The Beaver doesn’t do free security work overnight in ■■■■ stained MSA’s mate.
Not sure where this idea that you are there protecting the load on a night out comes from?
I’ve never had any intention of getting out of my cab to tackle some low life and I worked for one bloke who said he didn’t expect or even want any of his drivers to try and tackle anybody nicking stuff from the truck, his attitude was the load can be replaced, but the driver can’t, he did have some pretty irreplaceable drivers though.
As for being attacked and being robbed, well that can happen staying in hotels or walking round a town or city or even in your own home. It just a case of trying to reduce the odds, I have noticed that Daf and Renault have special door lock as an option which basically only works from the inside of the cab.
What I’m getting at Muckles is that the employers KNOW that the chances are that the truck will be ok with a driver kipping inside it.
I reckon that if drivers were not in the wagon, most employers would not want the truck parked up loaded and unattended in the industrial estate across from the premier inn.
So employers are getting a bloody bargain by paying a driver £20-£25 a night.
eagerbeaver:
What I’m getting at Muckles is that the employers KNOW that the chances are that the truck will be ok with a driver kipping inside it.
I reckon that if drivers were not in the wagon, most employers would not want the truck parked up loaded and unattended in the industrial estate across from the premier inn.
So employers are getting a bloody bargain by paying a driver £20-£25 a night.
Judging by the amount of curtains that get slashed and the amount of stuff that gets nicked I doubt many employers do think it’s safe with a driver in the cab, if they do they’re very naive.
However the UK could do with far more truck parking facilities not just for security. But so drivers have access to basic facilities like toilets, showers and beer.
I’ve spent many nights staying in hotels, My employers didn’t seem worried about where we left the truck, quite often parked on the side of the road in an industrial estate.
What ive always found parking up on a packed Aires at night in France is drivers will always look out for their own, any lowlifes hanging around the truck park will soon grab attention and its not long before you;ll see a few out of their truck carrying all sorts of hand use weaponry…its not usually long before any potential thief has disappeared…
A fire extinguisher is a wonderful tool. Used to put out a ‘suspected’ fire ( honestly officer), it can also be used to disable an attacker from a short distance, and depending on how ■■■■■■ off you are, you can hit him over the head with it afterwards. Or stick the nozzle in the little ■■■■■■■ gob…
ratchet strap between the 2 doors…job done…if you have a baseball bat in the ab,make sure you also have the ball,then its not an offensive weapon…personally abroad,then its a cleaver stuck at the side window,and a conveniently hidden spring loaded flick stick if they cant take the hint…they wont know who is in the cab,and with the curtains shut they wont see me hiding in the bunk hoping they go away and do someone else…
I’ve heard the ratchet strap works rather well! Or if you fancy jumping out of the cab with the fire extinguisher you could use it to tie the git up.
Also if someone is slashing your curtain why can’t you just drive off? Yer you will bust your rest limit. But I doubt DVSA will have a problem with it.
Also if the company sees the load as more valuable than your life your in the wrong company. Especially as most companies turn over millions a year im sure they could replace the load. Saves you unloading it I guess
Drift:
If they get their timing wrong anyone wanting to rob me will be the ones getting gassed, even I have to pop my head out for fresh air occasionally
If I need a ■■■■ in the night ( and as you get older it seems every night ) I just jump out in my boxers / boots , I’m sure if there was a group of robbers out there theyd soon be on there toes
I think it’s a bad attempt of fishing by the OP.
Nobody has in his contract that he has to sleep in the wagon.
If you want too use your money to sleep in digs, there is nothing that can stop you.
Years ago we got paid to sleep in hotels, load was that valuable, they had to be parked in secure compounds, and drivers where not even allowed near their vehicles out of hours.
I have done both sleep in trucks, if you want to steel it mate, here are the keys, it’s not mine.
And many weekends, booked a hotel in the city centre and left the truck on the parking somewhere.
Drivers choose too sleep in the cab, because they don’t want to spend their money to sleep in a hotel.
It’s a choice not a law that you sleep in your cab.
And no, nobody is a security guard for their boss his business.
Not fishing at all mate. The point is that employers EXPECT you to sleep in your cab, how many of you put your £23 towards a travel lodge for each night?
Exactly, hardly any. The night out money ends up forming part of your wage. My point was that if all the trampers decided to demand £40 night out money per night and slept in a nice hotel room with a shower/toilet etc, what percentage of employers would suddenly be concerned about truck/load security?
Quite high I reckon. Maybe a bit of tramper rebellion would start a bit of a movement within the haulage industry?
eagerbeaver:
Not fishing at all mate. The point is that employers EXPECT you to sleep in your cab, how many of you put your £23 towards a travel lodge for each night?
Exactly, hardly any. The night out money ends up forming part of your wage. My point was that if all the trampers decided to demand £40 night out money per night and slept in a nice hotel room with a shower/toilet etc, what percentage of employers would suddenly be concerned about truck/load security?
Quite high I reckon. Maybe a bit of tramper rebellion would start a bit of a movement within the haulage industry?
All true, but try getting drivers to stick together= won’t happen-sadly.