I’ve known quite a few drivers who have refused to do stuff sometimes on principal, others for laziness and sometimes drivers just do not want to set a precedent by doing it.
I do not think I have ever personally refused to do anything, although I did make it clear one day that I am not doing a night out, this is when I just managed to get back in the yard on 14hours 53 minutes working time lol. (I told them before hand that it was going to be tight, yet they still demanded I do a 2nd run)
I’ve known drivers refuse to drive rigids
refuse to drive Dafs
refuse to do deliveries and only do collections
refuse to do anything London
refuse to use A-frame trailers only artics
refuse to do deliveries unless a drivers mate came along.
I am not saying any of these are unreasonable, just examples.
All of the examples you list are just ‘‘part of the job’’, so anybody who refuses to do any or all of those should be first given the chance to compromise (if they have a legitimate reason) or simply binned off if they don’t.
Personally all I will flatly refuse to do is anything that is illegal.
On other hand, and for a legitimate reason, I won’t do ridiculously stupid early starts, but only because I know my own limitations, that is if I start too early I end up driving whilst too tired,. (which I just DON’T do) but I will (and do) always offer to compromise, if I can a way to get the job done in those cases.
I will on principle ‘‘initially’’ refuse to do something I deem to be unfair, unreasonable or a ■■■■ take excercise prior to a discussion or explanation on whatever it is, , but I have found that in many of those cases you will always get some of those who work alongside you who will readily bend over and do it …,
So then you are faced with the decision and dilemna , of where you either reluctantly go along with it or have to leave a job you like (but where at the same time you do not necessarily share the same affection for the company who employ you. )
A case of this (which I ain’t prepared to go into) happened to me just recently.so rather than act out my initial headstrong reaction and decision to jack the job with t.s and c.s that suit me, I have dealt with it by appearing to comply, but working away safe in the knowledge that in reality… I ain’t.
Aka ‘Winning but appearing to lose’…
But on the whole anything I am asked to do that pertains to the job of everyday work driving a truck, I will do…it’s what they pay me for!
I would be a little tetchy about doing self tip at Lidl/Aldi if we didn’t get subsidised for it. It’s not that I do not mind to do it but the fact I would get paid the same sitting on my backside at Morrisons RDC would annoy me after a while.
AdamST205:
I would be a little tetchy about doing self tip at Lidl/Aldi if we didn’t get subsidised for it. It’s not that I do not mind to do it but the fact I would get paid the same sitting on my backside at Morrisons RDC would annoy me after a while.
Time passes quicker walking at a brisk pace behind a pump truck. I prefer manual to electric ones.
.
If my contract said “V8 fair-ground wagons only” then I would refuse to drive a DAF.
Since my contract doesnt say that, I wouldnt.
Only tip with a mate? Depends on the goods, and what you employed to do.
If you are a delivery driver on parcels or pallets, why not do it? But if it is white goods into a flat, I wouldn`t attempt to do it.
Once I did refuse to revisit a collection point.
Long story, but after being lied to, and lied about, I flatly refused to go back there when the goods were (allegedly) ready.
I said my bit, refused, and no more was said by the office. I didn`t make a habit of such though.
switchlogic:
Nothing. If I go to work for a company I’m happy to do all that they require.
“Hey, Switch we got this guy Carryfast who is going to be your driversmate for the day”
Franglais:
If my contract said “V8 fair-ground wagons only” then I would refuse to drive a DAF.
Since my contract doesnt say that, I wouldnt.
I think a career of driving poverty spec supermarket units has made me indifferent to what truck I drive. I honestly do not give a crap about the size of the engine. Even while I am struggling going down the M20 which has pretty small inclines on some sections and barely managing to hit 30mph on some bits xD
adam277:
I’ve known drivers refuse to drive rigids
refuse to drive Dafs
refuse to do deliveries and only do collections
refuse to do anything London
refuse to use A-frame trailers only artics
refuse to do deliveries unless a drivers mate came along.
I am not saying any of these are unreasonable, just examples.
I like/d DAFs, prefer A frames to artics, with hindsight would walk/run away from anything involving handballing loads and/or local/multi drop.
Would also still prefer a constant mesh manual box.
Luckily for me I’m out of the job.
Better quality easier work driving high end cars around the country.Ive even learnt to enjoy driving auto boxes in their right place like behind a 500 hp + Range Rover petrol V8.
twice now i have been asked on a customers site to move a trailer off or onto a bay as thier shunter isnt there one trailor did belong to the company i was working for that night so i rang them to get permistion as it would of ment i would of been delayed to get to my delivery point. second time i refused as it wasnt a company trailer and you could see the massive storm that would occure if any thing happened and i was in a unit that belonged to my agency working for client of thiers pulling a 3rd parties trailor on a 4th parties site.
I won’t start before 06:00 or be planned to do more than a 12 hour day. If that’s what a firm needs then I understand but it’s a job for somebody else, not me.
There’s been a few things I’ve refused to do, not many, though, and mainly due to defects such as tyres exactly on 1mm and things like that.
But I’ve only ever vehemently and absolutely refused to do one thing.
I broke down once at 2:30am partially blocking the road on a small industrial estate, and blocking the entrance to a warehouse. My company (who I no longer work for) said they’re not paying for anyone to come out, and to wait for their own wrecker to get to me. The fitters will be in at 8am, they’ll get to me for 11am.
I spent the next 8.5 hours trying to sleep and trying to tell other drivers why I couldn’t move. I was causing a real problem, especially once it got to 6am. My company said if they couldn’t get the lorry going, then I was to sit in the driver’s seat and steer it back while being towed on a bar by the wrecker. This journey back would have started at midday, on my 16th hour, and would have lasted 3 hours. I refused, and told them the only place I’d be is in the passenger seat of the wrecker asleep. I was shattered.
The workshop manager, who was also a company director, swore at me, and said he’d have to pay another driver to come down with the mechanic. I told him that’s part and parcel of running a business, and I was too tired to steer back like that, and even questioned the legality of it. He reckoned it was legal because it wasn’t duty, that I just needed to be there. I said if I needed to be there, then surely that’s duty. The argument went on and on. Eventually he sent down another driver with the mechanic, I had the next night off, got paid for it, and never heard another thing about it.
adam277:
I’ve known quite a few drivers who have refused to do stuff sometimes on principal, others for laziness and sometimes drivers just do not want to set a precedent by doing it.
I do not think I have ever personally refused to do anything, although I did make it clear one day that I am not doing a night out, this is when I just managed to get back in the yard on 14hours 53 minutes working time lol. (I told them before hand that it was going to be tight, yet they still demanded I do a 2nd run)
I’ve known drivers refuse to drive rigids. Don’t blame them, it’s a step down into the lower ranks too much.
refuse to drive Dafs. The CFs are pretty garbage and pants for tramping in.
refuse to do deliveries and only do collections. Most hauliers probably won’t let you get away with that unless you are golden bollox
refuse to do anything London. Have sympathy. London is a crazy place.
refuse to use A-frame trailers only artics. No experience of A frames.
refuse to do deliveries unless a drivers mate came along. If it’s handball would you want to do it solo?!
I am not saying any of these are unreasonable, just examples.
who will readily bend over and do it 
)
