Knights of the road - or are they?

[surveyor]

On a road trip today two events in close succession made me question our truckers.

1. A14 between Cambridge and Huntington. Busy traffic, I was adjacent the cab of a lorry. He was nearside I was offside. Came across a pedal cycle (daft place to cycle, but leave that aside). As lorry was doing the customary five feet behind the next slowing was not really an option. Observing this I moved over, putting myself on the rumble strip to give him space. Not a thank you - completely blanked.

2. On the A1, some Muppet pulled from a petrol station in front of a HGV. I was closing at speed, but on seeing this, hauled my speed back, quick double flash inviting him over. Over he came, but again not an indicator flash a raised hand or a flash of headlights.

If they can't be arsed to use good manners, I'm not sure I can be arsed to make their life easier.

[4key]

I let a few cars out today without any acknowledgement from them, and a bus, and a couple of lorries, and the amount of pedestrians that I slow down for in advance so that they can have a nice big gap to cross in and they barely look in my direction. God people can be so ungrateful, its lucky that I do all of those things because its the right thing to do and not just to recieve thanks then isnt it. Its nice to recieve the occasional nod or wave, but the reason that I do it is because driving involves a little bit of give and take, so that is what I do

[surveyor]

4key said:

I let a few cars out today without any acknowledgement from them, and a bus, and a couple of lorries, and the amount of pedestrians that I slow down for in advance so that they can have a nice big gap to cross in and they barely look in my direction. God people can be so ungrateful, its lucky that I do all of those things because its the right thing to do and not just to recieve thanks then isnt it. Its nice to recieve the occasional nod or wave, but the reason that I do it is because driving involves a little bit of give and take, so that is what I do

Fair point, but their standards should be higher as 'professional' drivers. They used to be.

[LandingSpot]

surveyor said:

Fair point, but their standards should be higher as 'professional' drivers. They used to be.

I agree! I was travelling along the A14 westbound along the same stretch a few weeks ago. I was in a line of cars all in lane 2 and we were passing 2-3 lorries. The front two lorries had over taken each other twice and the queue of cars waiting to pass had built up. The third (foreign) lorry has his indicator on waiting to pull out in to a gap and decided that because such a gap was not forthcoming he would make one

Me being level with the rear of his cab, I am completely in his blind spot. He does have the blind spot mirrors and also must have seen a line of cars waiting to pass and could logically assume there to be cars in lane 2 alongside.

But no, he decides to slowly veer across the road resulting in my pulling a Terminator 2 style manouevre (when the bike passes the truck in the flood controls) and I end up nearly in the back seat of the poor guy in front.

While passing, I give the lorry a hoot to warn of my presence and receive a long blast on his horn in return.

Bit of a heart in your mouth moment that was!

[4key]

Dont worry, it will only get worse. They have now made it so difficult and expensive to get a HGV license that most of the people who would have normally taken up the trade are put off. In 20 years time most of the lorry drivers left will be OAP's with crap vision, a pair of driving gloves and a trilby resting on the dashboard, moaning about all of these younguns being in a rush whilst driving well under the speed limit in the middle lane

[Ki3r]

It really winds me up when people don't say thanks. I always say it. And feel bad when I say it and they don't see me, incase they think I didn't say thanks.

[kentmotorcompany]

Worst "look at my good driving" thread ever!

[crostonian]

Truckers and taxi drivers seem to be the worst drivers on the road nowadays from my experience. Diesn't help that a lot of them are foreign.

[needabike]

surveyor said:

Fair point, but their standards should be higher as 'professional' drivers. They used to be.

Cut the professional crap, since when has earning £7.50 per hour, been considered a professional anything?

[r129sl]

It's unfair to lump taxi drivers and lorry drivers in the same boat: taxi drivers must receive special training that enables them to take ishness to a new level.

But none of this is surprising. Have you ever met or spent more than 60seconds in social contact with a lorry driver? If so, you'll know what I mean.

[Himself]

crostonian said:

Truckers and taxi drivers seem to be the worst drivers on the road nowadays from my experience.

Bus drivers?

[Deva Link]

surveyor said:

If they can't be arsed to use good manners, I'm not sure I can be arsed to make their life easier.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest - in fact I'd rather people kept hold of the wheel with both hands and concentrated on their driving.

[4key]

Two incidents today made me question our countrys surveyors.

I recently made an offer on a house after one gave it a clean bill of health, but apon my own inspection whist deciding what room i could make into a fetish dungeon i noticed damp in a cupboard. When looking further i found that the fuseboard had been wired by a blind monkey and to top it all he didnt tip his cap and call me master when in my company.

Call themselves proffesionals? Bloody useless if you ask me.

[XDA]

needabike said:

surveyor said:

Fair point, but their standards should be higher as 'professional' drivers. They used to be.

Cut the professional crap, since when has earning £7.50 per hour, been considered a professional anything?

But they are deemed to be "professionals". They drive for a living, that's their profession.

Whether they actually are is a different question. 70% aren't and the remaining 30% are IMHO.

[DoctorX]

Himself said:

Bus drivers?

bds* The number of times I've overtaken them at a bus stop and they indicate and pull away as I'm along side, only to find my way blocked by a traffic island, leaving him driving away and me stranded in the middle of the road...

• I'm sure there's some good ones

[*Al*]

Most lorry drivers seem to have a mobile phone glued to their bloody ear!!

[needabike]

XDA said:

But they are deemed to be "professionals". They drive for a living, that's their profession.

Whether they actually are is a different question. 70% aren't and the remaining 30% are IMHO.

What next? professional shelf-stackers, professional toilet attendants & professional cleaners and I'm not talking about Leon either.

[Cock Womble 7]

r129sl said:

Have you ever met or spent more than 60seconds in social contact with a lorry driver? If so, you'll know what I mean.

Really?

[Getragdogleg]

I am a lorry driver and I am just a normal person, I am not given some special super power when I get in a cab, everyone from the Police to VOSA (and now you) seem to think I ought to wear some magic fking awesome-never-put-a-foot-wrong cloak I don before I climb up those aluminium steps and join the throngs of clueless s pootling around our roads.

Truth is that any tt can do this job now, pass a test, drive, much like cars, FFS even the gears change themselves nowadays, show a modern lorry driver an Eaton Twin split in an old Seddon and he will never get it out the yard. the good old days of haulage has gone, live with it, the knights of the road were from the days of few cars and empty roads when people were glad you moved the stuff for them, now its rammed everywhere and everyone is pissed off with everyone else and no-one cares that you are still moving stuff for them.

[XDA]

needabike said:

XDA said:

But they are deemed to be "professionals". They drive for a living, that's their profession.

Whether they actually are is a different question. 70% aren't and the remaining 30% are IMHO.

What next? professional shelf-stackers, professional toilet attendants & professional cleaners and I'm not talking about Leon either.

Not really the same though. You surely aren't saying truck driving is as easy as shelf stacking/cleaning bogs, are you?

As truckers like to remind us, they have to pass two difficult practical tests, and a strict medical. Not to forget CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence).....