grumpy old man:
A few months ago I had a ride (not driving) a new Scania 
ye gods, it was like rolling about in a boat, I’d no idea what the gearbox was doing, and going down the hill into Dewsbury I genuinely feared for my life because I didn’t think it would stop, I mentioned to the young fella who was driving “do you know what brake fade is”? all he did was smile.
No, however much money they are on, I’ve no desire to go back.
I had a pop at the bloody twerp who took the first (and the only one that company did for my firm) DCPC session about this, he reckoned he was a HGV driving instructor too, i hope not.
Kept waffling on about brakes to slow gears to go, how marvellous modern brakes are so no need for all this downchanging etc…i got thoroughly fed up listening to it, so as usual just had to stick me tuppenceworth in.
I asked him about the theoretical young bloke who he ‘‘trained’’ who was lucky enough to get a job a week later on artic tippers away up in The Peaks, there he is 44 ton gross going down a nice 1 in 9 hill towards a sleepy Derbyshire village, the brakes coping admirably, as they might well do now if everything’s hunky dory (though why it should be desirable, indeed approved to put your vehicle through this hell i haven’t a bloody clue)…
then i asked him what was this lad to do if the yellow line snapped and he’s going too fast (because his brakes are wonderful and should be used exclusively to slow you down) and now speeding up in too a high gear with already red hot tractor brakes…
that didn’t end too well, he spluttered some bilge about the likes of Stobbies training drivers to drive their way, WTF that had to do with the question i posed and this young lad about to clean a village up i have no idea.
Thank you for the info and advice chaps, ,I suppose it’s like any job, there are really bad sides to them and positives too.
Its very easy to see the negatives early on in any planning and be dissuaded, whenever you think of a solution there seems to be a ‘but’ !
out of interest, how easy or difficult is it to get started as an o/d doing 7.5t work? I apologise for cutting in on the original thread by the way.
Thank you, harryvr6
Hi I do this job for the money and love I am a young driver and I am only just starting out my career as a driver but when I was growing up I wanted to always be a driver. It has taken me nearly a year just to find work (not a full time just holiday cover) and I love being on the open road. I am 23 and most insurers nowadays are age 25+ so It’s hard for young drivers like me to start out a career in driving and when I turn Upto drops I get the most unliked looks from the older drivers to say what are you doing driving a lorry but everyone has to start somewhere!!! Is it just me being paranoid or is it the old school drivers don’t like young drivers! I take pride and care in the work i do.
kitch91. When you polish the steering wheel with your gut, when your knees are stuffed from jumping out of cabs, when you’re deaf from listening to an engine screaming next to your waist, when your back has had it from hand-balling, all you can do is frown and wish you were 23 again, but in the 70’s or 60’s - not now. Good luck as your career progresses and stay safe my friend. Jim.