I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.
Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
Mala99:
I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
I think that’s your answer my friend 
I’m not always the most sociable of drivers, but I’ll always hang about to see what other guys are talking about. If it’s interesting then I’ll join in…if its about wages and how they used to earn £7,000,000,000,000,000,000 per shift in the 80’s then I’ll walk away.
Mala99:
I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
I think most drivers are scared to say anything just in case they bump into the bloke with the tin of corned beef in his bag, younger drivers will have to look up Jasper Carrot
And that’s the problem Adam, drivers sitting listening in. Have you ever tried to start an interesting conversation with a fellow driver?
Mala99:
I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
[/quote]
WHO SAID THAT■■?Maybe people just don’t notice you? Just kidding mate. The biggest problem is that most won’t speak cos they can never be sure of talking to an english speaking driver . I’ll speak to most and make conversation given the chance. Depends on mood.
Mala99:
I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
I always had a laugh and a joke with anyone, until they got boring…Then I used to insult them to see how far I could get without them twigging
Those who gave it all the hard man rubbish, I just acted gay, that got rid of them.
Those who gave it all the large regarding money, I just took the ■■■■ so much, that they would give up.
At the end of the day I take nothing seriously and come across as such, it makes for a more relaxing time of it all…Life is what you make it…I make mine entertaining by being whomever I want to be at any given time 
pete-b:
And that’s the problem Adam, drivers sitting listening in. Have you ever tried to start an interesting conversation with a fellow driver?
Some won’t even give you the chance.
pete-b:
And that’s the problem Adam, drivers sitting listening in. Have you ever tried to start an interesting conversation with a fellow driver?
Well I do it pretty much every night. I do start some conversations, but sometimes I just listen in. Just two weeks ago I helped a driver from that “Eat more chips” company find where the depots entrance was…I then saw him in a waiting room and went and started a chat with him.
But although many people won’t admit it so bluntly, many drivers get into the industry because they prefer their own company instead of a strangers.
att:
Mala99:
I haven’t been driving as long as many on here but I find you go into say an RDC and not many chat or say hello or you go into a truck stop and everybody has a table by there selves apart from the bloke that wants to say he makes more than you even though he prob dosen’t even in my owen company some drivers pull up at night and shut the curtains and won’t talk.Can anybody shed some light on this for me as i find the few that will talk i learn alot from and atleast have a laugh with
Those who gave it all the hard man rubbish, I just acted gay, that got rid of them.
Those who gave it all the large regarding money, I just took the ■■■■ so much, that they would give up.At the end of the day I take nothing seriously and come across as such, it makes for a more relaxing time of it all…Life is what you make it…I make mine entertaining by being whomever I want to be at any given time
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to tell you how I let Jesus into my life…”
Usually gets rid of the ‘wrong’ sort.
I know what your saying but when I’m on my break it’s my time for me only. I like to sit comfortably and quietly, read the paper and recharge my batteries. I’ll say hello and have a polite chat but I don’t wanna be talking bollox to a stranger for an hour. Today for example stopped at the cafe on the A444 coming out of burton, walked in said hello to another driver then prayed to god he wouldn’t start a conversation, he didn’t, we each read our own papers and enjoyed our own respective breakfasts 
I was brought up with drivers who walked into a cafe on the docks and knew everyone. They would walk to the till and buy teas for everyone on the table, like a round in a pub. I doubt that happens anymore.
The supermarkets and RDC have killed more than road transport 
I like to be polite and sociable generally, but I’ve been stung several times for doing this at work, ending up being on the receiving end of a lecture about how they’ve driven road trains around Australia/escape from the Herald of Free Enterprise/how they parked up overnight on a goods in door etc etc. Sometimes it’s safer to not make eye contact and sit there reading a book. 
Agree about RDC’s and supermarkets though.
Maybe a territory thing? If I’m in the Red lodge I’ll speak to most in there and take the urine out of the rest!!!
Call me one of the new breed, i’ve never known HGV driving as a social thing. I used to say things like “morning all” when walking into a drivers waiting room, but have since dropped that as the reactions from everyone else speak for themselves.
I’ve turned to books, I read a lot now, and RDC waiting rooms are an ideal place for it (though it takes practice to tune out the background noise), I would rather pass the time with some intelligent stimulation rather than staring at the floor or listening to jeremy kyle.
If you disturb me to talk about the weather, or what issue you had at your last drop, how your knees are knackered (eat fewer pies?), how bad this particular distribution centre is, or issues at your previous delivery, how much it ■■■■■ to be a lorry driver these days, your adventures (or lies) from the middle east in the good old days, your time in the SAS, how much you earn, and how it is all the fault of the polish.
I won’t reject any of the above, because i’m polite, but it would be nice if peope could identify their own banality before burdening the guy next door with it.
In my short time, I feel like i’ve heard it all, and it bores me to tears. Life is depressing enough without you adding to it. Save it for the wife you spend five days out of seven avoiding.
However, If you want to talk about something interesting then i’m game.
WildGoose:
Call me one of the new breed, i’ve never known HGV driving as a social thing. I used to say things like “morning all” when walking into a drivers waiting room, but have since dropped that as the reactions from everyone else speak for themselves.I’ve turned to books, I read a lot now, and RDC waiting rooms are an ideal place for it (though it takes practice to tune out the background noise), I would rather pass the time with some intelligent stimulation rather than staring at the floor or listening to jeremy kyle.
If you disturb me to talk about the weather, or what issue you had at your last drop, how your knees are knackered (eat fewer pies?), how bad this particular distribution centre is, or issues at your previous delivery, how much it ■■■■■ to be a lorry driver these days, your adventures (or lies) from the middle east in the good old days, your time in the SAS, how much you earn, and how it is all the fault of the polish.
I won’t reject any of the above, because i’m polite, but it would be nice if peope could identify their own banality before burdening the guy next door with it.
In my short time, I feel like i’ve heard it all, and it bores me to tears. Life is depressing enough without you adding to it. Save it for the wife you spend five days out of seven avoiding.
However, If you want to talk about something interesting then i’m game.
Anyone for a chat on speed cameras? 
MR VAIN:
The biggest problem is that most won’t speak cos they can never be sure of talking to an english speaking driver .
So what?
If he don’t speak English (or any other language you don’t speak) just smile, and move away to your paper.
I am not too sociable myself by nature, but I was approached on many occasions on the ferry or train in half of the european languages… If you don’t start because of poor chances of finding someone speaking English in UK, how on earth Portugeze driver can even thing about starting conversation in his language on the ferry from Denmark to Norway?
Adam_Mc:
But although many people won’t admit it so bluntly, many drivers get into the industry because they prefer their own company instead of a strangers.
Not so, most of the people I meet are perfectly at ease admitting they want to spend some time running on their own. I hate convoys or having to wait for someone. In my last job we had a job where we ran together or had to arrive together before they would tip one of us 
I blame sleeper cabs.
In those good old days when we wrote up our log sheets at the end of the week we stayed in digs every night. We would usually arrive at tea time and after a wash, change and food, we would head for the pub or (often) the working men’s club.
This created a social cohesion among drivers which is lacking today. The only people i speak to face-to-face after leaving the yard are fork lift drivers and GI clerks. And yes - I realy don’t want to hear how bad or wonderful another driver’s job is, was, or could be.
Wheel Nut:
I was brought up with drivers who walked into a cafe on the docks and knew everyone. They would walk to the till and buy teas for everyone on the table, like a round in a pub. I doubt that happens anymore.The supermarkets and RDC have killed more than road transport
I remember those days Malc, funny how it was always the same bloke in the cafe first so he never got caught for a round of teas
newmercman:
Wheel Nut:
I was brought up with drivers who walked into a cafe on the docks and knew everyone. They would walk to the till and buy teas for everyone on the table, like a round in a pub. I doubt that happens anymore.The supermarkets and RDC have killed more than road transport
I remember those days Malc, funny how it was always the same bloke in the cafe first so he never got caught for a round of teas
How similar to your article in Truck-West this month.Don’t get all your ideas from this forum cos they’ve never heard of Stobbies here. …yet.
