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We can't pick and choose
Page 30
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WHILE DRIVERS CONTINUE to flout laws we don't agree with we are effectively hiding the absurdities of those laws by ignoring them.
For example, we are well within our rights to complain about the absurdities of speed limits that were set years ago with no concept of modem trucks in mind, but on the other hand breaking those speed limits merely allows the authorities to curtail our income and to paint us all as law breakers, thus weakening our argument.
However, we can often identify had laws that should be redrawn. Drivers' hours regulations are a case in point. Parts of this law are blatantly absurd:a driver arriving in Cherbourg to catch the ferry to Poole in the early evening may be unable to leave Poole legally until lunchtime the following day. Do we ignore the law in this instance? If we do, we obscure the fact that it's a badly written law and leave ourselves open to prosecution; if we don't we risk an army of operations managers and employers threatening instant dismissal.
!propose a 'Work to Rule' or if you prefer.a 'Work to Law*.With the WTD Morning, it appears those in high places within the industry are hoping we drivers will solve their problems by opting out and becoming self-employed. Forget paying a living wage for sensible hours, providing lifetime training and learning from the best practices.
If we don't drag haulage into the 21st century, we will again put drivers in the invidious position of having to circumvent or break the law with all the implications for road safety, health and safety at work and all our futures.
Richard Jordan Clevedon