[arnosvale65]

Originally Posted by daveb57

Agree with you on the first point.

As regards the quote, ' plus there are lots of very inexperienced agency drivers out there', we all have to start somewhere as I'm sure yourself did. The days of passing your HGV 1 and getting a job tomorrow, are long gone, and agency work is the only place a lot of these newcomers can get any experience. That is if they can find an agency that does not lie to them, give them all the promises in the world and not give them any work, letting them sit by the phone waiting for it to ring!!

Experience comes with age and the amount of driving that an individual does in any road conditions. Going flat out in bad road conditions, personally, I would not say, is a good thing to be practicing. The hill was climbed I grant you, but the consequences if it had gone wrong could have been horrendous.

Personally, and I do hold a Class 1 and PCV licence, in 41 years of driving, the only time I have ever got stuck in snow was when I was 19, in a rear wheel drive MK 2 Escort. My fault because I 'knew it all' of course!!!! And that was 1976!

I learnt from that mistake.

I gained some experience!!

Regards,

Dave.

I agree with lots of points but in Scandinavia they do not hang around I can assure you. I had a Volvo with traction control for a while and that really did work. The other thing about the Scandies of course is that they all have the proper kit unlike a lot of our money saving outfits. It always amazes me the number of companies who don't believe you when you tell them that snow chains are compulsory in most of the Alps from October to March. My last lot wouldn't buy chains to go to Norway and I was fined over £2000 by the police and made to buy chains there and then. Drive axle, steering axle and one trailer axle. They were the best chains I ever had, made to measure on the spot and easy to fit. When I got home the transport manager took them away, why is beyond me.