rigsby:
50 years wed next saturday dave , if i havn’t learnt a few tricks by now it is time to give up . it’s a bit like driving when you do things by instinct and one tiny bit of your brain keeps tabs on what she is on about . cheers , dave
You must have done something right to last 50 years Dave. Congratulations to you and Mrs Rigsby.
Cheers Dave.
the magic words are " yes love , you are right love " . cheers , dave
rigsby:
the magic words are " yes love , you are right love " . cheers , dave
As I said the young blokes etc 
.
Cheers Dave.
Got fed up feel cold, I put heating on this evening it was paradise. 
Norman Ingram:
Got fed up feel cold, I put heating on this evening it was paradise.
Same here Norm, didn’t get fed up,don’t get like that this way. We did have the heating on. I don’t believe in being cold.
Cheers Dave.
When I was on Middle East, I was in very hot weather, when my air-condition packed up, I had to drive with gloves on, the steering wheel was so hot, we used to start driving in Saudi early in the morning, pull up and park before noon, and when it cooled carry on until dusk. The other end of the tempature, I had many layers of clothing, even in bed. But ever since I have said I prefer to be warm than cold. 
Norman Ingram:
When I was on Middle East, I was in very hot weather, when my air-condition packed up, I had to drive with gloves on, the steering wheel was so hot, we used to start driving in Saudi early in the morning, pull up and park before noon, and when it cooled carry on until dusk. The other end of the tempature, I had many layers of clothing,
Same here Norm, I’d rather sweat than starve in the cold. Since I had pneumonia three years ago I don’t take to many chances in the winter. If I go out its in my van with the heater on.
Cheers Dave.
Dam, Dam, Dam, I log in, and done a couple of replys and I wrote on here and sumit it, and it came up up must log in, and I did and all I wrote had vanished. 
Once again, I had double pneumonia when I was nearly two years old, two years before I was born, mum lost Brian who was 3years old, then in 1937 lost Frank 10, Violet 8, with Dipheria, then two months after I was born Peter 3, with it also. People of today if they was around then, they would cherish the NHS, for we never had a chance. If they Privatise the NHS, the poor will suffer like we did in the old days. When are people going to lose the feeling , I’m alright Jack sod you attitude.
Norman Ingram:
Dam, Dam, Dam, I log in, and done a couple of replys and I wrote on here and sumit it, and it came up up must log in, and I did and all I wrote had vanished.
Your family had a very rough time of it Norm losing all those children. I remember talking to an Indian staff nurse while I was in Hereford Hospital with double pneumonia. She told me, that she didn’t realise how much of a killer pneumonia was until she came to this country. Two blokes in the same four bed ward I was in died while I was there. Like you I realise how important the NHS is My late Mother was one of a big family and worked as a nurse and said how hard it was before the NHS was formed.
heers Dave.
Yes Dave we was a poor but hardy lot, plenty of sorrow, but big hearts, I strived to get my own home, my brother-in-law always called me moneybags, for I was the only one who had money in my wallet before pay day. I told him, " You lazy bloody Brummy" you have a trade, you start at 8.00am finish before 4.00pm, you could do a private job of painting & decorating and you could have money in your wallet. If you did as many hours of what I do, you would be rich!
Norman Ingram:
Yes Dave we was a poor but hardy lot, plenty of sorrow, but big hearts, I strived to get my own home, my brother-in-law always called me moneybags, for I was the only one who had money in my wallet before pay day. I told him, " You lazy bloody Brummy" you have a trade, you start at 8.00am finish before 4.00pm, you could do a private job of painting & decorating and you could have money in your wallet.
Same here Norm, have owned my own home for 37 years, had a small mortgage,but redeemed that after 2 years. Spent money on the place since it was new to keep it up to scratch. Always did extra jobs from a kid to earn a few quid. Still do even though I’m disabled and an OAP. Never been rich, but never been skint.
Cheers Dave.
In this life there is many people who moan about being short of money, But turn down doing overtime just because they only have work worked a 37hrs week
I used to moan if I couldn’t get the overtime Norm, and that didn’t happen very often. I did give the transport manager some grief at Brisbane’s when I was sent on hire to the County Council highways and only go 47 hours a week. Before I went there I was on a minimum of 60 hours and mostly 70+.
Cheers Dave.
Dave 37hrs I have never been a part time worker, like you 60hrs or more. if they scratch my back I would do the same, but if they tried to get one over me, they always lost. When we first had phone put in our lorries, they said we will know where you are all the time, they used to ring but I did not answer, they had me in the office and said we need a good reason why you are not answering! Too dangerous I replied, driving with one hand, picking up the phone in the other hand, is a no no, one bright spark said you do it with your CB, Oh no I don’t you, you can be prosecuted for it, so I have a voice activated box installed in my CB and a power mike. The manager said you seem to be well up in to the air waves, what do you suggest, well I would have a mike on the phone, and a speaker fitted at the rear of the drivers ear, and all we would have to do when you rang, is press a button and we could ear and speak to you. we will check with the phone company. Next month all the vehicles was fitted with phones they now call hand free. Worst thing they could have done, I was phoning them up every five minutes, in the end they begged me not to phone unless I was broke down or had a accident. No way was a load of snotty nose kids going to get the best of a experience HGV1 driver of 30 years, I had another 15 years of hassel free driving of lorries.
There are more of that type in offices now, than in our day Norm. I drove for four different haulage firms,but only one that had a transport manager who was useless. He did have the push a few years after I worked for them. He wouldn’t have lasted two minutes with any of today’s outfits. The other firms I drove for knew more about haulage. C W Griffiths who are still operating today was by far the best,as the owner was a proper lorry man who drove himself and still occasionally does even though he is in his eighties. One of his sons who now runs the business is still behind the wheel and knows the job inside out.Proper lorry men who also know their costings etc.
Cheers Dave.
I have nothing but respect for people who know what they are talking about,but lads who are in it for two minutes, and think they are going to change the world for grown men with years of experience of driving, they are on a loser from the start!
Norman Ingram:
I have nothing but respect for people who know what they are talking about,but lads who are in it for two minutes,
Same here Norm,its like any other trade,you have to learn it. Only difference is that you stand to lose a lot of money and end up with big debts if you get it wrong.
Cheers Dave.
I must say Dave, I would not last two minutes today, and wouldn’t care, they must go around like zombies, no time to wipe your bum. 
it must be a boring job now, what do you think Harry? 
Norman Ingram:
I must say Dave,
I still think that the job is what you make it Norm, as long as you are thick skinned enough to ignore the crap from some of the people you have to deal with. And that was the case years ago.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
I began to fall out with the job in about 1978 when my last stint with the BRS
came to an end, I’d do anything now rather than drive lorries no atmosphere
at the end, nobody using the digs catering for themselves in layby’s, drivers
sitting by themselves on the rare occasion they ventured into the cafes, yes
the job was going to the dogs back then, I was lucky to get on for the local
water authority and retired still talking to people and eating at the same table
as my workmates in a nice clean canteen, didn’t have a regular motor drove
anything from an Astra van upwards, variety is the spice of life, loved it. Oh’
and got through my lifetime as a driver using only log sheets/books no tacho’s.
thanks harry, long retired.