Wheelnutt, do you deliver to tosco or asda or any RDC, that you can comment on the facts said?
Any way it’s good fun to sit in the waiting room and here all the war story’s from all the ex sas and sbs lads in there
wheelnutt:
Stop fighting these RDC procedures, just accept them and get on with it, if you don’t someone else will happily do so in your place.
No, sorry but I’ve never been a bend over man. Just because they are a large organisation with lots of people trying to justify their jobs does not make them right. If they all sang from the same songsheet then it might not be so bloody annoying but they don’t, they all make up their own silly rules which are generally totally missing the point or irrelevant.
The person willing to take my place is more than welcome to it to be perfectly frank because this job isn’t really worth the hassle any more. The pleasure has been sucked out of the job by all the do gooders and health and safety freaks.
There are a lot of issues in this industry, some we like, and some we dont, and on saying that, i have made a stand on many issues, and been called a rebel, accused of inciting, lost many jobs because of my stands, walked away from many jobs, never abandoned 1 single truck, and often told the boss, stick your job up your backside if it didnt suit, not one ever said, I like your stand only got applause from other drivers, and often escorted from sites.
The most humiliating was, when i was at a Sainsburys depot, and told i was going to have to give DNA, did i make yet another stand, I won in the end, but it was a word misrepresentation, made by security, but i did learn that Sainsburys drivers, and ANYBODY who enters one of their depots, can and will be subject to their terms, which include, DRUG and ALCOHOL testing, and cab searches. I had this done there and it cost them £600 for a flying doctor so they will go to any lengths, and costs, to get satisfaction, so refusing any requests, at any RDC, will get you nowhere, they are bigger than you, bigger than your boss, and you are dispensible, but it has taken many years, and lots of heartache, to come to this conclusion, i am still fighting for truckers rights, believe me, i do care about this industry, i spent many years in it, and its not right that drivers are not treated with the respect we deserve, or the facilities we crave, but i will fight, bombard the right departments until i drive them mad, and maybe, just maybe make someone take notice.
It’s all a load of bollox:lol:
If any of your personal belongings went missing having followed the ‘site t&c’s’ I bet no party would accept liability & compensate…!
I had some complete arsewipe at a rdc argue the toss with me. I had 8 pallets in a box trailer and they put me on a side tip bay as they don’t tip on the other bays. Forkie asks for my keys. I tell him to get lost. Why on earth would I give my keys to someone while I am tipping in the back of the trailer?
Manager came out and told me they will not tip. Shut doors fold steps away, walking back to the cab he shouted “bay 16 drive.”
Tossers
Look if a forkie or goods in clerk asks for your keys you lock you cab ensure handbrake and trailer brake is on and hand them in.
Yes its daft but they have spent a few quid on elf and safety to determine this is the best thing to do, agree or disagree is irrelevant the company you drive for is providing a service (and being paid for it) and its up to you to present a good company image by obeying the rules on any site your visit.
Drivers getting ideas above their station doesn’t play well with me, do as your told or we will find somebody who does (probably Romanian).
Seriously you are only a driver when the wheels are turning, the rest of the time you are redundant.
Course I always hand in a dodgy set just in case I need to get out of the place sharpish due to a personal emergency in which case not even a closed security barrier would stand in my way. 
I use to load on a Saturday morning at yoe valley chedder with their waste packaging, walking floor on a loading bay! I had to put a red line air lock on then take my keys inside and then I would be there helping with the pallet trucks load it, but the leys had to hung on the hook by the door. there was normally only 4 people on site at the weekend!! me, security guard and 2 guys sorting the pallets h&s over kill 
Yep its daft but designed to protect the last escapee from Darwins net (the OP of this thread for instance is a prime example).
We are responsible for the safety of others on a daily basis and if some stupid H & S rules mean we have to hand a set of keys in to comply then so be it.
Getting banned from site at some locations is a blessing in disguise… 
Why don’t all yards have yard marshalls who among other things, go around making sure red air lines are off connected combinations on bays…
Handing your keys in does NOT prevent a “drive off” incident where a handbrake might get released, and the combination rolls off the bay during tipping… Driver is in the cooler, having handed in the keys… Who’s at fault? Firm didn’t make sure the handbrake was on. They only wanted the keys, and to blame anything then happening anyway on the driver.
Suizie locks on all vehicles as they tip - and hey presto, all drivers can keep their keys, and stay in the cabs, have a proper break, get their heads down, read a newspaper, have something to eat - but NOT be able to move their vehicle except to de-couple it. - It’s gotta be safer than the “cooler” system that then leaves drivers pulling up on the service road outside to get a 45 in, because what they had in the cooler does not count. 
a suzie lock cannot prevent trailers moving, on modern trailers hit the shunt button and off you go, on older trailers if the air drops or is drained from trl air tanks, same result
While I cannot agrue with a lot of the comments on here a lot of still miss the point if you are on there premises they are responsible for you while you are there (ie) your health and safety as well as there employees they are not doing so or to be fair some are not doing so some vehicles believe it or not do still loos air pressure while standing and there is every chance the vehicle could roll forward so by handing in the keys it will not stop this problem the company needs to put a retainer in place as in either a grab lock or automatic wheel lock then the vehicle is disabled and cannot move I wonder how many of you put your mode on P.O.A. when it is being unloaded that is illegal if it is on P.O.A. that means you are free to do other work or take the unit down town to get something to eat or drink if you cannot do this then you must have your mode on other work the other point I was trying to make is if they loose the keys is your fault or there’s and who pays for the new set of keys your company or there’s in short they foot the bill so as for company policy it is full of holes drivers have moaned for years about the excessive hours they have to work to make a living wage and I can only agree with you so the EU brought in 48 maximum working week your chance to get less hours yet you still put it on P.O.A. the only one who gains is your employer and if the R.D.C or N.D.C which ever one you are at looses the keys you gave to them willingly it is your fault and the boss will want to sack you as for a tribunal most of you would not even qualify for a hearing in 1986 I was tramping and putting £450 a week in the bank tell me most of you are on that rate now so where have the drivers gained anything in the last 28 years you should all in my opinion be on at £900 a week after stoppages and the bosses should be making it plain that the goods in a responsible for the loss or any damage to the vehicle while on there premises while they have the keys and that is the point I was trying to make as your director if the R.D.C. loose the keys who is to blame you for giving them to the goods in or the goods in clerk I did work for a company that did all R.D.C. work and the goods in had to sign a separate sheet to say they accepted if the keys were lost or damaged they would incoure any cost to repair the vehicle remember when there was no nestle products in any of the shops the supermarkets soon gave in with bosses backing and nestle still rule to this day all R.D.C.s get 20 minutes then the truck pulls out and no keys are handed in I still think drivers are treated like 2nd class citzens and it is wrong the next there is a vote remember you have a vote so use it don’t sit about moaning vote for your rights I knocked my eyes and brain out many years ago and am paying the price now with my health and my company were so good to me when I was taken very ill they dropped me like a brick that may happen to you so have your dinner and breakfast and evening meal but use your taco mode wisely P.O.A. is for you not your boss or the R.D.C . 
I started reading this and you may have a really good point. Unfortunately, without punctuation I can’t read more than 2 lines.
m1cks:
I started reading this and you may have a really good point. Unfortunately, without punctuation I can’t read more than 2 lines.
+1
+2
and breathe
I have no idea what point you are trying to make, bigmiler - as the total absence of any punctuation in your posting makes it all but unreadable. But from what I can read, I can see that you have no understanding at all of POA. There is NO requirement for the driver to be free to do anything at all, and there is nothing “illegal” about recording POA while someone else is unloading your vehicle. I also have no idea what you are on about with reference to the unit losing air and rolling away due to keys being handed in - if it lost air pressure the brakes would be firmly applied until such time as the engine was started - which would require the driver to be in possession of the keys…
+1
RDC do it to tick the boxes then they can turn around and say “We took all REASONABLE steps to avoid this accident”
That’s all what matters to them and there insurance they will probably cover the cost of your wagon as it be cheaper then a lawsuit for injury on there premises as you’ve pulled off the pay or killed some one if you knock the hand brake off wrong time.
Only time this is a bit of a issue is some cabs are homes but… regardless don’t like it don’t tip there someone else will
Roymondo:
I have no idea what point you are trying to make, bigmiler - as the total absence of any punctuation in your posting makes it all but unreadable. But from what I can read, I can see that you have no understanding at all of POA. There is NO requirement for the driver to be free to do anything at all, and there is nothing “illegal” about recording POA while someone else is unloading your vehicle. I also have no idea what you are on about with reference to the unit losing air and rolling away due to keys being handed in - if it lost air pressure the brakes would be firmly applied until such time as the engine was started - which would require the driver to be in possession of the keys…
Take air lines off drain air from trailer air tanks and truck will move freely (ie) loss of air no air no brakes
bigmiler:
Roymondo:
I have no idea what point you are trying to make, bigmiler - as the total absence of any punctuation in your posting makes it all but unreadable. But from what I can read, I can see that you have no understanding at all of POA. There is NO requirement for the driver to be free to do anything at all, and there is nothing “illegal” about recording POA while someone else is unloading your vehicle. I also have no idea what you are on about with reference to the unit losing air and rolling away due to keys being handed in - if it lost air pressure the brakes would be firmly applied until such time as the engine was started - which would require the driver to be in possession of the keys…Take air lines off drain air from trailer air tanks and truck will move freely (ie) loss of air no air no brakes
Have you woken up from a deep sleep…? 
