Last week I was an hour and a half early at a delivery. Just like sometimes it’s out of control for being late this was out of my control for bein early. Couldn’t park any longer where I was and then there was nothing I found either available or suitable on the way.
So the man at the gate house says “you know your very early don’t you?” With the look of thunder in his face. I didn’t respond, ie state the obvious why not. 2 minutes later he repeats “you know your very early don’t you?” I said “yep!” 
He then slams the paperwork down on his desk and says “well good luck to you, sign there driver”.
So I go and park and go to the goods in office thinking it’s the end of the world or something for bein early and that im going to get sent away. They say, “no problem driver, straight on bay 27 please”.
I love it. Brightens the days up!
Par for the course.
Arrive early for a specified time and its “Oh your early driver. We’re not ready for you, you’ll just need to wait. Be here at the proper time next time” yet if you arrive at the proper time, they will think nothing of keeping you sitting for an hour and a half after your booked time.
Dont you know specified delivery times only work one way?
I just love these officious gatemen, who think they are soooo important with their pseudo military uniforms, and minimum wage. 
If I had seen ‘‘thunder in his face’’ , I would have tried to look as disinterested and nonchalant as possible, and said ‘‘I wouldn’t bother your arse about it mate, as I don’t give a ■■■■ to be honest’’
Just to bring him down to earth, and generally ■■■■ him off. 
And if they said they would be a while so you need to wait, tell them to wake you up when they are ready (even if you ARE in a hurry) guarantee you they will give you a shout within 10 to 15 mins.
Haha yes. The thing was, I wasn’t in a hurry, I wasn’t wanting/expecting to get tipped early. Just didn’t want the attitude. Was quite happy to park and wait. It just made me laugh when goods in saw it as no issue whatsoever after he’d made a big deal out of it.
A couple of years ago we had a regular tip for three or four motors on Saturday mornings at Amazon at Swansea.
You were given a delivery time that gave you half an hour either side. We used to leave Stoke with plenty of time, then park up on the M4 services so we could drop into Amazon within the time slot.
All well and good, but once you were in there it could take all ■■■■■■■ day to get tipped.
If they could not tip us within our shift time, our office would tell us to pull out and bring the load back to Stoke.
This happened to me three weeks on the trot, with the same load!
When I brought it back the third time, we delivered it back to the customer and told them to get some other ■■■■■■ to deliver it, we’ve not been back there since!
Pity really as I was getting used to a fifteen hour shift at Saturday rate!
bestbooties:
A couple of years ago we had a regular tip for three or four motors on Saturday mornings at Amazon at Swansea.
You were given a delivery time that gave you half an hour either side. We used to leave Stoke with plenty of time, then park up on the M4 services so we could drop into Amazon within the time slot.
All well and good, but once you were in there it could take all [zb] day to get tipped.
If they could not tip us within our shift time, our office would tell us to pull out and bring the load back to Stoke.
This happened to me three weeks on the trot, with the same load!
When I brought it back the third time, we delivered it back to the customer and told them to get some other [zb] to deliver it, we’ve not been back there since!
Pity really as I was getting used to a fifteen hour shift at Saturday rate!
If a genuine ‘non sham’ WTD rule had been implemented (and adjusted from other industry’s rules to adapt to Road Haulage) this would not have happened. But no, we were shafted by the POA rule (which I personally refuse to use) to appease these type of Major players like Amazon and Tesco, rather than tell the bastds to get their act together with quick turnarounds due to WTD hours, when unloading trucks. 
The clever bit was we are still ‘allowed’ to work excessive hours, but at the same time, on the surface thanks to POA, it looks as if we are not, and looks as if the WTD is a definite entity when it is in fact a ■■■■ big con.
You cannot knock the craftiness of the powers that be can you.
I turn up at sites hours early quite often, as far as i’m concerned it’s better to present yourself on the off-chance of getting sorted early than wait around (unless it suits of course…). Worse they can do is tell you to go away.
I managed to get the security guard at P&G Trafford Park overruled the other week after the arguing the toss (I was only doing a drop & swap…), the look of distain in his face made my day 
rob22888:
I turn up at sites hours early quite often, as far as i’m concerned it’s better to present yourself on the off-chance of getting sorted early than wait around (unless it suits of course…). Worse they can do is tell you to go away.
I managed to get the security guard at P&G Trafford Park overruled the other week after the arguing the toss (I was only doing a drop & swap…), the look of distain in his face made my day
old Jeff with grey hair? Or stephen with a bald head? Or the gaffer mark? Power trip gone mad! 
Rowley010:
Last week I was an hour and a half early at a delivery. Just like sometimes it’s out of control for being late this was out of my control for bein early. Couldn’t park any longer where I was and then there was nothing I found either available or suitable on the way.
So the man at the gate house says “you know your very early don’t you?” With the look of thunder in his face. I didn’t respond, ie state the obvious why not. 2 minutes later he repeats “you know your very early don’t you?” I said “yep!”
He then slams the paperwork down on his desk and says “well good luck to you, sign there driver”.
So I go and park and go to the goods in office thinking it’s the end of the world or something for bein early and that im going to get sent away. They say, “no problem driver, straight on bay 27 please”.
I love it. Brightens the days up!
sounds like your typical security guard,some are as thick as pxxxxxt,not saying he was but I am sure other drivers have tales of their experience with security guards who look for an argument or try to spoil your day
Long time ago ran washing machines from Italy to Dublin…and my ■■■■■■■■ of a boss booked me on the cairn ferry to Northern Ireland…longest route…got there in the morning 11 ish Security told me it’s a pm delivery … just asked him where the washroom was
Love it when someone refers to me as ‘driver’, yes forklift driver, warehouseman, gateman ect is the reply…some people really dont even have the savvy to address some one in a friendly manner… and as for ‘drive’ its usually who the ■■■■ is that■■?
I like it if im late and they say you should have been here a hour ago . I just say really why what happened
Years ago, turned up at a building site on a Friday afternoon, by the time I’d got my sheets folded the wagon was empty.
Usually works for me but today I’m 2 hours early and have been forked off. They said I could return in an hour to try it but bollox to em they’ve had their chance.
Further shenanigans to follow if I open the box door and it’s handball I’m pulling out as fast as me todger when the mother in law walks in. (Hmm that doesn’t quite read as intended, oh well).
Full drama queen mode today.
Driver-Once-More:
Years ago, turned up at a building site on a Friday afternoon, by the time I’d got my sheets folded the wagon was empty.
and, it was all handball bags of cement!
Just been turned away from Poundland, Harlow, because I’m 45 minutes early, took me nearly 20 minutes to get to the Bloody Gatehouse, behind 3 other wagons [emoji57]
Oh well, I’ll have another go @ 16.30.
martinviking:
Just been turned away from Poundland, Harlow, because I’m 45 minutes early, took me nearly 20 minutes to get to the Bloody Gatehouse, behind 3 other wagons [emoji57]
Oh well, I’ll have another go @ 16.30.
Strange! I’ve been there hours early and been straight on a bay. Suppose Depends on the mood there
I once had a security guard once say to me
“and what makes you think i’m not going to nick you” I replied “because your not a copper”
Chunkzilla:
martinviking:
Just been turned away from Poundland, Harlow, because I’m 45 minutes early, took me nearly 20 minutes to get to the Bloody Gatehouse, behind 3 other wagons [emoji57]
Oh well, I’ll have another go @ 16.30.
Strange! I’ve been there hours early and been straight on a bay. Suppose Depends on the mood there
I’ve had similar there. Not only did she tell me to come back an hour later, she then told me to ‘go on bay 9 when the truck on it leaves’ . So I parked opposite bay 9 and waited. And waited… whilst other trucks arrived and moved unto other bays. After 2 hours the shunter interupts my breakfast and you tube watching, asking why I wasn’t getting on a free bay?
The language he used to describe the gatehouse lady was, lets say ‘robust’