OK so maybe I should put this on Facebook but no one there is that interested in truck related stuff really so you can have it 
Look away now if you’re allergic to waffle, or mush…
Anyway, woke up this morning to driving rain and high winds, not a day to do anything in particular and nothing at all really. The OH is away, in the middle of a 4 day stint being loaned out to Sains RDC at Waltham Point. On a whim I decided I’d drive the 90 miles and see him, take him any bits he needs (or the other lads loaned out up there) and collect any crap getting in his way. He wouldn’t normally spend more than 1/2 nights a week out when on bricks but just lately he’s been loaned out all over the place and there’s been quite a lot of time away but never over a weekend till now.
The drive up wasn’t very pleasant, fairly busy, a lot of spray and no matter how hard I tried to give myself decent room some plonker would come and jump in the middle of it. I need to work on my territorial behaviour, if I see or sense a vehicle coming up the inside I automatically assume they are attempting an undertake and increase speed to prevent such. I know it’s not great and it’s not ‘my’ bit of road but it’s pretty hard to turn off.
I’m working hard at getting my speeds down, I’ve always been a bit of a speed demon in spite of the small cars I buy, riding and commuting on motorbikes hasn’t really helped this however reminding myself that shortly I’ll be restricted to 60/50/40 (and a lot of my favourite ‘driving’ roads will be 40) has actually seen an impressive reduction. I still have the urge to overtake everything coming off of some roundabouts but again usually this reminder is a big help. The OH has always reminded me to just back off when feeling stressed or annoyed by the car in front and it does work.
Waltham Point were kind enough to let me in as a visitor so we could have dinner in the canteen (I’m a cheap date! ) rather than head out looking for somewhere nearby. Gear and mandatory cuddles swapped we did a mock daily check and I had a good nosey round the fifth wheel, suzies and electrical connections. Had a play with suspension and checked over all the buttons, switches, dials and gauges. I know lots of trucks are different but they are all less intimidating when you can recognise things. This one is a Volvo FM, smaller than the Magnum he had on containers. It’s a bit small for a week away I think, better for me being smaller but not great on storage really.
I went up and back the ‘long’ way round - clock wise round the 25 rather than the satnav’s recommended anti-clockwise over the Dartford crossing. My reasons for this were avoiding the very tedious roadworks on the 25 which have been there for what feels like forever and avoiding the queues and tolls at Dartford (the queue more than the toll, I’m not that tight!). Also I like the A24 and don’t tend to go north of Dorking anymore (used to live in Dorking). My satnsav is my phone and it was pretty late with instructions at the turn off at J25 but found it fine. Coming back came the same way just because it’s always easier coming home anyway and again couldn’t be bothered with queues even though it was post 9.
Stopped at the new services at Cobham for a quick ‘comfort break’ (isn’t that a civilised expression?) Quite nice as services go. Lovely set of bends coming in and out - I imagine they can be a bit hair-raising coming in too hot with a truck though. On exiting I could only really hold 35 on the bend with any level of comfort. Spotted the trucks parked up and couldn’t help thinking about all the drivers probably getting settled for the night. I have no idea how I’ll cope with nights out. I know I won’t sleep a wink the first couple - I’ll jump at every noise and movement. The OH uses earplugs but I can’t sleep with them in.
Rejoining the 25 the waning moon was super bright, the traffic light, the rain clearing up and I couldn’t help thinking as I passed the night trunkers and tankers of the old days when truckers would flash cars back in. I know it still happens a bit up North but not like it used to. I’ve always had a lot of respect for truckers, I’ve always seen them as sort of the grandfathers or big brothers of the road. When I first started driving I used to spend one day a week in our Birmingham office. Heading back to Manchester I would often find myself a nice big truck, well lit or with plenty of reflectors to throw light back to me. I wasn’t very confident driving in the dark and as many of you will know the stretch of M6 past Stafford up to Stoke is pretty ■■■■ dark. I’d leave a decent distance and follow the truck rather than the road until I either felt I needed to press on or the truck turned off. Anyway the flashing back in always seemed so friendly and just made you feel a bit less alone on the road. Cars whizzing past one another just seem so… impersonal and singular, not part of anything.
Coming off the 25 at J9 I was looking at all the bends and roundabouts trying to imagine how they’d feel with a loaded, long vehicle. The roundabouts top and bottom of Billingshurst bypass I usually hug super tight and fling myself out of, however I suspect that would be a recipe for disaster in an artic. The Ockley bends on the A29 I know can catch drivers out especially the 90 degree left hander.
There was an artic broken down on the A24 on the hill after the Texaco heading up to the Beaverbrook roundabout. Can’t be much fun breaking down in a truck. Breaking down on a bike usually means someone will stop to check on you, see if they can help or just to be nosey and have a natter. I’m guessing that doesn’t happen much with trucks as if you’re loaded you’ll have places to be and get to.
It’s quite a lovely night out there so I started musing about shifts, I don’t mind night driving much these days although my body clock is used to early mornings. I love the pre-dawn skies. The only trouble with nights really is headlight dazzle but I’m wondering if that would be less annoying at truck height. The worry is boredom, how do you keep properly focused on long stints?
Anyway that’s my waffle for this evening, I’m off to do my daily mock theory now, I’ll leave the HPT till tomorrow now as eyes are tired.
