EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

Technically drivers shortage is exactly that, and easily explained.

Brexit is one of the factors cited but the pandemic and IR35 have also been heavily linked to the problem.

Calling out Brexit isn't going to fix their situation in the short or even the medium term. And it would upset a significant number of customers.

I suspect business is mostly trying to put pressure on government through direct contact rather than in the public arena. Not least because Boris and Co love that kind of bare knuckles fighting and they'd lose.

“I love this job but I hate the way drivers are treated,” he says. “We have to shit and eat in our cabs. Sometimes you have to piss in your trousers because you can’t pull over in time. That’s the real story. That’s the dark side to this job.”

How is it possible to not pull over in time to do a piss?

Do you know how motorways work?

Services every half hour or so? Plan for a piss.

I'd have thought some of the problem is lots of traffic and a fairly rigid delivery slot without a lot of contingency time discourages breaks.

Services every half hour or so?

Do you even M25? (though slightly better now we have the Cobham services added)

It's even further from Toddington to Reading but half an hour is more typical. In theory they are every 15 milesish and never more than 28 miles apart, but there are gaps. A trucker probably knows them better than I and so can plan a loo break if they aren't getting pressurised to get to their destination, which they probably are.

Is there a thread for favourite motorway services? I'm quite partial to Leicester Forest East and Beaconsfield for very different reasons.

Cobham <-> South Mimms is 44 miles and has taken me 3hours + with a car full of kids and a swiftly necked coffee kicking my bladder. Absolutely hell haha.

Tebay is best, then Gloucester.

You are quite correct. When I drove distance (yes, I am a hgv driver, although I've never pissed my pants because of work), going north was always a pleasure, veggie curry at Tebay was excellent.

+1 for Tebay

I stopped there on the way up to Edinburgh, concur it’s great.

Do you know how motorways work?

I do. I also know how bladders work. And also that if motorways are to blame here, then why are truck drivers more at risk of pant wetting than any other driver?

favourite motorway services

Tebay
Gloucester
Moto Rugby

MoS was pro-remain

Good luck getting a non-critical blood test, brexit dividend
https://twitter.com/globalhlthtwit/status/1431829158179622912

favourite motorway services?

Fleet

Always preferred the Happy Eaters on the A303 /30’s

Partridge intensifies

They're building another one of theirs near Altrincham...

one silver lining is the stonking business my recruiter mate is doing.

Not sure if it's actually ironic but they are the first leave voting business owner I've come into contact with whose business has benefited.

Quoted for obvious cunt obviously.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/30/couple-divided-by-irish-border-because-of-post-brexit-rules?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Home office strikes again...

Huge delays in some Brexit related permits for UK citizens, EU settled status.. ATM, I guess just staff shortages but it varies from annoying to people being unable to work or see family....

With the new visa free 90 days out of 180 days for UK citizen fun I have been looking at ways to navigate this as a future long term bike tourer.

Fairly simple question that I've been unable to fully ascertain an answer to....

When the 90 days run out, is it ok to goto EU Candidate countries to wait it out until the 180 days is up and I'm allowed back in?

I assume yes as candidacy to the EU isn't being in the EU...

Also, to complicate matters...If you enter the EU say on May 1st and leave on June 1st and come back 2 months later on September 1st until the end of October...will the next 180 days start roughly at the start of November? If so how do they keep up with this? Electronic passport tagging at borders, with an accumulative number of days you have spent in the EU? A few days here...a week there...is any border agency really going to be competent enough for that?