When I started this game 79/80 ish (bad career move btw ) as a young naive lad driving a Transit pick up on long distance (with nights out across the seats ) I always looked up and respected older Class1 drivers, and looked up to them ā¦as that is what I wanted to be. ('On reflection there were maybe a couple of idiots among em, but hey! I was impressionable ) and I saw the better hands as āāProper type driversāā
Way I see it nowadays there are 2 types of drivers,ā¦
Proper drivers, (and not always the ones who have done it for years either, there are many young lads who are bloody good drivers, who I would let loose with my 100k super outfit comboā¦if I had a one. and many older ones who should know better but are ā ā ā ā poor.
Then we have the car drivers who have Class1s. (or whatever tf they are called now)
On the road I always make a snap judgement on determining either 2 categories, some of you will not agree with some (or all ) on my list.
Properā¦
1.Let you out of a slip road, junction, or give way at an obstacle facing youā¦parked car etc.
2.Flash you in after overtaking.
3.Leave plenty room before pulling back in on an overtake.
4.Donāt leave you hanging like a spare prick after pulling over to let them join the m.way.
5.Get out and watch you in safely if you are having ag getting on a bay.
6.Give you a warning flash for speed cameras, patrol cars etc.
7.Pull off a pump after filling up.
8.Not take up unnecessary space when parking up for the night.
9.Not sit next to you revving the arse off their motor at some ridiculous hour while you are still trying to kip in a morning.
10.Get out of their cabs instead of sat on their arse if you are having bother with curtains in the wind or something.
Most of the above is what I was taught by the āproper driversā in those days, and I do try and be like themā¦(.not blowing my own trumpet btw even though I AM perfect )
The others who do not have the mindset of a proper driver, and do the job as 'just another job.just do the exact opposite to the above.
Anyone agree, anybody disagree, anybody got any more examples, or anybody gonna admit to being in the second category?
What do ya reck??
personally ive always been a proper driver,but to remove any doubt whatsoever,then i think you should just let jts tell us all whether we are or not to remove any doubt whatsoever.
i do look upon the kebab meat in a seat type with utter contempt and sadness as to the way they are inducted into a job paid from the neck down with no gumption whatsoever,but thats just the way it is nowadays.
makes no difference to me in the uk or abroad if they are taliban or not,il still get out and help a driver having a hard time of it.
The title sounds like one of my threads.
Its a good question but I feel the points you make are more about the people than the driver.
Peopleās attitudes on the roads have changed since the 70ās as they have in general.
People (drivers) are selfish the same as a lot are in daily life. Nobody cares about anyone else and they are all in such a hurry. I think you will find the polite courteous types (like me ) in general life are the same ones that will help you on the road.
that was surprisingly quick for the inevitable obvious statementā¦a bit predictable there old spud,try working from a different script sometime and surprise us all.
I largely agree with your list. Maybe some of those who dont tick the correct boxes may be selfish (pretty much sums up the attitude?) through their character, or through lack of life experience? Seeing us "good guys" :smiley: helping out others may wake them up a little. Some will always be immune however and take the "Nah, not my job" attitude, but thats the way of the world. Theyll always be resentful to be asked to do something....anything...and get angrier with the world and their job. Those of us heroes who just jump in and crack on wi it will get maybe nowt more than a smile or a āthanks mateā (if that) but it makes the day pass smoother for all.
I don`t get upset at too much these days, but when someone says " I really ****ed him up" and smile, I just wonder what unhappy little world they live in, that they get pleasure from upsetting others, on the road or in life generally.
Edit to add:
What makes a good driver? The same things that make a good human being in general.
dieseldog999:
personally ive always been a proper driver,but to remove any doubt whatsoever,then i think you should just let jts tell us all whether we are or not to remove any doubt whatsoever.
i do look upon the kebab meat in a seat type with utter contempt and sadness as to the way they are inducted into a job paid from the neck down with no gumption whatsoever,but thats just the way it is nowadays.
makes no difference to me in the uk or abroad if they are taliban or not,il still get out and help a driver having a hard time of it.
Thatās another thing, you can more or less pick up on this forum who the āproper driversā are.
NOT ā ā ā ā ā ā ā up your back DD btw but always had you down as a one (despite your attempts to come across as not being so by you being a complete ā ā ā ā wind up merchant on here )
Yeh, I missed that oneā¦, those who do not need spoon fed, but use initiativeā¦even if discouraged by the kiddies in pointy shoes.
You mention EE drivers or Taliban , they have their share of inepts and ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā granted, but like us they have good drivers also.
Most of the ones on here who condemn them have never driven over a 100 mile radius themselves in their mundane jobs, but feel qualified to readily condemn those guys who have driven through x no of countries to get hereā¦maybe without a sat nav, and even if they do dress like Jeremy Kyle rejects.
jakethesnake:
The title sounds like one of my threads.
Its a good question but I feel the points you make are more about the people than the driver.
Peopleās attitudes on the roads have changed since the 70ās as they have in general.
People (drivers) are selfish the same as a lot are in daily life. Nobody cares about anyone else and they are all in such a hurry. I think you will find the polite courteous types (like me ) in general life are the same ones that will help you on the road.
Iām just making it too ā ā ā ā easy for you to win your pub bet with your mates of mentioning crap drivers in every one of your posts Jakey.
I take your point about being attitude related, but it aināt necessarily so in every case.
Take me for instance ā¦, Iāve always been an arrogant ā ā ā ā ā (yep I know, itās hard to believe ) Iāve always been intolerant, Iā ve always been quick to jump which has got me in lots of bother in my life, and I do not suffer d/heads lightly and have zero tolerance towards them, always haveā¦So by your take, that should make me the worlds worst and most intolerant driver.
Hey!..who knows, maybe I AM.
i did a few saudi runs years ago when men were men and sheep were nervous and basically you were on your own initiative from the day you left till the day you got home again.
no phone,to sat nav,only a fax/telex machine now and then and that was about it.
although crossing borders and such its every man for himself,then i would have helped out,and be helped in return by anyone and everyone that was passing with a cameradrie the would shame todays generation of lorry drivers.
and thats not even starting about the strange shared outdoor meals of camion stew.
robroy:
When I started this game 79/80 ish (bad career move btw ) as a young naive lad driving a Transit pick up on long distance (with nights out across the seats ) I always looked up and respected older Class1 drivers, and looked up to them ā¦as that is what I wanted to be. ('On reflection there were maybe a couple of idiots among em, but hey! I was impressionable ) and I saw the better hands as āāProper type driversāā
Way I see it nowadays there are 2 types of drivers,ā¦
Proper drivers, (and not always the ones who have done it for years either, there are many young lads who are bloody good drivers, who I would let loose with my 100k super outfit comboā¦if I had a one. and many older ones who should know better but are ā ā ā ā poor.
Then we have the car drivers who have Class1s. (or whatever tf they are called now)
On the road I always make a snap judgement on determining either 2 categories, some of you will not agree with some (or all ) on my list.
Properā¦
1.Let you out of a slip road, junction, or give way at an obstacle facing youā¦parked car etc.
2.Flash you in after overtaking.
3.Leave plenty room before pulling back in on an overtake.
4.Donāt leave you hanging like a spare prick after pulling over to let them join the m.way.
5.Get out and watch you in safely if you are having ag getting on a bay.
6.Give you a warning flash for speed cameras, patrol cars etc.
7.Pull off a pump after filling up.
8.Not take up unnecessary space when parking up for the night.
9.Not sit next to you revving the arse off their motor at some ridiculous hour while you are still trying to kip in a morning.
10.Get out of their cabs instead of sat on their arse if you are having bother with curtains in the wind or something.
Most of the above is what I was taught by the āproper driversā in those days, and I do try and be like themā¦(.not blowing my own trumpet btw even though I AM perfect )
The others who do not have the mindset of a proper driver, and do the job as 'just another job.just do the exact opposite to the above.
Anyone agree, anybody disagree, anybody got any more examples, or anybody gonna admit to being in the second category?
What do ya reck??
Scrub that entire list robroy, imo theres only one thing that makes a proper driver. Pride (no, not the flag waving type). Pride in just doing the job well, not because you get paid, not because people judge you and your ability, just pride in your own work.
jakethesnake:
The title sounds like one of my threads.
Its a good question but I feel the points you make are more about the people than the driver.
Peopleās attitudes on the roads have changed since the 70ās as they have in general.
People (drivers) are selfish the same as a lot are in daily life. Nobody cares about anyone else and they are all in such a hurry. I think you will find the polite courteous types (like me ) in general life are the same ones that will help you on the road.
Iām just making it too ā ā ā ā easy for you to win your pub bet with your mates of mentioning crap drivers in every one of your posts Jakey.
I take your point about being attitude related, but it aināt necessarily so in every case.
Take me for instance ā¦, Iāve always been an arrogant [zb] (yep I know, itās hard to believe ) Iāve always been intolerant, Iā ve always been quick to jump which has got me in lots of bother in my life, and I do not suffer d/heads lightly and have zero tolerance towards them, always haveā¦So by your take, that should make me the worlds worst and most intolerant driver.
Hey!..who knows, maybe I AM.
Nah, I get the impression you are a decent driver although I am not sure about the arrogant side.
Youāll probably hate me saying this but I think we are very alike in our views.
As I say I am polite and courteous in general both with normal life and when driving however I have a very short temper which (years ago) has got me into a lot of trouble.
I used to be terrible at jumping out the cab if another driver cut me up something I am not proud of BTW. but thankfully now a bit older I can control my temper usually especially when driving. I absolutely despise bad driving and aggressive drivers especially lorry drivers just incase you have not realised.
I am just so glad to be away from it all now although strangely enough I do miss driving a truck but I will cope.
I definitely recommend retirement. I know it doesnāt suit everyone but I think you will have no regrets after reading some of your posts.
Hope the days come soon.
A lot if these issues stem from an impatience from drivers as a result of being up against constant pressure from office bods to meet almost impossible deadlines. Drivers canāt be seen to waste 5 minutes in the eyes of management to help someone else, drivers have to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible just to sit and wait for hours to get tipped.
Nite Owl:
Scrub that entire list robroy, imo theres only one thing that makes a proper driver. Pride (no, not the flag waving type). Pride in just doing the job well, not because you get paid, not because people judge you and your ability, just pride in your own work.
Really good point actually. If you take pride in what you do youāll generally do the very best you can
Punchy Dan:
Iāam seriously struggling to find any pride with the thought of may be having to drive a non British lorry .
Why? Iāve spent the majority of my career driving foreign registered vehicles and have always taken pride in doing the job well. The letters/flag on numberplate are irrelevant to me
Punchy Dan:
Iāam seriously struggling to find any pride with the thought of may be having to drive a non British lorry .
Why? Iāve spent the majority of my career driving foreign registered vehicles and have always taken pride in doing the job well. The letters/flag on numberplate are irrelevant to me
I like to be different, plus itās the whole entering the unknown like having a lorry you canāt diagnose and fix your self cheaply.
Nite Owl said.
āāScrub that entire list robroy, imo theres only one thing that makes a proper driver. Pride (no, not the flag waving type). Pride in just doing the job well, not because you get paid, not because people judge you and your ability, just pride in your own work.āā
Absolutely spot on that, the lack of pride from so many in our industry is shocking, fortunately it means those who do take pride in their work have never known better job security, especially in those jobs that require a bit more thought and input.
What a pleasure it is when i see younger drivers taking a pride in their work, even if itās looking after the motor whilst waiting for a forkie, could even be polishing that tank or wheels or cleaning the windows (yes i know this is disallowed in the real truckerās guide ) putting some bulbs in or even going for that blind side where everyone else has scrubbed a weekās worth of rubber cos canāt reverse blindside, i always give them some encouraging wordsā¦of course they think iām taking the ā ā ā ā which they probably hear regularly from wheel attendants who have just got out of a half wrecked 19 plate motor that looks like itās been on the landfill for the past 15 yearsā¦but i soon put 'em right that i mean in genuinely.
Franglais:
What makes a good driver? The same things that make a good human being in general.
I reckon that ^^^^ about covers it. It comes down to manners, respect for others and the realisation that every action taken by one has a consequence, be that a good consequence or a bad consequence.
as juddians reply aabove.
id rather have someone employed that wants a tanged up blingmobile who polishes everything to death before some lazy sweaty neanthredal who brings it back looking like a skip every day.
both deserve a hand and assistance if they are stuck somewhere reversing or lost,but its just another example of dumbing the job down so that lemmings that have no real interest in the job whereas years ago they would have can do a days work.
) as a young naive lad driving a Transit pick up on long distance (with nights out across the seats 
) I always looked up and respected older Class1 drivers, and looked up to them ā¦as that is what I wanted to be. ('On reflection there were maybe a couple of idiots among em, but hey! I was impressionable 
) and I saw the better hands as āāProper type driversāā
) putting some bulbs in or even going for that blind side where everyone else has scrubbed a weekās worth of rubber cos canāt reverse blindside, i always give them some encouraging wordsā¦of course they think iām taking the ā ā ā ā which they probably hear regularly from wheel attendants who have just got out of a half wrecked 19 plate motor that looks like itās been on the landfill for the past 15 yearsā¦but i soon put 'em right that i mean in genuinely.