A gentleman I used to know who ran on the continent got so sick of being pulled up that he plastered his motor with Swedish flags, and got some mudflaps from a Swedish DAF dealer for his truck and trailer. The Swedes have white front yellow rear reg plates like we do.No more stops when abroad…and he didn’t run to Sweden.
I blame the polls for everything 
Come on Orys, everyone is being stopped for one reason or another. It may look like VOSA is only stopping EU drivers over here but trust me, there also stopping the Brits.
“From my experience as interpreter I can guess that lack of knowledge of foreign language and laws amongst British officers can also lead to delays. For example: I had a case when Police officer insisted on a Polish driver that his car is uninsured, because he was in UK 4 months with his Polish plated car, and according to the Police officer you can drive only 3 months here. In fact, you can drive up to 6 months here if you are insured and the fact that British insurers usually allow you to drive only three months abroad does not mean, that foreign insurers are the same).”
Absolutely right. You still hear of policemen trying to make ‘foreigners’ reset their tachos to British time (which is actually an offence).
billybigrig:
When I first started driving a clog motor I was surprised how little I got pulled
(…)
“Targeting” again there Orys but based on the type of vehicle not the country of origin. The fact that they’re are many more of them from Poland and EU is what would bias the statistics and not that they’re just picking on the poor old Poles again
Well, you are off course right but only to some extend. The prejudice and treatment of Eastern Europeans is common. I did not have example related to trucking from UK, but I have one from Germany:
On one ocassion when I was stopped in Germany at the same time the Polish van was controlled, he was stopped before and I think he was there for some time already. I was treated very polite, because I was in British van and was speaking fluent English and understanding basic German. Even after my Polish passport turned out, Herr Polizei was still polite (altough I could see that his attitude to my person slightly shifted).
At this time, the Polish van next to me was having a hard time. Frau Polizei was addressing him in Du (which is impolite form), and shouting at him, despite that he was speaking fluent German. Finally we both were let free, as in both cases there was nothing wrong with us. But this poor sod had much harder time than me, every single piece of paper he got with him was carefully examined and questions were asked - it was plain clear that they were trying very hard to find something wrong with him. All I had to do was to show my passport, driving license and insurance document, tell them where I am going and open my back door to show them my load.
Altough I was lucky enough to never be treated myself that way nor in Germany, nor in UK by the police and other services, I witnessed on many occasion bad treatment of Polish citizens by the Police. On some occassions I even told the officers what I think about it and once I was considering to raise a complain, but did not decided to do it And I think if they threat people like that when the outsider - interpreter like me - is present, they are able to go much further where they are just with the guy.
Therefore I believe that we both are right to some extend and the truth lies somewhere in between.
Mickyblue: I know, I was stopped recently by VOSA in that layby just before Port Glasgow while driving the truck. They asked me to show that my indicators and stop lights are working and they let me go. 
orys:
billybigrig:
Aye and Kent Police have developed a justifiable liking for weighing themNot only Kent Police…
I was weighed in Austria on few occasions as well
The difference is that in Austria they pull everyone, in UK and Germany they pull only Eastern European ones. So I know small Polish-British company that have two vans registered in Poland and one registered in UK - in case that they have to run overloaded
If it looks like its overloaded, it’ll get pulled, no matter what plates on it
selby newcomer:
orys:
billybigrig:
Aye and Kent Police have developed a justifiable liking for weighing themNot only Kent Police…
I was weighed in Austria on few occasions as well
The difference is that in Austria they pull everyone, in UK and Germany they pull only Eastern European ones. So I know small Polish-British company that have two vans registered in Poland and one registered in UK - in case that they have to run overloaded
If it looks like its overloaded, it’ll get pulled, no matter what plates on it
I think orys should be renamed “the victim” as we all obviously hate polish drivers…
Plenty of UK drivers get stopped by Vosa norris.
You really do come across as having a super size chip on your shoulders.
If you run 100-200 kg over the limit, it does not look too bad. And if you are less likely to be stopped for random check - it worth to have other plates.
JB:
I think orys should be renamed “the victim” as we all obviously hate polish drivers…
Plenty of UK drivers get stopped by Vosa norris.
You really do come across as having a super size chip on your shoulders.
You don’t really read what I write, do you?
Anyway, you prefer to ridicule the thing that to accept that the word is not as perfect as we all would like it to be…
I don’t read your three page essays no. I normally lose interest when you start talking about the yalta agreement and everything being England’s fault.
That’s it from me.
Bye.
JB:
I don’t read your three page essays no. I normally lose interest when you start talking about the yalta agreement and everything being England’s fault.
That’s it from me.
Bye.
Obviously, you didn’t read nothing what I wrote. Well, meh.
orys:
billybigrig:
When I first started driving a clog motor I was surprised how little I got pulled(…)
“Targeting” again there Orys but based on the type of vehicle not the country of origin. The fact that they’re are many more of them from Poland and EU is what would bias the statistics and not that they’re just picking on the poor old Poles again
Well, you are off course right but only to some extend. The prejudice and treatment of Eastern Europeans is common. I did not have example related to trucking from UK, but I have one from Germany:
On one ocassion when I was stopped in Germany at the same time the Polish van was controlled, he was stopped before and I think he was there for some time already. I was treated very polite, because I was in British van and was speaking fluent English and understanding basic German. Even after my Polish passport turned out, Herr Polizei was still polite (altough I could see that his attitude to my person slightly shifted).
At this time, the Polish van next to me was having a hard time. Frau Polizei was addressing him in Du (which is impolite form), and shouting at him, despite that he was speaking fluent German. Finally we both were let free, as in both cases there was nothing wrong with us. But this poor sod had much harder time than me, every single piece of paper he got with him was carefully examined and questions were asked - it was plain clear that they were trying very hard to find something wrong with him. All I had to do was to show my passport, driving license and insurance document, tell them where I am going and open my back door to show them my load.
Altough I was lucky enough to never be treated myself that way nor in Germany, nor in UK by the police and other services, I witnessed on many occasion bad treatment of Polish citizens by the Police. On some occassions I even told the officers what I think about it and once I was considering to raise a complain, but did not decided to do it And I think if they threat people like that when the outsider - interpreter like me - is present, they are able to go much further where they are just with the guy.
Therefore I believe that we both are right to some extend and the truth lies somewhere in between.
Mickyblue: I know, I was stopped recently by VOSA in that layby just before Port Glasgow while driving the truck. They asked me to show that my indicators and stop lights are working and they let me go.
This is exactly my point Orys. None of us can escape the feelings of the general populas of any country. You just have to be a little more realistic my friend. It angers me when I see an English driver do something stupid just as much as when a foreign driver does the same. I’ve lived, worked in and transited/delivered to a lot of countries in my life and so tend maybe to be a bit more open minded perhaps. The worst thing a man can do is be of a narrow mind. Your countrymen have a reputation they earned as do the Brits. That does absolutely not mean that every Polish trucker is a law breaking danger on the roads. I know and have had many a good night out with them across Europe and beyond. I’ve helped and been helped by plenty too as I have from all nationalities of driver. Sometimes the behaviour of many UK drivers angers and shames me but they aren’t all bad either. It [zb]s me right off that I get more attention than some in Europe despite being as legit as possible but I’m old enough and wise enough to know why it is so
Believe me your country is still quite young (in terms of being Western per see) and as time passes the haulage industry will improve it’s legality as has happened in every other EU country. Don’t be surprised when you still get treated based on your old reputation though. 
billybigrig:
Believe me your country is still quite young (in terms of being Western per see) and as time passes the haulage industry will improve it’s legality as has happened in every other EU country. Don’t be surprised when you still get treated based on your old reputation though.
I know that. I don’t have problem with it, as we both agree on this. I have problem with attitude: look at Trucknet for example, people are so happy with their believes about Poland being some second category country that they are not ready to accept the facts - even if they come not from me but from Britons.
While what you say is all true, there is still this notion of being second cathegory… I wonder if German polizei would address any of our drivers with impolite form, even if they are at fault (my company has paid some tickets in Germany for various things). It’s a common thing towards Poles there.
Same here, I spend some saturday nights on scottish police stations and I never seen even most drunk, aggressive neds to be treated in the way that some of my clients were. This is simply the problem that adds up to the thing you talk about. I am simply afraid that because of that in case of Poland and other Eastern European countries that way from being perceived by default as a fraud from some wild country to being perceived as a fully civilised western haulier will be, propably, much longer than in the case of Britain.
It’s not a Trucknet thing. It’s a people thing. People don’t like lectures from people who refuse to be flexible in a discussion. I love Poland as stated many times. But YOU have an annoying habit that everyone here sees. You leave yourself wide open to abuse because of your ridiculous quotations. They know when you will post because you can’t resist these discussions. You’re like a moth to a flame.
bigvern1:
It’s not a Trucknet thing. It’s a people thing. People don’t like lectures from people who refuse to be flexible in a discussion. I love Poland as stated many times. But YOU have an annoying habit that everyone here sees. You leave yourself wide open to abuse because of your ridiculous quotations. They know when you will post because you can’t resist these discussions. You’re like a moth to a flame.
This.
orys:
billybigrig:
Believe me your country is still quite young (in terms of being Western per see) and as time passes the haulage industry will improve it’s legality as has happened in every other EU country. Don’t be surprised when you still get treated based on your old reputation though.I know that. I don’t have problem with it, as we both agree on this. I have problem with attitude: look at Trucknet for example, people are so happy with their believes about Poland being some second category country that they are not ready to accept the facts - even if they come not from me but from Britons.
While what you say is all true, there is still this notion of being second cathegory… I wonder if German polizei would address any of our drivers with impolite form, even if they are at fault (my company has paid some tickets in Germany for various things). It’s a common thing towards Poles there.
Same here, I spend some saturday nights on scottish police stations and I never seen even most drunk, aggressive neds to be treated in the way that some of my clients were. This is simply the problem that adds up to the thing you talk about. I am simply afraid that because of that in case of Poland and other Eastern European countries that way from being perceived by default as a fraud from some wild country to being perceived as a fully civilised western haulier will be, propably, much longer than in the case of Britain.
Oh now Orys, your not alone. Take a look at how the Germans and French treat the resident Turks or how the Spanish treat the Morrocans or the Americans treat Messicans ■■? Your circumstance, although frustrating and unwarranted, is far from unique. It’s just the way the world is and neither you nor I can change that. It’s a very human thing to knock those with less than you and not want them to get closer to or exceed you for fear of exposing your faults or inadequacies. It’s easier to be like this when you are born in a country or circumstance halfway up the ladder and not at the bottom. It’s also equally easy to be guilty of schadenfreude from the lower rungs though as well as prejudices born form bitterness. Human nature, Orys, nothing more and nothing less and at the end of the day we are all human. It’s up to us to decide how evolved a human we are though.
It’s not just nationality either. I’ve been “around the block” a few times shall we say 
I was lorrying through Poland before your conception I was lucky to get a break very young indeed but even up until the age of 30 I was treated like the junior by blokes who had just shunted 50 miles to unload next to me who had actually dragged the load all the way 
Used to [zb] me right off, the looks of “oh yeah right sonny, course you have” usually silenced by frenetic passport waving
You can’t change the majority Orys but you can rise above them 
JB:
I think orys should be renamed “the victim” as we all obviously hate polish drivers…
Plenty of UK drivers get stopped by Vosa norris.
You really do come across as having a super size chip on your shoulders.
Yes, he just seems to oscillate between self-pity and righteous indignation. Any comment about road transport in which eastern European operators are so much as mentioned seems to immediately spark off these six-page essays in which the Ghost of Stalin reappears. We’re all mad, we make it all up, none of us ever sees a spun-round car and an eastern European truck on the hard shoulder every single day of the week, we are all just hallucinating racists.
I enjoy Orys’ posts.
I don’t always agree with them, but it does everyone good to see themselves as other see them from time-to-time.
Keep posting, mate.
And I can understand why Polish people still feel upset by Yalta. The Poles were the UK’s best allies in WW2 and were abandoned at the end. It’s all just history to us, but Poland is still recovering from it.
Harry Monk:
JB:
I think orys should be renamed “the victim” as we all obviously hate polish drivers…
Plenty of UK drivers get stopped by Vosa norris.
You really do come across as having a super size chip on your shoulders.Yes, he just seems to oscillate between self-pity and righteous indignation. Any comment about road transport in which eastern European operators are so much as mentioned seems to immediately spark off these six-page essays in which the Ghost of Stalin reappears. We’re all mad, we make it all up, none of us ever sees a spun-round car and an eastern European truck on the hard shoulder every single day of the week, we are all just hallucinating racists.
You’re on the M20 as often as I am then Mr Monk! ,mind you a lot of car drivers don’t realise about blind spots and will be quite happy to sit alongside an East European for mile after mile, but there never seemed to be this problem with Dutch,German,Spanish trucks in times past but a lot of them are driven by men from the East now!(sorry Orys)PS, Orys, Yalta was a shameful episode will elaborate at a later date 
billybigrig:
Oh now Orys, your not alone. Take a look at how the Germans and French treat the resident Turks or how the Spanish treat the Morrocans or the Americans treat Messicans ■■? Your circumstance, although frustrating and unwarranted, is far from unique. It’s just the way the world is and neither you nor I can change that. It’s a very human thing to knock those with less than you and not want them to get closer to or exceed you for fear of exposing your faults or inadequacies. It’s easier to be like this when you are born in a country or circumstance halfway up the ladder and not at the bottom. It’s also equally easy to be guilty of schadenfreude from the lower rungs though as well as prejudices born form bitterness. Human nature, Orys, nothing more and nothing less and at the end of the day we are all human. It’s up to us to decide how evolved a human we are though.It’s not just nationality either. I’ve been “around the block” a few times shall we say
You can’t change the majority Orys but you can rise above them
I guess you are right on this.
splitshift:
a lot of car drivers don’t realise about blind spots and will be quite happy to sit alongside an East European for mile after mile, but there never seemed to be this problem with Dutch,German,Spanish trucks in times past but a lot of them are driven by men from the East now!(sorry Orys)
Still waiting to see some data for it. So far the only one I saw was that per nationality, Germans are most likely foreigners to cause accidents in UK.
PS, Orys, Yalta was a shameful episode will elaborate at a later date
Yes, but it’s a history now. We should go forward. If you want discuss history or why some countries are in situations they are now, we can do it (again ), but when we discuss current issues, in my view we don’t need it on most occassions.
Harry Monk:
Yes, he just seems to oscillate between self-pity and righteous indignation. Any comment about road transport in which eastern European operators are so much as mentioned seems to immediately spark off these six-page essays in which the Ghost of Stalin reappears. We’re all mad, we make it all up, none of us ever sees a spun-round car and an eastern European truck on the hard shoulder every single day of the week, we are all just hallucinating racists.
and if we take off the “Harry Monk filter” we will read it as:
“He just points out some inconvienient facts that we often don’t know about. Any comment about road transpoirt in which someone lacks knowledge on Eastern Europe and that will be spotted by orys, or he will be called by PM, will result in him coming and putting things straight, that often will result in interesting discussion in which orys can learn something from people like billybigrig or GasGas and they can learn something from him. On the margin of that discussion, Harry Monk and likeswill keep repeating his stupid myths and if he will be proven wrong, he will try to ridiculle Orys or abuse him”.
bigvern1:
It’s not a Trucknet thing. It’s a people thing. People don’t like lectures from people who refuse to be flexible in a discussion. I love Poland as stated many times. But YOU have an annoying habit that everyone here sees. You leave yourself wide open to abuse because of your ridiculous quotations. They know when you will post because you can’t resist these discussions. You’re like a moth to a flame.
Well, you might be right. People, who cannot accept that someone is right and instead of admiting it, try to portrait him as a stubborn idiot are not the Trucknet speciality. Altough I have to say that our discussion seems to draw especially this kind of people to here.
See, our regular discussions usually have three groups of participants.
- Me and people who agree with me, but are open to arguments from other side
- People who think the opposite, but are open to arguments from other side (notice: these people ususally learn whatever they can from discussions and then never come back)
- you, Harry Monk, Jessicas’ Dad and other biased folks, who just enjoy this in the way you just described.
Do an experiment once: check how many times in our recent discussion I admitted that someone was right, and then check how many times you or Harry Monk did it. Then check how many times I abused someone, called names, how many times my posts had to be moderated and then compare it to your and Harry’s record.
I think that would put your opinion on who is inflexible in discussion in a bit different light (if we assume, that you can be open minded for a change).
A) I’m not biased. I hate everyone.
B) I never claimed to be right anywhere.
C) I was pre-modded once for telling someone something I shouldn’t.