Why do they expect us to be crap at our job

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

robroy:
Thought about this thread today when I went to load at Launceston.
It was a normal type bay but on an angle, nothing complicated for anybody.
I started the motor up and the guy came running over to me and told me exactly how to go about getting in.
I said ‘Cheers mate I’ll be ok’’
When I backed in I said to the guy (thinking about this) ‘‘Cheers for the advice mate, I was just wondering do you get a lot of bad drivers in here or something’’ his reply was ‘‘Mate, we have had some right ■■■■■■ in here’’ :smiley:

So case in point.

I asked him if the bad drivers were the foreigners, he said ‘‘no most of those guys are ok, it’s usually the ‘English’ drivers to be honest’’ so that dispels in this case anyway, the wisdom of our Mr Truckbling. Not sure if he meant specifically English or Brit :smiley:

Who’d have thought it, Britain has more then it’s fair share of bellends! :open_mouth:
It was so much easier when i could discriminate by race or nationality… :cry:

62

truckyboy:
I have read every post over 2 pages, some are very good posts, others are absolute crap… I am an old modern driver, i have over 50 years under my belt of driving, almost every type of vehicle and trailer out there, i drive with great confidence cos i can, that i dont need any advice ( yes that sounds big headed ) but i am such a good driver, in any situation, can get into any area, on any bay, in any yard, some are tougher than others, and i do resent advice, sorry i cant help its just me, ive driven everywhere mentioned on F/B on T/Net, in minus 25 - 30, and up to 100 degrees heat, ive driven Left hookers, and that was the only thing that fazed me…at the beginning…and i did make mistakes…ive got a very clean licence, ive never made a claim or had a claim made against me, ive been an owner driver, and a transport manager, so i know and understand both sides of the fence, in fact i know everything in need to know about transport, in fact i have probably forgotten more, than most know…and i am very proud of what i have achieved, and my knowledge…and guess what !./.at aged 70 in a couple of months, i still drive the big rigs, across europe to Bulgaria, been offered farther afield if i want it, and i am not afraid to go anywhere…well i got the t shirt and sand in my shoes already…so i dont need a yard person…a FLT…or whoever to tell me i need help…i am polite however…i do say please and thank you, and even a sorry if needed ( never if i believe i am right ) but like ROBROY…he asked a question about why yard staff tell him how to do his job…my reason is as above, he has already given his.
The poster who wondered why uk drivers fail their test…there are many reasons…nerves…not enough training ( ie, schools putting a driver up for test before he is ready ) you should be asking why employers do not take newly passed drivers…after completing a program to legally licence a driver, and after paying out hundreds of pounds…I never had to take a test for driving trucks, and most of us oldies are self taught.you might ask why transport companies do not provide after test training…what i can tell the poster is this ( and i know the nationality of the poster ) Prior the invasion of the eastern bloc, and after it was a well known fact that if you were in Poland, and had a car licence, you could take a driving test in a farm tractor with a trailer behind, and if you passed ( and probably after a bribe ) you would gain a class 1 licence, which enabled you to drive artics in the uk …which they did, with many accidents, incidents, every motorway in the uk was literally littered with wreckage made by these incompetent drivers who had been set free to cause carnage, to our citizens, because their rules were not in force the same as ours, and they were seeking higher wages than their homelands, and quite honestly couldnt give a Hoot for anyones safety so long as they were allowed to drive, even though they had not set foot inside a big truck ever, let alone a uk big truck with right hand drive…that was another issue…i know these facts because i worked for a company who employed these idiots…and even today our licencing people and VOSA did absolutely nothing, i knew Turners employed them too at great cost, with brand new units being written off before they had even left their depot, the Irish tried them out to , and lithuanians too, and they caused so much damage, the irish were told they would not be insured for these types of drivers and were forced not to employ them…so i hope this answers some of your questions Andrew. And you too mike, who said, it has nothing to do with foreign drivers. Sorry to blame the eastern Bloc drivers, but back in the day the Czechs, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Polish were all brilliant international drivers, they had to be under the Commie regime, they had tom learn mechanics for 2 years before being allowed in a truck…thee system was better then…today the youngsters have it so easy, but most cannot drive forwards let alone reverse…we all see them…maybe some are learners, the foreigners are worse, even when someone is helping them…it seems most do not even have the basic knowledge of driving so who licenced these [zb]…and just before i sign off…have a look on the motorways as you go about your business…just have a glance at the registration of the vehicle involved in that incident…report back here at the end of the week…maybe start a new post.

You want to be careful saying things like that mate, you might get called all sorts of names for saying it how it factually is or was. Fully agree with you for what its worth.

63

always found farmers the worst - had bigger than that in here etc.

64

Truckbling:
You want to be careful saying things like that mate, you might get called all sorts of names for saying it how it factually is or was.

+1

65

Had to shunt twice when backed to Bay at chelmsford Royal Mail. Manager stood on stairs watching me. No worry,he said. we have worst :slight_smile:
Compliments always welcome. No matter whats the source :bulb:

66

I have been watching artic Jedi reverse for a few years. I used to be a forkie before Yoda had a word with me, and can honestly say that the VAST majority of artic Jedi are excellent at placing their vehicles.

Since I have become a Jedi Master (only 12 months), I have probably watched other drivers reverse even more, whilst sat on a bay waiting to be tipped, hoping to learn something. Some drivers are slowish, but usually deadly accurate, and do it one. IMO these drivers seem to be the most experienced, a nice relaxed ’ no rush ’ attitude.

You then get the ’ I am great-watch this! ’ drivers who are quicker, but invariably need a shunt or two. Then sometimes you will see an inexperienced driver who often sets up incorrectly, and are doomed to a 25 shunt debacle. (We have all been there).

But 99% get the job done, with no damage, and no injuries. So I don’t understand where the poor expectation comes from?

67

Winseer:
Perhaps they think “If that guy had any talent, he’d be cleaning the toilets or stacking shelves for double bubble on sundays”. :smiley:

I don’t know where anybody gets this from… No such thing as time and a half or double time in retail. Maybe Boxing day. That’s it. £6.50 whatever shift you’re on, and maybe time and a quarter from 10pm-5am. Luckily to you over 25’s, you could be earning a LIVING WAGE of £7.40… Jeffing ridiculous. The idea is you don’t start living till you’re 25… At 20 I’ve got my Class 1, a car, two motorbikes and live with my missus in a city apartment… But I should only need £5.40 an hour…

Makes me really angry.

68

eagerbeaver:
I have been watching artic Jedi reverse for a few years. I used to be a forkie before Yoda had a word with me, and can honestly say that the VAST majority of artic Jedi are excellent at placing their vehicles.

Since I have become a Jedi Master (only 12 months), I have probably watched other drivers reverse even more, whilst sat on a bay waiting to be tipped, hoping to learn something. Some drivers are slowish, but usually deadly accurate, and do it one. IMO these drivers seem to be the most experienced, a nice relaxed ’ no rush ’ attitude.

You then get the ’ I am great-watch this! ’ drivers who are quicker, but invariably need a shunt or two. Then sometimes you will see an inexperienced driver who often sets up incorrectly, and are doomed to a 25 shunt debacle. (We have all been there).

But 99% get the job done, with no damage, and no injuries. So I don’t understand where the poor expectation comes from?

Awesome post, mate. ■■■■ on.

69

Cheers W/b! I just think that many folk seem to have ’ sheep ’ mentality, and simply follow the crowd with opinions, rather than bother using their brain.

70

eagerbeaver:
Cheers W/b! I just think that many folk seem to have ’ sheep ’ mentality, and simply follow the crowd with opinions, rather than bother using their brain.

Well it was me who started this…way back in November :open_mouth:

I just noticed that a lot of goods in staff EXPECT you to make a meal of, or even a complete ■■■■ up if it involves an awkward reverse, which is evident by their different reactions of surprise when you do not.
That was my opinion, …after using my brain :smiley:

71

i could not give a f what they expect. they are not truck drivers

72

trk78:
i could not give a f what they expect. they are not truck drivers

I just said I noticed, I did not say that I give a f. :bulb:

73

i did not read all the replys, only giving my opinion on the original subject title

74

is there a difference?

75

trk78:
is there a difference?

Yeh there is.
If you ‘Give a …whatever’ it’s another way of saying you care, or it concerns you in a worrying way of varying degrees.
I was merely making an observation and stating it.

76

I don’t think I phrased my post correctly Rob.

I was referring to the goods in warehouse knobbers, that often seem to all have one collective opinion, irrespective of the fact that 99% of the time the reverse is completed without drama.

77

Janos:
I am struggling to think of another profession where a member of the public tells them how to perform their job!

No matter how tight the access it is up to the driver to work it out, and as some have already alluded to, it is a challenge to our experience and professional pride, that we have to and want to rise to. I would be ashamed to have dents and scratches on the nearside bumper. Some people wear them as badges of honour I think.

Rob, you are not the only one who has those sorts of conversations. A guy actually shook my hand a few months ago in dis-belief. First time in ten years somebody had reversed an artic into his warehouse first go. Standards are low…whatever anyone says. The evidence is over-whelming. Bridge strikes, turnovers, crashes, rank-stupidity, tail-gating etc etc.

I think maybe, U tube could be responsible for a lot of the poor standards, or at least bringing them to our attention more often. There has always been poor driving, but never the lap tops and phone’s to view it in the past.

78

robroy:
Thought about this thread today when I went to load at Launceston.
It was a normal type bay but on an angle, nothing complicated for anybody.
I started the motor up and the guy came running over to me and told me exactly how to go about getting in.
I said ‘Cheers mate I’ll be ok’’
When I backed in I said to the guy (thinking about this) ‘‘Cheers for the advice mate, I was just wondering do you get a lot of bad drivers in here or something’’ his reply was ‘‘Mate, we have had some right ■■■■■■ in here’’ :smiley:

So case in point.

I asked him if the bad drivers were the foreigners, he said ‘‘no most of those guys are ok, it’s usually the ‘English’ drivers to be honest’’ so that dispels in this case anyway, the wisdom of our Mr Truckbling. Not sure if he meant specifically English or Brit :smiley:

Got nothing constructive to say about the topic but when I first started I used to take my black lab, then a puppy with me and a customer was watching as I tried and tried to get on the bay and said “we weren’t sure whether it was you or the dog driving”! I think the dog would have made a better job!

79

or you take their advice,ignore it and do it your way and totally ■■■■ it up giving them a laugh,done it myself,i usually walk in afterwards and say yep see what you mean,lesson learnt,also find when you do that and admit you cocked up you tend to get on better with the goods in guys,because you gave them a laugh and admitted you were wrong

80

Just gone through this thread and have to say attitude plays a big part , most of the yard men have seen arctics reverse in before and seen the mistakes or not and are quite often right in telling you how you should do it wether they have or not . The big difference is how they approach you as Robroy says this makes the difference .