That’s the sort of fishing I meant, out for a week or two in all weathers.
Makes me laugh on there when people are asking why should I strap my load. It’s the simple things. If the pallet is a little unstable is normally a good indication it needs to be secured
H & S or VOSA would have had a field day with me and my coworkers on Transfleet in 87/88. we hauled bricks from Cranfield to Bridgwater on triaxle flat beds with just a light fly sheet kept tight with heavy elastic, not a rope or strap in sight, we drove along the back roads from MK to the A34 north of Oxford at a regular 60 mph, 75 on the M4 and M5, never lost even one brick 
Me and Pete King had the very first DAF 95’s to enter service in the UK, which was a pain at first because every time we stopped for a cuppa we were surrounded by gawpers, if we broke down we had to call DAF specialists because the trucks were basically prototypes.
Back on topic , Currently reading Billy Idols’ bio , an Englishman who spent his formative years on Long Island . He makes a very valid comment regards the weather , over here whilst we have summers on the lake or by the pool we also get Tornadoes Blizzards Ice Storms and Hurricanes so are almost forced to take life on the chin while making the most of our opportunities . Whereas in Britain you have overcast skies for most of the year with the doom and gloom that goes with them , hence the mentality .
Where would you rather be Pat ? 
Yeah britain can be gray but if you can make it work in england you can make it anywhere.
Is that right ■■? Beg to differ but I’ll save that for another day .
kr79:
Yeah britain can be gray but if you can make it work in england you can make it anywhere.
I think you’ll find that’s New York mate
Same ■■■■ only dopey northeners moan about england all that working all week for 2/6 and a lump of coal gets them down
newmercman:
kr79:
Yeah britain can be gray but if you can make it work in england you can make it anywhere.I think you’ll find that’s New York mate
raymundo:
newmercman:
From what I’ve seen on tv that deep sea fishing is a hard life. Driving a lorry must be like a holiday compared to that.They’re only part timers out of Plymouth, got in late at night and had to unload next morning ■■? Why the delay ! I started my sea going career fishing out of Lowestoft doing 13 day trips and then 48hrs off but then fancied going fishing of Iceland and did one trip … [zb] that ! then decided to go lorry driving among other things and become a lazy ducker.
We worked 2hrs/on, 2hrs/off for 14 days non-stop, the job and the weather was hard but the sleep deprivation was unbelievable.
Before that I worked on a Jersey crabber off the Scilly Isles and that was between 18 and 22hrs a day for a month with 3 days off after.
And yes every trucking job I’ve had since is a doddle compared.
Excuse my ignorants guys but whats this DCPC thingy,i left the UK a long time ago
Chris
chris54:
Excuse my ignorants guys but whats this DCPC thingy,i left the UK a long time ago
Driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence. It comes from a European directive that all drivers must be competent to drive, and must carry a card which certifies that they have had the required training. Every 5 years a driver must complete 35 hours of recognised professional training in order to qualify for a card.
ORC:
chris54:
Excuse my ignorants guys but whats this DCPC thingy,i left the UK a long time ago
Driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence. It comes from a European directive that all drivers must be competent to drive, and must carry a card which certifies that they have had the required training. Every 5 years a driver must complete 35 hours of recognised professional training in order to qualify for a card.[/quot
Cheers ORC, i recognise it now,we have the same,every 5 years,1 week course to keep up with the industry,
You saying that about the weather. My first solo trip out had to pick this truck up from Lubbock TX. Wind had picked up the empty trailer and swung it round into the unit. It had been made ‘roadworthy’ and I had to drive it back up after dropping the rental off.
Pat Hasler:
I can’t understand the childish and smarmy attitude of some of the guys on the top forum ? A lot of time when I give a quite logical comment on a topic I am met with insults from those who think I know nothing about the UK side of the industry, I lived and worked there until I reached 45 years old, I started in transport in 1975, I am still in touch with lot’s of mates who still drive over there and even senior transport management including one CEO of a large transport company, all keep me informed of current situations. These same idiots seem to be happy to inform me of their knowledge of the USA even though the only knowledge they have of this country is what they have either read or their experiences on their holiday in Florida … so in fact they know sweet FA about America.
They just annoy me. Rant over.
Expat living and driving in Perth Australia - Just asked a question and some of the reply’s were uncalled for got told I was a spammer, even though I was asking a genuine question…Well it was my first post and will be my last as can’t be bothered speaking to morans…shame as this seems like a great forum being ruin by a few !!!