Knights of the road or

[SteveW77]

Re: Middle lane hoggers, I joined the M1 at J10 towing my van, as I joined lane 1, in front of me in lane 2 was a forei.gn gentleman in a Ford Escort. He was still there until he signalled to come off at Leicester. I don't suppose this ia record, but it is another reason why they should bring back the motorway police patrols.

Steve W

 

[seth1]

hello,

use of hardshoulders due to congestion,does this become a fault of uk lorrie drivers?is it nothing to do with european companies bombarding uk shores,at cut throat rates.or even foriegn workers abusing the system.wake up.its quite easy to see why now this countrys ended up as it has.as all the posters fully understand the facts and how hard it is to operate an HGV legally in this country,these posters will appreciate why most of these big logistics outfits base their headquaters offshore,and nominate a service centre uk bound,to forefil their o license needs.

 

[g_374369443]

So seth, supply and demand seems to have past you by!Or are you saying its all right for our roads to be completely jammed packed with traffic, as long as they are not foreign? either way even a fool should understand the roads are jammed packed, and if you remove one lot of haulage firms, then another will fill the gap left because of market needs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[xtrailman]

g

just read seths last post.

What are you talking about?

Are you refering to some other post?

 

[g_374369443]

No, but clearly Seth thinks that the problems on our roads are down to foreign vehicles! rather than sheer numbers regardless of from where. He then mixes this topic with the so called problems haulage firms have from being undercut! by supposedly foreign outfits ONLY like that was the case and ever other haulage firm plays by some supposedly gentlemen's agreement, yea right!But it has always been very competitive everywhere regardless of who and where the opposition companies come from!

No doubt when you see a foreign vehicle it just has to be taking work away from a local company! rather than transporting goods from the continent,rather than working solely here. Indeed only 2% of our local haulage movement is down to the so called foreign contractor! So if one believe Seth, then the roads are only 2% overfull!!!!!!

It also seems to also have slipped peoples minds,how contracts are won.

To listen to some very ill informed types, Dover has a constant run on foreign lorries driving off the docks straight into contracts for hauling!

So Ray what where you reading? Or did you miss the bit about whose fault the the road congestion is, according to one very mis informed person!

 

[seth1]

G you seem so well informed,you must come from a haulage industry background as you know the facts so well.i take it you must read commercial motor.Where do you obtain your info from?

i must disagree with 2%,and i take it you use Dover regular,try looking at the services on a sunday morning,Wili Betz scattererd everwhere,Norbert Dentrasangle landing in the uk to name but a few.

But then this was to be expected,seen as how the uk doesnt have much to export these days.Next time you take a trip to France check out the lack of uk lorries their.

Ironic really one of the last accedents i seen on the m6 involved a foriegn lorrie,laptop placed on the centre console probably watching tv.

Out of interest g,what do you do for a living?

 

[DEANO3528]

To be fair, most of the guys with a laptop on the dash are using Autoroute to find their way about, now that map reading skills are non-existant.

by using a lappy instead of a TomTom or whatever, in the evenings they can watch a DVD, do some surfing, email home, and even use MSN to chat with loved ones instead of spending all night like a hermit, or in the pub/truck stop.

 

[g_374369443]

Seth, you know what I do,yes indeed I drive hgv's and am a transport manager, if one is into titles!We are members of the RHA too! What with the new laws coming in that means ALL hgv drivers have to hold a cpc, as a HGV licence will not be enough any more,then we could possible be heading for driver shortages in the next decade, if previous experience of this industry is anything to go by.

I see tunnel vision is catching,I mean with road accidents happening everywhere, its nice to know you are able to single out just one concerning an hgv, and a laptop user! Indeed I would agree that person is a Tw*t,if he was watching tv, but fail to see how it proves sweet FA concerning the international industry!

No doubt rather than disagreeing with my numbers,and basing yours on some home-made facts!, maybe you could come up with some proper statistics to back up your claim.

Indeed like every industry there are winners and losers,and blaming a foreign third party,is somewhat short sighted. the European markets is open to all, Europeans.That means we in the UK can compete abroad on the same level playing field,and indeed so many haulage companies do just that. There called the winners.

 

[g_374369443]

PS. commercial motor.! Not exactly the bible of the haulage industry.

 

[g_374369443]

Now if one would like to check this out,one can see it is not just black and white, although some will indeed look towards the negatives as some proof!...http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pbr06_haulage_230.pdf

This is backed up by both professional bodies of the haulage industry, and you might like to make note that the pounds weakness,is a major player right now,no doubt you could found some european to blame for that too

 

[xtrailman]

g

i understood that british based transport companies were disadvantaged by higher fuel costs?

is this still the case?

if so were is the level playing field?

 

[g_374369443]

Ray,untill some 18 months ago the euro stood at 1.5 to the pound,right now its at 1.13, and only a few weeks back was at almost 1 to 1.

This clearly does have an effect, but taxes themselves seem to counter each other.also bare in mind, that British lorries delivering to the continent will also take advantage of cheaper fuel. Its swings and roundabout.

Our domestic market, in other words delivers through out the UK,is still in the vast majority in British trucks hands, so the argument about foreign vehicles is grossly out of proportion.

 

[xtrailman]

g

thanks for taking the time to reply.

iv'e recently had some furniture imported and been bitten by the exchange rate.

 

[seth1]

Answer the question,when did you last go across the water?your an ex driver/transport manager ,and the point is?you pocess a certifacate of profession competance,well that makes two of us although i do admit i gained mine through exeption,it goes with the HNC.

And reading your post i would understand your view to foreign workers as being "fine".i expect you "have" some of your own after all its a united europe now.and a man of your "high" capabilitys would take time to read the daily rags,and notice the upset and strike action.

Whilst not singleing foreign drivers out i did see a gem in todays Sun,although i must admit to not buying "gutterpress" but it showed a "foreigner" in his left hooker TGA having been stopped for watching a film on his laptop.

"winners and loosers" who in the right mind would send an HGV to Spain,empty as theres not a great deal to take out to load bananas back to the uk,even 10 years ago the rates for middle east work were less than they were 10 years previous to that.Britian is now in a mess Gordan.

 

[Parksy]

I can't believe that this topic is still going but foreign drivers operating in the UK has little if anything to do with Sadie's original point.

 

[Clockwork_374390647]

"after all its a united europe now"

Please call help for me, I've been on the floor rolling with laughter since reading that.

Europe may be united, but that doesn't include the UK does it?

Me, I'll be joining the Refinery workers if I can stop laughing and the snow eases up! _ _ _ _ Europe

 

[colin(bridgend)]

My brother in law often drove a refrigersted artic unit from Hereford to west Wales and at stop overs there was often banter between lorry drivers as to how many caravan units they had upset on their journey either by causing them to take evasive action to miss an accident or simply slowing up in the centre lane to prevent them passing. Yes the majority of HGV drivers are generally considerate but like all walks of life the minority give the majority a bad name and they all end up tarred with the same brush.

 

[g_374369443]

I see Seth, you have that common form of aliment, that seems to be common place these days, believing the gutter press for one, using addition qualifications as if to add some justification to your post being another!and even having a crystal ball, that's as useful as those you see used at fayres !

Such a shame then that you don't really fully understand economics, for one thing,and your business sense seems second rate.ie who ever said anything about a British lorry travelling to Spain empty!What sort of silly example is that!

You asked me what I did for a living, I answered you, so why the "and the point is" response, or were you trying to be clever when you asked,and my answer was not what you wanted to here!

Incidental, you are wrong in that we do not emply any so called immigrants, because we have good loyal drivers, and pay pretty good wages!

And I travel abroad at least 3 times a year, with my eyes open!Again I cannot see the relevance, unless you sit at Dunkirk port and watch all the lorries 24 hours a day,7 days a week,otherwise your observations mean squat!

You see your response is the typical, off the cough type, which plays on peoples prejudices and/or their fears,and its fears more than anything that brings about negative markets and economical downturns. Thats why you have to try to be positive ! your always negative, always looking to blame others!never ever constructive, its like you think the world owes you something!

I actually posted my opinion, but unlike you I actually check the facts,even gave a web link! Which had you bothered to look, would have given a far more level opinion[good and bad points]concerning the haulage industry, rather than your opinion based on sweet nothing!

You mention reading the daily rags and the upset concerning the oil refineries.

No doubt you are all for these strikes happening!But yet again one point is, if we play the protection card, we end up with 50,000 Brits coming home because others would do the same.Now how would that help us!The CBI state Total are doing nothing wrong,but again don't let the facts get in the way of manipulating the masses.

Strange thing is you would have thought be now that the masses couldn't be manipulated so easily. No doubt union membership will be on the up!