bigvern1:
At the end of the day, she got home safe. The job got done the following week and that is that. Move on and forget it.
Had the company bothered to supply the driver with the correct equipment for the job then maybe it would have got done the first time and saved everyone (including us) a lot of grief?
Are you really suffering from what happened to her? Poor you. 
dessy:
From my interpretation of the diary Animal went on the trip with a 3-4 hour notice period! No maps provided or a mobile phone! And is a lady driver to boot! I would have thought the Boss would have shown a little more concern for the contact/safety aspect!Granted a reverse charge call would have been a better decision than driving to Germany! But sometimes in a “blond moment” you forget and do what comes to you without thinking it through first!!
I am concerned that the van she was driving was able to run away when the handbrake was applied!!
Was less than an hour 1st call made approx 9.25 I was out my house by 10.15 this was to help someone out at very short notice
The reason I never used a pay phone tbh never really seen 1 but then never looked 
turnip:
I know this going to sound a bit " when I were a lad "! But - when I first went over the water, me & thousands more like me didn’t have a clue what a mobile phone was and had never been given a map by any employer I worked for either. Sorry if this sounds harsh animal but to drive from Bucharest to Germany would get you the sack from any company I have ever worked for. And no I’m not perfect either. But to blame the boss for your shortcomings is a bit much. Maps are and always have been easy to obtain. And phones are available in every country in Europe.
Personally I think you got scared and legged it. ( easiest option ). But then you were probably told one too many scare stories.
This is quite true but " if only " I had a European map it might of helped but I didnt yep I did look also looked for 1 for Romanian but failed
But a few years back there were more phones about as there were cafe & drivers who would stop & help you
No I hvent blamed the boss as I said think there were faults on both sides I done what I thought was right at the time
Nope didnt get scared at all not that type or the type to panic in a situation like that just get on & do my best sorry if that not good enough for some
hiya,
Ang good on yer you are a lot braver than me, once worked for a firm
that did mixed-bag haulage continental and U K, I hasten to add I was
one of the U Kers (by choice) the Guvnor told me to sort myself a new
passport out I told him no way and until I was no longer capable of me
getting lost in London “well a little bit” I was quite happy to carry on my
current way of life, well I had only been driving twelve years really only
still an apprentice, anyway Kiddo well done see you soon.
thanks harry, long retired.
Having read this, i for the life of me cannot see how a company who doesn’t have the right kit for this type of work is being given it, for a start where’s the security needed for GIT ins, to carry such high value loads, no vehicle tracking nothing, no company mobile phone that works all over Europe therefore no hands free either this company does seem like a cowboy outfit to me , if something really did go breasts up, no one would know your where abouts a definite no no in the high security load moving industry , a mate is on for a company who move pharma by the arctic load all over euroland, the refrigerated trailer had to be temp mapped and certified before they would touch you,
the truck is fitted with a tracking system as is the trl and the temp is monitored all the time , some of the stuff they move could explode if it ain’t kept below a certain temp and it ain’t allowed on the train or your dover Calais or Dunkirk ferries either, it has to go on a freight ferry like the one from thurrock no tourists truck outside on deck
How do you get any kip with the frigo going above your head ? if that had been me i would of certainly of been finding a hotel for the night, at least then you could of had access to a shower as well as the potential of getting a good nights kip , anything is better than across the seats in a merc sprinter
animal:
This is quite true but " if only " I had a European map it might of helped but I didnt yep I did look also looked for 1 for Romanian but failed
you stopped at South Mimms, Ashford Terminal, and the services off the train, but you did look for one? did you look very hard? it would have been high up on my priority if i didnt have one, The Romania map you could’ve got when you got close to or on the border. I dont mean to have a go, it was one hell of a journey you did and i take my hat off to you.
All 3 of us looked in for a Euro map and they had none. All of the vehicles have trackers fitted. For some reason, Animal’s tracker failed in Romania. It kicked in as soon as she hit Austria. So these things ain’t fail safe.
bigvern1:
All 3 of us looked in for a Euro map and they had none.
Every garage in the whole of Europe sells maps of Europe.
bigvern1:
For some reason, Animal’s tracker failed in Romania. It kicked in as soon as she hit Austria. So these things ain’t fail safe.
Then it’s a pre-2007 tracker which doesn’t recognise Romania as an eu country.
I’m with Animal on this one. She has been sent on a very long journey which would test the best of us, with no phone, no SatNav, no company-issued directions, and in a vehicle with no proper sleeping facilities and a defective handbrake.
If she has made mistakes through pure fatigue then I can certainly understand that because a human being makes all sorts of mistakes if they cannot be allowed to sleep properly.
There is no way that anybody should be expected to drive this type of van to Romania and back. Absolutely no way. The vehicle is not properly specified for the job, end of.
Harry Monk:
bigvern1:
All 3 of us looked in for a Euro map and they had none.Every garage in the whole of Europe sells maps of Europe.
Well the Total garage at the tunnel had nothing suitable when we were there. Animal had plenty of cash to find something enroutebigvern1:
For some reason, Animal’s tracker failed in Romania. It kicked in as soon as she hit Austria. So these things ain’t fail safe.Then it’s a pre-2007 tracker which doesn’t recognise Romania as an eu country.
Mine worked fine the week after may have just been a glichI’m with Animal on this one. She has been sent on a very long journey which would test the best of us, with no phone, no SatNav, no company-issued directions, and in a vehicle with no proper sleeping facilities and a defective handbrake.
She had her own phone on O2 which was topped up with plenty of funds it just didnt work in some countries as it wasnt set up right. The handbrake is not defective as the van has been on the road since with no issues.If she has made mistakes through pure fatigue then I can certainly understand that because a human being makes all sorts of mistakes if they cannot be allowed to sleep properly.
There is no way that anybody should be expected to drive this type of van to Romania and back. Absolutely no way. The vehicle is not properly specified for the job, end of.
glen958:
Mine worked fine the week after may have just been a glich
I doubt it was a glitch, I expect your employer just had it upgraded the week after when he learned that it didn’t work outside pre-2007 eu countries.
glen958:
She had her own phone on O2 which was topped up with plenty of funds it just didnt work in some countries as it wasnt set up right.
Maybe it wasn’t. But why would anyone expect a random stranger, summoned at less than an hour’s notice, to have their phone set up to send and receive calls from Romania? Generally, the employer supplies the work phone.
glen958:
The handbrake is not defective as the van has been on the road since with no issues.
The miraculous self-repairing handbrake. 
There’s no two ways about this, Angie has been totally stitched up by a cowboy employer.
Harry Monk:
glen958:
Mine worked fine the week after may have just been a glichI doubt it was a glitch, I expect your employer just had it upgraded the week after when he learned that it didn’t work outside pre-2007 eu countries.
glen958:
She had her own phone on O2 which was topped up with plenty of funds it just didnt work in some countries as it wasnt set up right.Maybe it wasn’t. But why would anyone expect a random stranger, summoned at less than an hour’s notice, to have their phone set up to send and receive calls from Romania? Generally, the employer supplies the work phone.
glen958:
The handbrake is not defective as the van has been on the road since with no issues.The miraculous self-repairing handbrake.
There’s no two ways about this, Angie has been totally stitched up by a cowboy employer.
I see Miss Marple is in full flow The trackers are brand spanking new. I know this as fact as I was there when the guy fitted them. I drove specifically to Barnsley to have mine fitted. There goes your theory. Were we all supposed to drive around until we found a map for her? She seems more than capable of looking for one herself. And the boss has got mobiles for Europe. Due to some thieving ■■■■ from the job centre, who was completely inadequate for the job,stealing one that should have been given to Animal. This wouldn’t have happened.
As for handbrake repairing itself? She is only little and sometimes people can forget or not pull them up enough.
Case closed. Or do you wanna call another witness Perry Mason?
These kangaroo courts are either for or against the driver -facts don’t come into it. It looks like the court favours animal . She had a go & fouled it up -all is forgiven. 
Thats’ what I’m saying. She never bottled it and she had a go. So many Euro wannabies,yet no-one else had a go. It isn’t as bad as some ■■■■■■ stirrers are trying to make out.
bigvern1:
Thats’ what I’m saying. She never bottled it and she had a go. So many Euro wannabies,yet no-one else had a go. It isn’t as bad as some ■■■■■■ stirrers are trying to make out.
Lol.
Sheet stirrers don’t come much bigger than you vern. And yeh it is bad. Romania to Germany to find a phone is bad very bad. In fact ridiculous.
bigvern1:
Thats’ what I’m saying. She never bottled it and she had a go. So many Euro wannabies,yet no-one else had a go. It isn’t as bad as some ■■■■■■ stirrers are trying to make out.
This is true but as I have said yes I did make a lot of mistakes but I done what I thought best for me at the time
As when I did get back to where I had phone signal & calls made I was asked if I wanted to go to Italy as boss though I would bottle it I said yep would do that no prob
A lot of people thought I was mad doing this after what has happened in the past ( those with long enough memories ) 
My old boss mate who is Romanian & has a business wont go there as he say it is far too dangerous 
he employs someone else to go
Yes I did learn a lot & hindsight is a wonderful thing yes I am much more aware thanks for all the comments it has helped
turnip:
bigvern1:
Thats’ what I’m saying. She never bottled it and she had a go. So many Euro wannabies,yet no-one else had a go. It isn’t as bad as some ■■■■■■ stirrers are trying to make out.Lol.
Sheet stirrers don’t come much bigger than you vern. And yeh it is bad. Romania to Germany to find a phone is bad very bad. In fact ridiculous.
Thanx!
They were right to sack her, sorry but I think you panicked and legged it too,when doing trips like that you must be prepared and ready for anything so plan ahead can’t believe you went with no map,you must relax when doing a trip like that,find cop shop and tell them your parking nearby or something ,can’t believe you headed for the border either any hotel would have let you make a phone call.glad your ok though,sounds like you got your eyes opened .
Deeireland:
They were right to sack her, sorry but I think you panicked and legged it too,when doing trips like that you must be prepared and ready for anything so plan ahead can’t believe you went with no map,you must relax when doing a trip like that,find cop shop and tell them your parking nearby or something ,can’t believe you headed for the border either any hotel would have let you make a phone call.glad your ok though,sounds like you got your eyes opened .
Nope I did not panic at all not that type if I was to leg it as you say why did I not just leave van & find a flight home 
& why did I agree to go on to Italy & France after that instead of asking him to get me home asap
If you have read this you will see I had less than 1 hr to prepare for this trip if I had the time I would have been better prepared simple & as I have said I do have a more upto date map ( not invested in a sat nav yet ) I have also said that the map I have although 2009 has a nice motorway running al the way from Austria to Bucuresti but most of dont exist
If I had the right road no which I do now most of this would not have happened simple as that but that was nobody fault as it is on the map as the other drivers can confirm
Sorry but have been involved in transport for 17 years & not just a young kid
Like I have said hindsight is a wonderful thing & of course you would have all thought of all of what has been placed on here at the time
