Saw a guy on the roundabout to the a1 south bound at Gateshead this morning, he had his red and white plate, back pack, hi viz etc and a little sign saying south,
I was heading into Leeds, could have took him… But then thought, nah if he is up to no good… I’ll probably lose my job (had some quite expensive items on the back)
Now, had this guy been showing his digi card, or some paper charts. I would have probably offered him a lift…
What would you do?
he might of struggled showing any cards as when on trade plates you are tacho exempt, and he also might just be delivering cars, i sometimes give these guys a lift depends what mood i am in, but its not a problem for me as we don’t have the restrictions some of your bosses put on you 
If I can, I will give a lift. Met some nice people this way.
Cheers
Paul
thelorryist:
Saw a guy on the roundabout to the a1 south bound at Gateshead this morning, he had his red and white plate, back pack, hi viz etc and a little sign saying south,I was heading into Leeds, could have took him… But then thought, nah if he is up to no good… I’ll probably lose my job (had some quite expensive items on the back)
Now, had this guy been showing his digi card, or some paper charts. I would have probably offered him a lift…
What would you do?
A bloke carrying trade plates is hardly going to be “up to no good.” They are just doing a job and get dropped off at some of the most improbable stops to get a bus or a train, even if they could afford it.
If company policy allows it. I would pick them up and at least drop them where they can get a cup of tea and a crap
Should I ask what company policy is on this sort of thing?
I am allowed to have people with me for a drive, I.e the misses etc…
I could just play dumb, “oh I didn’t realise boss, I just saw the poor lad in the ■■■■■■■ rain…”
Few years ago while travelling up north from Portland in my car I stopped in Knutsford services and there was a chap on trade plates at the exit so I stopped and asked where he was off to. North of Glasgow he said so I said OK and in he got. Eventually told me he had to pick up a car from Boat of Garten but I wouldn’t know where that was. As I was passing about 5/6 miles from there I told him I did and in the end dropped him of at the collection point. In all the time he was in my motor he spoke less words than I have written here, miserable sod !! hope his car broke down on the way back 
I would but depends on the hicth hiker, if he’s a shabby looking Hippie type, like the fella I saw a while back knocking on windows at the set of traffic lights nr Harlow just of the M11 then I won’t, but most times I see someone who looks alright (or a woman) I can’t as they stand in a spot where it not safe or practical for me to stop, like just off a roundabout or on the slip road exit of a MSA, then again I’m not sure on my companys policy on lifts anyway (probably a big no no)
thelorryist:
Should I ask what company policy is on this sort of thing?I am allowed to have people with me for a drive, I.e the misses etc…
I could just play dumb, “oh I didn’t realise boss, I just saw the poor lad in the ■■■■■■■ rain…”
I think if you ask they will say no to passengers, however if no-one has ever said no passengers are allowed than it would be OK. It depends if you want to talk to anyone or not.
I have picked a few people up and had a good craic with them, and once they are gone they are gone, you will probably never see them again.
Same as above, I often pick up platers, they’re usually good crack and grateful of the lift.
At the end of the day, these are just lads out trying to earn a crust, highly unlikely they’re “up to no good”.
If I can help them cover some miles, I will.
On one occasion, I’d picked a plater up who was going to somewhere off the beaten track. As it happened, we had a job going over that way later in the day, I gave him a lift down the road and rang my mate enroute, who picked him up in another truck and took him to within a mile of where he was heading.
The guy was over the moon! Moreso because it was hossing down at the time 
Most platers wouldn’t pick up a fellow plater (insurance purposes I’m told) so just leave them to sort themselves out, you can be sure they wouldn’t stop for you!
I stopped for one on slip road at Thorne near car depot sed he wanted to get to Manchester I sed I can drop u at whitwood truckstop he refused ■■■■■■■ down as well I never bother now
I wish I could, but we’re not allowed to - company rules.
Spent some happy times hitch-hiking, in my youth! 
I would pick them up but generally i dont like people so ■■■■ them !!
rockape2620:
I would pick them up but generally i dont like people so [zb] them !!
a few years ago i stopped to offer a plater a lift as i was pulling out of scratchwood, his board said newcastle and as i was going to durham i thought might as well, break the boredom with a bit of craic and help the lad out. he jumped in and immediatly got his ■■■’s out, told him sorry mate i dont smoke and no smoking in here, to which he said he could’nt go that far without a ■■■, never even got to the end of the slip road, must be the shortest lift he ever had. never bother picking them, or anybody up now.
I don’t pick anybody up these days,too many nutters knockin about ( and not just lorry drivers either )…
I always try to stop for platers (if they’re somewhere sensible) as my old man used to do the job & get stuck in some crappy places
I pick em up if they’re in a sensible place. Always good to have an audience for my tales of being in that secret military division and how I just missed that ferry, that explosion, that tunnel fire, when I ruled the middle east and how I got chalked off at Tescos. I don’t do RDCs so I miss the opportunity of an audience 
James Bateman2:
I don’t pick anybody up these days,too many nutters knockin about ( and not just lorry drivers either )…
Wouldn’t be so bad, but don’t you work for Stagecoach?
billybigrig:
I pick em up if they’re in a sensible place. Always good to have an audience for my tales of being in that secret military division and how I just missed that ferry, that explosion, that tunnel fire, when I ruled the middle east and how I got chalked off at Tescos. I don’t do RDCs so I miss the opportunity of an audience
Don’t forget that bit of driving you did round the Olympic closing ceremony, cam’on you’re loosing your touch.