Truck & Driver UK – July 2019

18

UP FRONT

July 2019 Truck & Driver

Contact

Greetings from Oz

I have always thought T&D was

the best, but you and your team

have made it even better, from

the front cover to the back. My

problem is, I keep promising

myself to read a few pages each

day but, once I open T&D, I can’t

put it down so usually finish it in

one day. I have been buying the

mag since its inception in 1984

and still read it cover to cover.

T&D brings back all the

memories of my time on the

road, starting in 1959 when

I drove a builder’s three-ton

Commer tipper. I had a great life

on the road.

I’m retired now and play golf

four times a week; if anyone

had told me 20 years ago that’s

what I would be doing, I would

have said they were crazy, but

here I am in sunny Queensland,

Australia living the dream.

I have lots of stories if there

is any interest in life on the road

before sleeper cabs, radios,

heaters, two mirrors and power

steering. Let me know and I’ll

send you a few.

Colin Pettet

We’re always up for hearing

stories about life on the road. If

you can find the time in among

that busy golf schedule to send

us some, we’d be delighted to

share them – Dougie

The last medical

My HGV/PSV renewal dropped on my doormat a few weeks ago so

I thought I had better get my medical/eye form sorted asap. I called

into my GP surgery and asked for an HGV medical appointment. I

was told there is a waiting list and the cost would be £120.

Next call, Specsavers, where I asked if an optician could fill out a

form for an HGV renewal. They said to leave the form and they

would get in touch when it was done. Sorted! Or so I thought. Next

day I was told by phone that I had to have an eye test, as the last

one was over three months ago. When asked if I had to pay, as I am

over 60 years of age, I was told yes, as it is for an HGV renewal – at

a cost of £24 for the test and £10 to fill in the form. The eye

test was done a couple of days later.

Seven days had passed since I visited the GP, so I called

in once more and was again told there is a waiting list. This

went on for a month! I finally got my appointment and, after

a total of 17 minutes, my wallet was £120 lighter. Most of us

have to work a full day to earn that much money.

I was surprised at how long it took – I finally got sorted at

the start of March. The sting in the tail is that I am retiring at

the end of May 2019 after 44 years of driving trucks, and

vans before that. I’ve done the last 29 years on fuel tankers.

Would I do it all again? Of course I would, I’ve enjoyed

every mile, having driven Karrier Bantams, TK and KM

Bedfords, Seddon Atkinsons, Fodens, a Daf 1900, 2500,

four CFs and the Volvo FM I have at present.

Loyal T&D reader Ray Geach

We hope you enjoy your well-earned retirement, Ray. It’s

certainly not cheap to maintain a licence these days, with

the CPC, digi-card and medicals all having to be paid for.

We recommend that anyone requiring a medical should

check for specialists in their area who can provide HGV

medicals at much cheaper prices – Dougie

Contribution of the month wins a superb 1:76 modern truck

model from Oxford Diecast that retails at around £18.95. See

the full range of models on the website oxforddiecast.co.uk

Greetings from

Greece

I am a loyal reader of your

publication from Greece. I am a

fan of your articles since the

magazine’s previous days, and I

have to say that you have taken

T&D to the next level. Each issue

seems better than the previous

one! My hobby is truck-spotting,

and I get to spot some really

interesting trucks here in Greece.

There are plenty of FH1s, and

164s are still in use, as F12s and

143s are becoming a bit rare

nowadays. Furthermore, there

are many newer good-looking

lorries and they all form a nice

trucking scene in my country.

Would you be interested

in publishing some of my

photographs in your magazine?

I am sure they’ll add that extra

bit of variety to T&D and will also

help to establish a Continental

network for what you do.

Most of my photos are taken on

public roads, although I visit some

truck shows as well. My photo

page is Truck Attack on Facebook

and Instagram – feel free to check

out the quality of my content.

Alex Avramidis

Launching in a few issues’ time is

an exciting new feature focusing

on transport photographers – so,

yes, we’re sure some custom kit

from sunny Greece wouldn’t go

amiss – Dougie

Get in touch! Email us at contact@truck

anddriver.co.uk or keep in touch via our

social media channels

LETTER

OF THE

MONTH

Wins an Oxford die-

cast model truck!

SHUTTERSTOCK