I’m currently working as part of a 2 man team, on home delivery in a 18t DAF. Now, I’m a relatively new class 2 driver, having only passed in April, but have 15yrs of 7.5t experience, and to be honest, his driving worries me. For instance, single carriage way, flat out on the limiter, approaching a car in front, he decides to overtake, and as we get level with the car, then notices the traffic island in front of us, and the fact we wont make it, has to pull back in. Or the motorcyle he decides to overtake, again single carriageway, as we approach a bend, nothing coming towards us, until we’re level with the bike, and a car comes round the bend, and we have to pull in, cutting up the motorcycle. or the amount of cars we’ve nearly rear ended at junctions because he’s been more interested in criticising their driving than watching what they were doing. And lets not forget the total disregard for rural speed limits, 30 through a village? No chance with him…
Now, I don’t claim to be the best driver, but I do believe in driving safely, and not taking unnecessary risks.
So, your opinions please on this, just a small selection of today’s issues, and would you mention this to the management, or just keep quiet?
I’m not what you’d call a grass, but these near misses happen on a near enough daily basis.
SuffolkLad:
I’m currently working as part of a 2 man team, on home delivery in a 18t DAF. Now, I’m a relatively new class 2 driver, having only passed in April, but have 15yrs of 7.5t experience, and to be honest, his driving worries me. For instance, single carriage way, flat out on the limiter, approaching a car in front, he decides to overtake, and as we get level with the car, then notices the traffic island in front of us, and the fact we wont make it, has to pull back in. Or the motorcyle he decides to overtake, again single carriageway, as we approach a bend, nothing coming towards us, until we’re level with the bike, and a car comes round the bend, and we have to pull in, cutting up the motorcycle. or the amount of cars we’ve nearly rear ended at junctions because he’s been more interested in criticising their driving than watching what they were doing. And lets not forget the total disregard for rural speed limits, 30 through a village? No chance with him…
Now, I don’t claim to be the best driver, but I do believe in driving safely, and not taking unnecessary risks.
So, your opinions please on this, just a small selection of today’s issues, and would you mention this to the management, or just keep quiet?
I’m not what you’d call a grass, but these near misses happen on a near enough daily basis.
Without a doubt, speak to TM quietly and in confidence , the most precious cargo in that truck to you and your wife and kids is YOU…be polite and ask them to install an in cab camera or a tracker if they want proof , any respectable company wont want the hassle of a crash or raised insurance premiums or VOSA hassle…
Is he driving like this because of perseved time pressures?
I would start by showing him how you drive.[and that you can still get the job done]
Then,if that doesn’t work,ask to be swopped with someone else.
Then,as 3 wheeler says…
I would go into work tomorrow morning and ask to be put with someone else. When they ask why, tell them you’re frightened by his driving. You don’t go to work to get injured or killed. Who cares what he thinks of you, it can’t be any less than he already does, his driving proves that.
Time plays a part in how he drives, in that he is salaried, so its in his interest to get done as soon as he can, not that the company pushes him to do this, we are routed, with specific times allocated to each drop, but we are under no pressure to abide by those times. By his own admission, I, being an agency driver, won’t be as quick as him due to the fact I’m hourly paid, so I haven’t actually had the chance to drive yet. Its more likely that I’m a reasonably law abiding and safe driver, I wouldn’t dream of overtaking another wagon on a single carriageway, because he’s sticking to the limit and is ‘in our zb way’. Likewise, I also don’t believe in working through my breaks.
SuffolkLad:
Time plays a part in how he drives, in that he is salaried, so its in his interest to get done as soon as he can, not that the company pushes him to do this, we are routed, with specific times allocated to each drop, but we are under no pressure to abide by those times. By his own admission, I, being an agency driver, won’t be as quick as him due to the fact I’m hourly paid, so I haven’t actually had the chance to drive yet. Its more likely that I’m a reasonably law abiding and safe driver, I wouldn’t dream of overtaking another wagon on a single carriageway, because he’s sticking to the limit and is ‘in our zb way’. Likewise, I also don’t believe in working through my breaks.
I’m salaried and I stick to speed limits. It takes me exactly the same time to do my work as when I was hourly paid doing exactly the same job. Unlike your colleague, I don’t assume people are stupid (unless they’re driving a minicab) or that they’ll somehow never notice the difference in time it would take between two differently paid people.
Tell him that you are not comfortable with his driving, some people think they are Driving Gods because they can intimidate every body & speed every where because they are immune to the general laws of the road. We can all drive like a complete Knob 99% of the time but it’s the 1% that gets people killed or injured.
If he listens to you & calms down- all well & good.
If he just carries on regardless (ZB) Him, speak to the TM & get put with someone else. Just to cover your Arse I would send the TM an email as well & keep a copy in your email folder (just so, when this Prick kills someone, you will be able to prove to the authorities that the TM was aware of his driving standards & chose to do nothing about it !)
None of us wants to be a Grass ( sounds like we’re all ex con’s) but sometimes there’s no other way. I wouldn’t want someone’s Death on my conscience because I chose to ignore this ‘Racing Driver’s Antics’.
Scanner:
I would go into work tomorrow morning and ask to be put with someone else. When they ask why, tell them you’re frightened by his driving. You don’t go to work to get injured or killed. Who cares what he thinks of you, it can’t be any less than he already does, his driving proves that.
Do it tomorrow, the day after could be too late.
+1,000,000
Refusing to go out with him will either get the OP or the driver dragged into the office to explain whats happening. The OP MUST stand their ground to get anywhere as the office will try to brush it aside to get the job done. Also I wouldnt bother telling the driver hes driving like a ■■■■, & asking him to change his ways, it wont get the OP anywhere except get him grief, from the guy & his mates. There are a few guys Im working with who drive like nutters, mainly because they`re on Job & knock, & recently they sacked 1 driver for running a red light and side swiping a car. The road hawk evidence proved he was in the wrong
i agree with all above. speak to the TM first thing and tell him you wanna swap.
at first id probably say there is a clash of personalities and if i get fobbed off by the TM, then id come out with the truth, he drives like a ■■■■ and you dont feel safe!
I wouldn’t be so nice about it, I would tell him bluntly that his driving is ■■■■■■■ ■■■■ awful. Really make it awkward and turn it around so he ends up not wanting to work with you, let him think you are a busy little goodie goodie.
You want an easy life eh… well you will no get it if you go running to the bosses. Also other drivers politics how well does he get on with everyone else he could make your work life a misery. How is his relationship with tm is he a goldenboy?
Need to look at all the pieces of the puzzle before you act.
Maybe just say hawl TM i dont get on wae this fella normally i would never ask but he is a right rocket, will you changed me about and i will owe you one.
Scanner:
I would go into work tomorrow morning and ask to be put with someone else. When they ask why, tell them you’re frightened by his driving. You don’t go to work to get injured or killed. Who cares what he thinks of you, it can’t be any less than he already does, his driving proves that.
Don’t do yourself down just because you have only fairly recently passed a rigid HGV test. So what? many 7.5 tonne vehicles are as big if not bigger than a lot of 4 wheelers. You have 15 years of experience and have recently proved your ability to drive safely, which counts for a lot.
It comes down to something quite basic which will no doubt be an unpleasant fact that some will want to argue about: either a person can drive safely or they can’t - the size of the vehicle is immaterial. Proper training in use of the controls which builds up experience of how much road is needed and reinforces the need to anticipate others and read the clues in the road, is what provides the ability to drive an HGV or a bus. The difference between a loaded vehicle and an empty one is something that those totally new to large vehicles have to learn post test, but in those 15 years you will no doubt have found out just how much a 7.5 tonne vehicle can sway about when loaded and some do so more than their bigger brothers.
So don’t base any decision on surmising that you don’t have enough experience. You are no good to your family dead.
I am a terrible passenger and quite happy to admit that I detest being driven by many of my so called professional colleagues. I don’t understand quite what it is, but put many behind the wheel of a company car or van and they act like lunatics.
Abolish the DCPC and make everyone take another driving test instead.
farnboroughboy:
I wouldn’t be so nice about it, I would tell him bluntly that his driving is [zb] [zb] awful.
Firstly, this ^ but I’d start off more jokingly by asking him what’s with his driving. Try to sort it out between yourselves first. If you get your tone right it might be enough for him to feel a bit sheepish and rein his antics in. If it makes no difference whatsoever and he laughs it off or gets all defensive then it’s time to crank it up a couple of notches and tell him in no uncertain terms that he’s driving like a ■■■■ and I want to get home to my family tonight, not be scooped up off the road in a body bag when his luck runs out. If that still has no effect then :
merc0447:
You want an easy life eh… well you will no get it if you go running to the bosses. Also other drivers politics how well does he get on with everyone else he could make your work life a misery. How is his relationship with tm is he a goldenboy?
Need to look at all the pieces of the puzzle before you act.
This ^. Never underestimate the power of driver/office politics in any company. I’ve enough agency experience behind me to recommend you keep quiet in 99% of cases because being an outsider it usually won’t end well for you, with this being the usual end result :
mac12:
Difficult if you are agency and he’s fulltime if you complain they may just not have you back again.
I would strongly recommend treading carefully rather than the guns blazing approach.