Long distance lorry driver - AMA

[firsttimedad79]

Like the title, but boring I know, but ask me anything :)

@Goodbye2020Hello2021

OP, in your first message you said that this thread was ‘a bit boring’ but it’s been anything but!

I have to travel regularly to care for a relative an hour away from home and I always drive the long route (A and B roads) to avoid the motorway and Lorries/trucks.

I know this sounds REALLY pathetic and ridiculous but this week I went on the M6 instead thanks to this thread!
Reading your responses made me realise that lorry drivers were not out to crush my car and kill me! 😂😂😂 (I did say ridiculous!).

It was quiet obviously due to travel restrictions but I drove a steady 60 all the way and kept a decent distance behind the truck in front - You are right... because I did that the truck behind stays a good distance from me.
It was so easy!
I know your intention wasn’t to help a pathetic driver like me but I want you to know that giving us all an insight into what you actually do has been helpful. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

My next question! Have you enjoyed having quieter roads/motorways? Has it made things MUCH easier?

Thank you!

Oh god yes! It's nice to get through rush hour without problems! Made a hell of a difference :)

Which section of the M6 did you drive?

I was just coming on with some questions I thought of whilst driving from Leeds to Lancashire this morning but @Goodbye2020Hello2021 has beat me with the one about traffic and COVID, I do this journey most weeks and the difference in traffic is amazing (especially Friday afternoon rush hour!).

My other question was how do you feel about smart motorways? Do you think they have improved traffic and if so do you think this outweighs the dangers of potentially be stranded in a 'live' lane. I think they seem to have helped in some areas (j15 to j20 clockwise on the m60 for example) but in other areas they haven't helped at all, and I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the potential risks. I'm not sure if the issue is that there hasn't been a big campaign to raise awareness of how they work, the amount of people I see driving along oblivious to the fact the signs have a red X over their lane is ridiculous, just this morning there was a car stranded and so many people left it until the last minute to move over despite the signs being set for a good couple of miles.

@LarsErickssong

I was just coming on with some questions I thought of whilst driving from Leeds to Lancashire this morning but *@Goodbye2020Hello2021* has beat me with the one about traffic and COVID, I do this journey most weeks and the difference in traffic is amazing (especially Friday afternoon rush hour!).

My other question was how do you feel about smart motorways? Do you think they have improved traffic and if so do you think this outweighs the dangers of potentially be stranded in a 'live' lane. I think they seem to have helped in some areas (j15 to j20 clockwise on the m60 for example) but in other areas they haven't helped at all, and I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the potential risks. I'm not sure if the issue is that there hasn't been a big campaign to raise awareness of how they work, the amount of people I see driving along oblivious to the fact the signs have a red X over their lane is ridiculous, just this morning there was a car stranded and so many people left it until the last minute to move over despite the signs being set for a good couple of miles.

Smart motorways are a brilliant ideas, the problem is they require smart drivers.

The amount of times I see people driving up the hard shoulder when it's closed would astound you!

If people paid attention while driving we wouldn't have most of the unfortunate deaths we've seen :(

Which section of the M6 did you drive?
M6 Junctions 19-15

I used to do it all the time but I lost my nerve when they started digging it up (what seems like 100 years ago!)

@Goodbye2020Hello2021

Which section of the M6 did you drive? M6 Junctions 19-15

I used to do it all the time but I lost my nerve when they started digging it up (what seems like 100 years ago!)

Yeah, it's not too bad that section now. Quite quiet :)

[quote firsttimedad79]@HopingForOurRainbowBaby

Oh god never watch me reverse!!! It's not pretty lol[/quote]
lol neithers mine and that's in a tiny Vauxhall corsa not a great big Truck. If I don't get in the first time I give up and find something I can pull straight into. Although strangely enough when I had my mazda estate car I could reverse park every time without a problem

@HopingForOurRainbowBaby

My mrs is like that. She can't reverse park anything other than my discovery 3 :)

Actually love this thread, my dads a truck driver and I love hearing his stories etc.

❤️

I travel a lot for work, or did until Covid. Me and a colleague used to always let lorries out on motorways because we wanted a lorry drivers thank you which we believed to be the waggle of indicators not just hazard lights. We used to joke that we were secretly one of you!
Reading this back it sounds pretty weird for two women is their 30s 😂
Is the lorry driver thank you a thing?
As a caveat I've always wanted to be a long distance lorry driver, no idea why! My husband thinks I'm made

@arthurdaly

I travel a lot for work, or did until Covid. Me and a colleague used to always let lorries out on motorways because we wanted a lorry drivers thank you which we believed to be the waggle of indicators not just hazard lights. We used to joke that we were secretly one of you! Reading this back it sounds pretty weird for two women is their 30s 😂 Is the lorry driver thank you a thing? As a caveat I've always wanted to be a long distance lorry driver, no idea why! My husband thinks I'm made

I think if you enjoy your own mind and thoughts and solitude then it's the job for you :)

The waggle of the indicators is a thank you :) but with cars we sometimes use hazards :)

Thank you for this thread. My grandad was a long distance lorry driver and I used to love hearing his stories!

@MrsHarveySpecterV

Thank you for this thread. My grandad was a long distance lorry driver and I used to love hearing his stories!

No problem, wasn't quite expecting it to be so popular!

Where is your bed? Behind the seats? Is it a pull down thing? Sorry, I can’t imagine it!
Have you ever seen anything shocking whilst driving?
I’m sure on long car journeys in the 80s/90s I remember seeing lorry drivers topless in hot weather - would that be allowed now?😄
Sorry, random questions but I find this so interesting!

What do you listen to on the radio?

@1AngelicFruitCake

Where is your bed? Behind the seats? Is it a pull down thing? Sorry, I can’t imagine it! Have you ever seen anything shocking whilst driving? I’m sure on long car journeys in the 80s/90s I remember seeing lorry drivers topless in hot weather - would that be allowed now?😄 Sorry, random questions but I find this so interesting!

The bed is behind the seats, not pull down, just there behind the seats. The weirdest things I've seen are quite sordid. Have seen a lady pleasuring herself in traffic, think that was the weirdest!

Drivers can go topless if they wish, although I don't as my belly and moons are an embarrassment! Can't go topless on sites though as breaches health and safety :)

@UnityUnited

What do you listen to on the radio?

I either listen to Spotify (I have a very very eclectic taste in music so that can be interesting). I'm lucky and have DAB in me truck so can listen to Absolute Radio if I'm after some random music and chat :)

Thank you for answering. It must be a really tough job.

@UnityUnited

Thank you for answering. It must be a really tough job.

It can be, when your working 65-70 hours in a 5 day week. I can have worked a normal 40 hour week by the end of Wednesday :)

That’s really hard, especially to be away from your family.

Thanks for answering! Really interesting!

What happens to your rest periods if you’re stuck in a traffic jam?

@Squiffany

What happens to your rest periods if you’re stuck in a traffic jam?

We have to pull over at the next available safe place and take the break. Then we have to do a print out from the tachograph unit and write on the back what happened. We have to keep this for 28 days as that's how far back dvsa can check if they pull us over :)

@UnityUnited

That’s really hard, especially to be away from your family.

I've got 5 kids at home, ranging from nearly 3 to 17........ I enjoy the peace lol

@1AngelicFruitCake

Thanks for answering! Really interesting!

No problem, was never expecting it to be a popular subject lol

This may sound like a weird question but does litter on the side of motorways and roundabouts annoy you?