Nighting Out

[944 Man]

I have the opportunity and the money makes it difficult to turn down. I would be interested to hear peoples' experiences and, in particular, their advice (with regards to sheets, pillows, duvets, water, hygiene, hot water, food, tea & coffee; murdering prostitutes etc.

I will have a bed, I presume a night heater, a fridge and a microwave. I also have a 24v coffee maker which I bought as a novelty but haven't ever used.

Other than that, and despite being a very experienced specialist driver, I do not have a clue.

[One Amp Andy]

Sleep wise, take a sheet to put on your bunk, maybe a nice mattress topper (they make a hell of a difference on, usually, well worn sleepers), and take a decent single duvet, some good pillows, and make use of your private boudoir with some suitably childish coverings.

Water:
25l water carrier, with a tap ont' end.
Can refill smaller stuff for in the cab, but are awesome for early morning face/body washes dribbling out of the tap. Bung it in in the passenger side locker.

Food:
i) Fridge:
Might not have one. BUT, if there isn't one in the truck, buy a decent Dometic. They work well for years, and can also be used for motorsport events.

ii)Cooking:
Gas hob effort. Cheese and bacon omeletes FTW. Easy, nice, and don't stink your cab out for the rest of the day. Keep your windows open a bit afterwards.Infact, keep your nearest window to your head end open a little all night, other wise headaches from the night heater. Steak is good, but can stink out the cab for days.

iii) Piss bottle:
Not so bad if you can chuck your junk out of the passenger door at 3 am in a layby. But, if you're allowed to stay on site anywhere, they won't take kindly to flinging your door open and pissing on their yard.
So, Lenor bottle(or similar) that you can fit your knob in it ( hopefully) wake up, wee, top back on, back to sleep, and down a drain or toilet the morning after. Rinse out after use using aforementioned 25l water carrier. Or at home.

iv) Washing up bowl:
Obviously good for washing you eating implements etc, but also for a nice warm wash in the morning/ before bed. Boil water in kettle over hob, shut curtains, body wash, lovely.

Busy at the mo, but I'm sure people will add more

Edited to add: When you're away, small things mean alot, and make it a great deal more comfortable. Sometimes I saw it as posh camping

Edited by One Amp Andy on Wednesday 14th September 20:30

[944 Man]

Appreciated. Fridge and microwave: both as yet unseen.

[One Amp Andy]

Who is it you'd be working for? Message me if you want, I'll tell you if they have any decent tackle, I work with a lot of them, as I own a haulage firm.
Any other info you want, just ask.

[Macneil]

Why would you want to? Night out money will never cover the cost of your food even if you do want to cook st food in your cab and piss in a bottle. I did it for years because I thought at the time it was good money. No social life, no family life, by the end of the week you're exhausted, you stink, your family don't know you.

[normalbloke]

The money would have to be exceptional. Otherwise just not worth it. I couldn’t imagine a more miserable existence for the money.

[944 Man]

One Amp Andy said:

Who is it you'd be working for? Message me if you want, I'll tell you if they have any decent tackle, I work with a lot of them, as I own a haulage firm.
Any other info you want, just ask.

Thanks Andy. It is a small firm in South Yorkshire: orange discs and to say that I will be using my acquired rights and not my vocational licence, I believe that the money is exceptional.

[One Amp Andy]

944 Man said:

One Amp Andy said:

Who is it you'd be working for? Message me if you want, I'll tell you if they have any decent tackle, I work with a lot of them, as I own a haulage firm.
Any other info you want, just ask.

Thanks Andy. It is a small firm in South Yorkshire: orange discs and to say that I will be using my acquired rights and not my vocational licence, I believe that the money is exceptional.

I know who you mean. Go for it. If you find it's not for you, go somewhere else! But they are decent.

[One Amp Andy]

normalbloke said:

The money would have to be exceptional. Otherwise just not worth it. I couldn’t imagine a more miserable existence for the money.

It's not as bad as it sounds. You can have quite a comfortable week or two away, easily. Preparation is key, and our 944/man doesn't come across as thick as two short planks. It's the absolute idiots who struggle.

[944 Man]

Thank you for your kind words. I bet that you wouldn't have guessed that I was a tarmac tipper driver, would you?

[One Amp Andy]

944 Man said:

Thank you for your kind words. I bet that you wouldn't have guessed that I was a tarmac tipper driver, would you?

Never in a million years, sir.

[Venisonpie]

As a young class 1 driver back in the 90's I loved being away all week. I saw it as a huge adventure and would happily take on routes that other older guys would moan about (understandably).

Not done it for 26 years but my thoughts. I never cooked in the cab, fridges and microwaves weren't really in cabs back then (Volvo FH12, N502LDX).
So, it was sarnies to start the week in a cool box and then using services. My firm would pay for parking and back then the 10 quid you paid would include a meal voucher so you got a free dinner, usually a BK or whatever. You then kept the 25 quid subsistence allowance.

I worked for a flour Miller and so many customers were bakeries and as such there were plenty of freebie treats along the way. Ablutions were awful and I'd try and time my cr@ps with decent customer sites and wasn't one for pissing in a bottle. I'd get up and go.

I slept in a sleeping bag laid on a quilt and agree to keeping a window open. If you're going to be in the same truck I'd recommend getting some thicker curtains made up.

If someone offered the right money with decent arranged facilities I'd do it again in semi retirement (coming soonish) but not parking in a crime spot and finding the curtains shredded in the morning surrounded by piss.

Good luck, it can be enjoyable.

[Glenn63]

I did it for a couple years with Ainscough on the cranes. It fully depends what the company pays (or doesn’t) pay for. 50% of our time we would be in one of our yards so access to toilets showers canteen, 30% services which company paid for parking including a meal voucher so get £9 to spend on food drink etc, 20% lay-bys or on sites. If you have to pay for your own parking and food you’ll spend all if not more of your night out allowance so not worth it.

As above I always kept a large supply of water just in case. Long lasting foods cereals, canned stuff, some ready meals etc as we did several weeks at a time. And always a spare piss bottle, nothing worse than forgetting and having to get dressed and walk cross the services for the toilet in the middle of the night/ rain.

With the bed probably a topper, sheet, duvets, pillow just like home. I’m guessing the firm is a ‘normal’ firm so Monday to Friday tramping? If so don’t need to much stuff and can take home at weekend to wash etc. we got our laundry paid for but still had to find local laundrettes wherever we where.

Probably an iPad or something to watch films/ read on as it can be boring/ lonely at times.

I didn’t mind it and you do get ‘cab happy’ with your own area and everything where you want it especially when doing it long term. Would I do it again? Probably not unless it’s had to or the money was very good.

[944 Man]

Thanks. Would you recommend regular single mattress sized fitted sheets?

I am trying to make plans but I won’t see the vehicle until Tuesday so until then, the fridge, microwave and mattress are unknown commodities.

My biggest concern is size, because I’m a big man (mostly tall ) and it is an Atego cab. I ran my own 2628 for a while but it had a day cab. I have had vehicles with sleeper cabs before, but I haven’t ever considered the bed with a view to living in it.

It is own account work. R&C agreed subsistence rate plus a £20 top up. Regular re-loads at base where there are decent kitchen and showering facilities, so lay-bys for sleeping.

[r3g]

944 Man said:

Thanks. Would you recommend regular single mattress sized fitted sheets?

I am trying to make plans but I won’t see the vehicle until Tuesday so until then, the fridge, microwave and mattress are unknown commodities.

My biggest concern is size, because I’m a big man (mostly tall ) and it is an Atego cab. I ran my own 2628 for a while but it had a day cab. I have had vehicles with sleeper cabs before, but I haven’t ever considered the bed with a view to living in it.

It is own account work. R&C agreed subsistence rate plus a £20 top up. Regular re-loads at base where there are decent kitchen and showering facilities, so lay-bys for sleeping.

Heh! Good luck finding a space in lay-by after 2pm. Half of them have been closed/filled in. Also get used to waking up with your diesel tanks empty, your curtains in shreds (if the body is that) and various bits missing off your truck, such as rear light clusters. Oh and the police will give you a FPN in the middle of the night if you don't leave your lights on.

Atego cab bunk is for emergencies, not regular use. It's tiny and the net storage from above hangs in your face. Night heaters in the Merc's only stay on for 2 hours iirc before switching off and leaving you freezing your bks off.

If he's paying you the government rate + £20 then just tell him to book a Travelodge as there's only a couple of quid in it if you book in advance.

[r3g]

Glenn63 said:

I did it for a couple years with Ainscough on the cranes. It fully depends what the company pays (or doesn’t) pay for. 50% of our time we would be in one of our yards so access to toilets showers canteen, 30% services which company paid for parking including a meal voucher so get £9 to spend on food drink etc, 20% lay-bys or on sites. If you have to pay for your own parking and food you’ll spend all if not more of your night out allowance so not worth it.

As above I always kept a large supply of water just in case. Long lasting foods cereals, canned stuff, some ready meals etc as we did several weeks at a time. And always a spare piss bottle, nothing worse than forgetting and having to get dressed and walk cross the services for the toilet in the middle of the night/ rain.

With the bed probably a topper, sheet, duvets, pillow just like home. I’m guessing the firm is a ‘normal’ firm so Monday to Friday tramping? If so don’t need to much stuff and can take home at weekend to wash etc. we got our laundry paid for but still had to find local laundrettes wherever we where.

Probably an iPad or something to watch films/ read on as it can be boring/ lonely at times.

I didn’t mind it and you do get ‘cab happy’ with your own area and everything where you want it especially when doing it long term. Would I do it again? Probably not unless it’s had to or the money was very good.

He won't have space for anything more than his sandwich box in an Atego cab.

[Glenn63]

Tbf we had top line scanias that had fridge/freezer, microwave, coffee machine and tv built in. Two bunks used top for storing stuff and bottom one you could slide seats forward and extend the bed another foot or so I had plenty of room. And you could stand up in it which makes a big difference when getting dressed/ moving about etc.

[fttm]

3 nights out of 8 usually in my semi , Volvo VNR , been doing this job 15 yrs so used to it . Bed roll unfolded is sleeping bag over mattress then fitted sheet duvet and pillows. Fridge freezer but I don’t use it , have a plug in cooler by my seat for cold drinks and lunches, evenings I make sure to leave the truck and go out for a decent meal . $31.50 per night from company then $57.50 tax allowance per night claimed at year end .Atego ? Night heater , but also an electric APU which runs off a separate set of batteries, set the thermostat and it’ll keep that temperature all night hot or cold .

[graham22]

I've been doing nights out for a couple of years, no previous experience but used to camping/roughing it when racing. Away for 6 days at a time.

Food wise, I take 4 meals, if I get home I the week that's one I don't need, otherwise buy something towards the end of the week. I'll have one cold meal (potato & egg mayo), some more boiled potatoes to warm up in a microwave plus a jacket potato and some microwave chips and a mix of microwaveable food or baked beans. To me it's simple sustenance but I can always buy something.

I've got cereal, tea bags and squash in the cab and take sandwiches, fruit, cakes, choc bars and crisps for 'packed lunch'.

10litre water container with tap, sits under passenger seat, wash with flannel and towel, can find somewhere to shower most days. Winter time boil a little extra water when making my morning cuppa to wash - have a collapsible bowl for washing. Never used a pee bottle!

Double sleeping bag and a couple of pillows plus a throw covering it to keep it tidy and to be used if cold.

Mix of lay-bys, industrial estates and customers premises to park, occasionally truck stops if parking late/starting late.

With a fridge/freezer, microwave, 240v inverter, travel kettle, TV and plenty of mobile data it's no different to a £50k campervan.

pm if you want any further advice.

[944 Man]

Thanks. Only using the vehicle for days at the moment. The microwave and fridge both appear to be useful, but I think that most nights, when I do it, will be spent at base in a dorm room with kitchen and showers. Which, for +£46 a night is pretty easy.