I have been very lucky to have had the pleasure of working with some great lads and lasses over the last few years, Iv’e made many new and valued friends all over the country, all of them doing a very demanding, sometimes thankless, and at times, stressful job.
It’s a job where you work alone, but your not alone, only we of the highway understand that sentiment.
I used to say that camaraderie had sadly passed, and things were not the same as they used to be, but I have to correct that statement, because It has re-appeared, especially in my case, all the lads and lasses that I have worked along side have been top guys and gals, I can’t ever remember having any cross words with any of them, and all of them willing to help when necessary.
So yes, I miss the old days, I miss some of the old boys that went before me, but I have the memories, and nobody can take them away, but for every day I spend on the road, I make new memories.
For me personally, I’m glad now that I’m almost at the end of my driving career, and that I chose to be a Lorry driver, at times it came at a great cost family wise, but over time that got fixed, and we all move on.
The pic below is left to right..Myself..Arthur Davies..and the late Colin Spencer, when we were all tramping for Ferrymasters based in Kent.
The UK is at a tipping point in the battle against coronavirus similar to the one faced in March, one of the the country’s top scientists has said.
England’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam warned more deaths will follow the rise in cases in recent weeks.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows an estimated 224,000 people have the virus and hospital and intensive care admissions from Covid-19 rising.
It comes as millions of people could be banned from mixing indoors and outdoors and thousands of pubs forced to close under new coronavirus restrictions due to be announced on Monday.
Prof Van-Tam said the R number – the rate at which the virus is spreading from person to person – was well above one in every NHS region in England, suggesting “widespread transmission” across the country – not just the north.
Scientists estimate that the doubling time in the UK for new infections is between eight and 16 days and is even faster in some areas, he added.
However he insisted history can still be prevented from repeating itself.
He said the best way to keep transmission low and stop the NHS being overwhelmed was for people to follow self-isolation guidance, wash their hands, wear face coverings and social distance.
If you are wary or slightly nervous whilst driving on motorways surrounded by large vehicles, then this is the book that will make essential reading for you.
I wrote this book for all those car drivers who have never had any Motorway Training.
So most! Sitting up high in my truck cab over the years I’ve watched the near misses, lack of attention and incorrect techniques. I also realised from articles and surveys on Motorway Driving that many drivers are anxious, if not actually fearful. Particularly women who are more honest about it! I have a background in advanced driving, high performance driving, skid pan instructing and track day training, and of course, truck driving, whilst still on the road, driving tankers at weekends when required.
Readers will discover what the most effective, well trained, motorway drivers know that most don’t! * Plus! ..Motorway driving’s biggest secret revealed. You’ll be surprised! * Learn what most get wrong on joining most of the time(Rule 259) and how to merge more easily and safely. How to ‘zipper’. * How to share the motorways safely with trucks. Knowing about their blind spots, mirrors, speeds and actions, to remove any existing fear or uncertainty. * Understand BATA (Bunching and Twating About) zones and how to stay safe in them.
Essential awareness for all drivers. * How to see and be seen. There’s more to it than you think! * Plus, safe following distances, overtaking, high aim vision, room to react, emergencies, leaving and all you need to stay safe. *
Practical advice, insights, tips and tricks to help you master the motorway, all based on real world driving on our motorway systems in cars and trucks over many years. Stay safe out there!..
John Covington..
Learner drivers allowed on motorways after law change
Media caption Driving instructor Ben Lucas and learner driver Jonathan Davies welcome the law change
Learner drivers in England, Wales and Scotland are now allowed to have lessons on the motorway.
Previously only those who had passed their test could do so, but lessons are now allowed in a dual-control car with an approved driving instructor.
The government says the move will help learners gain experience to drive safely.
The law change has been welcomed by the AA and RAC Foundation, among other motoring groups.
Road safety minister Jesse Norman said: “Britain’s roads are among the safest in the world, but road collisions remain the second biggest killer of young people.
“Allowing learner drivers to have motorway lessons with a qualified road safety expert will help more young drivers to gain the skills and experience they need to drive safely on motorways.”
Top tips for learners
Instructor Sharon Starr, whose driving school is based in Stoke Newington, north London, is in favour of the plans – but says that many instructors do not offer motorway lessons because they perceive them to be more dangerous. She has this advice for first-time motorway drivers:
Keep calm. The most important thing is to keep calm, and remember your instructor is there to help if you have a problem. Motorways are similar to dual carriageways – which learners have already driven on – so it’s the same but a bit faster.
Plan ahead. Sometimes you need to ease off the accelerator to create the gap ahead. You need to build up speed quite quickly when you are joining the motorway.
Don’t hesitate. If you hesitate while joining the motorway or changing lanes you can put yourself or other drivers in danger. Once you’ve begun to move, they are expecting you to go.
Watch speed limits. Lots of people don’t realise the speed limit isn’t always 70mph. There are many stretches where it is 50mph and this is enforced by average speed cameras so you need to be careful.
As many as 8% of licence holders avoided motorways for at least six months after passing their test, an AA poll of more than 20,000 motorists suggests.
More than a quarter said they felt scared when they did drive on a motorway for the first time.
Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “Young drivers are drastically over-represented in crashes.
“This change, which will help broaden the opportunities they have while learning, is very positive.
“It is somewhat perverse that five minutes after passing the driving test a new driver could venture alone on to a motorway without having had any motorway tuition.”
Rural, urban or motorway – where is it most dangerous to drive?
The number of collisions is higher in urban areas however there is a greater chance of dying on rural roads.
In the period 2011-15 the average number of fatalities occurring on rural roads per year was 987 compared with 585 on urban roads.
Over the same time period an average of 90 people per year were killed on motorways.
Serious and slight injuries were higher on urban roads than rural.
In 2015 slight injuries received on rural roads totalled 34,536 compared with 79,028 on urban roads in the same year.
Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, says rural roads can carry more risk.
“There is a lack of proper lighting, people take more risks when there are less people around and some drivers treat quiet roads like a challenging race track,” she says.
Phil Hurst, who trains driving instructors, says: “Most driving instructors are aware of the statistics and will try to get learners on to rural roads, where possible.
Source: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Department for Transport
A fifth of all fatalities on Britain’s roads in 2016 involved crashes where a driver was aged 17-24, despite those drivers making up just 7% of all licence holders, Department for Transport figures show.
There were 1,810 deaths on UK roads in the year to September 2016.
Road safety charity Brake urged the government to introduce a graduated driver licensing system including restrictions for a certain period after passing the test, such as a late-night driving curfew.
Director of campaigns Joshua Harris said: “While today’s move is a small step in the right direction, a total overhaul in the way in which we learn to drive is urgently needed.”
