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Page 28
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A young driver can prove himself
I would just like to let you know how much it pleased me to see you voicing your opinion on the proposed young peoples' driving licence laws. Personally I think the age for driving a four-wheel rigid h.g.v. should be brought down to 18 because this would give some scope to set up apprenticeship schemes: after all this is a very professional job.
I speak from first-hand experience of being a once-frustrated youngster myself who wanted to get on and gain experience in the practical side of road haulage. Basically I started off at 15, forcing my way in as a mate working for £8 a week, then after being made redundant a year later I used to spend all my spare time roping and sheeting trailers for nothing just to gain experience. It wasn't much longer before I passed my driving test and forced my way in as a van driver on local work, then my guy'nor gained more confidence in me and went to the trouble of stripping an old 11-ton-gross lorry down to under 3 tons unladen weight and now, after a further seven months, he has bought for me a brand new lorry built under 3 tons but carries 7 tons, all long-distance work.
Well, here I am now 19-12-years old and having covered some 50,000 miles safely all over the country grossing to some 10 tons: in another year's time when I come to take my Class 1 test I should stand a good chance, I am one of the lucky ones, but I feel sorry for the other thousand or so lads that should be in the same position as me.
N. BEARD Colchester
Why he bought a Swede
May I write in answer to the letter in your August 11 issue from Mr I. C. Wilson of Scammell Lorries? He wonders why people praise the foreign vehicles. Maybe I can give him the answer. I am an owner-driver and have just purchased a new Volvo F86. The reason for my buying it is that it has a better finish on it all round. You don't need fold-down tables, vynide-covered dash or wood-grain dash panels.
A friend of mine who drives for British Road Services was making a delivery to Watford one day and complained about the Crusader. He was taken to see the latest model and was shown the wood-grain dash, low engine height, etc. The biggest problem with the Crusader cab is that it is not deep enough from front to back. I admit that it is very high up which gives you good vision, but you have to get up there. The Volvo unit is a lot cheaper than the British counterpart. It has no vynide or woodgrain dash but the finish in steel is very good. It is more comfortable to ride in, there is no shaking about and it is quieter, which is much more relaxing to work with. I have only had my Volvo for a week and already I feel a different person. I have discarded my "hobnail boots" and am now wearing an ordinary shoe to drive with.
I am very British and I think the Gardner engine matched to the David Brown gearbox and K irksta II axle is the finest piece of engineering you can get, but it is what is thrown around it that causes the problems.
I am sorry to have to say this Mr Wilson. but the British manufacturer has got a lot to learn from the foreign people, P. L. BEVAN A. L Bevan Haulage, Mardy, Abergavenny, Mon.
Getting the mileage!
Regarding the advertisement for the Volvo F86 CM August 11, page 25.
We have a Ford D1000 two years old with 114,362 miles on the clock; recently we had to replace the rubbers on the wiper blades.
Would someone reassure us that we haven't bought a dud.
DAVID GITTINS, Bridstow, Ross-on-Wye.
Cab design from scratch
So Mr Wilson of Scammell is amazed by the comments of your correspondent "Un Routier". I am quite sure that he is wrong in assuming, as he says, that many others will share his amazement.
Surely, all vehicles in current production have heating and demisting equipment? A rev counter is only of real use if certain types of engines are fitted, and it is doubtful if many drivers have the time or the need to use a table in the cab, folding or otherwise, so that it seems to me that a great deal of Mr Wilson's letter is irrelevant since he makes no mention of driving position, siting of controls. freedom of blind spots, or any other factors which go towards making a vehicle acceptable to a driver who has to spend several hours a day in the cab.
It is no use just fitting a Bostrom seat plus a few gimmicks and thinking that this brings the standard of a British cab up to
Continental standards. My own camper tried out a Bostrom seat in a big -.1" onc but, as the wheel arch under the seat vw so high and there are quite a lot of "works under the Bostrom, our smaller drivers four that even with the seat right down they pith could not touch the floor at all or, when thr declutched, they rose up bodily into the ai This situation we remedied by getting oi largest driver, who weighs 21 stone, to E on the seat with the tension at minimum ar then wiring the whole issue down solid.
If Mr Wilson examines a contempora Volvo, Scania or other vehicle of this de: he will find that the cab and controls, ar indeed the whole working environmen are designed as a whole. It is most doubtf if the same result could be obtained by usir a Motor Panels cab and then trying to tart up a bit.
In conclusion may I suggest that thousanc of drivers are in agreement with "Un Routier probably most of them would not need adopt a pseudonym if they wrote to yol but possibly he fears for his job if his identi. becomes known. After all, even in these day many companies believe that drivers are nc paid to have an opinion about anything!
E. G. CORK London W1
Hgv drivers 'like battery hens'
I would like to make some observations on IV Leslie Huckfield's comments in the House c Commons (CM July 7). I agree with his fin comments on hgv increased gross weight as besides the environmental aspects, should make our vehicle makers more compe itive in export markets.
After this he goes sadly astray, for exampl on his thinking on sleeper cabs. Has N Huckfield ever been a lorry driver proper i this country? Obviously not. Any heavy gooc vehicle away from its home base for more tha one night should by law have a "sleeper' The present situation on lodgings and drivi facilities in this country is appalling; very oft€ they are overcrowded, dirty, and lack suc primary facilities such as a proper bathroom shower. I have often spent evenings where have tried numerous places for "digs" an sometimes walked out when I have seen th conditions I have been expected to stay it He says unions and drivers would not tolerat it. Poppycock! I can't think of one driver know who would not give his right arm for sleeper cab. At least wherever the drivr finished his day's work he would be sure of proper bed and a good night's rest.
He talks of Euro-battery hens! Britis drivers are more like battery hens in the poorly designed vehicles, with tiny cab which are poorly ventilated and noisy, wit heaters that blow hot in summer and cold i winter.
In European countries, drivers eat we in proper restaurants (no greasy egg and chip. tea in dirty cracked cups, in dirty cafés, serve any-old-how). They have ample facilities i most service stations, lodgings and factorie to shower daily, excellent lodgings (see Le Routiers and similar organizations): wherevc you load or unload there are properly organize labour gangs, and the driver does not hay to lump 20 tons on and off as often happen in this country. In other words, again, th Europeans are years in advance of us.
In conclusion, I wish people like M Huckfield MP would get facts right befor opening their mouths or putting pen to papet PHILIP L. THOMA Portswow Southamptol