Just wondering if anyone can relate to this connundrum i’ve encountered.I have a steady number for a medium sized container firm in Southampton.not the best of payers but the work is extremely doable and mostly toing and froing to the nicer parts of blighty,ie the west country which I enjoy.Thing is I just had a test drive for a far better paying outfit nearby that I have long wanted to work for and it helps that they put new recruits through the cpc as well as paying for the days attended.All nice and humane.
During the test drive the assessor asks how I’m fixed for early starts which is a bone of contention with me as I don’t generally perform well if I have to rise before 4 am.I tend to tail off after a few months and start feeling unwell especially if there’s too much variability in the shift patterns.Not much I can do about that,I thought that was the very reason the new rules were introduced for?,but theres the rub,every firm seems to have an ‘opt out’ by default,great for insommniacs I guess not so good for those of us used to more ‘reasonable’ start times.but the chances of getting the job are pretty skant if I reasonably suggested that pre 4 am starts are not my thing.
How can this situation be tolerated if everyone elects to be up and running at all hours? I mean driving is fundamentally knackering at the best of times,but pre 4 am’s are hideously damaging as I well remember from my Euro-fridge days.Am I alone in thinking this situation illustrates the sheer evil that underpins our game.turning us into essentially robot drones all because of cynically implemented,cack handed legislation;riddled with loopholes?
Each to their own but I prefer early starts,1am onwards suits me fine as I like to finish early and I’m used to it by now. Didn’t start till 1130am this morning and I’m absolutely knackered all ready,my body clock is all over the place. No,early starts better for me,less ■■■■■■■■■ on the road that time and I get to miss most of the traffic.
jase:
Each to their own but I prefer early starts,1am onwards suits me fine as I like to finish early and I’m used to it by now. Didn’t start till 1130am this morning and I’m absolutely knackered all ready,my body clock is all over the place. No,early starts better for me,less [zb] on the road that time and I get to miss most of the traffic.
Fair ooes but the process of getting used to it would have been painful until you achieved an unatural state of accommodation with the situation regardless of the physical toll it can and will take on you at some point.
If I had a yen for your type of patterns I would find a company like yours,but the issue is why is it a given that you have to ‘opt out’? You just would’nt be engaged by the majority of firms in Southampton if you stuck to your guns and demanded a more humane start time.It aint big and it aint clever to ■■■■ with your body clock.
I’d be surprised if the new company are expecting pre 4am starts either, they’re paying for DCPC and your time to do it, that sounds like a proper company TBH, did you push the assessor for more details?
I’d be surprised if the new company are expecting pre 4am starts either, they’re paying for DCPC and your time to do it, that sounds like a proper company TBH, did you push the assessor for more details?
Not exactly but I think he guessed from my reaction my general feeling with the matter but as i was being drive tested,it did’nt seem the ideal time for the minutea of t’s & c’s to be discussed as was perhaps needed.Upshot seems to be that anyone prepared to work unhealthy hours gets ahead of the queue,I could be wrong obviously but the words ‘‘you scratch their backs,they’’…etc,was used by way of explanation.
I’m still struggling to understand how my present employer expects us to pay and attend,unpaid,the cursed cpc?if you spend a week tramping and can only attend saturday sessions when completely knackered,htf can this be even legal?
I detest early starts with a passion. I find a week of 4am or even earlier starts to be extremely debilitating, maybe because I lack the discipline to go to bed at 7pm, but I feel I give enough to the job without missing out on what paltry social life I have left!
I actually spat my dummy out and took yesterday off unpaid after my 4am start Monday followed by them telling me to get back to the yard as they needed the motor for nights. I finished at 18.30 and they wanted me back out for a 0330 start. I know it’s legal but as I was in a ■■■■■ mood I asked if they had a spare driver, they said yes so I told them to put him on it and I’d have one off.
the maoster:
I detest early starts with a passion. I find a week of 4am or even earlier starts to be extremely debilitating, maybe because I lack the discipline to go to bed at 7pm, but I feel I give enough to the job without missing out on what paltry social life I have left!
I actually spat my dummy out and took yesterday off unpaid after my 4am start Monday followed by them telling me to get back to the yard as they needed the motor for nights. I finished at 18.30 and they wanted me back out for a 0330 start. I know it’s legal but as I was in a ■■■■■ mood I asked if they had a spare driver, they said yes so I told them to put him on it and I’d have one off.
And that’s assuming you get any kip when finishing early.I use earplugs but that gives no rin fenced immunity from the noise levels,knob heads tooting horns,emergency vehicles,Nathan Nike in his Corsa Testarossa etc.
the maoster:
I detest early starts with a passion. I find a week of 4am or even earlier starts to be extremely debilitating, maybe because I lack the discipline to go to bed at 7pm, but I feel I give enough to the job without missing out on what paltry social life I have left!
I actually spat my dummy out and took yesterday off unpaid after my 4am start Monday followed by them telling me to get back to the yard as they needed the motor for nights. I finished at 18.30 and they wanted me back out for a 0330 start. I know it’s legal but as I was in a ■■■■■ mood I asked if they had a spare driver, they said yes so I told them to put him on it and I’d have one off.
I’ve just started a new job and was told it’s nights.
I said Ok but I wouldn’t be happy on them for ever and left it open. Give him his dues he said fair enough but we’ll get the new contract up and running first.
So for now I’m happy. If after a year and there is no change then I’ll see where I stand. But getting a job, with a good firm, with a good reputation, generally treats it’s drivers well and pays you for attending free CPC courses was more of a priority than doing days.
Our shift change is at 4am so the day driver doesn’t get much of a personal life anyway. We both work hard and make the most of our three off.
I’d take it and see where it goes, the container firm in Southampton that the agency sent be to was quite flexible with their own drivers, they knew who liked early starts and who didn’t.
Come on if you know you aren’t going to like it stick with what you have. Happiness over money every time. There’s very little in life that is worth being unhappy for - work isn’t one of them…
Who in their right mind wants to be starting at them times in the morning is beyond me! As already said your body is not programmed for them conditions or is that just me being a lazy sod! I would stay where you are, moneys not everything believe me
scared for THEIR JOBS! 
non unionised 
too many cab happy pricks wanting to do 71/ 84 hours for £450 
I would stay where you are, moneys not everything believe me 