u/YGhostRider666

I've been driving trucks for about 10 years now. Doing supermarket work for the past 6.

This week I start my new contract. I've cut down from 50 hours a week (contracted 50h over 5 days)

To 40 hours a week over 4 days.

I'm only 36 but I don't want to spend 50 hours a week driving trucks anymore.

By going from 5 days a week to 4 I've dropped from 50k to 40k a year, but it's worth it for work life balance imo.

So to answer my own questions. Where do I see myself in 5 years.

Hopefully in a training role or possibly in the office and driving occasional but I don't want driving to be my main role.

So, where do you see yourself in the year 2031

At my job I'm an employee. . Around 20% of the workforce are agency and the rest are full time staff. Most of the agency have been here for years.

Our basic pay is £19.47 an hour but after 6pm we get a £5 per hour premium taking it to £24.47

Everyone gets paid the same regardless of agency or full time drivers.

What I'm curious about is the cost to the company.

Say a full time employee like myself gets £19.47 per hour. The company has to pay my national insurance and holiday pay on top of that £19.47

In this scenario Let's say the agency charge a fee of 20%. Meaning it's costing the company £23.36 an hour BUT they don't have to pay national insurance or holiday for the agency driver.

It doesn't seem like much profit for the agency.

So does anyone know what percentage an agency is likely to change?

I'm 35 and I've never had a serious relationship. I've dated a couple of times but it never worked out.

Growing up my mum and dad were not in a loving relationship. It was more a marriage of convenience

I never once saw them kiss, hold hand or sit together and watch TV.

I never saw them hug or show any affection to each other.

They slept in separate rooms. From waking up to going to sleep I recon they said less than 50 words to each other.

Growing up I always thought that was normal.

I've come to realise at the age of 35 I'll very likely never be in a serious relationship.

Surely I'm not the only one?

​

​

I will try to keep this short.

​

Me and my ex partner were together for 5 years and those 5 years were great. We owned a house together, had a dog and planned to start a family.

​

In March 25 our son was born and everything was fine. In May of that year  my ex had a huge breakdown and I took a week off work to care for her. Medical experts said she had severe post natal depression and wanted her to go to a mother baby unit for help and support, she refused and in that same month she went to live with her mum, talking our son with her.

​

I went back to work and saw my son on weekends  looking after him solo. My ex said she wanted a break from him.

​

In July she took me to child maintenance to pay child support. She never mentioned anything I just got a letter through the post one day.

​

She told child maintenance that she was living else where, which was technically true.

​

I questioned it with her and then things turned bad, very bad. She casually mentioned that I have my son two days a week and I get a "break" the other 5 (even though I'm at work) because of that I have to pay child support as she is looking after him more

​

She has now been  at her mums house from May 25. In that time she got it into her head that I'd been abusing her and she called the police on me out of the blue. The police didn't take any action.

​

She threatened to call my work and tell them I was abusive. I told my boss just incase she did decide to ring up (she never did)

​

In March 26 she decided she wanted her half of the house and we were over! so I had to buy her out.. I got the ball rolling immediately. I had already been approved to take the mortgage over myself.

​

In May 26 she was removed from the mortgage and I've tried to distance myself from her ever since.

​

I still have my son two nights a week and when I have him she constantly text me. How is he? Has he had a nap? Have I changed him? If I don't reply she goes mad and says

​

"When I ask about my son, I expect you to tell me"

​

"if you don't let me know how my son is, you don't see him anymore"

​

This comments made me realise what she is capable off so I applied to court for 50/50 legal custody.

​

She  lives with her mum permanently now and I'm paying her child support.

​

The money she got for her half of the house she has just used to take my son her mum and herself  on holiday for 10 nights. In those 10 nights I've wanted to know daily how he is. How the flight and how he is coping with the heat  but I don't message her and I never do... Because of everything I literally don't want to engage with her.  But I do think about my son all the time.

​

She has had told all her family and friends that I abused her and that's why we broke up but when i have previously asked her about it, she says I know what I've done and she won't give me a straight answer

​

I love my son more than anything and I love spending time with him.  There are just  a few things  bothering me.

​

Mainly my ex has told absolutely everyone that I've been abusing her. All her family, neighbours at our old house (my house now) the health visitor you name them she has told them.

Mud sticks and all that but tbh I don't care who she tells. I know I've not abused her. I did absolutely everything  for her.

​

She even said when our son  grows up she will tell him "what I'm really like",! But also he is going to notice that I keep my distance from his mum and avoid her as much as possible.

​

What the heck do I actually do? I just want what's best for my son but I can't "fake" being nice to his mum. I physically can't.

​

I've recently filed with the courts to have my son 50/50 so that should be heard soon.

​

It's all complete madless . Before baby was born we were happy and fine and great together, since he was born she is a completely different person.

​

​

​

​

​

​

Does it work? Is it maintained?

Or was it an optional extra the company choose not to include?

We have just got a brand new fleet of 26 plate scanias and the AC is ice cold.

It's all good until it needs a re gas that they won't pay for though!

Tomorrow at work will be interesting to who has AC and who doesn't by the trucks windows being up or down

It should he illegal to drive about in 30c+ without AC of you ask me

I'm a bit of a radio nerd and have recently flown to South Africa from the UK (as a passenger)

When flying from the UK I figured the ATC frequency and radar would be London control, Brest centre and Madrid centre going into north Africa.

Once into north Africa I presume ATC coverage would still exist but when flying over the rest of africa it wouldn't? . Is there radar coverage and is VHF used? Or is it mostly HF and reporting your position over the radio until you get towards South africa, which does have radar and VHF

Thanks

I will try to keep this short.

My and my ex broke up when my son was 9 months old. She had a breakdown and I tried to be there for her as much as I could. I took a few weeks off work but she wanted me there all the time which wasn't feasible. In the end she went to live with her mum and the relationship failed. She completely changed as a person after my son was born, but this isn't really what this post is about.

From the age of about 5 months I've been having my son on weekends alone. It was difficult and I had many a sleepless night but I managed.

He is now 14 months and I usually have him 2 nights a week. He is happy and we have a good bond.

The problem Is my ex constantly wants updates.

Have I fed him? What did he have?

Has he has a bath? Has he had a nap have i changed him can send her pictures etc etc.

It's being like this since the very beginning. I've recently had enough of her constantly checking up so I replied and said how she doesn't need to constantly check. He is fine and if there are any issues I will let her know.

The response was immediate "I am his mother and it's my right to know how my son is" "when I ask i expect you to tell me.

And...." If you don't keep me updated then you don't see him, simple "

So I feel that I have no choice but to reply to her multiple messages a day.

It's also worth saying that when she looks after him 5 days a week I never ask how is. I drop him off and just say if there are any issues let me know, apart from that we don't speak.

Have any other dad's out there experienced this?

Ignoring her messages she goes mad.

Saying she doesn't need to message she goes mad and says "it's her right to know"

I just reply. I feel I have to.

It's a situation that is annoying the F out of me.

I was using the a50 yesterday and at the very last roundabout about a mile from the motorway it was closed due to an accident. Traffic was diverting though the local village (which was a 7.5 tonne weight limit).

I went through the village and then back onto the motorway. The non 7.5 tonne route would have meant doing a 180 and travelling back approximately 10 miles and finding a different route. Did I break the law here? Or would the main carriageway being closed have being a good enough reason to use a weight limit?

I currently have my son 3 nights a week and he is with his mum the other 4.

During the 4 nights she has him we rarely communicate.

When I do have him she is constantly messaging me.

Has he had his tea?

Had he had a bath?

When did he last have a bottle?

How did he sleep?

I should give him this, I should take him for a walk etc

At first I told her she doesn't need to ask about him constantly. I said he is safe with me, he is well looked after and there is no need to message (this didn't go down well)

The reply was basically" I am his mother and I have a right to know how my son is"

Now I just reply to her to keep things civil. If I ignore her or say she doesn't need to ask.. She will fly off the handle.

Honestly?

Am I being the bad one here for wanting to ignore her. I have a message drafted up saying I will contact her only if something is wrong. Apart from that he is fine and being looked after. I know if I send it she will fly off the handle and again.

I have a right to know how my son is.

Am I the bad one here?