Normally I have the utmost respect for truckies, large and small, as they are 'professional drivers'.
Had to head south of Auckland today to deliver a car and driver of large truck and trailer unit from C******* Logistics decides he'd rather block the right lane right by moving over from the left lane for no good reason through the 70kph limit just south of the harbour bridge doing 60kph and getting slower and slower as the road got steeper.Would he move left!No way. Heaps of traffic having to undertake him when the limit changed to 80kph
Two minutes later through the next set of 70kph limits, most traffic doing 75kph (of course) and a light truck weaving through the traffic at about 90+ kph and finally plonks himself in the right lane. Police car joins the motorway with lights flashing right behind at the 100kph limit section and said truck takes over 1km to move left to let him past.
Not very impressive, not very professional. Rant over.
eleni01,
Jan 7, 9:06pm
As I like to call em, round town clowns, these guys give the industry a bad name and I cringe everytime I see the bastards doing stupid shit normally expected of an Auckland driver in a hurry.
wrong2,
Jan 7, 9:11pm
a lot of truckies are just young guys
they are not like their fathers generation , & they learnt to drive trucks that are easy to drive , & drive them like they do their cars
sure truckies used to be awesome . that aint entirely the case anymore
eleni01,
Jan 7, 9:18pm
I'm a truck mechanic and trust me I see more clowns in the older age group who don't give and fuck and keep myself and 15 other mechanics on site employed. They may have driving experience behind them but at the end of the day if they wreck the gear and a lot of them do then they are just as bad as these young ones you talk of. BTW I'm 22 with class 5 who does a bit of driving on the side, my knowledge of how stuff works and positive attitude is more valuable than these old buggers I come across who drive to meet a deadline and will fuck any thing in the way to get there.
NZTools,
Jan 8, 6:45am
My Fire Service training officer summed it up perfectly a couple of months ago when we discussing an advanced driver training course (Fire Appliances obviously)
He said "just because you have been driving for years, does not make you a good driver. Some of the most experienced drivers, have the worst, and most dangerous habits"
socram,
Jan 8, 7:09am
So is the general consensus that the truckies these days are not as professional as they like to tell us!Or, is it just a lowering of driving standards generally!
Overall, (dare I say it!) I have found that many driving standards have actually risen in recent times, so we tend to notice those who are still wallies, always were wallies and probably always will be wallies.
Your FS Training Officer is 100% correct NZtools. The main problem has always been that once people pass their driving test they tend to stop learning, whereas my late father impressed upon me that you never stop learning. I would like to think that even after 45 years of driving I am still learning and it wasn't so long ago that I was taught by a respected instructor, how to drive (or stop & steer) a car with ABS brakes.
What most people are not taught is consideration and courtesy for other road users and that is one aspect of my driving in which I feel I do excel!
1fordluva,
Jan 8, 7:41am
Funny thread,I have a clown truckie next door. Works for a logging company out of rotorua. He would have to be the most inconsiderate driver I have ever seen. Parks his unit fully laden into oncoming traffic.dosnt give a a rats. Has wrecked one truck allready,rolled one when drivng for fonterra also. 36 years he has been driving and pushes the clutch in to go around corners.why.! fark knows,because he thinks he is god! Now my father in law drove trucks for 40 odd years. After the first gear he didnt need the clutch,up or down! Also could back a truck and trailer in one shot in the slot every time. He only had one good eye too. Some of them now work on the principle of "If you cant fine em,grind em" wh.en it comes to shifting a gear. It will only get worse as time goes on too.
big.b-lil.c,
Jan 8, 8:23am
the standards are falling its a fact. give cardinal a ring ask for tony (the owner) nothing will happen by comeing on here with a winge. sounds like some of ya know how to drive a truck because ya saw one on the road and ya can drive a car. dont ya get a clown truckie free with every big mack at mcdonalds!
yuuhoo,
Jan 16, 11:13am
Driving with out the clutch cause's wear on shift forks main shaft splines and sliding clutchs in the trans go check the eaton fuller site an see what the people that make them say about it.
sue344,
Jan 16, 11:52am
lots of the modern trucks are auto these days, truck operators are becoming more steerers than drivers
1fordluva,
Jan 16, 11:59am
You say "trans" not gearbox,and 30years ago eatons were made in the usa. I know for a fact that all the boxes are not made in the usa now,assembled in china and all gears are cut by irrecangee (sp),the only company that cuts gears bar volvo sweden,they do in house. I have built mack and volvos for 4 years in australia. Also have a close friend that works for one of the biggest truck parts suppliers in australasia. Rocklea truck spares brisbane.
scoobeey,
Jan 16, 12:04pm
Happens too much heading up a long hill truck decides to pass another for neally a kmwithoutbuttoning off and pulling in . Got a big finger and a fewnot very nice words at end of passing lane
duggin,
Jan 16, 1:15pm
Probably 'cause that's the only place his truck can pass the other - thought of that!Much preferable to driving for kms behind a slower truck.Besides everyone knows cars can pass in the twinkling of an eye, and on straights that don't exist!Just 'cause you got held up for a few kms doesn't mean he's a dork.From your last comment think that term applies to you.
chris_051,
Jan 16, 1:39pm
My guess, 'scoobeey' is one of these types that travel the open road twice a year. Has to pass a truck because he percieves them as slow, doesn't know the road but passes every cnut infront of him, while braking for every corner and stopping at every second town. At the same time the 'slow' Akl- interislander ferry linehaul truck beats him to wgtn.
yuuhoo,
Jan 16, 7:45pm
Your point being!
1fordluva,
Jan 16, 8:44pm
You do not know the difference between a gearbox and a transmission. Only what you have read on the net. The difference betweena gearbox,s strength then was far better than they are now.
trogedon,
Jan 16, 8:53pm
No truck driver is a ???professional??
rugbgurl1,
Jan 17, 4:10pm
i'd like to see you call the guys i work with 'steerers'. modern trucks are autos yes but doesn't make them less skilled. i'd like to see try and back a trailer of that size or go down a steep hill with 40 tonne behind you, truckies have to put up with idiots all day everyday with idiot car drivers that don't know how to drive, yes there are a few clown drivers out there, but there are alot more fcuking idiots that don't know the road rules and can't drive to save there life. so before you start making stupid assumptions just think a little
yuuhoo,
Jan 17, 4:20pm
Well tell me the differance o wise one.
rugbgurl1,
Jan 17, 4:51pm
your dam right you do get idiots on all of them
1fordluva,
Jan 17, 6:17pm
There would be no point,as your IQ would remain the same.
yuuhoo,
Jan 17, 6:58pm
Struggle abit with giving straight answers do you!
1fordluva,
Jan 17, 7:53pm
Not at all,I however will not inform those that believe every thing they read on the net. It is clear by your initial post you do not know the difference between a trans and gearbox,so I will leave you with you own idea of what the difference is.
rugbgurl1,
Jan 17, 8:10pm
you can drive a truck without a clutch anyway
mantagsi,
Jan 17, 8:20pm
At risk of getting a hard time, typically "gearbox" refers to just that, a manually shifted gearbox, andtransmission refers to an automatically shifted "gearbox", though perhaps rubber band box might be more appropriate! hope I am right - grateful to be corrected if wrong :) gearbox is more colloquial slang but 9/10 times I see it reserved for manual trans only
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