I’m getting really ■■■■■■ off with Woodhall services (northbound). Somedays I pull in there and there is nowhere to park. Then of course along comes hi-vis man to stop you parking in the coach area (on a tuesday morning at 8 o’clock), not a coach in sight. Then you have to negotiate round all the trucks parked on the exit road by the petrol station cos that idiot won’t let them park in the coach bay. 
I used to regulary park at Birch westbound for the night and the blokes there used to let rigids park in the coach bays cos we were out of the way and it was quiet.
Then there is Birchanger Green services. My god, where to start with this one. I parked there the other week and measured a full 5 inches either side of my wagon to the white line. Then of course there are the obligatory signs telling HGV’s not to park in the coach bays There is also a huge area for caravans to park, yet they are still allowed to take up room in the lorry park Of course it’s more important that they park there, just in case they are a bit tired.
I could go on…(I think a few letters of complaint are in order)
SEND A LETTER of complaint to the relevant main office.in which you state that you will be sending a copy of the letter to,all truck magazines as a e-mail.further more also copies to your MP; TRAFFIC -OFFICE; THE LOCAL NEWSPAPPER:etc, in your leter state that due to the inefficent use of the MSA parking, lorrydrivers, are suffering,from lack of parking space, reduced rest periods,and any other points that you can think of, by use of the power of the written word you may find that some if not all of the points
possibily may be acted on,its worth a try mate,
Better still get your own back write a letter stating why you will do all you can to stop MSA’s from being able to advertise at the side of the motorway.
If the MSA’s treat us like second class beings lets hit them where it hurts the most, in their profit margins.
We may not be a massive force in political terms but if we wrote enough letters complaining about our treatment & why we feel MSA’s should not be allowed to advertise at the side of motorways to our MP’s, pointing out why we feel MSA’s are not interested in road safety, then maybe the message will get through to the MSA operators.
daxi:
Better still get your own back write a letter stating why you will do all you can to stop MSA’s from being able to advertise at the side of the motorway.
If the MSA’s treat us like second class beings lets hit them where it hurts the most, in their profit margins.
We may not be a massive force in political terms but if we wrote enough letters complaining about our treatment & why we feel MSA’s should not be allowed to advertise at the side of motorways to our MP’s, pointing out why we feel MSA’s are not interested in road safety, then maybe the message will get through to the MSA operators.
Good idea, Daxi. It’s just the problem of trying to get more than a few people to do something. I will be doing all of the above though.
I will also use the tactic I use with MacDonalds (I HATE McD’s). I write to them complaining about service/quality etc knowing they will send me a voucher to use. I then give this voucher to a beggar or Big Issue seller in town thus helping someone out AND eating away at McD’s profits (only a small amount but it all helps). In this case I will either use the voucher or give to another trucker.