odds and sods

Monday was an early run into London and an early finish. I was taking out a different wagon everyday this week so I have been living out of a bag and I haven't been able to settle.

I jump in a truck and then into a van and then another truck. Its been hard keeping up with the tacho's and the driving and working time as well.


On Tuesday I was given a Transit courier van and asked to take a pallet of Bic razors up to a Somerfield in Huntingdon.

At the gatehouse I met the biggest tosser that you could ever have the misfortune to meet.

I arrived for my delivery time of 11.50 an hour early and drove up to the gate.

I stood behind another driver and he was filling in a booking in form that was propped up in the window.

It was the usual thing, name, firm, date time etc etc so I started filling it in while the Tosser pretended I wasn't there.

He finally allowed himself to acknowledge me by grabbing the book out of my hand and tearing out the sheet I had written on and tutting to himself, "Reg" he barked.

I didn't know as I had just got the van an hour before so I looked at my keyring and took a nanosecond longer than Tosser wanted, so he barked it again "Reg!"

I was literally ten seconds away from pulling him through his safety window and giving him a good hiding.

I didn't though because I am, after all , a calm, level headed and very well balanced individual.

I took a deep breath and tried to explain I hadn't been here before and that I had half a pallet from France marked Urgent.

Tosser totally ignored me and 'issued' me the site rules and explained the procedures like a robot
One way, hazard lights at all times and blah, blah,blah......

He said to pull up behind the artics that were in line and then walk to the goods in around the back.

I set off to find the line of trucks and didn't have to go far.

There was 15 trucks in front of me and the goods in was miles away. Seemed like Tosser was on a power trip.

As I pulled up behind the last truck I spotted a forkie and explained what Tosser had told me to do.

He told me to get round the front and he'd take it off for me straight away.

He was true to his word and he took it straight off.

I went back into goods in and waited for the paperwork.

While I was waiting I was watching the system that Somerfield use for booking in stock.

There was a printer churning out paper like a newspaper press, reams ands reams of the stuff was pouring out.

I had only took one pallet in and I was signing for 5 minutes and took about 15 sheets back with me.

They had artic drivers suffering with writers cramp and repetitive strain injury's.

The booking in office was like a cauldron of pissed off drivers. Upset on the way in by Tosser, then upset by a crazy, over zealous administrative system that kept them cooped up in a smelly cramped room with signs and warnings all around them .

The signs inform them of all the things that they can't do. Don't knock on the glass, don't slam the door, don't stay in your wagon, no facilities for visiting drivers. (they say that as if they are proud of this fact)

Imagine what the mood would be like if the forkies were true to form as well? It would be chaos.
Luckily all the forkies I met were sound.

I was eventually allowed to leave the hell that is Somerfields.

When I left, Tossers mate at the gate said "We didnt see you in the Queue" "No" I said and drove through the gate.

I was given the job of collecting an out of hours driver and driving his truck back to base.
after I had loaded it in Bedworth and then Un- loaded at the other end in Sutton Coldfield.

No pictures of Monday or Tuesday due to them both being crap days and me not being in the mood to take any of find anything worth snapping.

Today was a run into Braintree at an ungodly hour after another driver phoned in sick.

He had the right idea because this truck is worse than all the others I have been in this week.
It stinks, and it shakes, rattles and rolls more than a greatest hits of the fifties and sixties compilation album.

I have stopped cleaning out the wagons I am given now because at this rate I would of valeted the whole fleet by the end of the summer.

I ran straight into this on the A14 at 6.30 this morning.
This was the lorry that had tipped over on the Spittals roundabout but all it really shows is how dirty the windscreen is.

I had some cables for this hole in the ground that will be a house one day.

I was collecting from here, East Midlands Airport, just before I ran out of hours.

I got back in just under 9.

I am in another 7.5 tomorrow, so I expect to be bullied on the road by the big boys again.

I was okay today because the truck was an oldie and wasn't limited 67 mph all day long. It was the only way to stop it shaking, drive it to the limit!!!