Any of you daymen/nightmen who…
quote; ''Like their own beds at night ‘’
and who have came on here in the past saying…
‘‘I don’t carry a sleeping bag me, or any kit, as I flatly refuse to have nights out, and expect to be planned accordingly’’ (or words to that effect)
been caught out this week, and wish they had listened to people like me who argued with them on here?
Go on admit it,.I promise not to say…‘‘I told you so’’ 
Not been able to drive for a few weeks now and got to admit the liking for ‘my own bed’…its far more comfortable and…the loo’s just around the corner… 
I think any day man caught out this week wont be going out unprepared again 
Reading “the storm, your situation” most of them have been given several days off at home. I read of burning home fires, merriment and hearty meals.
Who’s having the last laugh then? 
I don’t get the big deal.Any night trunk for example could mean running out of driving time or at worse getting snowed in during the winter.The biggest liability in that situation is being lumbered with a day cab and/or dodgy heating.
While so long as you’ve got a sleeper and decent working night heater or at least cab heater you won’t freeze so no essential need for loads of bedding.In which case it’s not realistic to load up the wagon with loads of kit as though you’re away for 2 or 3 days or more tramping at the start of every shift and have to take it all out again when you’ve finished the shift just based on the outside chance of getting stuck somewhere away from base for a limited time.
Nope.
I said I wasnt risking it and cancelled my shifts right up till Monday.
Even the thought of an unplanned night out has me coming out in cold sweats!
I went from Lincs to Leominster Yesterday…Got back to within 30 mins of the yard and it a turned to crap…I have only done one night out in 9 years of driving…I did take my sleeping bag and blow up pillow with me and extra food, just in case.
I didn`t sleep though, it was like being in a third world hole, not nice and I needed a ■■■ as soon as I woke up.
The amount of energy required for holding all that in, is substantial and underestimated…I could only think clearly once I had dispatched the load…Then I went home and got into my proper bed.
Quite how people sleep in a lorry is beyond me…I have slept better in the hedges in lay-bys, on a long bike journey.
Lincolnshire is by far the worst County Council of the UK…I was on the council for 3 years, I knew then it would not end well…Really, they are not good.
I am usually caught out at least once every 4-6 weeks on an unplanned night/day out…mainly due to the
fact that I am nearly always given 12-14 hour runs…where any kind of delay of an hour or two is going to
take you into unplanned night out territory.
Fortunately I made it back to Liverpool from Lesmahagow with around 40mins to spare on Wednesday night’s
run. Although I was down to 30mph on parts of the M74 near Abingdon and on the M6 around Shap and Tebay.
Luckily I’m not due back in work next until Monday night
Spoke to a mate though who is working tonight, and he said that around 15 of the Thursday dayshift drivers
didn’t make it back to the depot in the 15hrs…a very cold and uncomfortable night awaits them! 
Was getting close yesterday but a flat battery, need replacing, put pay to the unplanned collection. Got the truck started and ran back to the depot.
Today I threw the sleeping bag from the boot of my car into the truck, like any good boy scout would - dib dib dib be prepared Arkela. 
(And didn’t need it.)
I was supposed to to a trip from Hull to Blackburn. Supposed to take about 7-8hours. I spoke to the day driver doing that run and he was stuck behind the m62 accident. I turned the truck around and came back.
Be interesting to see if I get called into the office tomorrow, I might just show them the highways tweet from 10pm saying there was no way across the Pennines. Lucky escape for me I think.
I don’t do nights out there’s enough lads at our place queuing up for them so they don’t need me! Sleeping bag and pillow come with me on my day jaunts for the time being though! Night heater…check…
The-Snowman:
Nope.
I said I wasnt risking it and cancelled my shifts right up till Monday.
Even the thought of an unplanned night out has me coming out in cold sweats!
You are the main one I’ve been worrying about most all week bud, because of your much publicised allergy to sleeping bags.
Tell you what though mate, being at home all week, for the first time in ages, and lying next to a nice warm wife, I’ve preferred my own bed this week, and I’m even beginning to see your point.
Captain Caveman 76:
I was supposed to to a trip from Hull to Blackburn. Supposed to take about 7-8hours. I spoke to the day driver doing that run and he was stuck behind the m62 accident. I turned the truck around and came back.
Be interesting to see if I get called into the office tomorrow, I might just show them the highways tweet from 10pm saying there was no way across the Pennines. Lucky escape for me I think.
You made the right decision, we have had all of our shifts cancelled until Monday, if they hadn’t cancelled them, I would have refused to have gone out. Most farms are remote and cut off now.
robroy:
Tell you what though mate, being at home all week, for the first time in ages, and lying next to a nice warm wife, I’ve preferred my own bed this week, and I’m even beginning to see your point.
You’ll get over it…summer is just round the corner… 
I think, if the light of all the warnings about no travelling unless absolutely necessary, if I got stuck out somewhere I`d want paying for my time in charge of their lorry and load.
Amongst other things this week I was delivering watering cans to garden centres for foooooo ooks sake! Being stuck on a motorway for an extra 10 hours would see me demanding to be paid for that time. I have no idea why drivers accept a night out money payment of £25!
cheekymonkey:
I think, if the light of all the warnings about no travelling unless absolutely necessary, if I got stuck out somewhere I`d want paying for my time in charge of their lorry and load.
Amongst other things this week I was delivering watering cans to garden centres for foooooo ooks sake! Being stuck on a motorway for an extra 10 hours would see me demanding to be paid for that time. I have no idea why drivers accept a night out money payment of £25!
There have been lots of commuters stuck out overnight in their cars too, should their companies pay them for that time too?
I have a sleeping bag that folds up so small it inside my bike jacket. A tent, on a motorcycle comes in really handy, you can’t carry a spare wheel, although in a lorry I always used a duvet and sheet
Never got the “in charge of vehicle/security guard on time off” thing.
1 - If someone wants anything off my truck crack on. I’ll not disturb you.
2 - Likewise the truck itself.
3 - When I clock off it turns into a hotel room and I normally try and park somewhere where there is stuff to do so I’m hardly shackled in my cab.
I go expecting the unexpected
toonsy:
Never got the “in charge of vehicle/security guard on time off” thing.1 - If someone wants anything off my truck crack on. I’ll not disturb you.
2 - Likewise the truck itself.
3 - When I clock off it turns into a hotel room and I normally try and park somewhere where there is stuff to do so I’m hardly shackled in my cab.
+1.
TiredAndEmotional:
robroy:
Tell you what though mate, being at home all week, for the first time in ages, and lying next to a nice warm wife, I’ve preferred my own bed this week, and I’m even beginning to see your point.You’ll get over it…summer is just round the corner…
Got my shorts Raybans and ‘Good pub guide with a beer garden’ on stand by already. 