gazza1970:
orys you and your friends could always move to greese and try milking there benefit system,
The point here is that you can milk only benefit system of the countires you lived for longer time, its impossible to start it from day one. This is why most benefit scrungers in Britain are British, in Poland are Polish, in Greece are Greek and in greese are greasy…
flat to the mat:
You have one huge chip on your shoulder OrysI’d like to educate you on the policies of the European Union,the British health and benefit system which is being milked by the influx of third world scroungers,and also my life as an immigrant in a country whose standards match up to expectations,but to be quite frank I can’t be arsed because without doubt you’d retort by trying to convince me that black is white and vice versa .
Keep banging your drum matey,with your attitude towards life your options are that limited
I don’t know much about third word benefit scroungers your relations with your former colonies are very complicated. But, as I proved here many times, Eastern Europeans cannot just come here and “milk benefit system”.
As for the European Union, well, I have peple to lecture you on it in my name, you know.
Seven EU myths you should never believe
Radek SikorskiAs a Thatcherite free-marketeer, I have no doubt that being in Europe is good for Britain
It’s interesting what happens on your first day as Foreign Minister. Helpful officials flutter around you like butterflies. One produces a secret red file marked “How to be a Foreign Minister”. Inside are papers on the do’s and don’ts of office. But decades of bureaucratic experience are best summed up in the immortal lines of Yes, Prime Minister: “Once you start interfering in the internal squabbles of other countries, you’re on a very slippery slope. Even the Foreign Secretary has grasped that!”
It is in that fine spirit that I mean to interfere recklessly in the UK’s internal affairs. I want to offer some thoughts on a subject of considerable British sensitivity: EU membership. And I want to try to change some minds.
Let me be clear where I am coming from. I am Polish, from the Solidarity generation that helped to bring down the Soviet empire. I have lived in the US and am a fervent believer in free markets. Lady Thatcher – may she live for ever – acknowledges me in her book Statecraft. In other words, I tick every box required to be a lifelong member of the Eurosceptic club. But I believe in the the modern European project. And Poland will do its utmost to help it to succeed.—UP TO HERE
Several myths about Britain and the EU need to be dispelled.
Myth No 1 Britain’s trade with the EU is less important than its trade with the outside world.
Fact In 2011 the UK trade deficit with China was £19.7 billion. You ran a deficit with Russia, too. Roughly half of UK exports go to the EU. The UK has until recently traded more each year with Ireland than with Brazil, Russia, India and China put together. Trade growth with new EU members is even more dynamic. Between 2003 and 2011 British exports to Poland increased threefold.
Myth No 2 The EU forces Britain to adopt laws on human rights that are contrary in spirit to British tradition.
Fact These rulings come from the European Court of Human Rights, which is not part of the EU but part of the Council of Europe, a noble British creation that pre-dates the EU.
Myth No 3 UK is bankrupting itself by funding Europe.
Fact The monstrous EU budget is about 1 per cent of the GDP of all EU members; UK public spending is nearly 50 per cent of Britain’s GDP. Your annual net contribution of £8 billion- £9 billion is similar to France’s and less than Germany’s. That is less than £15 per UK citizen. Moreover, some of this money comes home. UK companies have profited enormously from EU cohesion-fund investments in Central and Eastern Europe. That improved infrastructure benefits UK exporters: higher prosperity in those member states mean new markets for the UK.
The UK Government estimates that every household “earns” between £1,500 and £3,500 every year thanks to the Single Market. That is between five and fifteen times the UK’s net budget contribution. It’s a bargain.
Myth No 4 The UK is drowning in EU bureaucracy.
Fact Yes, 33,000 people work for the European Commission, serving an entire continent. But more than 82,000 people work for HM Revenue & Customs alone. Spain has almost three million bureaucrats. In contrast to any of its members, the EU is a slimmed-down operation.
Myth No 5 The UK is drowning in EU legislation and Brusssels directives.
Fact We all have a good laugh when we hear about bendy bananas or euro-sausages. But these are not the fault of the European Commission. Usually they are proposed by member states trying to protect their former colonies or their national products.
Directives are not Brussels diktats, but regulations that British officials have agreed, approved and signed off. In any case, law inspired by Europe accounts for only 6.8 per cent of primary legislation passed by your Parliament.
Myth No 6 The European Commission is a hotbed of socialism.
Fact Whether on Open Skies or business subsidies, the EU has helped to dismantle national monopolies and stopped national politicians subverting competition rules.
Myth No 7 The EU stops hardworking Britons working longer hours than feckless continentals.
Fact The average Pole works 40.5 hours a week. The average Spaniard 38.1. The average for all the EU27 is 37.2. The average for the UK? 36.2.
Those are the myths. Now let’s look at the arguments. Because Britain’s market is too valuable for the rest of the Continent to ignore, Eurosceptics say, Britain could negotiate a trade deal that preserved all the advantages of the single market without any of the costs of membership.
Don’t count on it. Many states would hold a grudge against a country that had, in their view, selfishly left the EU. While you account for about 11 per cent of the rest of EU trade, 50 per cent of your total trade is with the EU. No prizes for guessing who would have the upper hand in negotiations.
Any free trade agreement would have a price. In exchange for access to a single market of 500 million people, Norway and Switzerland make big contributions to EU cohesion funds. They also have to adopt EU standards without any say in how they are written. At the moment, Norway’s net contribution to the EU budget is higher, per capita, than Britain’s.
Britain’s leaders must decide once again how best to use their influence in Europe. The EU is an English- speaking power. The Single Market was a British idea. A British commissioner runs our diplomatic service. You could, if only you wished, lead Europe’s defence policy.
But please don’t expect us to help you to wreck or paralyse the EU. Don’t underestimate our determination not to return to the politics of the 20th century. You were not occupied. Most of us on the Continent were. We’ll do almost anything to prevent it happening again. Europe’s leaders will step up integration to make the euro work. We believe the euro will survive, because it is in members’ interests for it to survive.
Since I first came to your shores more than 30 years ago, Britain has become much more European. You have the Channel Tunnel and are used to duvets. Even your cooking has improved. Yet public opinion and your politics is more Eurosceptic than ever.
Your interests are in Europe. It’s time your sentiments followed. Britain is famous for practical good sense and policies based on reality, not myth. We hope you return to this tradition soon.
Radek Sikorski is the Foreign Minister of Poland
Orys
Some of the things you say are pure crap, foreigners CAN come here and do milk the benefits system straight away, If they couldn’t get the cash why would they come here in the first place? Most of the scroungers are from the former communist block, and that goes with the rogues and vagabonds as well.
raymundo:
Orys
Some of the things you say are pure crap, foreigners CAN come here and do milk the benefits system straight away, If they couldn’t get the cash why would they come here in the first place? Most of the scroungers are from the former communist block, and that goes with the rogues and vagabonds as well.
Off course you are not right, as I proved several times. I guess that your mate who told you that they can was wrong.
24 months of paying taxes is minimum before you get some basic non-working benefits.
I checked that first hand, when some Scottish driver hit my stationary car and I was unable to work as a result of my injuries. 23 months of paying taxes and I was not entitled to a single penny. Believe me, I tried really hard to get some support, no chance. I survived on good will of my friends and family and thanks to my bank who despite my critical financial situation agreed to increase my overdraft and credit card limit. Off course I paid all my debts back without bothering your country as soon as I was back on my feets.
So I am sorry, but it’s you who are talking rubbish. Don’t believe in everything you read in Daily Mail.
OK Orys I give up as you are never going to be wrong and everyone else is always wrong. To conclude I think you have done the Brits love the poles here cause no good what so ever, the only people that actually want your type here are the landlords and the employers that will profit from you. I for one would certainly love all of you to go home and for the Kremlin to once again draw down the curtain but mores the pity that can never happen. In my opinion you think that your ■■■■ don’t stink like us mere mortals.
orys:
Seven EU myths you should never believe
Radek Sikorski…
…
Your interests are in Europe. It’s time your sentiments followed. Britain is famous for practical good sense and policies based on reality, not myth. We hope you return to this tradition soon.Radek Sikorski is the Foreign Minister of Poland
LOL !!! You couldn’t make this up. Since Poland has joined the EU, its living standarsd have been raised, Western companies are investing heavily in it, its inhabitants are now allowed free reign to go work in other wealthier countries. At the same time, the influx of migrant workers to the UK has lowered the wages, companies in the UK have closed and outsourced to cheaper EE states (Poland mainly!!), there was no planning for extra housing in the UK to meet this influx which has resulted in a severe housing shortage in some areas along with increased rental prices. And Radek Sikorski tells us our interests are in Europe? 
Radek Sikorski is definatley right, they’re myths alright. I 've never heard them concerns aired before, ok maybe one or two of them. Sure, the EU is great for us, we’re doing fine. You’d of loved it here in the year 2000 Orys, you’d of thought you where in heaven !!
Anyway, you’re getting some good practice here at written English? !! 
raymundo:
OK Orys I give up as you are never going to be wrong and everyone else is always wrong.
Actually, unlike you, I admited my mistakes (or when some of you were right) on several occasion on that thread… So you should look into the mirror before saying that.
As for benefit thingy, these are general rules for the whole of the EU:
direct.gov.uk:
Who can claim benefits in the EEA?
You may be able to get benefits and other financial support if any of the following apply:
you’ve lived, worked or studied (a recognised career qualification) in an EEA country
you’re a stateless person or refugee and you live in an EEA country
you’re a dependant or the widow or widower of anyone who was covered by the regulations (your nationality doesn’t matter)
you’re the widow, widower or child of someone who worked in an EEA country and was not an EEA national or a stateless person or refugee (but you must be a national of that country)
you’re not an EEA or Swiss national but legally resident in the UK
you’ve lived in the EEA country long enough to qualify
Now as for Britain:
Zasiłek dla bezrobotnych (Jobseeker's Allowance) - Zasiłki i zapomogi w Wielkiej Brytanii - Poradniki Emito.net
Contribution-based JSA przysługuje osobom, które przez 2 lata podatkowe przed zaprzestaniem pracy opłacały składki na ubezpieczenie społeczne (National Insurance).
TÅ‚umaczenie: Contribution-based JSA is available for people, who for two tax years before they stopped working were paying National Insurance contributions.
Off course there is a chance that you got jobseekers allowance straight away… But there is, as usual, a hook. You wont get British JS, You will have your Polish jobseekers (if you qualify) transfered to UK and paid to you by Job Centre… For today it will be about 20 pounds per week IIRC. Cabled from Poland.
Source: europa.eu//citizens/work/job-sea … dex_en.htm
As for income-based jobseekers allowance, this is means tested, and to get it, you have to be legally in UK, that means that you have to be registered with WRS. You have one month since you started working to do that.
So when you just arrived, you have no WRS and they cannot test you if you weren’t living long enough in UK, so in practice, as a quick lecture of the Polish internet forums confirms, it’s unavailable for fresh commers. Because if you just came, you cannot be means tested as they have no idea if you are Polish milionaire or beggar, since they have no access to your Polish bank history.
If you stayed here for one year, then you can be mens tested, but you can’t get it if you are not registered with WRS. And to be registered for WRS you have to work for minimum a year without any breaks… So to have Jobseekers allowance, you have to come here, get a job instantly, work for minium a year in job crap enough that you would be qualifing for income based JS and then you got paid 45 pounds per week or something. It is hardly a bargain, you have to admit that.
Anyway - nor income based, nor contribution based JSA is not available for someone who never worked in UK and is here less than certain amount of time.
Ergo: someone fresh off the boat CANNOT get jobseekers allowance in UK. QED.
Analogical situation applies to other non-working benefits, but I cannot be arsed to do a research for you, as you won’t read anyway, because YOU KNOW BETTER and I AM A [ZB]
I am off to the party, have a nice evening, trucknet!
EDIT: Mike-C: No, I didn’t made it up: thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/c … 548572.ece
And our foreign minister does not makes the facts up, hes got a team of researchers.
So yes, income to average family is lower because of the influx of Poles and other factors that happened over last ten years (credit crunch comes to mind).
But in the same time “The UK Government estimates that every household “earns” between £1,500 and £3,500 every year thanks to the Single Market.”.
So thanks to the same agreement that lured all Eastern Europeans here, you earn on average 2500 per household. Don’t blame Eastern European that your goverment cant distribute it in a way that would please you.
As for the bit that UK pre-2000 was heaven - well, then Poland pre-2000 would be hell for you. So I see nothing wrong that the differences between our two countries, that occured thanks to the agreements in Yalta in 1945 are finally leveled.
orys do us all a favour and **** off back home to poland , you giving the decent poles a bad name
i’m sure you have milked enough money out of the system to open your own designer shell suit shop.
Hi all.Just to bring things back to a lighter note.I’ve just been watching the news.It seems that 6 Polish trucks and drivers have just been arrested on the Norwegian border.It must have been a sort of charity convoy to Norway[it can’t have been for the money as they get the same as us],BUT it seems they were arrested for having a '‘little’'over their allowance.
170,000 cigarettes
740 ltrs of spirit
7250 ltrs of beer
60 ltrs of wine AND
no snow chains.
Very unexpected occurence.The Norgies were probably more ■■■■■■ off about the snow chains as the rest is probably a genuine mistake.
Don’t believe a word of it, the Poles wouldn’t do a thing like that, I mean …no snow chains? 
Just a nasty rumour started by the Daily Mail.
If you don’t believe me ask Orys
hutpik:
Hi all.Just to bring things back to a lighter note.I’ve just been watching the news.It seems that 6 Polish trucks and drivers have just been arrested on the Norwegian border.It must have been a sort of charity convoy to Norway[it can’t have been for the money as they get the same as us],BUT it seems they were arrested for having a '‘little’'over their allowance.
170,000 cigarettes
740 ltrs of spirit
7250 ltrs of beer
60 ltrs of wine AND
no snow chains.
Very unexpected occurence.The Norgies were probably more ■■■■■■ off about the snow chains as the rest is probably a genuine mistake.
Might be. Haven’t heard about this.
Btw: my British company does not issues us with snow chains when we go to Norway as well. And old hand drivers from my place are always happy to tell stories how they were smuggling alcohol and Tobacco to Britain from France…
Somebody says: “The Eastern European drivers work in a rote 3 weeks on road”
Wrong! They forced to do 6(!)or even more weeks on the road, tramping all over Europe. And they paid very poorly, this why these companies are cheap. That’s a real danger for the British haulage companies.
Really…Are you sure?
Dennisthemenace:
Somebody says: “The Eastern European drivers work in a rote 3 weeks on road”Wrong! They forced to do 6(!)or even more weeks on the road, tramping all over Europe. And they paid very poorly, this why these companies are cheap. That’s a real danger for the British haulage companies.
Yes, this is a fair account for around 2000-2005. But, as I mentioned in this thread already, the situation there changes rapidly. And nowadays in most cases it looks as I describe it (altough off course there are some companies who do what you describe, just as they are some cowboy companies in UK, Poland, as any other country on a real world*, is not perfect).
*) Please note: Britain is also a real world country and it is also not perfect.
Oracle.If you read the post properly you would see i said Polish TRUCKS not vans,and Norwegian law states that
‘‘Any goods vehicle consisting of motor vehicle and trailer where both vehicles have a maximum allowable weight above 3500kg and will be driven on public roads which MAY be covered in snow or ice there MUST be a MINIMUM of 7 ICE chains carried on the vehicle.
The driver shall also be educated in the fitting of such chains.’’
Taken from the book of road regulations from the ‘‘Norwegian Public Roads administration’’.
Also taken from official reports.
Report dated 16.05.2012.Published by the Norwegian Public Road Administration.
During the past 8yrs the amount of heavy goods traffic from the Eastern European countries to and through Norway has increased enormously.However many of the foreign truck drivers know little or nothing of what to expect on Norwegian roads especially in winter conditions.This coupled with a poor standard of driving ability has led to many accidents,blocked roads,long traffic jams and high costs both for private companies and Norwegian authorities.
Much more improvement is required both in the education of the drivers and improving the trucks to a standard that is suitable for problem free driving on Norwegian roads in the winter especially in regard to tyres and chains.
Many western European hauliers are using cheaper Eastern European drivers.Whilst the vehicles themselves are of a high mechanical
standard the poor driving skills and lack of ability in winter conditions of the drivers is still causing,and exacerbating the existing problems outlined above.
To address this continuing problem legislation is being prepared which will shortly be presented to the judiciary and Norwegian parliament for their consideration.Hopefully this report will lead to an improvement in the standards of road safety for those driving in Norway in winter conditions.
Ah, good to know. Obviously I misunderstanded Norwegian policeman, who told me I should have carry snow chains with me - obviously it’s just common sense, not the legal requirement. (It’s not sarcasm, it’s just serious TIL)
Still, we do drive to Norway, to Switzerland, to Krkonose in Czech Republic and in all these places I had problems due to not having snow chains. On one occasion a Czech van with snow chains towed me to place, from when I could manage on my own, in other situations I just had to choose alternative route… So I still think that it would be wise to have snow chains with me, local vans usually have them despite them not being mandatory… So in my opinion, if the boss sends us to the places when harsh road conditions are expected, we should be issued with the showchains. I even spoke to him on that, and he just told me that if I feel I need it, I can buy them and he will pay me money back on my return… But the only time so far I really needed it, I could not find place that was stocking sprinter size…
As for the trucks problem in Norway I am aware of that, it’s a known issue. Off course the skills of the drivers are not the only reason (from what my friends who live in Norway say, the attitude of Norwegian media to Eastern Europeans is very similar to yours, i.e. - when they can blame them for everything, they just do it).
Unlike the situation we discuss here, though, in Norway indeed they are only drivers of these trucks to blame, just in a different way - I read an interesting stuff on it in Polish media.
First: The law says “you have to carry snow chains if snow is expected on the road” (or if we use your version “on the roads which may be covered in snow or ice”
Foreigners are not aware of how harsh conditions in Norway could be and how quick the weather can change, so they just make the mistake of not taking snow chains with them as they don’t expect there will be snow. When the snow is expected, most of Eastern European drivers carry the chains with them.
Second: They are often just lazy or have this stupid Polish attitude I despise so much. They think that putting snowchains is admitting that they are bad driver… My brother lives in Polish mountains (in Poland snowchains are not mandatory in general, but on certain roads they are) and they have that problem quite often. Example of such idiot here: youtube.com/watch?v=mbn5XoSB … re=related He has snow chains hanging from his tractor, but he wont’ give up… Off course such method can bring a success, but at cost of excesive damaging the tyres and blocking the traffic…
Third: Norwegian trucks are heavier and for obvious reasons are equipped better than European ones (and I mean here all European ones). You drive in Sweden, so you propably know. So it’s often the case that the driver see locals going on without the chains, so he thinks “locals don’t put chains, so it means that it’s passable without” and he got stuck. youtube.com/watch?v=YQ5XQmX9S0g here you have example of such situation. Norwegian trucks can be up to 11.5 tones axle weight - Polish, for example, up to 10. Their maximum weitght can be respectively 50 tons and 40 tons… You’ll propablyt agree with me that that extra axle weight helps to combat difficult road conditions.
So yes, I do agree, there is a lot of problem caused by Eastern European drivers in Norway. Why Eastern European? Because, as in many other places, the most of drivers come from Eastern Europe… So it’s not that Eastern Europeans are worse drivers than Western Europeans - Norway will be a challenge to every European trucker. It’s just that you don’t see many French or Portugese ones there nowadays, so since vast majority of foreign trucks on their roads are Eastern European, by simple proportions vast majority of these that will go stuck will be also from these countries…
Norwegians should be happy though, it could always be worse. They could have influx of British drivers - just see whats going on here in UK when 20 cm of the snow falls… 
One time I was in Norway and I got stuck in the snow. But being Polish and familiar to winter driving conditions, by rocking the van forward and backward I managed to set it free. The thing was happening in Kiristiansand town, a young Norwegian couple asked me “where did you learned to do that? Because we were in London last winter and we can bet that not there…”
orys:
So yes, I do agree, there is a lot of problem caused by Eastern European drivers in Norway. Why Eastern European? Because, as in many other places, the most of drivers come from Eastern Europe… So it’s not that Eastern Europeans are worse drivers than Western Europeans - Norway will be a challenge to every European trucker. It’s just that you don’t see many French or Portugese ones there nowadays, so since vast majority of foreign trucks on their roads are Eastern European, by simple proportions vast majority of these that will go stuck will be also from these countries…
When British drivers did 80% of export work, when British drivers were prevalent on European roads, as Poles and Lithuanians are now, this “Foreign-registered truck and a spun-round car on the hard shoulder” phenomenon simply didn’t exist. Not on the Paris Peripherique, not in the Ruhr Valley, not in Milan in the rush hour, nowhere. Now, we all see it every day, six times a day, on British motorways.
Nobody ever felt the need to give me a Fresnel lens when I had to drive on the “wrong side” of the road.
First.The Norwegian law states that ''It is COMPULSORY for trucks over 3500kgs to carry chains[7 for artic,9 for roadtrain]from 1st November until the first Monday after Easter Monday.In Nordland,Troms and Finnmark the time period is from October 16 until April 30th.
Second.Only the domestic traffic has a MAXIMUM weight of 50t and this is with a 6 axle combination.For international transport which is 56 percent of all traffic the weight is the European weight of where the vehicle is coming from or going to which is generally 40t.
Third.As you say the problem is due to the volume of Eastern European drivers in Scandinavia.This is purely due to the FACT that they transport for a lower price then their Western counterparts.
I get €6000 from Waddinxveen in Holland to Tromso with fresh veg.From Tromso to France a FULL weight load of fish pays €3000.This is no longer being done by me as Eastern European transporters are doing ‘‘ROUND TRIP’’ FOR A PRICE OF €5300 ferries included in that price.So now i make more money clearing snow in Gällivare.
As to the comment about British drivers i don’t think the British '‘international drivers’'can be considered anything but ‘‘professional’’.If they can go to Siberia and Kazakstan and Turkey in the winter then Norway holds no fear.
That’s weird!! I thought Stobarts were to blame for all the ills of the UK haulage industry?
Harry Monk:
Honestly Orys, eastern Europeans simply aren’t capable of operating complicated machinery such as trucks.Like it or not Orys, the vast majority of your fellow countrymen are feeble-minded peasants who cannot be trusted with anything more complicated than a vacuum cleaner or a rechargeable screwdriver.
And apart of that: you are knocking on the fond. From underneath.
hutpik:
First.The Norwegian law states that ''It is COMPULSORY for trucks over 3500kgs to carry chains[7 for artic,9 for roadtrain]from 1st November until the first Monday after Easter Monday.In Nordland,Troms and Finnmark the time period is from October 16 until April 30th.
Well, so the official travel guide to Norway (the website run by the govermnent agency) has to be wrong.
visitnorway.com:
During the winter, you must drive with winter tyres with or without studs. All-year tyres can also be used. Use of studded tyres is allowed from 1 November - 15 April. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark studded tyres are allowed during the period 15 October - 1 May. Studded tyres may also be used outside these periods if the weather and road surface conditions make it necessary.If studded tyres are fitted to a car weighing under 3.5 tonnes, they must be fitted to all four wheels. Vehicles with a permitted total weight of 3.5 tonnes or more, must carry snow chains if ice or snow is expected on the road. These snow chains must fit the vehicle’s wheels.
A sticky in the Euro Forum here also gives that information.
Second.Only the domestic traffic has a MAXIMUM weight of 50t and this is with a 6 axle combination.For international transport which is 56 percent of all traffic the weight is the European weight of where the vehicle is coming from or going to which is generally 40t.
Yes, but that did not change what I said: someone sees the local lorry going without chains and he thinks “if he can do it, I can do it too”. But he does not knows that the lorry he just saw has much better grip due to weight limits.
Third.As you say the problem is due to the volume of Eastern European drivers in Scandinavia.
Off course. If the German drivers were cheapest, the problem woudl be due to volume of German drivers. It’s logical.
As to the comment about British drivers i don’t think the British '‘international drivers’'can be considered anything but ‘‘professional’’.If they can go to Siberia and Kazakstan and Turkey in the winter then Norway holds no fear.
If the British drivers will be chepaer, then hundreds of thousands of them would rush to make their class 1 and hit the international roads instantly, causing the situation that on the European roads there will be plenty of unexperienced British drivers - this is the case with Eastern Europeans now.
But since there was never such a boom for them as it is for Eastern Europeans in recent years, we never had a situation that British 21yo was doing driving license and next day was put on the truck to Kazakstan. Experienced old hands are in every country, and unless the balance is disturbed, as it has place in Eastern Europe now due to big demand for drivers in recent years, the drivers learn trade starting from local companies and crap job and graduately work their way up the career ladder. Even trucknet members speak with very big esteem about old PKS, ÄŒSAD and Hungarocamion drivers, who were exactly the same league as the old hands who were going to Turkey from UK were.
So, again, despite all crap Harry tries to feed us with, the driving skills are not related to nationality. Experience can be related - obviously average driver from Norway will be better winter driver than average driver from Poland, and both of them will be better drivers in winter than average driver from UK - simply because where they were gaining their experience is more occasions to drive on snow than in UK.
Analogically, average driver with 1000000 kms behind his belt will be better than average someone, who just passed his license, and this is also true for all nations. And as you rightly noticed, there are now 1000s of Eastern European drivers on European roads. This boom caused so high demand, that people were doing truck driving licenses and going straigh on the road doing work, that for average British driver is avalilable only after some years of gaining experiences in small, local job.
This situation is only temporary, as boom in Eastern European transport (except maybe Bulgaria and Romania) is over, and now it’s not so easy to get driving job any more, so they will gain experience and in few years the balance will be back in place.
But for now of the total number of drivers from each nation driving on European Roads, average number of years of experience is lower for Eastern Europeans. This does not mean, that Eastern Europeans are worse drivers, it’s just that they gain experience driving all around Europe, when their British counterparts are here, doing some crap agency jobs and complaining on trucknet about catch 22. Therefore average resident of Sweden or Norway see lot of Eastern European drivers who do some mistakes, but he never has a chance to see artists from UK such as this guy:
And if young drivers manage to get international jobs, they do the same mistakes as their Eastern European counterparts - Let me just again use Luke’s example.