Recovery Drivers - why no love?

[Fane]

I used to drive a 7.5t Beavertail, in the late eighties and early nineties, as a Student summer job (absolutely great driving all over the country as a 19 year old).

Fast forward a few years, and I've just bought a Transit 350 Single Car Transporter for use in my Van sales / workshop business and I've noticed a couple of things:

Back in the day, us fellow Recovery drivers used to give each other a wave or a flash of the headlights. I tried it the other day, and got a puzzled looks from the other drivers!

Also, I've noticed that I almost never get a flash of the lights from lorry drivers to pull in to lane 1 from lane 2. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I get flashed in even more when I'm towing a trailer behind my 4x4.

Is it just Corporate Britain meaning that drivers are no longer allowed to be friendly, or are recovery drivers no longer seen as knights of the road, more like "Scrap Cars wanted for cash" blokes?

[rb5er]

Driving a mixer lorry they always wave at eachother, I thought it was quite odd at first.

Also when driving the impreza I get constant waves from other impreza drivers.

I must get more waves than most people out on the road.

[sherman]

Maybe you just look a bit rapey when you do it?

[Humper]

I sometimes get flashed by other hiab drivers, but to be fair, it's guys i know

[iguana]

A transit is a van, truckers don't like vans. Even 7.5ts are pretty derided by many artic & hgv drivers as just being heavier vans.

Unless you have big trailer on you don't really need flashing in with that length & with speed diferences you are past quickly.

[rb5er]

iguana said:

Unless you have big trailer on you don't really need flashing in with that length & with speed diferences you are past quickly.

Thats not what he is talking about.

[bigwheel]

Humper said:

I sometimes get flashed by other hiab drivers, but to be fair, it's guys i know

Galt...

[s p a c e m a n]

I always flash recca drivers, but thats because I work with too many of them and it gives me an excuse to use the flashy beacons.

Fane said:

more like "Scrap Cars wanted for cash" blokes?

I think this may be the problem with an unmarked tranny

[iguana]

rb5er said:

iguana said:

Unless you have big trailer on you don't really need flashing in with that length & with speed diferences you are past quickly.

Thats not what he is talking about.

Really? silly me, oh hang on whats this.......

Fane said:

Also, I've noticed that I almost never get a flash of the lights from lorry drivers to pull in to lane 1 from lane 2. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I get flashed in even more when I'm towing a trailer behind my 4x4.

Gosh don't I feel daft now.

[Humper]

bigwheel said:

Galt...

Nah, Plantfinder, Barr, MGM, Hendersons, dont know anyone with Galt

[orangeknight]

Fane said:

I've just bought a Transit 350 Single Car Transporter for use in my Van sales / workshop business

Im a recovery driver and don't routinely flash/wave at every recovery truck i see. To be honest, I wouldn't flash you to move from lane 2 to 1 in a transit - its not that long! I don't routinely flash 7.5t either.

[chilistrucker]

have to be honest, i rarely flash a single van in.
but anything pulling a decent sized trailer/caravan i'll normally give a flash, be that a transit, car, 4x4 etc.
exception, would be a tipper transit, pulling an extra long caravan b g suz

[Humper]

I've occaisionally been flashed in in my van. I think they're taking the piss though. It's a Hijet...

[surveyor]

Scariest ever passenger ride for me was in a recovery truck. Relayed by AA I had to change lorries at Trowell Services.

The recovery truck had a flat battery. To help charge it up the driver turned the lights off on an unlit part of the M1 (it was quiet). Happy I was not.

He then drove using the cut-out as cruise control. Not very relaxing and a far cry from the earlier AA driver.

[rb5er]

iguana said:

Fane said:

Also, I've noticed that I almost never get a flash of the lights from lorry drivers to pull in to lane 1 from lane 2. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I get flashed in even more when I'm towing a trailer behind my 4x4.

Gosh don't I feel daft now.

Was that there the whole time and definately not an edit? Not sure how I missed it, oh well carry on.

[Flanders.]

Its just you OP. I get loads of truckers flashing me in when I'm driving my Lwb Sprinter .

[Chrisgr31]

No love? You've got your own TV programme on Channel 5, Thursdays at 9pm!

[Brite spark]

Fane said:

I've just bought a Transit 350 Single Car Transporter for use in my Van sales / workshop

Off topic, is that going to be enough of a max weight with a transit for what you want it for?

[GC8]

iguana said:

A transit is a van, truckers don't like vans. Even 7.5ts are pretty derided by many artic & hgv drivers as just being heavier vans.

Unless you have big trailer on you don't really need flashing in with that length & with speed diferences you are past quickly.

I am guilty of that - describing anything < vocational licence as a 'van'.

The whole flashing thing puzzles me too and I dont think its related. When Ive asked about it in the past the concensus appears to be that the influx of ignorant foreign drivers has put paid to it.

[s p a c e m a n]

See, I never used to flash in 7.5t but now that they have limiters fitted I do. Maybe I try to make limiter fwiends