The new news 24 thread

[andyberg]

Seems shit to me mate, how can you relax for 6 days if you don't know when you will be called? How can you get any quality sleep when you are expecting a call at any time?

But if it's something you have wanted to do, you must do something that gives you some satisfaction. Personally I wouldn't do those kind of conditions.

[Jazoli]

10 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

I’m having massive second thoughts tonight even before even being offered a job. 
 

My current job:

WFH, 35hrs mon to Friday or 30hrs if I work a 9-12 on a Sat morning (meaning 27hrs in the week)

Doing insurance quotes on the phone, 30 days hol plus bank holidays, full flexi time so as long as I do my hours in the week.

Been there 10 years, will be getting a pay rise next month so will be on approx 24k. It’s a very, very mundane job but it’s easy. 

I took my Class 2 because I’ve always fancied a driving job, specifically recovery.

Had the interview today and the long and short of it is:

6 on 3 off, 13 or 15hr days, 24hr call out - shift starts at first call out from midnight so an example is:

PDA goes to available at midnight, first call out comes in at 6am, I’m then working for those 13 or 15hrs. Tacho hours don’t apply if I stay within the 60 mile radius. 
 

Now I’ve sat down with the mrs and talked it over, im wondering what on earth im doing. It sounds like il be absolutely knackered and always at work. I know I’ve got it good at the moment with work life balance but it’s a very fine line between doing a job that bores me to death or move into a job I will love but not what comes with it. 
 

WTF do I do?!

I wouldn't, I've been a recovery driver, the hours are antisocial and shit, you get home sit down to have your dinner and you get a call to the other side of the country, this happens at least every other day, plus the way you get paid is dependent on how much the company want to fuck you over, its a difficult job and driving is only a small part of it, its also fucking dangerous at times, nothing like hearing something on the rumble strips whilst trying to load a vehicle with a family with children and animals on the hard shoulder, there is no way I'd be changing in your position.

[Mr Pastry]

5 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

It sounds like il be absolutely knackered and always at work. I know I’ve got it good at the moment with work life balance but it’s a very fine line between doing a job that bores me to death or move into a job I will love but not what comes with it. 

I don't know anything about your background or work history, obvs, but from personal experience working on/with motors full-time is very different from being a hobbyist.   It can be interesting, but it stops being fun.  And the work gets harder and more unpleasant as you get older.  Not many people seem to realise this.  I'd stay as you are TBH. 

[Lankytim]

19 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

I’m having massive second thoughts tonight even before even being offered a job. 
 

My current job:

Work from home, 35hrs mon to Friday or 30hrs if I work a 9-12 on a Sat morning (meaning 27hrs in the week)

Doing insurance quotes on the phone, 30 days hol plus bank holidays, full flexi time so as long as I do my hours in the week I can work whenever I want between 9-7

Been there 10 years, will be getting a pay rise next month so will be on approx 24k. It’s a very, very mundane job but it’s easy. 

I took my Class 2 because I’ve always fancied a driving job, specifically recovery.

Had the interview today and the long and short of it is:

6 on 3 off, 13 or 15hr days, 24hr call out - shift starts at first call out from midnight so an example is:

PDA goes to available at midnight, first call out comes in at 6am, I’m then working for those 13 or 15hrs. Tacho hours don’t apply if I stay within the 60 mile radius. 

OTE as a new driver 27-30k

Now I’ve sat down with the mrs and talked it over, im wondering what on earth im doing. It sounds like il be absolutely knackered and always at work. I know I’ve got it good at the moment with work life balance but it’s a very fine line between doing a job that bores me to death or move into a job I will love but not what comes with it. 
 

WTF do I do?!

I’d stick where you are tbh,  recovery is a crappy job and from what I’ve been told most employers screw you over. Most drivers only stick it for a few months. 

[Agila]

30 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

WTF do I do?!

Shit just got real.

Personally I did very similar, left UK insurance at Doncaster to do class 2.

I'd try and work the odd day around your current work.

See if you can maybe do 3 days a week of your current job and leave availability for a bit of agency work.

Doing 15 hour days will be a shock that's for sure. That's not the hard part though. It's having 9 hours off then doing it all again the next day.

You'll see very very quickly why there is a massive shortage.

Good luck.

[stuboy]

better the devil you know?

[JJ0063]

3 minutes ago, stuboy said:

better the devil you know?

That is the thing. I have been with the company I’m with so long that it’s just life now, however much I’m not an office person. 
 

The problem I’ve got is also that I’ve already left once and gone back so I know I can’t do it again.. I left to work at Autoglass about 5 years ago, lasted 4 months then went back. 
 

So I’m also once bitten twice shy! 

[Stinkwheel]

32 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

I don't know anything about your background or work history, obvs, but from personal experience working on/with motors full-time is very different from being a hobbyist.   It can be interesting, but it stops being fun.  And the work gets harder and more unpleasant as you get older.  Not many people seem to realise this.  I'd stay as you are TBH. 

This, absolutely this 

[mitsisigma01]

2 hours ago, mintwth said:

Jalousie replaced, shifter light fixed so I can see what's selected in the dark, fasten seat belt sign fixed, crap hoovered out from under gear surround, all the leather in reach of the driver's seat cleaned, t3 bulbs ordered to fix unlit switches that should be lit and 264 bulbs ordered for footwell lights. Service kit arrived. 

Several steps forward with the saab....only flies in today's ointment are that I discoverd both outside rear light clusters leak in the rain and the heated seat switch retaining lugs are very very brittle

 

Jalousie..... 🤔

[mitsisigma01]

1 hour ago, JJ0063 said:

WTF do I do?!

Before you leave get me some crazily cheap but amazing coverage shitecar policy prices🙏🏼

[mitsisigma01]

The job sounds like a good crack but the terms seem like a nightmare.... The choice is probably your wife's because we all know they think they know best 🙊 

 

[Vantman]

11 minutes ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Jalousie..... 🤔

Saab Auto gear selector cover/blind--

[Floatylight]

A view from the frontline@Barry Cade ?

[MJK 24]

If you want to leave your insurance job, that’s fine.  But I don’t think this recovery job is the replacement you should be looking for.  You’re in for a huge shock with regard to the hours you’ll be asked to work and not a huge uplift in salary.

Stay where you are, bide your time and wait for something that’s a better fit.

And this is from someone who drives trucks!

[High Jetter]

Whatever happened to the Working Time Regulations that came in early 2000's?

[mintwth]

There may* be a few* holes in those regulations 

[Split_Pin]

I currently have a 35 hour a week job, working from home probably most of the time from now on and I wouldn't change it for anything just now.

Work life balance is great, cars remain a hobby and I get every weekend and evening off with an hour for lunch.

Plenty you can do to mix things up, start going for a walk at lunchtime, do a tinker on the car at a quiet time between your calls, do different stuff in the evenings.

From the tales of Barry Cade, plus my own mate who was an AA Patrolman for many years, I do not fancy the job.

Also, having to tighten a loose ratchet strap on a Portakabin on the back of an ERF E8 parked half way into lane 1 on the M9 in 1998 was enough to put me off ever being near fast moving traffic like that again. Seeing cars coming right towards me at 70mph+ was like  nothing on earth.

[sdkrc]

I really regret sacrificing time for money.

You become dependent on the salary and build yourself into a small, mental trap where you think you can't leave.

@JJ0063, if this was the right job you wouldn't be in any doubt about jumping

[chodweaver]

 

@JJ0063 I think you already know that this would be a bad move. It sounds a hard, sometimes dangerous and poorly paid job with a shit  work/life balance. If you want the experience and are prepared to move on in a short time, fine. 'Cos from the sounds of it, it's not a job that many people settle into for the long haul.

[Popsicle]

@JJ0063 It looks like you'll be doing double the hours for what, hopefully, an extra £250 a month, there are much better, safer class 2 jobs out there. I understand the urge to try something new, particularly something you've always fancied, but try it part time if its possible alongside your current job, then you'll not look back in the future thinking what if. But a recovery driver doing the hours you currently do in the insurance game would be classed as part-time. It really will be a shock to the system and this is no reflection on you, I did it for a bit years ago, only had an hours kip, tough luck, jobs are coming in, hoping to knock off in the next 10 minutes, tough luck this recovery needs driving 2 hours away, its a very hard way to make a living.

[HarmonicCheeseburger]

Did a good run before coming home, K11 is not missing a beat.  Early days but I think I've won finally. 

[gm]

9 hours ago, DVee8 said:

Look at this heap that has turned up in the works carpark

Now look at the right handside of this wheel

 

considering that @DVee8is employed in the automotive industry and this heap of shit is parked in the works car park suggests that at least one of his co-workers is quite seriously under qualified ! 

[Barry Cade]

@JJ0063 

PM me if you like, I'll tell you straight.. 

[cobblers]

@JJ0063

I do a lot of work with guys who are hgv on call recovery / maintenance lads, they're all on significantly more than 27k(~50% more for PAYE, contractors/self employed are double and triple it) and they're all absolutely fucking sick to death of it. A few fresh lads pretend that they relish "being out on the road" but they soon burn out.

The guys on really good money doing mega hours are especially miserable. They've got all the nice toys - cars, bikes, nice house etc but no time to enjoy any of it. I'm in that situation to an extent - I've just moved to a nice house in the peak district, we've been there two weeks and I've still never seen the garden in daylight.

In your position I'd stick with the existing job and find some other way to earn a few grand a year on top. 

[JJ0063]

Thank you everyone for the wisdom and telling me what I was trying to avoid admitting to myself.

I think although this quite literally the job I’ve wanted to most of my life and having spent a fair amount of money getting the license etc, I’ve got it so cushy at the moment it’s going to be harder to make the leap. 
 

Had a lengthy chat with the mrs and gave her a few scenarios ie. How would she feel if I got a call out at 8am then was at work until 11-12 at night, on the regular etc. 

Shes very supportive and was actually quite upset because she knows I’ve worked towards this stage for a while so was quite pro me trying it but did admit herself that she knows the work life balance I have now is what’s kept me in such a boring job for a decade.

Having slept on it, I’m going to give them a call and withdraw my application. I’d rather that than an awkward phone call of being offered it and having to say no thank you.

Im quite keen on avoiding work like mulitdrop pallet type jobs but I might look into something like the 8 wheel tippers doing aggregate or something like that where it’s still local and more set hours. I live near a couple of quarry’s so might be worth a look.

 

Thanks again everyone 👍

[Split_Pin]

I've had a few neighbours that are Tipper drivers and they were always around when I was around I.e. they seemed to have sociable hours.

[Split_Pin]

Audi dropped off at the garage to have the exhaust sorted out. Hopefully my veritable bric-a-brac of pipes, sleeves, gaskets, bolts and hopes will mean that something can be cobbled together. I even supplied a straight part of a Rover 75 system which I cut down yesterday, as the pipe is a slightly larger diameter than the Audi's so could potentially sleeve over part of it.

 

[juular]

10 hours ago, sdkrc said:

I really regret sacrificing time for money.

You become dependent on the salary and build yourself into a small, mental trap where you think you can't leave.

@JJ0063, if this was the right job you wouldn't be in any doubt about jumping

Personally I think this is really important and overlooked. Some people only figure this out when it's way too late and their life is mostly behind them. Time is invaluable.

[BorniteIdentity]

I'm not sure I ever built myself into a trap, or became dependent on the salary.  One thing I did learn though is - no matter HOW much you earn - you will  spend it.  You just grow into it.  I've been doing this job for 18 years now and earn a decent amount of money (without being either vulgar or vague I am a higher rate tax payer) and I've never felt richer than when I was 20 years old, earning £18k a year.

It sounds like you can't really lose @JJ0063- just make sure you don't die wondering.

[juular]

1 minute ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I'm not sure I ever built myself into a trap, or became dependent on the salary.  One thing I did learn though is - no matter HOW much you earn - you will  spend it.  You just grow into it.  I've been doing this job for 18 years now and earn a decent amount of money (without being either vulgar or vague I am a higher rate tax payer) and I've never felt richer than when I was 20 years old, earning £18k a year.

It sounds like you can't really lose @JJ0063- just make sure you don't die wondering.

I understand this too, with the right mentality and attitude you can live like a king for not very much at all. Much of life is just about perspective. Not that I advocate for a second the absurdly low pay people are struggling with for doing skilled jobs in this country - that needs to change asap. The fact you can work a full time job and still not be able to afford the basic necessities shows how utterly fucked this country is IMO.

I'm probably on half or less what you are, but I'd take a pay cut in return for even more time off if I could. I really, really hate working unless it's for myself or those I know.