Yesterday, whilst sat bored to tears in Felixstowe docks I posted this question on FB, some of the responses I got was actually quite astonishing, so I thought I’d post it as a wider post here.
isn’t it sad when your social life consists of either facebook or your workmates?
sad init . never saw my little girl grow up till she was nine , you get home friday or sat morn knackered after spending all week in a box cant have a drink in case your running sunday dinner . but after all that you are your own boss as they say better than clocking on in a factory staring at the clock on the wall
Good lad. Told ya its worth a punt.
it’s not possible to have a normal social life if you’ve got no idea what time (or if!) you’ll get home. my mates have recently started going circuit training and asked if i wanted to come along. i can’t commit to going every week because i might not be back in time to go 
god knows i could do with some sort of exercise!! on the other hand, i can still keep in touch with (or abuse) many more people on facebook than i could before 
Don’t use FB at all and only occasionally socialise with one workmate. All my other socialising is non work related so maybe my life isn’t as sad as I thought it was. 
Weather it’s sad or not depends on why you do this job and the sort of person you are. I do this job because it’s my dream job and I love being alone, I think it’s sad people being stuck in jobs they hate and having to get blind drunk every weekend to numb the boredom of their lives. But each to their own I suppose.
It’s not just Truckers, a good friend of mine works for Westfield on the Olympic site at Stratford, he leaves home at 6 in the morning and gets home at about 8-9 at night…He is not a Trucker…
You have to make the most of what you have…Other people/ Trades work just as hard and just as long hours but we do tend to look through Rose tinted Glasses sometimes don’t we??
I find socialising with workmates is easier, when you’re off they’re off, other mates work 9-5 i work 7-7 and rarely want to go out when i’m home. I still see them from time to time but its more a case of making a special occasion rather then a swift one at the pub.
I find or found it easier to have mates away from haulage, they may ask you where you had been or going next, but a simple France or Poland would suffice. With a trucker mate you have to explain, which ferry, which border, which agent and they always have a better suggestion. 
I use the same tactic with the wife.
When she asks where I am going. I simply reply “OUT”
Although Facebook is a handy tool to use for socialising, I think Skype is much better Especially for keeping in touch with the kids if they have access to a PC with webcam as it gives you the free telephone service through the internet.
When I was driving it was away at 4am Monday and back around 3pm Friday missing all the social life and seeing the kids grow up, in all honesty I’m pleased to be out of the transport industry now, and still use the likes of skype for keeping in touch with the family in the UK although my 2 yr old grand daughter still cant understand how she can talk to me and see me on the computer Lol
Wheel Nut:
When she asks where I am going. I simply reply “OUT”
Has she ever said …“don`t come back”?
Definitely a case of the grass is always greener, I am far happier driving artics than I was in my previous life in engineering, working 3 to 4 weeks at a time without a day off, getting home after my daughter had gone to bed and out again before she got up. Being on 24 hour call a couple of times a week,which meant more often than not the phone going at 2 in the morning and having to go into work to a breakdown, or going into work at 8am and if there was a big breakdown at the plant not getting home until 8am the next day (and believe me that did used to happen) and the worst part,having to spend all your working days with people you can’t stand
I’m totally unsociable, so it doesn’t affect me… 
Most of my mates are not drivers although we do use facebook to keep in touch & arrange nights out etc but if any of us cant make it that night it dosent matter there is always another time
I have never socialised with the people I work with
I’m of the opposite opinion.
Fact is we are truckers, end of! Yes the job makes life difficult, i admit that!
But Facebook makes thinks better in some ways. take Mr Vain here, i would never have spoken to Rob were it not for TN or FB.
As it stands i’ve actually met Rob in person and had a good chat with him. Now when i flash at him down the road, i know ho i’m flashing at!
Therefore FB and TN is a power of good in my book!
As for trucking having a bad effect on peoples’ social life’s■■? YES! Work hurts!
Spending a saturday night on a truckers forum don’t help your social life either don’t ya think 
Coffeeholic:
Don’t use FB at all and only occasionally socialise with one workmate. All my other socialising is non work related so maybe my life isn’t as sad as I thought it was.
Socialising here is different for drivers. I do eat in NYC with fellow drivers who are there for the night just as I am, one of them is also on here (Longwayround). When I worked in the UK midweek nights out we were always in either a truckstop with a bar or a pub somewhere. On a layover/night out here truckstops dont have bars (except a very tiny percentage) no body mixes, you shower, eat and spend the night shut in your cab, there’s no sense of comradery amongst drivers here.
I am luck in the fact that I get homw every friday and stay till monday most weeks and spend time with my wife and kids, there’s no pubs like good old England, just sleazy bars where guys go to sit and get drunk then start a fight (usually with me becasue I’m an immigrant) or you can go to a diner to have a meal and a beer but it’s not like home. … I miss England
isn’t it sad when your social life consists of either facebook or your workmates?
Its even sadder if you have’nt got any friends to add to your FB profile 
Was it something I said
Well, I have been off of the road since June after 25 years and although I am sure it will cause me problems further down the line it is just fantastic for now to re-discover the joys of having a girlfriend, friends, going out to gigs, picking the kids up from school, having a life.
I am not sure if I will drive a truck again but my days of devoting my life to it are well and truly over.
SamIam:
isn’t it sad when your social life consists of either facebook or your workmates?
Its even sadder if you have’nt got any friends to add to your FB profile
Was it something I said
Aww!
You wouldn’t like my facebook page Sam, it is full of crap