What would you ask the boss of Roadchef?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
61

Rob K:

waynedl:

Stanley Mitchell:
The “■■■■ up the tyre” brigade [on the services] dont really care about anyone or anything, a bit like those who leave a drive in MaccyDs looking like a landfill site, because they cant be bothered to get out of their car, and put their mess in the MANY bins that are provided very near to where they are parked :imp:

WRONG!!

The ■■■■ up tyre brigade may just not have the duty time left to stop, park truck, lock truck, walk 20 mins to the building, fight through to the toilets, ■■■■, and return… a 45 min break for a ■■■■ is ok unless you’re runnin’ close to your 13 / 15 on duty time by time you get back and just need a ■■■■.

I will ■■■■ up my wheel in layby’s or services if I’m bursting and not due a break - whether it be because of a booking time or limited duty time or just because I want to get home. I don’t litter though, so they’re clearly not the same, I just value my limited life time more than that hike.

:unamused: :unamused: :unamused:

All the sites where you have to walk “20 mins” ( :unamused: ) to the main building have toilets in the petrol station, so I’m afraid your excuses are BS. It’s people like you that give us normal human beings a bad name. But you don’t litter though, so that makes it alright.

I agree with you Rob. Some very good points have been made in this thread so i will looking forward to reading his response. Personally i think a face to face meeting would have been better but i suppose a phone call is a start.

62

Grasshopper:

Rob K:

waynedl:

Stanley Mitchell:
The “■■■■ up the tyre” brigade [on the services] dont really care about anyone or anything, a bit like those who leave a drive in MaccyDs looking like a landfill site, because they cant be bothered to get out of their car, and put their mess in the MANY bins that are provided very near to where they are parked :imp:

WRONG!!

The ■■■■ up tyre brigade may just not have the duty time left to stop, park truck, lock truck, walk 20 mins to the building, fight through to the toilets, ■■■■, and return… a 45 min break for a ■■■■ is ok unless you’re runnin’ close to your 13 / 15 on duty time by time you get back and just need a ■■■■.

I will ■■■■ up my wheel in layby’s or services if I’m bursting and not due a break - whether it be because of a booking time or limited duty time or just because I want to get home. I don’t litter though, so they’re clearly not the same, I just value my limited life time more than that hike.

:unamused: :unamused: :unamused:

All the sites where you have to walk “20 mins” ( :unamused: ) to the main building have toilets in the petrol station, so I’m afraid your excuses are BS. It’s people like you that give us normal human beings a bad name. But you don’t litter though, so that makes it alright.

I agree with you Rob. Some very good points have been made in this thread so i will looking forward to reading his response. Personally i think a face to face meeting would have been better but i suppose a phone call is a start.

saw a bloke in tebay truck stop other week ■■■■■■■ down side of his wagon couldnt belive it,so just goes to show even with excellent facillities like that some folk are just dirty ■■■■■■■■■

63

I agree with Orys’ point about the amount of service areas that have the HGVs coming out effectively blind to the cars that have right of way. These should have the priorities reversed to give the HGV right of way.

64

Cruise Control:
Will, to complete the experience may be you could ‘arrange’ for 2 reefers to pull up either side of his truck at about 11pm and park there all night with the fridges kicking in every 10 mins all night.

and also ‘arrange’ for a t-cab driver with side pipes to check his rev counter works at 5am in the morning :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Don’t forget to have a couple of night trunk boys in to do a trailer change over or two!

65

Copyiing how J38 truck park on the M6 do things would be a good start. If a relatively small company can provide a decent level of service and cleanliness, fresh food, smiling staff, with working showers, loo’s, a seperate fridge parking area, seperate trailer swap area etc. etc. surely Road Chef could manage the same trick.
Ban cars and caravans from the truck parking area.
Oh, and if anyone leaves their motor running for more than long enough to build up their air at stupid o’ clock in the morning, please give everyone else the right to take the keys out of the ignition and throw them into the carriageway.
Then again i’m not hopeful, but the idea of challenging the man to take a shower, eat a meal and then sleep in a lorry on one of their services would be a good idea.

66

Harry Monk:
I like the way they say the deal with McDonalds will create 400 jobs, then explain that this will be replacing the existing franchaise with Wimpy.

Surely 400 people at Wimpy will lose their jobs because of this?

Do away with Wimpy and Maccy D’s; Both have been serving overpriced crap for years.
I only use MSAs’ as somewhere to park and use the toilet “facilities”. Never spent a penny in one.

67

Cruise Control:

Will Shiers:
I will be challenging him to spend a night at the services, including dinner, a shower and sleeping in a truck. I’ll let you know his response.
Cheers, Will

Will, to complete the experience may be you could ‘arrange’ for 2 reefers to pull up either side of his truck at about 11pm and park there all night with the fridges kicking in every 10 mins all night.

and also ‘arrange’ for a t-cab driver with side pipes to check his rev counter works at 5am in the morning :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

And fix some blue lights in the cab window… :laughing:

68

Apart from whats already been said I’d like to see them put in automated fueling points like you get at some Keyfuels sites, just saves the hassle of handing the card in before you get fuel. Oh and why don’t they accept keyfuel/uk fuelcards? bloody annoying when your short on fuel and they won’t accept any of your cards :confused:

Can’t see alot of changes being done unless it makes them money

69

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but

WRONG!!

The ■■■■ up tyre brigade may just not have the duty time left to stop, park truck, lock truck, walk 20 mins to the building, fight through to the toilets, ■■■■, and return… a 45 min break for a ■■■■ is ok unless you’re runnin’ close to your 13 / 15 on duty time by time you get back and just need a ■■■■.

I will ■■■■ up my wheel in layby’s or services if I’m bursting and not due a break - whether it be because of a booking time or limited duty time or just because I want to get home. I don’t litter though, so they’re clearly not the same, I just value my limited life time more than that hike.

Value your time, but apparently not your manners or personal admin.

■■■■ in a bottle, take it with you, and pour it somewhere suitable, like down a proper sewer or down your toilet at home/back at the yard. It’s got nowt to do with a lack of time. It’s just having a basic level of respect for the other poor sods who have to suffer this job, bit of solidarity would be nice. Yes, I don’t walk half a mile either if there is an empty bottle to hand. But I also don’t sling the bottle like most seem to.

Don’t want to handle the bottles? Latex/vinyl gloves. 99p for a box.

Yes I have stored 2-3 days worth of ■■■■ in the side lockers/cab footwell before now, it doesn’t have to be unhygenic, the bottles are sealed, you can further bag them if necessary, you can wipe them down if you miss. Your aim will improve, exercising the muscle that controls urine flow is also good for endurance. Too much info? Probably.

And to all the “my ■■■■ is too big” brigade, newsflash, it doesn’t have to fit inside in order to carry out the operation succesfully.

Sorry, it just boils my ■■■■. So to speak.

70

orys:
And fuel noozles which can be locked, that you do not have to press them all the time.

I had always been told that this was an insurance thing in the uk and that a station could greatly reduce their premiums by not having a lockable nozzle as it encourages you to leave the pump unattended.

Anyone know if this is true?

71

WildGoose:
And to all the “my ■■■■ is too big” brigade,

:open_mouth: :open_mouth:

Ken.

72

The McDonalds deal does nothing for me. Instead of having greasy burgers and chips at “highstreet prices” why can’t their be simple healthy lunch fodder at normal prices?

In a supermarket chain you can get a Meal Deal of a sandwich, bottled drink and snack for a couple of quid. Why does it have to cost over a fiver at the motorway services?

73

WildGoose:
Sorry to go slightly off topic, but

WRONG!!

The ■■■■ up tyre brigade may just not have the duty time left to stop, park truck, lock truck, walk 20 mins to the building, fight through to the toilets, ■■■■, and return… a 45 min break for a ■■■■ is ok unless you’re runnin’ close to your 13 / 15 on duty time by time you get back and just need a ■■■■.

I will ■■■■ up my wheel in layby’s or services if I’m bursting and not due a break - whether it be because of a booking time or limited duty time or just because I want to get home. I don’t litter though, so they’re clearly not the same, I just value my limited life time more than that hike.

Value your time, but apparently not your manners or personal admin.

■■■■ in a bottle, take it with you, and pour it somewhere suitable, like down a proper sewer or down your toilet at home/back at the yard. It’s got nowt to do with a lack of time. It’s just having a basic level of respect for the other poor sods who have to suffer this job, bit of solidarity would be nice. Yes, I don’t walk half a mile either if there is an empty bottle to hand. But I also don’t sling the bottle like most seem to.

Don’t want to handle the bottles? Latex/vinyl gloves. 99p for a box.

Yes I have stored 2-3 days worth of ■■■■ in the side lockers/cab footwell before now, it doesn’t have to be unhygenic, the bottles are sealed, you can further bag them if necessary, you can wipe them down if you miss. Your aim will improve, exercising the muscle that controls urine flow is also good for endurance. Too much info? Probably.

And to all the “my ■■■■ is too big” brigade, newsflash, it doesn’t have to fit inside in order to carry out the operation succesfully.

Sorry, it just boils my ■■■■. So to speak.

Spot on mate, we all know we’re going to be caught short at some point, so if you do have a huge member, take a laundry detergent bottle with you for such emergencies, even though it’s mostly unnecessary as most of the ‘tripods’ can probably ■■■■ through a straw and not touch the sides :blush:

74

I dont post much on here but this has really ■■■■■■ me off.
This guy wants to know what we think and if we have ideas, well there been plenty talked about. As if Roadchef relly care they dont even have the decency to meet face to face its a two min phone call.
1.2 million pounds trust me that aint gong to change much i worked in the construction industry for years fitting out shops garages and the like so i know once all the design fees and consultancy fees are taken care of theres not much left. Probs be a quick once round with the paint and some new signs
and a couple of new chairs to keep joe public happy.
Wow great they signed up McDolands just what we need and two meals for a tenner, How the hell is that going to benifit a driver.
They have got away for years with providing a dismal service charging what ever they feel like because they have a constant stream of unwilling drivers to who have to stop somewhere. This will never change
because like all large companys providing us with what we need will hurt there shareholders returns and its the shareholders not us who have the ultimate say on what will change.

Anyway thats my rant over
steve

75

Sorry but i found this topic very funny, found the replies even funnier. Everyone myself included moans about MSA’s but you keep using them. :unamused:
We all know nothing will change except ever increasing prices. The only way things may change is for everyone to stop using them. Then maybe just maybe something will change, but i doubt it. :unamused:

76

TonyCBR:
Sorry but i found this topic very funny, found the replies even funnier. Everyone myself included moans about MSA’s but you keep using them. :unamused:
We all know nothing will change except ever increasing prices. The only way things may change is for everyone to stop using them. Then maybe just maybe something will change, but i doubt it. :unamused:

I am not using them, if I have a choice. So i am not using them in Germany, in France, in Poland, in Austria…

Everywhere there if I need to pee, I just stop in one of the small laybys with a toilet, if I need to eat something, I try to leave the motorway and find some decent restaurant (even though the food over there is usually much better).

I tend to do the same here, but if you want to pee, you have not much choice - no toilets on motorway other than on the MSA’s… Same with showers, although I am lucky enough that I can do it over the water in decent showers and then I am home next evening (as I am driving a small van).

And I am using MSA’s for fuel, it’s quicker and this is not me who pays for it (although if I drive with my own car, I am trying to refuel off the motorway as fuel 100 yards off the slip road is much cheaper).

77

orys:

TonyCBR:
Sorry but i found this topic very funny, found the replies even funnier. Everyone myself included moans about MSA’s but you keep using them. :unamused:
We all know nothing will change except ever increasing prices. The only way things may change is for everyone to stop using them. Then maybe just maybe something will change, but i doubt it. :unamused:

I am not using them, if I have a choice. So i am not using them in Germany, in France, in Poland, in Austria…

Everywhere there if I need to pee, I just stop in one of the small laybys with a toilet, if I need to eat something, I try to leave the motorway and find some decent restaurant (even though the food over there is usually much better).

I tend to do the same here, but if you want to pee, you have not much choice - no toilets on motorway other than on the MSA’s… Same with showers, although I am lucky enough that I can do it over the water in decent showers and then I am home next evening (as I am driving a small van).

And I am using MSA’s for fuel, it’s quicker and this is not me who pays for it (although if I drive with my own car, I am trying to refuel off the motorway as fuel 100 yards off the slip road is much cheaper).

It used to be known as “common sense” or using a bit of initiative(spolling) :blush:
Lets face it, half the “proffesional drivers”,wouldnt dare deviate off a motorway nowadays imo . . sat nav says no :unamused:

78

Driveroneuk:
According to this:

McDonald's agrees franchise deal with Roadchef

they are going to spend an average of £1.2 million per site over 10 sites initially, so certainly should be able to afford to do something for us in that budget.

That would be about a 1/3 of what each site got in parking fees from truck drivers then :open_mouth:

79

DAF95XF:

daleyboy:
Use of the coach bays between 8pm-5am. Really how many coaches turn up between these times.

In that case, between 20:00 and 05:00 will coaches be able to park in the truck park because the coach bays are all full of trucks :question:

Or of course you could use the nearly empty car parks right by the entrance to the MSA :bulb:

80

I think I would ask him if he would be happier if we didn’t turn up at all, if he is honest he will say yes, because they don’t want us, they would prefer coaches and cars who turn up, spend some money then ■■■■ off. Unlike us, we want something for our money :open_mouth: