Stop press:
I have just quit my job (a bit sad), finish Friday, had a better offer, moving on. 12/15 hour days finished, 35 hour week here I come!
Tomorrow 4am start!
I will have to count, one day, how many companies I have worked for!!! This one lasted 2 weeks! The job didn’t fit the proposition.
Speak soon
Dave
Hi Daidog,good news ehh, new job,4 am start, must be a postman,or a baker, or a sheep rustler…let us know what it is and how it is going.
deckboypeggy:
Hi Daidog,good news ehh, new job,4 am start, must be a postman,or a baker, or a sheep rustler…let us know what it is and how it is going.
No, no, still in the old job until Friday night, start new job Sat. 9 am and then I work the bank holiday 14 July. As you well know, the French relax the laws when they hit their own! I will be in this job until the 15 Aug. and then start another job. . . Watch this space (Not bad for a semi retired old ■■■■). There is a load of work for those that want it! Don’t forget I still have my flock, but will be flocking glad when they are gone! 
daidog:
No, no, still in the old job until Friday night, start new job Sat. 9 am and then I work the bank holiday 14 July. As you well know, the French relax the laws when they hit their own! I will be in this job until the 15 Aug. and then start another job. . . Watch this space (Not bad for a semi retired old ■■■■). There is a load of work for those that want it! Don’t forget I still have my flock, but will be flocking glad when they are gone!
Working the weekend eh, must be on fridge work? Hope it goes well pardner. The usual Bank Holiday chaos ensued on Friday night down here, the A9 around Beziers was afflicted by the now-mandatory pile up and we had trucks rerouted all over the place and guys wondering if they’d ever get home 
No, not fridge work, agriculture - cereals. Even the rest periods and driving hours are different. The next new job is from 1/9/14. I will be driving a desk! I don’t want to say too much at this point but we may meet up!
Here are a few photo’s of a job back in the early '80s with my copied F7 - Renault GH 260.
We would drive every day to either Niort or Vendome load and drive back to Nantes. The only snag was the height, we couldn’t go under any bridges, one diversion was 60 km to gain 5! We started 20 trucks and finished 12, fires, bridges and overturning wittled us down. I have a hundred stories about that summer!
The best story was when we were running six in convoy, I was in front (Biggest engine, 260hp). We were waved down by a motorcycle copper (Motard). He told me that due to the height (Well over 5 metres-5,60?) and the fact that the straw went about a metre and a half over the arse end, we were “Convoi exceptionelle”. After discussing a few minutes he said “You have bit of an accent, where are you from?” when I told him I was Welsh he said “Do you play rugby?”. I told that I did but very badly. He then told me that he used to play for Toulouse and loved going to Wales on Tour and that Welsh people were lovely, etc. . .
He asked me if I knew . . . . . and of course I said I did! He then told me to carry on, take care.
In your part of the World the roads are chaotic whenever the rest of France decide to go, or come back, from hols (15/8 is the worst). I will be passing by your place soon, as I am still looking for my retirement house in or around Banyuls. Once I have sold my farm I am out of it! Selling is not easy at the moment. In the meantime, carry on. . .
Have a nice weekend!!!
By the way, the other 5 drivers got tickets, with which the office contacted a friendly Gendarme got them cancelled!
I have just learned of the suicide of one of my colleagues - Michel LeMasson, 47, died by hanging Monday or Tuesday. I stopped at his house Monday evening, knocked on the door, which was partially ajar, having no answer I drove off. I will always wonder if I could have saved him! Very sad, nice guy! I last saw him a week ago, in a lay bye, when he gave me a cup of coffee from his thermos. He leaves 3 children and parents in their late 90’s. He was the second son to commit suicide by hanging and the second that the remaining sister discovered dead! Very sad!
Goodbye Michel - keep your elbows in! 
What terrible news Dai - very sorry to hear about your friend. I don’t really understand what causes so many French males to choose that way out (the statistics say it’s almost three times as many as in the UK)?
How’s the new job going?
Craig
New job is not bad at all! 35 hours a week, good pay! The only problem is the truck - a b*y Premium 
Mornings this week, start at 5 ish, finish at 1 ish. I wish I had done this years ago 
Had the 3rd interview for another job starting in Sept. for a certain fridge company, semi - office job, I will keep you informed about that. They say there is no work about, but even though I don’t really try, I have had three permanent jobs so far this year and will almost certainly get a fourth, on top of the farm!
I would be curious to know why French men kill themselves, as Michel is certainly not the first person I have known to do this. I chap I knew went off for a coffee and threw himself off the “Pont Cheviré”, the curious thing is how he got there, we were on the other side of Nantes at the time!
daidog:
Had the 3rd interview for another job starting in Sept. for a certain fridge company, semi - office job, I will keep you informed about that.
A certain fridge company . . . as long as it isn’t JH Mesguen you should be okay!
Let’s see a pic of the Premium, must be an older model if you hate it that much?
Much classier than Mesguin I will keep you informed. I have today been declared handicapped, which gives me an advantage over everyone else. Companies in France have to pay an extra tax if they don’t employ their quota of disabled people. When I told my boss in the Co-op he was very keen to get a copy of the decision, so I may stay on here! Great job! Best I’ve ever had! Today started at 5am, 2 trips to Montoir (1/2 hour each way) tipped, bit of waiting, loaded in minutes and finished at 1 pm. Beat that!!! I have never worked hours like this! From next week I keep the truck at home, I will have to hide it, as I don’t want anyone to know I drive a Premium 
Photo tomorrow?
Photo of rolling scrap heap. 370 horses that leave their droppings under the engine everyday.
Please don’t tell any one I will never live it down!
A low cab and just 370 of Renault’s (Volvo’s) finest thoroughbreds . . . I understand better why you hate the thing so much now. At least we get the higher output and high cab, but the legroom’s still hopeless if you’re any bigger than the average Frenchman
Just looking at your pic again, is that actually a Kerax as I notice the metal bumper caps and what looks like a hub reduction axle?
What’s a Kerax? What’s a hub reduction axle? 
No A/C, noisy rattling engine, built for a midget, no side boxes, all terrain tyres, spring mounted trailer, 200 litres tank, leaky suspension, broken speed control and worn brake pads. Should this fit the description of a Kerax, then it is almost certainly one of them, probably the best one of the series. Now you tell me that I probably have a smaller than normal hub axle, it can only get better
I have just spent 2 hours waiting to tip and after tipping and leaving the warehouse was told that I was reloading in the same place, another 2 hours wait, just when it looked like I was going to be home early. Wait 'till I get a 9 to 5 job!!! I think I saw your truck in Nantes today, or one just like it! Maybe STEF has another one? 
daidog:
I think I saw your truck in Nantes today, or one just like it! Maybe STEF has another one?
It wasn’t me, I’ve had a rest day (watching the Tour De France on TV and tomorrow it goes fairly near to here). I think there may be another couple of trucks similar to mine up your way, so don’t bother waving 
Sounds like your Renault is on its last legs, though it doesn’t look too bad. Good luck with getting that 9 -5 job!
Phew it’s hot! I saw with my own eyes this midday, an Englishman biting a mad dog The Englishman had even loosened his tie! Though, he still had his socks on with sandals! One has to maintain a little dignity, what?
My famous Renault is a Premium “Lander”. 450 000 kms, it still has a long way to go. Back to easy street today, finished at one.
The picture I have uploaded is probably the most frightening “Tip” I have ever made. Using a 6 x4 tipper we were attached to a winch and then reversed down this ramp. Barges would be underneath to collect what we dropped. We were then winched back up. This was brown trouser work. Sometimes, when the tide was out, the drop was terrifying. I find it hard to believe, but I can’t remember what we tipped! Probably sand, or wood? I can’t imagine the laws allowing this today, thank God!
I like the look of your Premium, especially that it has no silly flags, or number plates in the windscreen. Young pups today are obsessed with standing out and being known, all we ever wanted, was to blend in and hide! I would like to hear people’s comments if I started to decorate my combine? or any other machine!
This article could be interesting for those who work in France. Translated it basically says that, whilst driving a company car, it is your employer who has to pay any fines incurred during, or as part of your employment. This judgement was given by the highest court in the land and has no appeal! The points remain for you. I know a lot of drivers that have been refunded. It may, however, be better to wait until the end of your contract before claiming back the money. The “Prud’hommes” in 90% of any cases rule in favour of the claimants. Bosses hate to go to industrial tribunals and the very threat usually calms them down. Does anyone want to know how to retire at 58 with a full pension?
daidog:
The picture I have uploaded is probably the most frightening “Tip” I have ever made. Using a 6 x4 tipper we were attached to a winch and then reversed down this ramp. Barges would be underneath to collect what we dropped. We were then winched back up. This was brown trouser work. Sometimes, when the tide was out, the drop was terrifying. I find it hard to believe, but I can’t remember what we tipped! Probably sand, or wood? I can’t imagine the laws allowing this today, thank God!
That does look pretty risky, and yet I wouldn’t be too surprised if that kind of thing still goes on here. Just before I joined Lafarge on mixer work, five years or so ago, the drivers there had a job at Porte Sainte Marie where they had to reverse out onto two high ‘ponts’ made of metal girders that led out a few metres into the Garonne. Apparently they had to get the shutes lined up before they reversed back as there was just room for the wheels in the slotted metalwork, no room for a driver to go to the back of the truck. Thankfully I worked there just afterwards as they said it was genuinely nerve racking stuff. Dealing with daft builders down here could have easily left me with an upsidedown eight wheeler however. On more than one occasion I was told to parallel reverse up to a deep cut out with the wheels right next to the edge . . . they always got a bit offended when I refused, until I told them to call back to the depot and the boss explained things. Sometimes just being a foreigner makes you an idiot in the eyes of the locals 
daidog:
I like the look of your Premium, especially that it has no silly flags, or number plates in the windscreen. Young pups today are obsessed with standing out and being known, all we ever wanted, was to blend in and hide! I would like to hear people’s comments if I started to decorate my combine? or any other machine!
Ah, well, we’ll have to disagree on the number plates. I’ve had the same plate for over 25 years and used to put it in the Premium windscreen (see below) until a new assistante directrice joined our firm 18 months ago and put things in order. I like the plate as it helps other drivers distinguish between my truck and that other one up your way you were talking about! Hopefully when I transfer to the other depot I’ll go back to putting the plate up … best avert your gaze if you see a STEF Scania with a black and silver nameplate up your way. BTW tis raining down here in Agen, in July. Surely some mistake has been made!
As regards number plates in windows;
I was sitting eating one evening in a routier, with four or five other drivers, as one does, when another chap wandered in and said “Whose is that red scannie, out there?” the driver opposite me said " It’s mine, why?", he found himself on the receiving end of a four’penny (4d) one that left him on the floor! The guy that hit him said “That’ll teach you, Gaston, not to pass me on a roundabout!!!” the guy on floor, after spitting out teeth (Authors note; makes more exciting the story, but not true), said “I’m not Gaston, he is on holiday!” The main part of story is true!
Even last year, I smacked a car driver around on the periph’ in Nantes (He passed on the hard shoulder and then cut me up on the inside, just before a traffic jam, whilst giving me the “finger”) and the company could only suspect that it was me as there were 5 other “Pollono” trucks on the periph’ that day around that time. No name - No blame!!! The company questioned me 3 or 4 times, but I never admitted it (This would have involved gendarmes and the sack), but I did say that the cheeky B* obviously deserved it! They never once asked any other driver questions, so they obviously knew it was me!
I don’t make a habit of doing naughty things, but I hate getting caught when I do!
I once met a Danish driver who had not only thousands of flags, stickers and other rubbish in his windows, but also 5 Alsations, 1 poodle, a cat and his wife and 2 children. This was back in the days of low cabs. Watching everyone and other things getting out I was reminded of Noah’s Ark. On top of this the two ‘Humans’ were obese! I was in the South of Spain at the time!
Great day today, started at 2, finished at 9, 3/4 hour break! I love this job!
daidog did ever live in caerphilly