Hi
This week I broke down in France, the starter burnt out so was unable to start the truck. A driver from Fly by Night stopped at the services for fuel and seeing my cab up came round to the parking area to see if he could help. He spent some time with me but unfortunately the truck wasn’t going to start. I didn’t get the drivers name but a big thanks to him anyway. Yesterday morning an Irish owner driver offered to give me a tow start but my air was too low, however he used his airline to blow my tanks up and eventually we got the truck started. This driver spent at least an hour helping me in pouring rain. He wouldn’t take anything for his trouble and this really does restore faith in people, so John if you read this a very big thank you. The next problem was getting back to the UK. I was booked on the train so that wasn’t a possibility.I went to P&O and asked if I could go open deck and leave it running. First they said no but then made a phone call and it was approved. The bad bit was british border agency when told to go in the scanner. I told him of the problem with turning the engine off and basically he told me I was a liar as I wouldn’t be allowed on the ferry with the engine running and if i didn’t do as told he would give my truck to vosa and they would take it off me. I was covered in oil from lying under the truck, the showers on the ferry being out of use, (european seaway) and wasn’t best pleased with him. Fortunately his supervisor was in earshot (otherwise i might have been locked up now) and came over and told me to just leave it running but it was not believable that I left it running on the ferry.
Another part to this is I have full european breakdoen cover and it wasn’t worth the paper its written on. For a failed starter motor all they could offer was recovery at a cost of over 1000euro + parts + labour in total about 200Euro.
I had stripped the starter and all i wanted was a new one bringing out to me and it would have been cheaper for a friend to bring it from home than use the insurance. Im trying to claim some of my costs but they tell me they don’t pay towards parts and labour and they only pay a maximum £350 towards recovery.
Anyway a big thank you to everyone that helped
Graham
glad you got sorted.
i think it’s a bit of a myth about people being unhelpful and selfish nowadays.
i’ve helped out a few lads in the past. i think it’s just part of the job. and i’m sure most other drivers will feel the same way.
but i can understand where you’re coming from regarding the UKBA.
it dosn’t matter what you say, it’s greeted with suspicion.
In your case Limey, justifiably 
I had a DAF 310 that the engine could not be switched off,the floor button had broken,i was asleep in a layby in France with the motor running,and awoke to a a swarm of Douanes,they said i was keeping the motor running to make a run for it.
I was escorted to the Douanes centre in Rennes,cab and trailer searched,they found nothing and ran off,with me to rebuild the tilt on my own.
I have had a problem on P&O before and they have been quite helpful with a jump starter, they just plugged it into the ships electrics and started the truck, no cost and no problems.
If the exhaust/stop button fails on a DAF you can still stall it.
It is great to know there are some some helpful blokes down the road.
toby1234abc:
I had a DAF 310 that the engine could not be switched off,the floor button had broken
We’ve all had those Toby, we normally just used to select top gear and then stall them.
Glad you got it sorted Graham, i had the same problem last week just outside Frankfurt in a sprinter with the turbo blown, european breakdown could only get me to the nearest garage 
, so it was roll the sleeves up and bypass the turbo,had a friend in Paderborn who said his mechanic would be able to get me a secondhand turbo but couldnt garantee it,so i took the drive home without a turbo option, 580mile at 48 mph, i left it till after 8pm to give the big wheelers chance to park up or overtake me but took me just over 18 hrs (driving) to get back as soon as the time hit 6am i just pulled over and parked up and waited for the overtaking ban to finish then started again
Stuart Smith or the Animal who was killed on the way to Maroc,hit a broken down bus,he was a legend with a heart of gold that would help me rebuild tilts in what we called the gypsy park for British International trailers,in Porto.
I did not like the father and son Aldridge family that would make out some robber came in the cab and cut out thier trouser pockets while they slept in their Iveco Turbostars,apparently their “running money” had to be replaced,i used to believe the story as they came in crying to Manuela and Isobella in the BI office in Leca de Palmeria.
it’s really good to here a story like that.
as for the border agency, i would of inform them that the engine will not restart due to the starter and left it at that. if they told me to turn it off, i’d say it again, that the starter is ■■■■■■. they then tell my to turn it off with the threat of VOSA, i’d say “fine the engine is being turned off, and will not restart due to said starter” and then turn it off and leave it to them to sort out.
toby1234abc:
I had a DAF 310 that the engine could not be switched off,the floor button had broken,i was asleep in a layby in France with the motor running,and awoke to a a swarm of Douanes,they said i was keeping the motor running to make a run for it.
I was escorted to the Douanes centre in Rennes,cab and trailer searched,they found nothing and ran off,with me to rebuild the tilt on my own.
And VOSA chalked me off in a TESCO RDC when I run out of hours. 
i thought stalling it would damage it.
It might if you use a lamp post or wall to stall it
toby1234abc:
i thought stalling it would damage it.
Running it for God knows how long at tick over wouldn’t do it a lot of good either.
