Lionheart Kit Kat
thats the one m8 
Carl:
in my experiance the worst ones are the young spotty faced herbert in his landrover and trailer which i had the misfortune of catching up on the m40 a while ago id overtake them then theyd overtake me this went on for 10 mile until i got fed up and pulled into oxford services and had a cuppa does the army driving test consist of a run up and down the parade yard and thats it
You’d be very surpised to find out it is the same test that civvi’s sit.
mr connor,your belittleing of englands finest is a bit under the belt mate
Last time i looked it was the British Army,not England Army
Liberace:
I do a double take and ask him “what the [zb] do you think is up [zb] and do you make the descions round here?”
It’s not always ‘what you say’ but ‘how you say it’ that is important! 
And in certain cases can save you from getting a slap!
Liberace:
I mean, who makes the descion where and how they park up.
The convoy commander will be following guide lines issued to him from higher up the CoC (Chain of Command) but as with almost anything to do with transport (as I am sure you are well aware!) it can all change without warning.
Liberace:
Are they governed y drivers hours?
Yes. Although according to the letter of the law they are not, however, the MoD policy is to ‘comply with the spirit of the law.’ In reality it means that they don’t use tacho’s but do use Drivers Hours Log Books which have more (regular) checks in place than most (civi) drivers tacho charts.
Liberace:
I’d love any ex army drivers to enlighten me as to the chain of command and if you have to have less than one braincell to be promoted to corpral.
Lib, do you remeber the topic I started entitled ‘How many MoD/exMoD on here?’ and if so, do you remeber how many replies there were? I dare say more than just me found your comment to be a bit offensive. As for how many brain cells are required to be promoted, i’m not sure; what I do know though, is that ■■■■■■■■■ and cowards don’t usually last long, that is if they ever try to join in the first place!! 
Boots O’Lead:
What you’ve got to bear in mind Lib is that the army draws it’s manpower from society… will probably leave the army one day and settle into his natural position in civvy street - a TM or planner
It’s a good job that i’m not paranoid or I might think that was dig aimed directly at me as I seem to fit the description somewhat!! 
Boots O’Lead:
I met allsorts when I was in, some were worth it and some were absolutely useless so it’s allways difficult to generalise - same as civvy street really.
Good point; you can find idiots in civi trucks as well as army trucks!! 
Coffeeholic:
I’ve had nothing but bother with army convoys of various nationalities in Germany,I think there must be big manoeuvres or an exercise on somewhere in the south of Germany as they were all headed there.
It was Americans that I saw today Neil. I was doing a Kiaserslauten run and the yanks had had a couple of breakdowns which appeared to throw them into utter confusion. I saw about 20 vehicles all just ‘parked’ in lane 1 and it was causing chaos!!
Conor:
Liberace:
I mean, who makes the descion where and how they park up. Are they governed y drivers hours?No they’re not governed by drivers hours.
You must’ve got out a long time ago Conor! See my previous comment (they are governed by drivers hours)
Conor:
Speaking from FIRST HAND experience being ex-Army, doing my Class 2 at the Army School of Mechanical transport Leconfield as well as working there, Army drivers quite simply cannot reverse to save their lives. They park like that because, believe me, they couldn’t live down the embarassment of being watched trying to reverse.
I also spent quite a bit of time at Normandy Bks (Leconfield) and considering that all the examiners are trained in co-operation with, and to the standard of, the DSA, I think your description is not accurate to say the least!!
Conor:
In addition to that, if they did then you’d be taking a daily rest whilst they tried to do it.
Which is probably an ‘experience’ thing, or lack of it. It’ll be the same as the newbies that post on here; they don’t (and shouldn’t) get slated for being at the start of their experience ladder so why are you slagging of these blokes?
SimonRS2K:
What a complete load of tosh
simon
Carl:
does the army driving test consist of a run up and down the parade yard and thats it
No. Last I knew it was the same as civi street. 
Conor:
SimonRS2K:
What a complete load of tosh
simonAnd your first hand experience is?
I’m quite sure plenty of ex Army drivers can tell you how they’re taught to reverse…with a bloke stood in front of the wagon waving his arms to tell you which way to turn the steering wheel.
Conor, that is not how they are taught - they have to pass the same test as civi’s; they do the same reverse exercise etc etc. Perhaps what you refer to is the SGSI package that they all complete nowadays (fam trg). That is when assisted reversing is taught, along with many other subjects related to the vehicle and its correct use.
Things have moved on from the ‘bad’ old days and dinosaurs are definately out.
Conor:
You can always tell someone who’s just left the Army and started driving “properly” by … the 5000 ratchet straps securing the load.
Because maybe they are following the lessons they had with regard to the Principals of Loading. Of course, being a professional, you will understand these and realise the need for more that the usual ‘one on the front and one across the back’ routine. Because a driver secures his load so that it is secured against forces of ‘acceleration, braking, cornering and bounce’ it actually makes him more of a professional and less of a newbie or idiot.
I wonder how many of our fellow drivers have had any continuation training since the day they passed their driving test? Not many and that is why there are individuals out there (Scanny77, for example) trying to arrange ‘training for all’.
brit pete:
mr connor,your belittleing of englands finest is a bit under the belt mate
Another good comment from Pete, along with various others he contributed. Cheers mate.
Someone once told me that they leave the gaps between them so that the traffic flows better and that trucks can pull in between them.
the gaps are designed for tactical reason’s.If a convoy come’s under attack then if the gap’s are maintained it will reduce the injury/death total’s, and the rest of the convoy can take action.( if the need arise’s).As for the speed of these convoy’s,please bare in mind that some of the truck’s/landrover’s might have person(s) in the rear of them,also the truck’s might be carrying vast’s amount’s of ammunition(s).From bullet’s to grinade’s.Ask yourself this question would you want to be rear ended by on off them truck’s with all them explosive’s on it.I know i wouldn’t.So instead ofv getting annoyed at these convoy’s,just think what they might have on board.would you’s complain if it was a wide load that you was stuck behind for mile’s 
Your answer will be no i suspect because it’s a normal truck at the front.
here’s a true story.i won’t name the lad in charge,but he was welsh so Taff was his name.
the csm asked Taff ( he was a private by the way) if he could drive a class1 truck Taff said yes i can sir.ok then say’s the csm.I want you to take a unit and trailer from here ( cad kineton, nr Leamington Spa) to Bicester (oxford) on saturday,stay over night and return with a different unit and trailer on the Sunday,think you can do that yes sir say’s Taff.so off he goes.The job was done with no problem’s.
( now the fun bit)
On the Monday after Taff had been to bicester and back the csm decided that he would do a 100% check on every one’s record’s.Everyone’s was in order,then the csm come’s to Taffy’s record’s.As he was going through them he get’s to the part where it say’s driving licence held…next to Taff’s was licence type…hgv2 .Alarm bell’s start to ring in the csm’s little head,saying,he told me he could drive class1.So the csm decided that he needed to have a little chat with Taff,so he is summoned to his office.Taff march’s in and the csm say’s,you told me that you could drive class 1 truck’s i can sir, i was ok on sat/sun,got there and back with no problems sir.Yes i know that,but i have just done a 100% record check and your’s say’s that the only licence you have is hgv 2.That’s correct sir,but you asked me if i could drive a class1 truck sir and i told you yes i could.You never asked if i had a licence to drive class1 sir.The csm say’s ok you have me on that one,i didn’t ask you,but please be rest assured that when the 1st dirty’st job come’s up guess who will be doing it.
marcustandy:
I also spent quite a bit of time at Normandy Bks (Leconfield) and considering that all the examiners are trained in co-operation with, and to the standard of, the DSA, I think your description is not accurate to say the least!!
They’re taught to reverse to pass the test and in parrot fashion too, i.e told exactly how they have to move the wagon.
Conor:
marcustandy:
I also spent quite a bit of time at Normandy Bks (Leconfield) and considering that all the examiners are trained in co-operation with, and to the standard of, the DSA, I think your description is not accurate to say the least!!They’re taught to reverse to pass the test and in parrot fashion too, i.e told exactly how they have to move the wagon.
But dont all driving schools teach you how to pass the test
kitkat:
Someone once told me that they leave the gaps between them so that the traffic flows better and that trucks can pull in between them.
the gaps are designed for tactical reason’s.If a convoy come’s under attack…
On the M1
Okay Jim .
Rob K:
kitkat:
Someone once told me that they leave the gaps between them so that the traffic flows better and that trucks can pull in between them.
the gaps are designed for tactical reason’s.If a convoy come’s under attack…
Okay Jim
…
…FPMSL
Rob K:
kitkat:
Someone once told me that they leave the gaps between them so that the traffic flows better and that trucks can pull in between them.
the gaps are designed for tactical reason’s.If a convoy come’s under attack…
Okay Jim
Rob,1st of all shut it pudding boy 2ND It don’t matter where the convoy is travelling,the convoy rules apply,weather it’s M1 or in Iraq.
kitkat:
It don’t matter where the convoy is travelling,the convoy rules apply,weather it’s M1 or in Iraq.
Good point Jim. I mean if the Republic of Bedfordshire ever declares independence then they could well find them self travelling through a war zone for a couple or three junctions on the M1. 
Sprinter:
kitkat:
There used to be a massive exercise in Germany every year roundabout now.( the name escapes me).It involved forces from all over UK,Belguim,France,Holland and Germany.Was it Crusader or Lionheart Kit Kat?
ps sorry about last Sunday mate Mon the WELL
Coffeeholic:
Good point Jim. I mean if the Republic of Bedfordshire ever declares independence then they could well find them self travelling through a war zone for a couple or three junctions on the M1.
parts of Devon are like that already
Never mind Kit Kat, you won the cup
Rob K:
kitkat:
Someone once told me that they leave the gaps between them so that the traffic flows better and that trucks can pull in between them.
the gaps are designed for tactical reason’s.If a convoy come’s under attack…
Okay Jim
Aven’t you seen all them lethal portugese and irish terrorists hammering down there at 100kph in big trucks??/ 