I tend to avoid a “gaggle” of drivers swapping knitting patterns as theres only so much moaning i can listen to in one day,
Heres an example,
Im down in manchester with a curtainsider decker, im in the shed and the boys on the forklifts are doing their stuff,i pop outside for a smoke and start chatting to the next driver waiting to get tipped,usual chat, where you off to next pal etc…
Another driver jumps out his gleaming 15 plate merc and saunters over and joins in…
Merc - “aye,the jobs fcked”
Me - “eh”?
Merc “the job,its fcked now”
Me - “how come”
Merc -“its no what it used to be,i used to go… Blah blahhh blahhh”
I got that glazed look over my face n thought “here we go”
Me - “how long you been doing it then mate”
Merc - “19yrs”
Me - “that your motor”? Nodding to his nice clean truck
Merc -“the company’s but its only me who drives it,ill no let any other fckr drive it”
Me - “youve been doing it for 19yrs and its crap”?
Merc - “aye the jobs fcked noo”
Me - "maybe its time for a change then eh "?
Merc - “AND DO WHAT”■■?
Me - “ohh think thats me tipped, catch you later”,
Got back in my motor and thought,jeeeeezooooo ffs!!! My own fault,shouldve known better,
Think ive yet to meet a driver wholl admit hes happy at his job,me personally, i love driving trucks,but nothing saps your strength more than a couple of drivers ■■■■■■■■ and moaning about their shift, money, gaffer, whatever,but there at the same company for donkeys years,does my noggin in,if you dont like yer job then jump ship ffs…RANT OVER.
robroy:
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 [zb] ing on your polished tank.
So maybe better not to write them off as old gits eh?
Had an old chap come up to me in Croydon on a walking stick saying how good these motors are now and in his day they were totally different when he was a driver.
Had a great chat and a made him a cuppa then helped him up into the cab to show him how things have changed since he retired,the smile on the old chaps face when we said our goodbyes will live with me forever.
Lovely old boy
Some people just don’t like talking to random strangers, seems reasonable to me!
As I said before it was just what you did in the days before most of you cocooned yourself in your cabs in a ■■■■ lay by 
If you parked next to somebody, unless he came across as a complete 2at of course, you would get talking, and end up going for a beer or 2.
I still do ,… btw I aint the pushy type to avoid, (I hope 
) and I always make sure they do not get the wrong idea 
, and a few occasions had a decent night, but you also get the ones that look at you like you have ■■■■■■ in their kitchen if you mention going to the pub.
Stopping en route is frowned on so usually no time time chat. Canteen craic is good though, not a lot of whining just now, (I’m told the biggest cause has had yet another warning and been ‘promoted’ sideways) been on the same start time as a couple of other agency bods for the last few weeks and any work related chat is about what a piece of pi55 this job is. One has just taken the company shilling, I’ve been asked (yet again) and TBH am sorely tempted but being ‘owned’ by the company doesn’t appeal.
Quite happy to talk to other drivers but quite shy so tend to have my face stuck in my kindle, Hell I’ll even talk to forkies
midlifetrucker:
I don’t speak Latvian Polish or Russian.
This hit the nail on the head, surprised it took till page 2.
I’m one of these cheery ■■■■■ that’ll generally talk to anyone, but the last few times I’ve said hello/tried to strike up a converstation with drivers I didn’t know, they were foreign and either didn’t understand or just continued wittering away in their own language.
Best off keeping yourself to yourself these days IMO.
Chris1207:
midlifetrucker:
I don’t speak Latvian Polish or Russian.This hit the nail on the head, surprised it took till page 2.
I’m one of these cheery [zb] that’ll generally talk to anyone, but the last few times I’ve said hello/tried to strike up a converstation with drivers I didn’t know, they were foreign and either didn’t understand or just continued wittering away in their own language.
Best off keeping yourself to yourself these days IMO.
Best not think about driving abroad then mate, all those places are full of foreign drivers.
No when your over the water your the foreigner
Not all Easten Euros speak no English. Was picking up some malt on Friday, got talking to a guy from Easten Europe. Talking about the job, where he’s been, planners etc, the usual stuff. Quite pleasent to talk to!
midlifetrucker:
No when your over the water your the foreigner
Exactly,… That is what I meant. 
If he ships out, he is the one ‘‘wittering in his own laguage’’…
Try talking to the foreign lads, OK the conversation might be a bit pidgin English…bloody sight better than my pidgin Polish/Turkish/Latvian though…most of them are decent lads just earning a crust same as us.
What is an eye opener is how polite many of them are, they could teach us a thing or two (might be another reason why they are in such demand as workers), one Romanian lad i worked with i had to talk him out of calling me ‘‘sir’’ and use me name instead, it wasn’t a ■■■■ take cos i’m an old ■■■■, they are brought up to respect their elders and it comes naturally to them, good lad too excellent driver.
I shipped back over from Belfast a few years ago.
Me and a German lad I met on the boat, a driver btw, ended up in the pub in Stranraer, I speak zero German, and his English was limited, but we both liked beer and football, looking at women …and fish and chips after, so it was a decent night out.
Most Dutch drivers I know or have met, speak better English than a lot of the many neandrathal type Brit drivers that we all unfortunately have to put up with.
I was only being snarky. I pass the time of day with most drivers if I get a grunt or ■■■■■■■■ I retreat to a mythical phone call I have to make
had to make a collection from a flower place on the outskirts of Carlisle last week , any way this place is off the beaten track and up a lane (its part of a farm ) and when I get there , there is a dutch artic already there tipping so I approach the driver and ask how long he expects to be ? as I may as well put it on break and get my flask out . no problem he says I can be as long as you need . cut a long story short when he gets sorted he came over for a chat and my 15 turned into 30 . it makes the day so much pleasanter when people are sociable , it also helped he spoke excellent English .
midlifetrucker:
I don’t speak Latvian Polish or Russian.
So you’re Romanian then…
I’ll give most drivers an ‘Alright mate’ or a ‘Hows it going’, if they don’t reply, well stick then.
If I’m tipping or loading at the same time as someone else I’ll usually have the idle chit chat as I’m un/strapping. I’m new to tramping and distance work so like someone else said, I ask loads of questions. I’ve found even if its obvious stuff, drivers seem happy enough to help out. I’m young so maybe that helps with folk assuming I’m new.
Of course you get the miserable tossers but I just smile and wave, if you want to be crabbit suit yourself.
As for the services I’ve been chatting to a few guys who’ve parked next to me or if its been fairly empty. I like to get my scoff in peace but I’ve no issue chatting away at the truck. As for the curtains getting pulled over, I don’t fancy stripping off and showing my chiseled physique off to all and sundry. They have to pay for that at the weekend, workdays are no different.
A.
robroy:
I shipped back over from Belfast a few years ago.
Me and a German lad I met on the boat, a driver btw, ended up in the pub in Stranraer, I speak zero German, and his English was limited, but we both liked beer and football, looking at women
Most Dutch drivers I know or have met, speak better English than a lot of the many neandrathal type Brit drivers that we all unfortunately have to put up with.
I’m a yard Shunter and I meet Bulgarian,Polish,Spanish,Portuguese,
Romanian,German and Dutch on a daily basis
I find them all mostly very polite we get some regular ones come in who I’ve built up quite a good friendship with
They’ve learnt me some of their sayings and I’ve learnt some of them mine especially as I’m from Notts
(I speak fluent Nottinghamese)
As in ey up mi duck !!!
We have some good banter and as you’ve mentioned Robroy football is a good international ice breaker regardless of your native tongue
I treat everyone the same who comes through the gate and try to help out especially if their running out of time
Some drivers again just don’t want to talk so I just leave it to it
I like to talk to women drivers, thats when I can pluck up the courage.
A simple “hello how you doin” usually disarms em enough for a little chit chat, the other week I had a great laugh with a young lady trucker who divulged most of her life story to me and vice versa. Out of respect and future potential shenanigans I wont divulge anymore.
As im quite the wolf in sheeps clothing ive always found being able to listen and inject the odd bit of humour works wonders with the opposite ■■■. Works well with the same ■■■ also.
I always talk to those that fancy a quick chat on a break… Usually i can’t keep my mouth closed…It’s this site which has difficulty talking to me…
toby1234abc:
I see this all the time, in truckstops they sit alone avoiding eye contact, more so in Rugby truckstop by the same firm that own it .
Going back a long time , it was normal when running around Europe to drop the trailer and run solo unit to meet up with other drivers for a laugh and a chat and a few beers .
When you break down now or have a tyre blow out, it is pick up the phone and somebody comes to help, where as years ago, you would have to change your own unit or trailer tyres by taking spares with you.
I have heard of drivers taking spare engine parts with them or a spare clutch to do it themselves if needs be, the cab full of tool boxes and kit to keep you on the road.
Other drivers would stop to give a hand, or help out striping down a tilt trailer and putting it back together again, not easy in 45 degree heat or freezing cold weather, no health and safety nonsense climbing at height on top of the trailer pulling back a sheet that weighed nearly a ton .
No mobile phones, no sat nav, call in a cafe to receive the reload fax for collections in the middle of nowhere.
No trackers, just get on the ferry you were booked on.
there were no Mobile Phones, Satellite Navigations and no Internet then