had a read of your diary. Really good read.
Unlucky you didnt get the job tho matie. 
dinosteveus1:
The second week is spent with someone, first you go with them during the day to factories etc, then you follow them in your Cab doing the same stuff. You ain’t dropped in it and you learn as you go along.
Hi again Steve,
Most UK tanker firms will put you with an ‘old hand’ to learn the job.
Different types of tankers take different amounts of time to get used to, so if you haven’t actually driven a tanker for real, you can either expect a lot more training, or several knock-backs I’m afraid.
I’d very much doubt that you’d be given the keys to a loaded tanker and sent down the road to get on with the job in the way that you might if you were carrying palletised stuff in a tautliner.
I know from your posts that you were fully prepared for that and were happy to do whatever it took, but just think if you’d got a couple of years in on tankering in the UK before the VdB opportunity came along!!
It wasn’t all your fault mate, cos IMHO you had a real mountain to climb and you were a victim of bad timing too.
Keep plugging away Steve, you will get something eventually, and this little episode will fade into history like my fail on my first HGV1 test. 
We all need a little knockback now and again to keep us sharp. 
bobthedog:
I’m sorry to hear it. As I was reading your post, I really thought it had worked out for you and I was really disappointed to see that it hadn’t. I don’t know why they were so encouraging if they were going to do that to you. I think you posted very well considering how upset you must be.Stuart, there is a world of difference between people wanting to drive in Europe with no experience and moving out here. I accept that tank work in Europe as a starter is a little much. Tanks are finicky at the best of times and there is much knowledge needed for work of that nature, but I think you were a little unfair. As for his being 45, well what of it? He funded his own licence, got his ADR and was willing to go for it 100%. If I were still in the UK running my trucks I would buy one for this guy today, and I am absolutely serious about that.
Steve, I will give it some thought and see if anyone I know is looking, or considering looking. I have one in particular in mind. Let me think about it and see what I can come up with. You showed an excellent attitude and, if you are serious about putting time in, I will ask. Can you get to Peterborough?
Who is Stuart ? Seriously now,my point about Steve being 45 is relevant,sure Bob he funded his qualifications etc but at his age he should be slightly more world wise.Don’t get me wrong,I’ll readily admit to making enough bad decisions/c#ck ups during my time,but Steve isn’t a wet behind the ears kid,he should have enough gumption(good word) by now to know when he’s made a mistake.
This thread is rapidly turning into a repeat of Mickfly’s rant regards H&R,let’s not go down that road again.
STEVE,Forget what happened yesterday,concentrate on tomorrow.
I’ve read all the posts on here & on the other VdB thread, from what I can make out, you (Steve) went for a job & didn’t get it, yes, you tried, yes, you said you’d be willing to take whatever steps you needed to meet their criteria & all that is commenable, but at the end of the day you wasn’t what they were looking for & for that reason they never took you on, the rest of it is down to you, you chose to travel etc, but I must say that this Frans bloke is a bit of a shyster, as you had been open & honest with him regarding your lack of experience he should’ve forewarned the Dutch boys about this, it seems that he never & this contributed to the rest of this sorry tale, as has been said, put it down to experience & keep trying, personally I think the signature is silly, your posts have some merit, the signature makes them all seem like sour grapes
You’re new to this lorry driving lark, instead of trying to jump to the top of the ladder, start at the bottom, that way you don’t have so far to fall when it all goes ■■■■ up & you’ll have plenty of stuff to post about on here
newmercman:
I’ve read all the posts on here & on the other VdB thread, from what I can make out, you (Steve) went for a job & didn’t get it, yes, you tried, yes, you said you’d be willing to take whatever steps you needed to meet their criteria & all that is commenable, but at the end of the day you wasn’t what they were looking for & for that reason they never took you on, the rest of it is down to you, you chose to travel etc, but I must say that this Frans bloke is a bit of a shyster, as you had been open & honest with him regarding your lack of experience he should’ve forewarned the Dutch boys about this, it seems that he never & this contributed to the rest of this sorry tale, as has been said, put it down to experience & keep trying, personally I think the signature is silly, your posts have some merit, the signature makes them all seem like sour grapesYou’re new to this lorry driving lark, instead of trying to jump to the top of the ladder, start at the bottom, that way you don’t have so far to fall when it all goes ■■■■ up & you’ll have plenty of stuff to post about on here
I don’t think that Frans is a bit of a shyster as you state, many people can tell you a different story, the thing is we run a Transport Company and if people can touch the standard very sorry but the trucks need to run.
We can’t be that wrong because from the 89 people we send up to Holland at this moment 7 failed.
I think every company would rub his hands if they got such a score out of their assesments!
Average the Germans and Dutch drivers has a higher score on failures.
And yes the Dutch boys where pretty well pre-warned, and yes we have done this before, I have a 29 year old working who never drove any bigger than a ice-cream van, a 23 year old who just fell out the driving school vehicle when we took him on, a 46 year old bloke who was a joiner, so it can be done.
But they look at a certain standard what must be there, before they go any further, how would everybody been shouting at our trainers and at our company if we had send a driver away on a to low standard and he had killed himself or somebody else■■?
Our trainers wont send anybody on the road until they are 100% sure that you can drive safely, for that reason do we use vehicles with double controls to protect other road users while we asses.
Hi, been lurking on the side lines for a while, but this one has forced me onto the pitch.
Dino, was given a fair crack of the whip at VDB, i’ve had driving assessments that have lasted 10 mins before being told “thanks but no thanks”.
To come on here and bleat about what a hard time he had and how he is out of pocket is poor, do you not think VDB are out of pocket for the fuel, assessors wages etc, and don’t even get me started on that ridiculous signature, that will really endear you to any prospective employer.
You tried, you didn’t make the grade, move on and stop carping, if i posted on the internet every time i got a knock back at something I wouldn’t have time for anything else. 
del trotter:
Hi, been lurking on the side lines for a while, but this one has forced me onto the pitch.Dino, was given a fair crack of the whip at VDB, i’ve had driving assessments that have lasted 10 mins before being told “thanks but no thanks”.
To come on here and bleat about what a hard time he had and how he is out of pocket is poor, do you not think VDB are out of pocket for the fuel, assessors wages etc, and don’t even get me started on that ridiculous signature, that will really endear you to any prospective employer.
You tried, you didn’t make the grade, move on and stop carping, if i posted on the internet every time i got a knock back at something I wouldn’t have time for anything else.
Fully agree.
And welcome to TN, Del !
caledoniandream:
We can’t be that wrong because from the 89 people we send up to Holland at this moment 7 failed.
I think every company would rub his hands if they got such a score out of their assessments!
Average the Germans and Dutch drivers has a higher score on failures.
Now come on that should show how good we really are and the other six are not bleating and have took it on the chin. In any job there’s always some body who thinks they have been hard done by. Never think you have the job till you sign the contract or got your first month in and return for the second.
dinosteveus1:
Harry Monk:
dinosteveus1:
Show me a Driver who knows everything and I’ll show you a liar
ThanksI doubt they wanted a driver who knew everything but you have to be able to drive their vehicles. Fair play to you though for going for it.
In your quest for truthfulness you have been too keen to emphasize your inexperience and this has not been to your advantage.
Funny you should say that, well not funny really. A few ‘Friends’ said I should have kept quiet about that.
Saying that though, I did offer to go with a Dutch HGV Training School, at my expense. :
Firstly, I think your friends were right. Even before we got to the training week I was struck by how many times you had re-iterated your inexperience, and when you were asked if you had ADR your reply was “Yes, but I’ve got no experience”. You don’t come across as being at all self-confident and your offer to go with a Dutch HGV training school was yet another self-deprecating statement to the effect that you feel you are not yet at the standard required by the job that you applied for.
How can they have confidence in you if you don’t have any in yourself? Essentially, you talked yourself out of a job.
When I started, and had no experience, my personal solution was to lie through my teeth and make up loads of imaginary experience, with the result that I was running to Italy within six weeks of starting out, and this I do believe is generally still considered the option most likely to lead to success in job hunting. Even if you can’t do this, there is no need to bang on and on about your shortcomings quite so much and I hope you will take on board the excellent advice you have been given by others and learn from the experience for next time.
Harry Monk:
Firstly, I think your friends were right. Even before we got to the training week I was struck by how many times you had re-iterated your inexperience, and when you were asked if you had ADR your reply was “Yes, but I’ve got no experience”. You don’t come across as being at all self-confident and your offer to go with a Dutch HGV training school was yet another self-deprecating statement to the effect that you feel you are not yet at the standard required by the job that you applied for.How can they have confidence in you if you don’t have any in yourself? Essentially, you talked yourself out of a job.
When I started, and had no experience, my personal solution was to lie through my teeth and make up loads of imaginary experience, with the result that I was running to Italy within six weeks of starting out, and this I do believe is generally still considered the option most likely to lead to success in job hunting. Even if you can’t do this, there is no need to bang on and on about your shortcomings quite so much and I hope you will take on board the excellent advice you have been given by others and learn from the experience for next time.
Not so sure about not saying about the experience I’ve always believed in be pretty honest when I started about lack of experience and he did get the chance despite lack of experience.
But I would agree with about not going on about it after you got the chance.
I think for most on here whether we told the company about our lack of experience or not, were then thrown some keys and expected to get on with it.
My first trip in a artic was on Sugar beet. Got a phone call the night before, told to come in at 5am, key’s to the truck would be under a flower pot and if I couldn’t use a tipper to ask one of his other drivers when I got to Cantley.
There was no chance to ask for a bit of extra training because of my lack of experience, he would have tried to somebody else, it’s the way this industry works.
The fact is VDB needs to train people fast to operate some complex kit, the fact they are willing to take on new drivers is a credit to them, but if you are new then you are on a far steeper learning curve and maybe the other newbies could do it because they showed that they had the confidence.
Many of us have also tried things and failed and it has cost us money, it’s part of life, but most of us pick ourselves up and put it down to experience and reckon the money we’ve lost is the cost of that experience.
Hi Steve,
I have to agree with the last five posts (and others on a similar theme.)
It’s now a done deal mate, and best put down to experience.
If you’ll accept a personal tip from me… If I were you mate, I’d seriously reconsider that signature because IMHO it’s not doing you any favours.
IMHO, your current signature says quite a lot about you that’s not particularly complimentary, but of course it’s your choice.
Keep yer chin up mate. 
dieseldave:
If you’ll accept a personal tip from me… If I were you mate, I’d seriously reconsider that signature because IMHO it’s not doing you any favours.
IMHO, your current signature says quite a lot about you that’s not particularly complimentary, but of course it’s your choice.
As Spinoza so rightly taught us, “What Peter says about Paul tells us more about Peter than it does about Paul”
Steve - been trying to reach you all day - its a go matey
If you come out with me for a week and i don’t ■■■ myself when you are driving the boss says he’ll give you a go
Not the newest of motors for you but reasonable for a newbie
can we meet up this week and get you started ? i maybe able to get back to the yard -
read your pm’s and call me asap
cheers
Steve
Been watching this thread evolve bit by bit and just can´t help wondering how naive some people can be.
You go to try and get a job with a Dutch company and assume they are gojng to take the trouble to get you used to driving LHD ? nothing that difficult about driving LHD all of those that do drive/have driven will tell you it does not take long to get used to it and it is not the end of the world. While a few Dutch companies may have a few RHD vehicles this would be the exception to the rule rather than being commonplace a bit like a Pole coming to the UK and being surprised that he has to drive a RHD vehicle I wouñd have thought.
Having worked for Dutch companies for more than 25 years and also having seen a hell of a lot of non Dutch drivers coming to work in Holland one thing I have noticed about the Dutch is that they do tend to be more forgiving than most if you screw up and usually give 2nd and 3rd chances, in your case they chose not to, I can´t help wondering what they saw to make them take this decision.
When I left the army I went in to driving for the Germans had no idea what to do with a proper drawbar as I set off for Yugoslavia but by the time I got there I had found out.
When I went from the UK to Holland to work I just talked myself in to the job then went and found how to do it.
Confidence in yourself is what you seem to be lacking and if I had a driver with no confidence in himself standing in front of me to be honest he would be the last on my phone list, sorry but that is the harsh reality of the transport world.
gm:
Steve - been trying to reach you all day - its a go matey
If you come out with me for a week and i don’t ■■■ myself when you are driving the boss says he’ll give you a go
Not the newest of motors for you but reasonable for a newbie
can we meet up this week and get you started ? i maybe able to get back to the yard -
read your pm’s and call me asap
cheers
Steve
This is a fantastic chance for him, hope it works out.
Harry Monk:
gm:
Steve - been trying to reach you all day - its a go matey
If you come out with me for a week and i don’t ■■■ myself when you are driving the boss says he’ll give you a go
Not the newest of motors for you but reasonable for a newbie
can we meet up this week and get you started ? i maybe able to get back to the yard -
read your pm’s and call me asap
cheers
SteveThis is a fantastic chance for him, hope it works out.
might just give him the self confidence that he appears to be lacking
Vascoingles:
Been watching this thread evolve bit by bit and just can´t help wondering how naive some people can be.You go to try and get a job with a Dutch company and assume they are gojng to take the trouble to get you used to driving LHD ? nothing that difficult about driving LHD all of those that do drive/have driven will tell you it does not take long to get used to it and it is not the end of the world. While a few Dutch companies may have a few RHD vehicles this would be the exception to the rule rather than being commonplace a bit like a Pole coming to the UK and being surprised that he has to drive a RHD vehicle I wouñd have thought.
Having worked for Dutch companies for more than 25 years and also having seen a hell of a lot of non Dutch drivers coming to work in Holland one thing I have noticed about the Dutch is that they do tend to be more forgiving than most if you screw up and usually give 2nd and 3rd chances, in your case they chose not to, I can´t help wondering what they saw to make them take this decision.
When I left the army I went in to driving for the Germans had no idea what to do with a proper drawbar as I set off for Yugoslavia but by the time I got there I had found out.
When I went from the UK to Holland to work I just talked myself in to the job then went and found how to do it.
Confidence in yourself is what you seem to be lacking and if I had a driver with no confidence in himself standing in front of me to be honest he would be the last on my phone list, sorry but that is the harsh reality of the transport world.
in my book there ar drivers. and there ar persons with a l.g.v licence
What a read
Guess now you have it all to look forward to after the job offer, please take the advice about you taking down the sig though makes you look very bitter and immature and not good. Move on wi it 
caledoniandream:
newmercman:
I’ve read all the posts on here & on the other VdB thread, from what I can make out, you (Steve) went for a job & didn’t get it, yes, you tried, yes, you said you’d be willing to take whatever steps you needed to meet their criteria & all that is commenable, but at the end of the day you wasn’t what they were looking for & for that reason they never took you on, the rest of it is down to you, you chose to travel etc, but I must say that this Frans bloke is a bit of a shyster, as you had been open & honest with him regarding your lack of experience he should’ve forewarned the Dutch boys about this, it seems that he never & this contributed to the rest of this sorry tale, as has been said, put it down to experience & keep trying, personally I think the signature is silly, your posts have some merit, the signature makes them all seem like sour grapesYou’re new to this lorry driving lark, instead of trying to jump to the top of the ladder, start at the bottom, that way you don’t have so far to fall when it all goes ■■■■ up & you’ll have plenty of stuff to post about on here
I don’t think that Frans is a bit of a shyster as you state, many people can tell you a different story, the thing is we run a Transport Company and if people can touch the standard very sorry but the trucks need to run.
We can’t be that wrong because from the 89 people we send up to Holland at this moment 7 failed.
I think every company would rub his hands if they got such a score out of their assesments!
Average the Germans and Dutch drivers has a higher score on failures.
And yes the Dutch boys where pretty well pre-warned, and yes we have done this before, I have a 29 year old working who never drove any bigger than a ice-cream van, a 23 year old who just fell out the driving school vehicle when we took him on, a 46 year old bloke who was a joiner, so it can be done.
But they look at a certain standard what must be there, before they go any further, how would everybody been shouting at our trainers and at our company if we had send a driver away on a to low standard and he had killed himself or somebody else■■?
Our trainers wont send anybody on the road until they are 100% sure that you can drive safely, for that reason do we use vehicles with double controls to protect other road users while we asses.
Ok, I should’ve written that you seem like a shyster, as Steve says that the Dutch instructors said they had no idea of his inexperience, of which you were forewarned, It’s turning into a ‘he said this’ ‘I said that’ between the two of you, I commented on Steve’s post, I don’t know it to be the truth, but from what he has written, that was the conclusion I drew, reading yours I draw a different conclusion, only the two of you know what really happened
newmercman:
Ok, I should’ve written that you seem like a shyster, as Steve says that the Dutch instructors said they had no idea of his inexperience, of which you were forewarned, It’s turning into a ‘he said this’ ‘I said that’ between the two of you, I commented on Steve’s post, I don’t know it to be the truth, but from what he has written, that was the conclusion I drew, reading yours I draw a different conclusion, only the two of you know what really happened
In best Dragons Den parlance, “Let you tell you where I am”
I normally am in quite close agreement with newmercman on many things on these forums. However I was quite shocked by the fact that he was calling someone who has already set over 80 inexperienced drivers on without much experience. You called Frans a shyster, I am trying very hard to not call Steve names of any kind except maybe very naive.
On the “other” VDB thread Big Sidney wrote about his experiences and what he said totally threw Steves diary into doubt. I do know Frans quite well, I know of his vast experience and I also know he is respected in Erp. You may have seen the pictures of the Bord computers in the trucks, well I have had a private insight as to how they work, and that everyone in the group can see who is where, what is being said as they can read the messages to the trucks so for someone to say they have never heard of a bloke who to my knowledge has worked there for 18 - 20 years seems a bit walter mitty.
I believe this thread should be put out of its misery now, but if you need any clarification of Steves naivety, you can click on his other posts in his profile. Do I have to sleep in the truck when I am in Erp? Do I have to unload the tank? Does Europe have enforcement agencies like VOSA? What is the best type of Fridge for a driving assessment?
I am interested in his forthcoming job as he seems to have got up and dusted himself down and lives to fight another day. So I am wishing him good luck, and we don’t all know it all, we just learned a bit over a long time in the job. Me I am still learning and hope to continue doing so…