robroy:
No! When I look at that, it tells me I go to the RIGHT bars.
Who specified which bar was which? 
I think if the OP was a troll, they’d have hammed it up more about the regs…
I’m not saying the OP is gay 
, as I perceive a worrier who’ll probably be a diligent worker! 
However when his heart attack kicks in? Who knows!
I look at the OP a bit different and with many of the new drivers with some sympathy.
When i took my test i’d been on 7.5 tonners for a few years, and knew me way about, been a banger racer so was used to knocking stuff out the way 
without damaging me own wheels too much, and used to towing bangers behind me own banger with no trailer brakes at around 75mph most of the time, so was well suited to being a scrat arse lorry driver.
Things is the HGV course was ten days under the instruction of a certain Jimmy Morrison, who you had to bloody perform for or you knew about it soon enough, but there was time there to do lots of driving and near enough a whole day maneuvering and Jimmy was a lorry driver of the old school, so he didn’t just teach you do pass a test, he had time and the inclination to teach you how to control a lorry.
There isn’t the time now on courses, new drivers are test trained and thats about it, it hasn’t helped IMHO the move to auto boxes in training/testing lorries and this practice of gaining manual tickets for auto passes is about as wrong as its possible to be and needs to be reversed in short order.
New driver passes test and has no confidence is hardly surprising, driving and especially reversing by numbers doesn’t help our newbies out in the real world.
As for London drops, even 25 odd years ago on Kwik Save i used to make some serious overtime out of blokes that were terrified of the place, i’d come in about 3am or so for my one hit Grimsby say, often enough there’d be some bugger there ■■■■■■■■ themselves, wassup mate, i’ve got three drops London , do you want me to do those and you do my straight hit Grimsby, would you thanks mate, he went off happy as larry on a 9 hour run, i wrote 13 or 15 on me clock card and swanned off to perve at all the luscious ladies that would walk or drive past the motor whilst i’d be parked outside the Clapham shop (two hundred yards from the underground station) between 6 and 9 am, phwoar, all paid perving 
Lorrying isn’t natural for everyone, at one time most lorryists usually ended up in the job because that was what they wanted to do, now there are far more who have ended up doing it as just another job, it isn’t just another job as they soon find out, unfortunately not everyone is cut out for it hence why i suggest potential lorryists get jobs on large vans for a decent time to see if suits them before ■■■■■■■ £3k up the wall for something their just aint going to enjoy.
I agree with the clown as always. Sometimes I need to look through someone else’s eyes. Because I passed all three tests using a manual gearbox and started out in vans then 7.5 tonners reading a map etc I assume everyone has.
The auto/manual thing is wrong because I don’t think it’s fair on the newbie. The new job is daunting enough without the surprise of a strange stick with a load of numbers on it. But you’re taught to pass a test. I get the impression that a lot of people bypass the 7.5t option.
I can’t say I’ve ever given much thought to my trousers, and as far as class 2 goes, I’ve only had trucks with a PTO,so where to put the keys was easy
I can’t help but feel sorry for the O/P. He’s obviously overthinking the simple things.
My advice, as a relative newbie my self, chill out and try to take the job in your stride, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist, but it does require common sense. Think before you act and talk to people who may be able to help, for instance if I’m sat at a two lane set of traffic lights next to a local skip wagon, I’ll open the window and ask the driver if they know the place I’m heading to. Simple things make the game easier.
Don’t allow yourself to become a spineless drone, if something doesn’t seem legal or possible, speak up.
And of course, ask on here, there are some real knowledgeable folks on here.
Oh and if you want to know why you need a backbone and common sense, read the posts of the habitual ball of stress, dozy.
Best of luck
i agree with Chunkzilla, I think you are over-thinking, you’ll find that you worry a lot less once you’ve done your first couple of weeks.
As for does the office keep your hours right, no, you do. We plan, but we can’t control everything that happens on the road, so you need to keep an eye on your hours.
Good luck!
A little trick I found to keep my POD’s in order is having two clipboards with protective covers. One red and one blue. The red one is for undelivered stuff. When one gets signed it then goes in the blue one. It keeps you from having to hunt for them at the end of the day and keeps them in good order too.
Pete777:
Thanks for all the tips and encouragement. I’m sure you are right and i’ll get used to it. A lot of things to take in. Are there certain jobs that maybe I should avoid such as multi drop especially around London?
Whilst it might not be advisable to go into London if you’re still green don’t avoid it forever. Driving in London is nothing to be scared of. You just have to be a bully because its the only way to make progress. I used to deliver into London nearly once a week or not more in a 26t with an extended body and no rear steer.
Pete777:
Hi EveryonePassed my class 2 a month ago but am starting to get myself in a bit of a tizz about looking for work. I do get stressed out quite easily and am starting to have doubts about whether i’m cut out for the job. Was going to get some experience and then look at trying my hand at class 1 subject to an assessment to see if i can handle it.
Forget going for an Artic licence for the moment and get out there and get a job and experience of haulage or you’ll work yourself into a pshycriatic ward, (if there are any left after spending cuts,
got to get a political statement in at every opportunity at this time.
What’s playing on my minds is what if i get lost, stuck, can’t turn around and not confident enough to reverse out, have an accident. Is it normal or am i showing worrying signs which might suggest i should do something else?
You will probably get into situations and you’ll have to find your way out of them and you’ll have a few stories to tell,
I’m also having difficulty getting to grips with the hours. Not so much the individual rules which are easy enough on there own it’s when your working week does not align to the fixed week. Don’t know what the logic was to have two different sorts of weeks. I’ve now found out that you can actually do 58 hours in a non-fixed week but only 56 in fixed week.
Over thinking again, keep the hours simple to start with. I used to keep a diary and log each day with my driving hours, breaks and rests to keep a track of things.
While practicing (pretending to be working) i feel the need to have stretched out in front of me the current fixed week and the last fixed week. When i have that grpahically in front of me i can just about manage to keep it legal. But god knows how that will work out in practice when you are out on the road having to make quick decisions.
Stop it Please!
Just get out there and do the job, don’t think about various scenarios as it will bear no relation to reality.
If you don’t mind i have a few I don’t mind,
- do you have a holdall of some kind where you keep things like your wallet and house keys. I assume you don’t keep things like that in your pocket? I ask because i have had some jobs where no locker is provided and have had no choice but to carry stuff around with me.
Yes! even on day work, with the essentials, (flask, snacks, copy of Truck and Driver,
- do you ALWAYS lock the cab, no matter where you are? To safeguard the keys in case they fell out of your pocket while doing OW do you use a chain attached to a belt. Or would a decent quality pair of trousers with some zip pockets be the way to go?
Do you lock your car or house?
Look after the keys, you’ll find a way, or you’ll lose them and have to walk home and tell the boss.
- do you plan your day from the outset or do you have to adapt on the move? How much role do the people in the office play in keeping you legal?
Yes, and then watch it go ■■■■ up from the outset,
so re-plan on the move and keep those that need to know informed.
- i’m not a fan of steel toe capped boots. Is it okay to wear the trainer type shoes you can get in places like Millets which may have steel toe cap?
I don’t have to wear steel toe caps, so I have no opinion, but would imagine it’s down to company and delivery point policy
- if i were to start off doing some part-time shifts, assuming i was working full-time elsewhere doing mon-fri 7am to 5pm would i only be able to do one shift (maximum of 15 hours) every other week in order to satisfy taking a regular weekly rest and reduced weekly rest during the two fixed weeks?
Probably,
Thanks for you advice.
No Problem, I hope you find it helpful.
Radar19:
Pete777:
Thanks for all the tips and encouragement. I’m sure you are right and i’ll get used to it. A lot of things to take in. Are there certain jobs that maybe I should avoid such as multi drop especially around London?Whilst it might not be advisable to go into London if you’re still green don’t avoid it forever. Driving in London is nothing to be scared of. You just have to be a bully because its the only way to make progress. I used to deliver into London nearly once a week or not more in a 26t with an extended body and no rear steer.
Join the club mate. New pass and London every day in a 6w beavertail with a 4-over-4, 29ft body and no fancy steering. Talk about in the deep end. Like most things, don’t think about it too much and just crack on. Which can be applied to all the OP’s questions. Start each day and take each situation as it comes 
New driver checking in! I went straight to Class 1 because I have no interest in Class 2 and wasn’t going to part with all that money and effort to not do what I wanted to do. Plus, the idea of multidrop is stress central to me.
I’ve got anxiety disorder and a dose of OCD too, so I’m a pro at overthinking and stressing out.
My biggest piece of advice is actually a quote from Amelia Earhart. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
All of this stuff you’re worrying about now can’t get sorted until you actually get on the road. Lorrying is all about finding routines that work for you. Do them enough and you forget that you’ve got one when a newbie wonders what the hell to do with the keys etc.
I’ve been out tramping for 3ish months now, and each day I learn something or figure something out and it makes life a little bit easier. Just focus on doing the job at your own speed and over time you’ll get faster, you’ll start to be able to assess situations better and so on.
I’m sure plenty of people have done a day or so here and there on the agency for experience around their regular job. Personally I couldn’t imagine doing that. 1 shift every 2 weeks at probably a different place each 2 weeks? That sounds like a ■■■■■■■ nightmare mate. Commit.
slowlane:
I’ve been out tramping for 3ish months now, and each day I learn something or figure something out and it makes life a little bit easier.
And if you do the job for another 40 years you’ll still be learning summat new every day 
Good philosophy though mate.
Pete777:
Hi EveryonePassed my class 2 a month ago but am starting to get myself in a bit of a tizz about looking for work. I do get stressed out quite easily and am starting to have doubts about whether i’m cut out for the job. Was going to get some experience and then look at trying my hand at class 1 subject to an assessment to see if i can handle it.
What’s playing on my minds is what if i get lost, stuck, can’t turn around and not confident enough to reverse out, have an accident. Is it normal or am i showing worrying signs which might suggest i should do something else?
Its normal for a new pass. Hell I still get the jitters when I’m going places I’ve never been, it makes it worse because I’m delivering down single track roads a lot of the time.
I’m also having difficulty getting to grips with the hours. Not so much the individual rules which are easy enough on there own it’s when your working week does not align to the fixed week. Don’t know what the logic was to have two different sorts of weeks. I’ve now found out that you can actually do 58 hours in a non-fixed week but only 56 in fixed week.
Can’t say I’ve encountered that but I work Monday to Friday normally with the odd weekend Sunday run thrown in.
While practicing (pretending to be working) i feel the need to have stretched out in front of me the current fixed week and the last fixed week. When i have that grpahically in front of me i can just about manage to keep it legal. But god knows how that will work out in practice when you are out on the road having to make quick decisions.
This will come with time.
If you don’t mind i have a few questions including a couple of silly ones but i’ve never worked as a driver before:
- do you have a holdall of some kind where you keep things like your wallet and house keys. I assume you don’t keep things like that in your pocket? I ask because i have had some jobs where no locker is provided and have had no choice but to carry stuff around with me.
I normally carry a rucksack with the essentials in but I do nights out and I have my own unit so I keep most of the stuff in that.
- do you ALWAYS lock the cab, no matter where you are? To safeguard the keys in case they fell out of your pocket while doing OW do you use a chain attached to a belt. Or would a decent quality pair of trousers with some zip pockets be the way to go?
I don’t as its normally just me and the FLT driver but if I’m ever in an area where I can’t keep an eye on the cab then it gets locked.
- do you plan your day from the outset or do you have to adapt on the move? How much role do the people in the office play in keeping you legal?
You can plan up to a point then its in the hands of the Gods. The offices job isn’t to make sure you’re legal, that is your job. You need to keep your office informed if you are running short of hours. I had a planner run me quite hard for two weeks, didn’t think any of it until the following week I got hauled in to explain why I went over my 90 hours by 40 minutes! It was my fault because I didn’t keep track of my time, in my defence though I had never got close to that figure before and this planner was new and kept planning himself into a corner.
- i’m not a fan of steel toe capped boots. Is it okay to wear the trainer type shoes you can get in places like Millets which may have steel toe cap?
You can but I would keep a pair of proper work boots in the cab just in case you need them. Some sites will insist you wear them and will refuse you on site which can lead to an awkward phone call to the boss.
Thanks for you advice.
As with many I had some big nerves 1st time I took a rigid out and then the 1st time I took an artic out, but now more then happy with either and just crack on. I’d suggest sticking to your class 2 and getting some valuable experience on that before you move up as confidence really is key. You will at first get in to situations you are not comfortable with but take it slow and steady and if unsure get out and have a proper look! And you’ll find within no time your skills will develop and you’ll stop worrying. I still put an artic in somewhere and then think afterwards at times that perhaps I could of done that a bit better and that I could have made my life easier but once your out and about you’ll just deal with it [emoji846] after all you’ve proven you can handle the vehicle. There is usually someone about that can give you a hand even if it is an extra pair of eyes anyway [emoji846] as for rules and regs I found I kind of had my head around it before I started the job but it really was something that I picked up no problem once doing it day in day out. It’s really not that difficult once you get to grips with it [emoji846] 1) phone, wallet, car keys, gloves and ■■■■ etc in pockets. Work gear required in a bag in cab.
keys usually hanging in ignition and truck completely unlocked, pretty secure most places I am but if I’m in any doubt keys are in pocket.
I have a run sheet but don’t ever go in the silly offices order [emoji12] I plan an initial route but then have to factor colls etc in as they are given (if they are!) bonus if not.
depends on your companies policy and maybe even the sites you deliver to? I just wear boots as it’s easier and that’s what my boss asks us to wear. Although I’m sure he’d allow the other if asked.
Hope at least some of this is help [emoji846]
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Ahh well, looks like I’m in a minority here being cynical and thinking this guy is on a ■■■■ take.
I still think he is btw, he has not been back on and I’m imagining him laughing his bits off here.
If I’m wrong, I did not realise that it had got to this stage, I know many drivers today NEED spoon fed and told by their transport offices when to wipe their arses so if he is genuine he’s gonna fit right in.
We’ve all been beginners, and I do and have tried my best to help and advise young lads, but seriously… "Do I lock my cab’’ I mean…come on.
Anyway I should maybe join you all and take a more liberal understanding approach,
I’ll go and get my sandals, grow my beard a bit longer, get some lentils and we’ll all join hands sat in a circle singing ■■■ by aa.
^^^ or alternatively you could do as I did after reading the o/p and decide to ignore it on the basis of nobody with only one head could possibly be that stupid.
robroy:
Ahh well, looks like I’m in a minority here being cynical and thinking this guy is on a ■■■■ take.
I still think he is btw, he has not been back on and I’m imagining him laughing his bits off here.
If I’m wrong, I did not realise that it had got to this stage, I know many drivers today NEED spoon fed and told by their transport offices when to wipe their arses so if he is genuine he’s gonna fit right in.
We’ve all been beginners, and I do and have tried my best to help and advise young lads, but seriously… "Do I lock my cab’’ I mean…come on.Anyway I should maybe join you all and take a more liberal understanding approach,
I’ll go and get my sandals, grow my beard a bit longer, get some lentils and we’ll all join hands sat in a circle singing ■■■ by aa.
I did hear about your lovely singing voice…
the maoster:
^^^ or alternatively you could do as I did after reading the o/p and decide to ignore it on the basis of nobody with only one head could possibly be that stupid.
I just thought that to one or two that I may be coming across a bit harsh, instead of giving the poor little soul a hug.
I do agree with your last bit btw, but you are much harsher even than me.