maybe I am classed as a miserable git but when I do go in a café it might be virtually empty so I pick a table right in a corner somewhere,guarantee someone will walk over and choose the table right next to you,even though as I said the café could be empty,they cant go anywhere else but the table next to you,anyone else noticed that
I spend more time to talking to Forkies compared to other drivers. Most of the time they just ignore me or just grunt. Its like they are teenagers again.
robroy:
I remember a lot of what toby says, drivers did talk and help each other once over.
Some tossers today if you nod and say ‘Alright mate’ they just look at you.
If a situation occurs where a potential conversation can occur with another driver, I usually try and weigh the driver up. If he’s gobby I avoid him like the plague,… you know the ones the rdc superstar types that talk pure [zb]. If he looks like a ‘normal’ driver, and if I can be arsed of course, I don’ t push myself but I will say something.
On occasions I have been parked on ind ests next to another driver, struck up a conversation (in a butch manly way you understand) and had a couple of pints and a good crack, but definitely not as often as the old days.
At that time it was a kind of ‘we are all in it together’ type of situation, where as now it’s more like every man for himself in a lot of cases. That is why we will never be able to right the wrongs in the job.
i miss the old days where you could go into a cafe and sit down and start talking too other drivers who would divulge info on the road ahead or help if they could, nowadays everybody too wrapped up in there little world, but then again how many proper truckers are there on the roads nowadays
It’s because of ‘Britishness’, most Brits are just aerosoles, simples…[emoji16]
It’s because of things like we’re using now, like the INTERNET where we or you can speak to the nearest an dearest or incognito on a dating website without the need to speak to a hairy arsed smelly unshaven hi vis vest wearing driver spitting food and coughing tea or beer over everyone within 20 feet …
raymundo:
It’s because of things like we’re using now, like the INTERNET where we or you can speak to the nearest an dearest or incognito on a dating website without the need to speak to a hairy arsed smelly unshaven hi vis vest wearing driver spitting food and coughing tea or beer over everyone within 20 feet …
+1
raymundo:
It’s because of things like we’re using now, like the INTERNET where we or you can speak to the nearest an dearest or incognito on a dating website without the need to speak to a hairy arsed smelly unshaven hi vis vest wearing driver spitting food and coughing tea or beer over everyone within 20 feet …
To be honest mate you paint a depressing picture of a type of driver that none of us would want to go anywhere near, let alone strike up a conversation with. I think this type are in the minority and most of us are just your average Joe Trucker.
If fellow drivers perceive us as this negative sterotype 
, what hope have we of dispelling this perception with the already anti truck/truck driver public. 
The fact that bogeybrain has agreed with you, just sums it up actually.
raymundo:
It’s because of things like we’re using now, like the INTERNET where we or you can speak to the nearest an dearest or incognito on a dating website without the need to speak to a hairy arsed smelly unshaven hi vis vest wearing driver spitting food and coughing tea or beer over everyone within 20 feet …
I used to occasionally overnight in a layby by a very popular drivers pub just outside Northampton, most of the folk in there fitted your stereotype (apart from the hi-viz stuff) it was brilliant , just loved it. If I thought I would meet drivers like that now I would do the cpc and start driving again. give me my 143 back and I would be off the morns morn
I always find at Rugby truck stop you get the stobarts lads all hanging round together and the OOCL container lads bunching together as well.
I’m happy to talk to anyone if the topics of conversation are decent.
Because we’re boring! Rugby, Stobart drivers avoid each other. Red Lion, a whole massive dining area and drivers sat isoloted on their own.
Why, because drivers don’t want hear of how far or how long with a break from Felixstowe to Manchester. That’s for the geeks.
I want to know about the nice little restaurant in Tenerife where Mrs B and I will have a nice meal.
fuse:
Don’t known they are born todays drivers Toby,I remember air wipers used to stick all the time ,no heaters or a carpet over the rad to get her warmed up . I did miss the days of solid tyres must have been a good idea no puncture and blow outs to contend with ,ha those were the days.
I heard that just miss Toby’s bonce. See that Joe ? I put a full stop and a LOL.
danalex84:
As I am a new driver, I always try and talk to everybody, and I have found that a lot of drivers will offer me advice as well. Often giving me tips and advice, as well as asking where Im off to next and letting me know a good route, and if they have been there before telling me how to find a site or how things work somewhere.
Likewise. I’ve found most drivers to be happy to have a chat and answer the most basic of questions.
I’ve learned a fair bit this way.
Tea van small talk is worse. I’ve had reps start waffling while waiting for my breakfast bap. At lunch you get some old sod that apparently drove a Bedford summit to Scotch Corner once back in the '70s and thinks you want a history lesson. When I retire I wont be hanging around tea vans boring drivers with war stories. The rose tinted forum on here is bad enough.
Might actually make the “old sods” day…by listening to him waffle for 5 minutes.
commonrail:
Might actually make the “old sods” day…by listening to him waffle for 5 minutes.
If an old boy, ex driver comes over to talk to me, which they have done from time to time, I try and make time for him.
,I was glad of those guys guidance when I first started off.
I made one old boy’s day when I let him have a look in my cab, the last ‘modern’ truck he had driven was a 111 Scania, he was both interested and amazed at my Actros, and we had a good conversation, some of the places he had overnighted at I had myself in the past.
They were the REAL drivers that suffered more hardship than a seagull ■■■■■ ing on your polished tank.
So maybe better not to write them off as old gits eh?
I’m not just talking about drivers.
commonrail:
I’m not just talking about drivers.
Surely you’re not suggesting listening to pensioners who pull up in their Rover 200 and think we’re all interested to hear about their medical problems, holiday plans and worst of all, their grand children? Next we’ll get presented with holiday photos in Brixham and before you know it, you’ll be sharing a Werthers and joining National Trust.
commonrail:
I’m not just talking about drivers.
Yeh sorry mate it was the previous guy that I meant to quote, about his history lesson comment.
I don’t speak Latvian Polish or Russian.
Wardaddy:
commonrail:
I’m not just talking about drivers.Surely you’re not suggesting listening to pensioners who pull up in their Rover 200 and think we’re all interested to hear about their medical problems, holiday plans and worst of all, their grand children? Next we’ll get presented with holiday photos in Brixham and before you know it, you’ll be sharing a Werthers and joining National Trust.
