Long distance lorry driver - AMA

[firsttimedad79]

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

@Beck30

Do truck operators have any special maps which highlight routes which have low bridges?

Yes you can get a map with all that information on.

I have a truck specific sat nav that has all the bridge heights and weight limits programmed in so automatically routes me on the correct route.

It also has traffic so diverts me round the bad traffic.

@SwanShaped

Has satnav or road closures every got you into trouble? I was on the A38 the other day and the road closed. Miles of queues. Moved maybe a mile in an hour or two. Everyone had to get off the road at the next junction and was redirected through a small town. A huge lorry was going round a small roundabout. It had to go up on the pavement to get round it and then it went through a man hole cover! The wheel went through and it was stuck. I felt so bad for the driver. Also, how would you get a lorry’s wheel out of a manhole? Luckily it was outside a fire station and they came out to direct traffic coz the lorry had now blocked most of the roundabout too.

Yes!!! Vauxhall bridge in London is/was closed a couple of months ago. I was coming from north London to south London. My sat nav somehow didn't pick up the closure. I was too tall for the diversion route and the lorry I was in at that time was too old for the ulez so couldn't go the alternative diversion. In the end we found out the ulez had been suspended so lorries could get through, but that was after an hour of driving round in a circle trying to find a route!!

@Anthilda

Love this thread.

Can you tell when someone is afraid going past you? I always slow down then go a bit faster as I drive alongside. I do that because I'm scared lorry driver won't see me and pull into the lane. My mother was hit by a lorry as a teen and I've heard the story so many times that I have a bit if fear when driving near them. So would you spot someone who is scared?

You must have seen some amazing cars, what is the best car you have seen? And is there a particular area of the country where you see more supercars? Do you appreciate expensive super cars?

Do you look inside the cars beneath you? What's the strangest or funniest thing you've seen?

Do you see (as a theme) people who drive a particular car brand who drive worse than others/have a greater sense of entitlement/dangerous driving?

No, can't tell how people are when they overtake us. Best thing to do is just maintain your speed and just watch for the indicators :)

Modern lorries now have 6 different mirrors covering the blind spots so we can mostly see what's going on around us. My lorry even has cameras so there's no area I can't see round my cab.

@Anthilda

Love this thread.

Can you tell when someone is afraid going past you? I always slow down then go a bit faster as I drive alongside. I do that because I'm scared lorry driver won't see me and pull into the lane. My mother was hit by a lorry as a teen and I've heard the story so many times that I have a bit if fear when driving near them. So would you spot someone who is scared?

You must have seen some amazing cars, what is the best car you have seen? And is there a particular area of the country where you see more supercars? Do you appreciate expensive super cars?

Do you look inside the cars beneath you? What's the strangest or funniest thing you've seen?

Do you see (as a theme) people who drive a particular car brand who drive worse than others/have a greater sense of entitlement/dangerous driving?

Sorry, hit post prematurely!!

Yeah, seen all of the hyper cars etc....

In fact in London I saw an Aston Martin db5 and really liked that!

Strangest thing I've seen when looking down into the cars was a lady ahem pleasuring herself!

Oh yes, bmw, Audi, van drivers! Not to forget tipper drivers who drive lorries like morons!

@insancerre

Great thread My dad was a HGV driver in the 70s and 80s and I went with him a lot when I was very small There is nothing like being in the cab as a kid Did you ever travel in a truck as a kid?

Nope, had never seen in one til I did me lessons!

Boogie Buddies is a truckers club with a lot of Scania drivers as members, and you mentioned that you drive a Scania. They're on Facebook and Instagram. I used to work in an international truck stop and a lot of the drivers had stickers and stuff. It was either that or the Assen truck show!

@firsttimedad79 nice. My dads currently in a 70 plate scania s580, very very nice.

Will Brexit make your life harder? My cousin is a trucker who regularly drives to Europe, and is very hardline in support of Brexit, which surprised me.

What Sat Nav do you use please? My OH is after a new Truck one because his can be a bit hit and miss even with his Truck's height and weight programmed into it

@NaughtipussMaximus

Will Brexit make your life harder? My cousin is a trucker who regularly drives to Europe, and is very hardline in support of Brexit, which surprised me.

Nah, I think it's fine. Lorries have been going over nice and easily :)

Ah that’s good. I was anticipating hold ups similar to the ones before Xmas.

@HopingForOurRainbowBaby

What Sat Nav do you use please? My OH is after a new Truck one because his can be a bit hit and miss even with his Truck's height and weight programmed into it

Tomtom go professional truck 6250 :) brilliant bit of kit. Tell him not to go for the cheaper 5 series as they use your phone for internet and are crap.

The 6250 is about £390 on Amazon!

[quote DriftGames]@firsttimedad79 nice. My dads currently in a 70 plate scania s580, very very nice. [/quote]
Oh they are, leather seats and dab radio, I've been spoiled!

@firsttimedad79 Brilliant thank you I'll let him know. Safe Trucking and thank you for all you are doing

I always chat to the drivers who come into where I work (McDonald's). Had a very grateful driver last night who was desperate for the loo so I let him use them 😂😊

Is it nice to have a chat or would you rather be left alone?

@NaughtipussMaximus

Ah that’s good. I was anticipating hold ups similar to the ones before Xmas.

No, that was political retribution by France because of us trying to be independent and not give in to their demands for our fishing waters!

2nd rant over lol

@QuestionableMouse

I always chat to the drivers who come into where I work (McDonald's). Had a very grateful driver last night who was desperate for the loo so I let him use them 😂😊

Is it nice to have a chat or would you rather be left alone?

Depends on the day! Could have had a naff day and just want to be left alone, or just need to talk to another human :)

I had the side of my car taken off in a traffic jam by a tipper lorry (Crossrail debris - London was full of them). All sorted by insurance - the driver said he couldn't see nearside cars alongside him from his seat.

That's fair enough 😂

I've spent a bit of time driving long distances alone and know it can get lonely so always try to at least say hello, ask how they're doing and say bye.

Do you think they’ll ever produce an electric truck that can pull a fully laden 44 ton truck?
How big would the batteries need to be, would the charging slow you down and would it be safe to have silent trucks?

@RainingBatsAndFrogs

I had the side of my car taken off in a traffic jam by a tipper lorry (Crossrail debris - London was full of them). All sorted by insurance - the driver said he couldn't see nearside cars alongside him from his seat.

Then he was talking crap! On the near side he has 3 mirrors, one of which points downwards so you can see where the cars/cyclists are!!

@Rina66

Do you think they’ll ever produce an electric truck that can pull a fully laden 44 ton truck? How big would the batteries need to be, would the charging slow you down and would it be safe to have silent trucks?

They are close. They already have 18t rigid that are electric.

I’d like to get into driving. How hard is the test/training and is it expensive? Would you do class 2 first and get some experience, or go straight to class 1? Is class 1 usually better paid?

Similar to above question about tickets. Did you pay for your own or did you have a job lined up then employer paid for it?

My husband has his class 2 but hasn’t driven for a couple of years. I always fancied it because when he drove a tipper it sounded like there was loads of sitting around time I could have used to read

@Groundhogdayzz

I’d like to get into driving. How hard is the test/training and is it expensive? Would you do class 2 first and get some experience, or go straight to class 1? Is class 1 usually better paid?

It's not hard, but costs around £4K. You have to do your class 2 before you can do class 1.