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Off Topic A picture that sums up everything wrong in this country

Discussion in 'Sunderland' started by Teessidemackem, Sep 24, 2021.

  1. marcusblackcat

    marcusblackcat SAFC Sheriff
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    So you’ve now got 14 miles left??

    I filled up last Wednesday and have hardly driven since! 643 miles left in mine after I dropped the kids off at school.
     
    #41
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  2. marcusblackcat

    marcusblackcat SAFC Sheriff
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    I only ever fill my tank. Whenever I get fuel I fill it to the top. Lasts me a couple of weeks and I fill up again.
     
    #42
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  3. TopCat_

    TopCat_ Well-Known Member

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    Apparently it's "definitely not brexit" but the change in visa/work permit rules since exiting the EU means we have a shortage of HGV drivers as firms can't employ EU nationals
     
    #43
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  4. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    If it wasn't partly due to Brexit we wouldn't be doling out work visas to European drivers.
     
    #44
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  5. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    The Road Hauliers Association reckon we've lost around 20/25000 European drivers. Add Covid to that and it's a massive problem ...

    ... but we've known for years there were too few drivers and done very little to plan ahead.

    The 'population' of drivers is ageing, average age is mid-fifties iirc, so we're losing drivers daily.
     
    #45
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2021
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  6. gelders pie

    gelders pie Well-Known Member

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    There is a shortage of drivers generally, but if this is the sole cause, then why did we not have this months ago. You need an extra ADR qualification to drive a fuel tanker, did many holders of these disappear all at once last Tuesday ? Seems the media exaggerated one companies case, they have some responsibilty, but many people (who probably normally slag off the media for false information) this time chose to put full trust in them -- Selfishness the major factor, if they acted on the media's word, why didn't they take notice of the media reports of the industry saying no problem if you act normally. Me me me Britain.
    It surely must improve though, if everyones filled up ( especially when they normally wouldn't have totally filled up because they dont do much mileage) , then they won't be needing to be there overbuying this week ?
     
    #46
  7. Robgee

    Robgee Active Member

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    The lack of drivers is not "all of a sudden". The Road Haulage Association have been warning the government for months, but nothing has been done. Now they (the government) are panicking and blaming everybody but themselves.
     
    #47
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  8. The Norton Cat

    The Norton Cat Well-Known Member

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  9. John Wick

    John Wick Well-Known Member

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    makes sense, nice one mate.
     
    #49
  10. RTB

    RTB Well-Known Member

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    33 - they are all close.
    Working from home anyway and the wife's car has petrol.
    I can wait... Portsmouth is looking less likely.
     
    #50
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  11. John Wick

    John Wick Well-Known Member

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    Cheers mate. The days of little boys and girls wanting to be lorry drivers when they grown up has been replaced by wanting to be a social media "influencer". Plus it costs a fortune to get through the test.
     
    #51
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  12. Gatesy

    Gatesy Well-Known Member

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  13. rooch 3

    rooch 3 Well-Known Member

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    What have the government got to do with employing lorry drivers they work for private companies. It’s them you should be looking at why does people blame a government for everything.
     
    #53
  14. Ozzymac

    Ozzymac Well-Known Member

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    And people nowadays don't want to work 12-14 hour days and be away from their familiea overnight for a couple of pounds an hour more.

    Not being able to have a drink because you need a 0% alcohol reading anytime you're stopped for a random pee test.

    In a lot of countries truck drivers get paid by the mile. Add roadworks, delays, congestion etc into the mix it's not as profitable as it once was.

    This problem has been coming for years as has finding menial labour for farms etc. Once the big companies discovered that people (most often immigrants) would work for less just so they had an income they percieved that as the norm. It's a problem in most or the Western world, the US has been struggling with it for years with mexicans coming over on temporary visas as has the UK. We have a similar problem with seasonal workers here in Australia as so much that the government approved additional temporary visas for South Pacific Islanders whilst our borders were/are closed so that fruit would be picked.
     
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  15. rooch 3

    rooch 3 Well-Known Member

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    #55
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  16. Sunderpitt

    Sunderpitt Well-Known Member

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    That was my thinking. The Tesla with me in the front ment nobody could sit behind me, besides which I do not like the cnut Elon musk.
    I really like the jag ipace (used) and drove up and the A19 at 80, the battery charge decreased dramatically. So my conclusion is when the battery does say 500 miles, the charging is quicker and there are more chargers around, an electric car will be fine as an only car.

    Next year if we change senior managements to electric we will have my hybrid as back-up.
     
    #56
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  17. Saf

    Saf Not606 Godfather+NOT606 Poster of the year 2023

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    Terrible. Just terrible.

    please log in to view this image










    :emoticon-0136-giggl
     
    #57
  18. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    There's another problem looming as well.

    Schools, hospitals, care homes, etc, are being quietly advised to stock up on food, essential supplies, etc, now as significant shortages are expected before Christmas. Once word gets out, or people notice queues, they'll naturally and logically follow suit.
    This will, no doubt, be denounced as 'panic buying' when it's nothing of the sort ....

    ... it may look bad but stockpiling bog rolls is quite reasonable if they may fail to reach the shelves ...

    ... we don't have newspapers any more so that option is gone <laugh>
     
    #58
  19. Nig

    Nig Well-Known Member

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    I finished work friday morning at 5:30 am, i called at Asda on the way home, one car at the pump and one waiting.
    Out of the two night pumps, one was locked off. I filled the tank, £35
    Saturday i went to my caravan and have to drive through a small petrol station to get on site. No cars there i filled up .
    £24.
    Both petrol.
    Panic buying ? Not really, that's what I'd normally do.
    When I left the site Sunday afternoon they were queuing down the lane :rolleyes:
    And Sunday evening the youngest daughter went to Asda as she works about 45 miles away.
    She couldn't get diesel anywhere.


    This is an example of a panic buying dickhead. :(


     
    #59
  20. Nig

    Nig Well-Known Member

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    I have a HGV 1, I just need a medical to activate it again, then a CPC course.
    I've had two opportunities lately to go on transport at work. Not a bad job and mostly shunting around a huge site.
    I wouldn't thank you for a job out on the roads nowadays.
    As for CPC, another load of crap the government introduced to make money. And making it more difficult to recruit.
     
    #60

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