Saviem:
You know France really did learn to appreciate the role of the lorry, and more importantly the lorry driver, (and his difficulties, and sacrifices), to the economy of their country. Why this country, or its professional organisations, RHA, FTA, and the Unions, (perhaps the biggest failure in this area), have consistently failed to promote a “good and vital image”, for both road haulage, and more importantly the people involved in our industry to the “man in the street”, I find a source of great sadness, and frustration.
You’re dead right there Saviem, I always appreciated the differing attitudes towards our profession in the 2 countries.
The abundance of good eating facilities dedicated to drivers, often in small villages, often without formal parking areas and therefore often obliging long lines of parked lorries on both sides of the road, day and night, were a common and unremarkable, and unremarked sight in France right up to modern times, though nowadays reduced somewhat.
Even nowadays though, with the vast increase of weight limited formerly major trunk routes, lorries and their drivers are still tolerated ‘off piste’ to visit the old routiers. The reason why so many exist to this day, and thrive, years, sometimes decades, after being by-passed by the autoroutes and dual carriageways is because of this tolerance and, the excellence of the restos and the willingness of young drivers to listen to their older comrades.
