“Surely it would be desirable for motorists to undergo a driving test each year or two!”
Dear Lyndal ….. responding to Westy’s beaut letter ‘The Good The Bad The ugly” I have to back his statements about encouraging truck drivers uniting in a logical way regarding their working conditions. Those thoughts lead Westy to his comments regarding the Transport Workers Union. I would like to add to those comments.
Due to a death within our family, I was placed in a situation of meeting some TWU officials who treated us with sensitivity and respect at a very stressful time. I was impressed with the calibre of these men and it was obvious to me of their sincerity and integrity in regard to their concern for the welfare, conditions and safe practices of the heavy vehicle drivers. Westy said once before that the TWU might have its imperfections, but it is only this organization which stands for the truck driver.
It seems an excellent idea to me for truck drivers to unite logically and respectfully and work with an organization with its sights set on ‘Chain of Responsibility’ and ‘Duty of care’ laws, which must work toward safer conditions within the Transport Industry. Also echoing Westy’s words…”this isn’t a paid advertisement!’ No one is more surprised than me that I should be heaping praises onto the TWU!
Also Westy’s support toward Lyndal pleases me because here we are confronted with a lady who has made a courageous stand which is causing all of us to look at our own attitudes and actions toward others and challenging us with painful self improvements. Coast to Coast 100 is a valuable site which is slowly but surely blending the gap between drivers of all sorts of vehicles.
Rhonda and Richie’s comments are right that all motorists should be accountable - I have just had my licence renewed - a gold one for five years! Now this is a long time! Surely it would be desirable for the motor vehicle driver to undergo a driving ability check each year or two!
I would be happy to participate in such a scheme. Rhonda’s thoughts on driver reward system was good also. I am looking forward to more of Richie’s input from his knowledge and experience.
An afterthought…Lyndal, do you suppose that it is possible that Westy may have quite a collection of more lost Teddies hidden away???
Irene Baldwin
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I would love to see Lyndal, Westy and Chris do another report on Today Tonight together - yes - you read that right! This time though, demand that you three are to sign off on the final cut. If the general public could see this site for what it really is and not the trash Today Tonight have been showing, I think it would go a long way to help. I’m a firm believer that the media and advertising moguls of this country are responsible for a lot of the fear people feel when approaching or being followed by trucks. We need to break through that fear before we can educate. Then perphaps we could get the TWU to get together the above mentioned three to do some safe driving advertising.
Regards
Rhonda
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Irene thank you for your acknowledgement towards what I have said and yes there is more that I would like to come across with and hopefully when I get a better chance to bring out some what I consider very strong views and hopefully the general idea would be towards a far better way of teaching and showing our future drivers whether they be car bike truck and someone will sit up and notice and as time goes on i am getting more passionate about this and where is there a better place but here on this site to be able to say this and with Lyndals and Westys help maybe we can achieve something. Time will tell amd I have plenty of that on my side.
Richie
July 4th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Hi Rhonda ….. one day I would like to introduce you to a group of “truckes” I have been “hanging” around with for almost 12 months now.
The first of this fabulous three is female truck driver - Heather Jones from Western Australia. The fact that she is a “truckie” is only scratching at the tip of the iceberg in relation to this amazing woman. Heather also owns her own trucking company with a fleet of 22 trucks, has been the WA Transport Woman of the year 06/07, is a motivational speaker, a staunch advocate for her industry - in particular working conditions of truckies whom she refers to as professional drivers and a great friend.
Next we have Westy whom we have all come to know and “love” (most of the time!) Westy has 30 plus years of heavy vehicle driving experience, is also a company owner, talented writer and a staunch road safety advocate and defender of his industry. Wesy - in particular has contributed an enormous amount of his time and support to COASTTOCOAST100 helping to -sometimes diplomatically/other times not - work toward developing a greater understanding between all road users.
Rod Hannifey - is well known in the transport sector, a company driver and quiet achiever who over many years has improved working conditions for his colleagues and continues to do so. Rod has a weekly metropolitian radio road safety segment, his own website and is currently in the early stages of rolling out his own heavy vehicle road safety education program.
Add to this mix of passionate, experienced truck drivers people like Chris, Indy, Ian plus Damien and David - Police and Ambulance personnel and the 1000’s of other contributors like John May, Rhonda and Richie over the past 12 months and we have at our disposal a wealth of information and experience that has helped us move forward in a constructive, positive way in our quest to make Australian roads safer.
In defence of Today Tonight, they have done some fantastic work with Heather as she tries to highlight the poor working conditions many truckies work under and really - I think there should always be a place to expose dangerous driving practices in the media - as long as the reports are fair and balanced.
The transport sector does have a shocking image which is very disheartening given the vital role it plays in the nations economy. We all have a lot of work to do to improve the many issues interwoven into this complex industry. We’ll focus on road safety and leave the rest to my colleagues although I have made it quite clear that COASTTOCOAST100 are happy to assist in any way we can.
Kind regards Lyndal
July 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I agree with you Rhonda, but there is one thing that I need to consider. Lyndal knows my concerns but to voice them more publicly I think would help others to understand why I’m not busting to get in front of a TV camera. Put simply I need plastic surgery!! Liposuction, a face lift, botox, etc.
Now to the real reason. I don’t stand up in front of a TV camera because I would be representing the company with which that I drive for. If I were say something that breached the company, or brought my company into disrepute, then it’s not going to do them any favours for branching out and finding new freight. I’m not infallible so I take a safe approach, and put everything I need to say in writing, on here. And thanks to Lyndal -who has stood by me so to speak - by not editing anything that I write about sees to it that my voice is heard. Lyndal and others may not agree with what it is that I say 100% of the time, but it’s everything that I HAVE said, and it’s also listed as a response to a specific letter.
And our lovely Irene. I tip my hat in agreeance.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
AWh come on Chris! We’re all beautiful in our own way. Maybe if you wear stubbie shorts and your blue tank top and don’t forget the gravy stain from the pie you were eating while talking on the two-way and the phone - you know truckies uniform - or are you all more civilised in the east? No seriously it is hard to get your voice heard but that is what makes this site so good. Safe Travelling
Rhonda
July 12th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Have you been following me Rhonda?? That’s a pretty spot on image of what I look like!! I try not to wear singlets though, as my arms would require the poor victims that see to wear welding masks with automatic dimmers!!! hahaha
By the way I have found Westy’s teddy bear!! I have it here and will take some photos of it to send in!!
July 13th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Just a quick reply to a few points, and that will have to do you all for the week, it’s that morning again already and seems like three days at home achieved nothing.
Irene, one of the strange things in life is that you swear off a certain individual, product or maybe an organisation for life because of events that may offend or even just displease you, and next thing you know circumstances change and you are forced to review your attitude because they may have changed their view or recipe, whatever, and you are now in total agreeance. Thus it has been for me with the TWU.
I don’t know of too many people who have more run ins with unions than I have over the years, even to the point of having to leave a job because of resigning from the union, (maybe it had something to do with where I offered to place my badge for the delegate, diplomatically, of course). Also as an O/D, and non union member at the time, I have often offered to unload my truck, in the middle of the street if necessary, because non members are not allowed on site and I wasn’t prepared to ‘grace the donation tin’, or the hand that held it.
Comes the time though, when working in a yard under a TWU EBA which was due for renewal, and because of the company’s insistance that they appoint the union delegate to handle negotiations, I find myself standing and elected by the members, much to the displeasure of the said company.
Since then I have remained in an amicable relationship with the union, until becoming a small fleet owner, when I decided that I should not be in the same union as my employees and so joined an association.
I now find myself rejoining the union so as to support the campaign by them to vastly improve the lot of Owner Drivers and Sub Contractors alike. It is my view that this campaign can only lead to improved safety in this industry as in road safety.
I certainly hope a lot of drivers will see the benefits as well and put their past experiences aside and move forward.
As for the site, Irene, I have to say, in the last month or two, we seem to have attracted some new blood, so to speak, and some of the ideas, and some of the people are proving very interesting.
There was mention of a get together with the regulars on the site, but, as I already mentioned, I think it would be great if we could get a heap of these people together for a day or two and put some stuff together to work towards submissions to the appropriate people.
One of the problems we face with the ‘meejah’ is that they are not in the business of feel good stories. There are no ratings in the number of accidents that didn’t happen, it’s the same as politicians taking notice of us, you can’t count the lives you save, only the ones you don’t and so accolades are hard to come by and they thrive on them.
If we could collate the suggestions from all these people, Rhonda, Richie, Chris, all the Daves, even get Indy involved a bit more, as well as the ones I can’t think of on a Sunday morning, combined with the passion behind these people, I firmly believe we would get noticed. You have to remember, too, the squeeky wheel gets the oil, so first you have to be noticed. We certainly have the right spokesperson for that, and she scrubs up a bit of alright on camera, I don’t mind telling you, but she has a way of getting heard.
( Don’t let this go any further, Irene, but I’m only being a little bit nice to my little sweetcheeks up there so as to keep her attention away from a planned coupe. After all who would possibly take us seriously with a woman leading us, and not a bad sort at that. It doesnt fit the ‘truckie’ image. By the way teddy’s in good hands and will be ready for the pivotal role he will play in the takeover).
Speaking of on camera, as a follow up to the protest convoy I was approached and agreed to an interview on the Seven Thirty Report, on the ABC, and this will be aired sometime later this week or early next week. It will be interesting to compare the end result with that of the commercial channels.
Chris, check it out if you can, you too could be made to look this good with the skills available, they can even remove gravy stains. By the way, I can only pick out one red Aerodyne that I see up here from time to time, do pull flat tops or taughtliners?
Time has escaped again.
Cheers
Westy
July 13th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Dear Chris,
I was right! I just knew that Westy had his very own personal teddy bear
there is no need for him to feel sensitive about it!
Irene Baldwin
July 18th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Westy, you’re absolutely right about the union. I too suffer from that ‘bad taste in the mouth experience’ and maybe one day that will change, either by choice or otherwise.
I pull tautliners by the way, as I’m allergic to tarps. Not that I haven’t tarped, just a happy tarp is a flappy tarp!! hahahaha
I will be delivering at Warnervale on Monday 21st, July and hopefully Lyndal can send you an sms or something, just in case you’re ‘in town’ at that time. Then after I’m finished at a well known distribution centre, I’m hoping to be loading out of a particular roof tile manufacturer at Wyee and head for home.