Life Just Bounces
05 Nov 2011 8 Comments
in General Blog
Ah bonfire night. Another excuse to try and make us part with our cash. The endless cycle of advertisers squeezing the life out of our personas rumbles on. I admire Guy Fawkes very much. Anyone whose major obsession in life is to blow up the houses of parliament is alright in my book. There’s always something in the pipeline to make us spend extra. I find it gets worse every year.
Of course Christmas is very much upon us despite being six weeks away. I was more than perturbed when Sainsbury’s decided to move onions to make way for nuts. I had a similar gripe with Tesco recently when some bright spark moved toilet paper to make way for confectionary items. The tacky ones you only see at Christmas. This was in September.
Luckily I am so busy with my new job I’m not noticing these things quite so much. In reality the life of the multi job van driver is not as easy and straightforward as one might think. The basics are simple – you get parcels, a list of addresses and you deliver them. If only it was as simple as that!
Ridiculously long days are not uncommon. I’m talking 13-14 hours! Welcome back to the real world Derek! I was struggling at the start of the week but now have been given my own round on the Essex/Suffolk border until Christmas. The familiarity of where I’m actually going is making things a lot easier. Unless you’ve done it, you wouldn’t believe how difficult some places are to find. Sat nav does the job to a certain extent but it doesn’t always take you where you want to go!
I’m delivering in a pretty rural area. Houses off the main road, farms with no sign outside – I could go on! Slowly but surely am getting to grips with the task with hand. When it’s going well I love the job. I also love a few hundred quid getting deposited in my bank account every Friday morning. I even bought some new clothes last week! Every bruise (and I’ve collected a few!) and pain in my body is worth it when the weekend arrives!
Subsequently probably won’t be so much writing over the next few weeks but one will do ones best to construct something. It’s a hard life on the road but a rewarding one nonetheless.
Nov 05, 2011 @ 15:44:03
It must be bloody tricky without the local knowledge that Royal Mail has. Not a day goes by that a lost Citylink (or similar) driver doesn’t stop me a ask for some obscure house. Of course we know them all and I do a variety of rural rounds day in day out. So many houses have no names on them at all and the other van men do a lot of head scratching. I always give them directions, some of the Posties won’t tell them or give them the wrong directions just because you are our competition but that is just Meat and two Veg stupidity as we all need to earn a living. Sat nav
Nov 05, 2011 @ 15:48:38
yes I have done much head scratching! I came across a right miserable postie the other day – actually sat nav took me exactly to where I was going but I saw a postie and thought may as well ask him, he said to me I should ‘open your eyes’ in a most gruff manner! Now I have my own round things much easier, I love the job when it’s going well and am getting quicker – I don’t have too many drops at the moment as have taken two postcodes off other drivers but have been told that’s where I’ll be till xmas. When I was going in blind the job was almost impossible and I had to get help. Mainly I find the locals pretty helpful when lost or I phone HQ and they look up a place on google maps or if I have a number I phone the customer! Meet lots of pretty farmers wives on my travels as well – a bonus ha ha!
Nov 05, 2011 @ 15:49:56
Sorry the message posted early. Where was I? Oh yes, satnav to our address passes our house and carries on to another set of houses, we kept getting calls from lost drivers. In the end I put our house name on a sign at the top of the track to help them. It is all about to get REALLY busy soon, it’s a good atmosphere at this time of year because customers are so pleased to get parcels! Last year a lot of people didn’t get their stuff through because of the bad weather. From the look of our daily packets and parcels right now, everyone is ordering early to ‘avoid disappointment’! Happy Christmas!!!!!!
Nov 05, 2011 @ 15:57:41
The people in the country are much friendlier, they really appreciate you getting there, especially in bad weather. But take a box of dog biscuits with you to divert the canine whilst you head for the door! Though country dogs are generally well trained. I apologise for my rude colleague. I like helping lost van drivers it is nice to share something so simple as an address with someone. I like it when I am on some remote road in the pissing rain and a big van comes round the corner and the confused man sees my little red van and the look of relief on his face is a picture. If I didn’t help I would feel like such a wanker!
Nov 05, 2011 @ 15:57:54
funny forgot bout your place – yes would be a nightmare for someone who doesn’t know! Thing is when you know a place it’s a piece of piss to find! Glad I got my own round, I also struggled with industrial estates but again once you know them, they’re easy. We’re getting busy as well – we do a few Amazon deliveries and have also had delighted customers getting their stuff early. I drive down some mad roads as sure you do – nearly had a head on collision the other day but I do love the job. Zipping around listening to Radio 2 and occasionally talk sport. I also get clubcard or nectar points when I fill up with fuel as we use fuel cards! It’s hard work but fun!
Nov 05, 2011 @ 16:00:37
I was at a farm the other week and there was no-one about but some loose chickens and two ferocious looking dogs – I didn’t dare get out the van! When I went back the next day one of the guys who worked there said I was wise not to! I find folk out in the country generally very helpful and friendly. I tend to use name as opposed to house name and it usually works a treat. I got a fiver tip the other day from a very nice gentlemen in a remote farm! Gone to some right plush places – how the other half lives!!!
Nov 05, 2011 @ 16:37:11
Radio two until Steve Wright and then over to Five Live. I finish at 2.15 but in December we pile into the overtime and work from 5am til about 4pm. Our normal hours the rest of the year are 6.15am til 2.15 five days a week. I have a weeks holiday now, like to have a week off before the insane month starts, then I have a week in January to recover. Though I will be driving to Aviemore to meet my nephew who is due on January 1st.
Nov 05, 2011 @ 16:40:30
oh yes forgot about the new nephew, keep me posted hope all goes well! Lovely girl your sister and she’ll make a great mum! I start at 6-30 but its a half hour drive away and I like to get up, piss about on the net and have a good breakfast before I depart. I listen to Wright admittedly, hated Zoe Ball sitting in for Ken – she is so rubbish on the radio she should never be given the gig. When am out and about am only a partial listener as too busy listening to sat nav and thinking bout where I am going plus medium wave coverage is crap where I drive!