Service Station Etiquette

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Tipped at a certain Services Thursday night, Key Fuels, ran out of time had to park up (■■■■■■■ ■■■■ site, they delivery faucets didnt fit right, and WAY too much pressure in tanks to drain off pipes). Noticed it was snap all good, booked in, paid 2 quid for a token. Now I though hmmmm maybe this is a good thing, as Chippenham services do the same thing and their showers are spot on. NO!!! ■■■■ SHOWERS!!! Went to cafe, saw the “chef” no food for me, so I ordered a Dominoes for delivery.

This is where I get really ■■■■■■■ annoyed. Pizza came, spot on, delivered straight to wagon, paid the bloke and off he goes. Then some ■■■■■■■ Romanian parks right next to me and asks for a slice…!!! ■■■■■■■ REALLY!!!

I said mate NO! Im starving, 15 hour day, got in cab started to close curtains and put windows down a bit (was roasting). Starting digging into my pizza. knock knock!!! Its the Romanian again. This time he not only wants a slice of pizza he wants to “buy” half of it for a few quid. I was ■■■■■■■ annoyed at this point. About to knock his ■■■■■■■ teeth out of his head. Instead I just opened my door shouted no and closed curtains and windows, headphones on and chill out.

30 minutes go by. Stuffed from pizza, get out of my cab for a quick cig. Oh whats that 3-4 of all right outside his cab not speaking a word of English and giving me one hell of a stink eye stare!!!

I cant be arsed for a ■■■■ nights sleep getting harrassed by these ■■■■■■■ dicks, and I did feel very uneasy, especially with him being next to me parked up fuel tanker. So I approached him (them) calmly to ya know say sorry mate, my pizza you no have politely as possible. At this point I really cant be arsed for ■■■■■■■ confrontation, maybe if he was on his own, but not all 4. As soon as I started walking back over to cab they started shouting and hurling some ■■■■■■■ abuse at me. Not a clue what was being said and quite frankly I was getting ready for a scrap. You know you get that feeling ■■■■■ gonna go down. BUT to my rescue

THE POLISH ARRIVE!!! Now I have not dealt with many Poles before, in services on the road or in work. But these guys were ■■■■■■ spot on. They spoke English or at least understood asked me what was happening. I explained, then this Polish bloke shouted his mates to come over. Was like a stand off. It was ■■■■■■■ amazing. Anyway the Romanian’s soon ■■■■ off, and actually left the services.

Now reason I am posting this, I proper ■■■■ myself. I can hold my own but not against 4. What should I have done…? This services was a proper ■■■■ hole aswell so I dont think going to see the fat lady at the counter would of done anything. If it was not for those ■■■■■■■ spot on Polish blokes I dont know what would of happened. I know there was CCTV etc. But in the moment was not a very good feeling.

Thoughts folks?

Its worth noting I do not deal with many foreigners in my line of work, I see them driving wagons on the road but thats it. But surely this is far from ■■■■■■■ normal.

2

Well not having a go at you. your money your food, maybe if you had offered him a slice or two he would have chucked up with the salad and vino.
In my dealings with euro drivers they do tend to share with you as long as you share with them. they supply plenty basic vino etc but its yours if you want it, also once they have shared a meal with you , you become friends and they mostly will watch out for you.
maybe next time offer a piece and see the results or close curtains before opening box :wink:
dont think you did wrong but thats how us older drivers got to know each other.

3

I get what your saying. But I completely disagree. It was a small pizza aswell. Personal size they call it. But the nerve of the bloke asking a stranger as soon as the handbrake was on. Then getting mates involved because I didn’t share my paid for personal suited meal? If that’s how euro guys work I pity you and if that’s how you old timers made friends? Would rather not be friends with blokes that like. At all.

Not a dig mate. It’s not personal my opinion is all. Different story if he was decent about it. Would of ■■■■■■■ bought him one.

Edit. You said get to know each other not friends. Apologies. Mis read.

4

the polish hate the romainians more than we do so thats why they took your side

5

Jamiemufu:
I get what your saying. But I completely disagree. It was a small pizza aswell. Personal size they call it. But the nerve of the bloke asking a stranger as soon as the handbrake was on. Then getting mates involved because I didn’t share my paid for personal suited meal? If that’s how euro guys work I pity you and if that’s how you old timers made friends? Would rather not be friends with blokes that like. At all.

Not a dig mate. It’s not personal my opinion is all. Different story if he was decent about it. Would of [zb] bought him one.

Edit. You said get to know each other not friends. Apologies. Mis read.

no worries

scotstrucker:
the polish hate the romainians more than we do so thats why they took your side

erm my name ends in ski an i dont particular hate romanians. :wink:

6

Same sort of thing happened to me in Gloucester services last week. One of our “friendly” irish traveller fellows knocked on my cab, curtains closed and me nodding off! Asked for the obligatory “just a gallon of diesel sir?”
Politely told him i’m not in the habit of selling diesel by the gallon for a “genuine”, (Honest, thats what he called it!) 50 Euro note! He then sprouts on about having 5 kids in his transit, whats he supposed to do?
When i informed him that maybe some sort of contraceptive is probably in order he got a bit hostile!!
But on the note of etiquette, surely if the curtains are closed then thats a subtle way of saying do not disturb!

7

Our Oirish friends never seem to think of going to the garage to get “just a gallon of diesel, sorr” do they? Wonder why? :unamused:

8

Darktower:
Politely told him i’m not in the habit of selling diesel by the gallon for a “genuine”, (Honest, thats what he called it!) 50 Euro note! He then sprouts on about having 5 kids in his transit, whats he supposed to do?
When i informed him that maybe some sort of contraceptive is probably in order he got a bit hostile!!

A point of the finger could have shown him the fuel station a 100m away from the truck park :open_mouth:

9

A point of the finger could have shown him the fuel station a 100m away from the truck park :open_mouth:

Horizontal or Vertical finger?

10

scotstrucker:
the polish hate the romainians more than we do so thats why they took your side

Your bang right there mate a friend of mine who is polish absolutely despises them.
Lots of Romanian beggers in large European city’s now too.

11

Well I think you were bang out of order :imp:
You could of at least ordered the fella a dominoes :unamused: :wink:

12

Mikey D:
Well I think you were bang out of order :imp:
You could of at least ordered the fella a dominoes :unamused: :wink:

Good idea ,and put £1 top

13

■■■■ giving a stranger food lol , take the diesel not the food

14

If he could speak English and give me a major sob story I would of given him the pizza. Im all for HELPING people. Ya know sudden night out, no money or food.

That doesnt mean you can start knocking on my cab for free pizza’s :imp: :imp:

Its not the fact that he is of foreign blood. Makes no difference (except for clear communication problems) It’s how it was handled by him and the way he saw the dominoes guy and literally foot down to park up next to me, and as he put the handbrake on he was asking for pizza. Next he will want to use my ■■■■■■■ Air Con or batteries>_<

15

MMMMMMMM this is one of them stories thats not good ,so really the bloke was a beggar and starving :unamused: :unamused:

16

Jamiemufu:
If it was not for those [zb] spot on Polish blokes I dont know what would of happened.

My guess is that you would have got the ■■■■ kicked out of you, suffered a severe head trauma, woke up three weeks later in an intensive care unit surrounded by your sobbing family and spent the next two years re-learning how to walk and talk…

…and for what? For being a greedy pizza hog, that’s what.

On the plus side, you would have got one of those blue badges that let you park in the best spaces at the supermarket.

17

sounds like something that happens outside a takeaway on a satdy nite :unamused:

18

Would I ■■■■ share my pizza, I’d chuck him the empty box.

19

Shoulda kicked the ■■■■■ out of him before his mates showed up.

20

NewLad:
Would I [zb] share my pizza, I’d chuck him the empty box.

bite the crusts off first! :sunglasses: