnt box that im used too, pretty nervous as it was hard enough getting a trucking job in the first place, can you do me a fav and get it out of this gap for me?’…half expecting the same responce ‘of cant do that gonna leave soon’
instead he gets out, into my truck, sorts it out puts it in the right way! and then came around the road a few laps with me telling me how to get used to t his box properly and just giving me a general refresh (nine months after passing my test since i last drove it’
was so nice to have that refreshing help…now i can put that thing in any spot you want in any weather with any load! =)
if someone asked me to do the same i would quite gladly help them out
Wheel Nut:
To follow on with Neil’s comment, there is a hell of a lot of difference between helpful or a hindrance, sociable or anti.I have seen dozens of blokes who will say I will watch you back or come on driver left hand down when they actually mean right.
It is easier to take your time, check it out yourself and weigh the situation up before steaming into the yard.
So many times the bloke who is watching you back, stands out of sight, in a blindspot, or doesn’t say anything until it is too late.
Some people I trust implicitly, some I wouldn’t let them loose with a chocolate orange
I have mentioned this drop before. OCG Cargill on the Belgelei in Antwerp. You report to the office, two chaps come out, one with a traffic cone, the other with a hiviz jacket. You fold your mirrors in and blind side reverse perfectly into a 90 degree 10’ using only his hand signals as guidance. You do not even need to speak to him, but his coffee is free. this is in Antwerp Jewish areas.
That would take coffeeholic all day to get in there !!
Or as i call him 3 shunts neil !!
I have to admit since ive started my new job
I have had to ask alot more questions about where and what to do more than ever and i have been driving trucks for around 20 odd years.
So to all the drivers that have help a confused looking tipper driver i thank you
jimboy124:
Wheel Nut:
Or as i call him 3 shunts neil !!
I’m flattered by your optimism, I was thinking double figures so three would be a bonus.