…and a lorry driver’s view

I LEARNED to drive wagons with a local company in 1983. They put me with an experienced driver and after 13 weeks basically doing his job for him, I passed my HGV and started at the same company on my own.

I am amazed that any firm will employ anyone who takes a week’s course and passes. Most firms used to require two years’ experience, but companies now will take on anybody who passes a short assessment and it really shows. If they do not hit anything, they are in.

Then they come and ask us basic things like ‘where’s the handbrake?’ Some do not even realise that some wagons do not have automatic handbrakes, and end up with runaways when coupling trailers incorrectly.

On the road, I am actually embarrassed by the truck driving I see – stick a phone and sat nav on the windscreen (illegal in area swiped by wipers), put it into gear and drive flat out… until they hit something, then the invisible police roll up in vast numbers and shut the road for hours and hours.

My normal shift is a triangular route with a 16ft 2in tall trailer. I know loads of diversion routes, but Highways England have just about stopped using the yellow signs advising of future overnight closures. There is the system of shapes on trunk road diversions, but nobody can provide a list of them to plan in advance and ringing the helpline is frustrating as the operators are basically clueless.

Name and address withheld