its a fact that when you turn up for your first shift at a new place, newbies and especially agency drivers aren’t always welcomed with open arms. sometimes we are treated as outsiders.
but sometimes one of the drivers or a few of them who remember what it was like will go out of their way to help you out and show you the ropes. one of the drivers at my place did just that, so I always go out of my way to repay the favor.
I had just got back to the yard this morning and was on my way home when I came across the fella who helped me. he looked ill, no color in the face, in fact he looked like he was going to jump off the nearest bridge and end it all, so I went over for a natter and gave him a smoke. he was waiting for one of the managers to get in so he could give a statement.
it turns out that last night he went out as normal to his first drop and a pallet had gone over. I asked if he checked the load before he went (we have all cut corners to save time) he said he had checked it and knew the pallet was high and top heavy but secured it as best he could. so he had to handball it off and ended up taking ages so he was miles behind. so he decided to put his foot down a bit to make up, I’m not talking about going berserk in built up areas, but doing 56 out in the sticks on single A roads where the limit is 40. it was the early hours and the roads would have been nigh on empty. I’ve done it myself and the cops usually turn a blind eye. but he showed me the ticket, he must have run into the wrong cop on the wrong day.
he said at that point he had given up. by the time the cop had finished with him he knew there was no way he was going to pull the time back, so he carried on to where he always pulls in for his 45 when he’s on that run. it sounded like a truckstop or a MSA. he parked up, got some grub and feeling much better went back to the truck to finish off. that is when he found out he had had a visit from the diesel fairy, who had also sliced a smile down the side of his curtain and the thieving scum had helped themselves to some of the contents.
I was genuinely gutted for the guy. normally I make light of things and cheer folk up, this time I didn’t see the funny side. he has been there for years without an incident and now this! the only thing I could do to repay the kindness he showed me was to nip to the garage and get him a pack of ■■■■ because he couldn’t go off site. I wished him well and tried to reassure him that they won’t sack him.
as if the jobs not hard enough without scum doing things like that.
