So, as if there isn’t enough to contend with these days in trying to run a haulage business efficiently (don’t laugh), we now have the Tour de France in England causing disruption. I have had two loads cancelled for Monday because of this so-called “World’s Biggest Sporting Event”. That’s two vehicles out of 16 with loads postponed for 24 hours, so 2 drivers with no wages earned on Monday, and 2 vehicles not earning revenue for the company. Those promoting this “event” claim it will boost the economy by £millions, (but what about the cost of resurfacing the roads that these superstars will use?)and what about those of us losing money because of it. This country seems more interested in sporting events these days rather in working. 
I might be missing something here but do you only pay your blokes if the vehicle is working? What are they all, Romanians?
David
I always thought the Tour de France was a cycle race in France. Why bring it to the UK.We have the Milk Race and other cycling events in this country.
I remember in the late 60’s being pulled up by the police along with other vehicles, because the milk race was coming through,and lost about 45 minutes sat waiting to be allowed to carry on with my journey.
Yes you are missing something, if you read it correctly I put “no wages earned”, nothing about not paying them. They will be paid 9 hours each, but they will each lose a night out allowance. And no, I do not employ Romanians so please withdraw your insunation that I employ cheap labour.
David Miller:
I might be missing something here but do you only pay your blokes if the vehicle is working? What are they all, Romanians?David
LOL 
gingerfold:
Yes you are missing something, if you read it correctly I put “no wages earned”, nothing about not paying them. They will be paid 9 hours each, but they will each lose a night out allowance. And no, I do not employ Romanians so please withdraw your insunation that I employ cheap labour.
I used to, but they all went back to Poland 
In the paper yesterday Teresa May’s Dept. announced that during the London Olympics they hired 3,500 hotel rooms around London including 856 rooms at Holiday inn Express Gatwick and 350 rooms at another hotel at Standstead these were just in case there was a Security Alert now for the good bit total cost was £350.000 and not one of them was used what a total waste of public money. Now we are saddled with one in Glasgow where they have demolished houses etc. There is Strathclyde Park on the outskirts of Glasgow why could they not have built it on there. I am of the same opinion as you re.they spend far to much on it also if they win a gold they are made a Lord or Lady . Oh aye look at whats happened with Lord Wiggins hasny managed to qualify says it all eh. Eddie.
Well that’s alright then - but to me ‘no wages earned’ means no money.
David
Tell us it often enough and we’ll eventually believe it: Turkey is in Europe and Yorkshire is in France. Robert
erfguy:
In the paper yesterday Teresa May’s Dept. announced that during the London Olympics they hired 3,500 hotel rooms around London including 856 rooms at Holiday inn Express Gatwick and 350 rooms at another hotel at Standstead these were just in case there was a Security Alert now for the good bit total cost was £350.000 and not one of them was used what a total waste of public money. Now we are saddled with one in Glasgow where they have demolished houses etc. There is Strathclyde Park on the outskirts of Glasgow why could they not have built it on there. I am of the same opinion as you re.they spend far to much on it also if they win a gold they are made a Lord or Lady . Oh aye look at whats happened with Lord Wiggins hasny managed to qualify says it all eh. Eddie.
Hi Eddie, glad someone mentioned the commonwealth games in Glasgow, its a nightmare living in the East End just now, its unbelievable what they are doing to stage this fiasco, and the money being spent, have a look on this web site Commonwealth Games Secret Scotland, its a good read money seems to be no object.
Les.
Hi Les had a look at that makes you wonder whats going on they cant find money for some nurses or to help with the poverty in the country but they can throw millions at something like that. Eddie.
David Miller:
I might be missing something here but do you only pay your blokes if the vehicle is working? What are they all, Romanians?David
Hiya David Miller just read your quote I think you were one of the lucky ones I think to get paid
while waiting.Like I think there must be 1’000s of dvrs out there who never got paid,and when they
did it was next to nowt.Trip money out to the M/E. Tipper dvrs were the worst done by getting told
the rate wasn’t any good when all the time you new different.Thats one of reasons there was no respect
shown to the bosses.Which then created big dvr turnovers.
Take care.
GUESTY44 
Over the years of the '70’s and '80’s many of us must have lost thousands of £’s transiting France. Lots of Drivers Strikes and Rolling Road Blocks. Many times more than the one day that it effects areas of this country. But hey oh that’s life eh ? 
Archie Paice:
Over the years of the '70’s and '80’s many of us must have lost thousands of £’s transiting France. Lots of Drivers Strikes and Rolling Road Blocks. Many times more than the one day that it effects areas of this country. But hey oh that’s life eh ?
Hiya Archie Bowker was about the only one who paid us when we got
weekended.Through no fault of our own.
GUESTY44.
Guesty44:
Archie Paice:
Over the years of the '70’s and '80’s many of us must have lost thousands of £’s transiting France. Lots of Drivers Strikes and Rolling Road Blocks. Many times more than the one day that it effects areas of this country. But hey oh that’s life eh ?Hiya Archie Bowker was about the only one who paid us when we got
weekended.Through no fault of our own.
GUESTY44.
Hi Guesty44,
Yes I’m sure you got paid for weekends, so did the Drivers on the firm I was subbing for, at the time MAT, (Cliff Leader, ex Bowkers, was the Boss) In my case as an Owner Driver it was all down to me to sort it out, mind you I was paid well by MAT. It was’nt so much the weekends, it was the French Drivers, if they went on strike the they just closed the road, or set up a rolling road block. That sort of carry on was even a problem for Bowkers, and every other company that were transiting France. In the late '70’s and early '80’s it was happening quite a lot. Lost time is lost revenue. But it’s all a long time ago and we all got through it. But it is nothing like not being able to load a lorry for one day, a day that had been advertised for weeks before. Surely enough time for people to plan their operations, to minimise the problem.
When will people knuckle down & realize- if you got it a bike brought it!!
I’m sure you are right about the luck Guesty but there was also a touch of selection. I worked, deliberately, only for companies that respected their drivers and paid them for what they did. I thought that was fair all round. When the time came I paid my drivers on the same principle.
Of course I appreciate that I am old, smelly and retired and nothing that we did counts for anything now but I still believe that a fair days pay for a fair days work is a good motto for both sides. It is also notable. these days, that some groups of employees take this thought even further - Bankers for example.
The laybys these days are full of weekended East Europeans not earning a brass button for being there but that don’t make it right. There would be a whole lot less if we drivers had ever had a union that was worth a ■■■■ and who were prepared to work for the good of their members and not to score points for the Labour party.
David
harry:
When will people knuckle down & realize- if you got it a bike brought it!!
Come Harry stop given them ideas , the M1 will look like the National Route 1 Vietnam !
R Jimski
Wow!, what mixed comments on this subject, some for and many against the tour-de-France or tour-le-france as it’s called in France, being a retired old git I can see both sides of the argument, I’ve seen what happens in France when they do there thing, like “mostly going on strike” and not giving a toss about anyone but them selves, most of us old gits have been there and have the Tshirts to go with them, the one time I was taken back was going down from Paris towards Macon when the traffic almost stopped, the motorway was full of “farmers” doing there thing protesting by going slow down the motorway, again not giving a toss about the confusion behind them, but regarding the Tour being in this country it will be a “one off” event, in most places it was history in the making, and many local businesses did make a few bob, but the disruption was only for half a day, as I say once in a lifetime, I was there in West Tanfield N Yorks and the place was only closed down on the route the bikes were on, I can understand not everyone liking it, I’m not a cyclist myself but it was still a great event to see people from all over Europe were there in the crowds, regarding being paid for standing still for a few hours we at A1 didnt have much of a problem because our wages were the same all year round, and regarding expenses of we were stood for too long due to things like this including strikes we were given a few quid extra so we didn’t go short, but regarding the company missing out on loads that’s something to take up with the guy’s in Westminster, you may not get anywhere but it’s worth a try, also if it takes a push-bike race to get roads repaired then I’m all for it, because us guy’s who actually “pay road tax” get nothing for what we do, may-be it’s time to put it all behind into history because it sure as hell wont happen again, I know sitting on the top of Mont-Blanc for 10 days hasn’t happened again in the great French drivers strike, Ask Les Millin’s we was there up to our necks in snow and there was absolutely nothing we could do about it for 10 days but look back and have a laugh about it today. :-Jack 