SAFER DRIVING STANDARDS - DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!!

[FLYING COLOURS]

WATCH THAT HGV DRIVER !!
I can't for the life of me, see how that under the "Health and Safety Gestapo" and eu sponsored "Road Traffic Acts" - that the new rules are made for safer driving. I have to spend up to £500 to obtain a "Certificate of Professional Competence" - (a certificate that up till now, only Transport Office Managers required.) - to allegedly show that i am competent to carry out my job of HGV Class One Lorry Driver - a job I have been doing for THIRTY YEARS. - - - At the same time - whilst we are allowed to reduce our rest periods from 11 hours to 9 hours - three times a week - we are not now required to "pay back" the rest hours borrowed, by the end of the following week!! So now, with unscrupulous bosses - you have a TIRED driver of a 44 Ton vehicle driving around with six hours less rest EVERY week !
Personally, I won't reduce my rest anymore - but at least i'm a safe driver.

The new Electronic Digital Tachograph - I'm supposed to keep my eyes on the road - obviously (!) - but this new device is rigged to the vehicle speed limiter of 56mph. The law was not altered for HGV's on the motorway - so I can legally travel at 60mph - especially when travelling downhill with a load. The new vehicles generally won't let you go over 60mph anyway - manufactures specs - but if i travel at 57 - or over, for more than 15 seconds - the Digital Device starts FLASHING!! The device is usually installed in the bulwark just above the drivers head, so the flashing is a distraction - and the only way to turn it off, IS TO LOOK UP - LOCATE THE BUTTON, PRESS IT - AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SPEEDING!!!
So now I haven't got my eyes on the road - PLUS I only have one hand on the steering wheel !! And these guys go ballistic if you drink a cup of coffee!!!

These are the same guys, ( I think ) who say that my vehicle is my work place so i'm not allowed to smoke in the cab.
Now, don't go all "Anti-smoking" on me - I've heard all the arguements - and I agree, its bad for you! Now, brown having put 20p on a packet, (that packet lasting me longer than a guy who drinks!), SPECIFICALLY to contribute to the NHS - how come some hospitals are starting to ban smokers from having operations until they've quit??? - Get my drift? - I'd have thought I would have had some kind of priority at the hospital because of my extra contribution!! - - -- Getting back to the point. - - - smoking in the cab. I'm not generally allowed to have any passengers - and i've got both windows open - then, to my amazement, there's a few cars overtaking me, windows UP - kids in the back, and both parents in the front smoking their heads off !! Now, who's harming who??
There is usually a bunk bed in my cab - so is the cab my work place or my home? As the foreign driver is over here working - does the same apply to him?? - some of them bring their families over for a trip!

I've said it before, - it won't be long before you are breaking one "law" to comply with another!

[FLYING COLOURS]

Oh yes, I forgot, -- so having broken who knows how many "laws" to comply with the rest of the other "laws" - at least if they put you in nick you'll be able to smoke to your hearts content, in the full knowledge that now whilst smoking you are NOT breaking THAT law!!

AND - they have to sort you out some accomodation when you get out, and put you on a learning programme, so that you don't "reoffend"!!

Come back Alice, you're in the wrong wonderland!!