bird's eye view by the hawk Commercial Motortakes road haulage
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very seriously. However, once a week our quirky correspondent. the Hawk. steps off his perch to take a humorous look at the industry to keep us all sane. If you have any off-beat yarns that illustrate the stranger, or sillier, side of the business, he'd like to hear from you. As a softhearted old bird, he's also happy to publicise charitable works— and is always interested in events for the vintage vehicles he drove as a fledgling. Drop the Hawk a line at Commercial Motor, Bird's Eye View, Rm H203, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, or fax him on 0181 652 8969. Eies it's product placement gone crazy! Actually there is a reason that all these Eddie Stobart drivers are clutching fistfuls of Mars bars. According to a recent survey, Yorkie bars have been tipped off their top position as the number one truckers' snack, in favour of the veteran Mars bar. These choc findings were revealed in a survey carried out by the driver recruitment agency People Direct as part of a national Drive of Your Life Campaign to recruit Loco new job-seekers as lorry drivers. Stobart's drivers claim: "It contains everything we need to keep us going for long periods of time."
In a tight corner
al has to be faced, some towns and streets are never going to be compatible with articulated lorries. Take the case of 62-year-old Lilly Maher from 1?oscrea, Co Tipperary Lilly's terraced house has been hit by lorries 22 times in 12 years. She has been left with a .15.000 repair bill and is in constant fear that she will be struck again. Now on sleeping tablets, she sleeps downstairs because she is afraid the walls might cave in.
The lorries, which are delivering goods to the back entrance of the high-street shops, regularly collide with the house because their access is just too restricted Also there is the fear that local children who play in the street, including Lilly's grandchildren, are at risk. Local residents have now joined together to campaign to have the street designated one-way, so the trucks can safely negotiate the turn. The local council did erect bollards to protect the houses, but these have been knocked down five times.
Certainly something has to be done; even a passionate truck lover such as the Hawk would draw the line at waking up to find one beside him in bed in the morning'
Putting the Denver Boot in!
Dince first being introduced to the Emerald Isle, Dublin's car dampers have not had an easy ride. Well now they are getting it in the neck from a quarter that should be seen as their natural ally; the Garda.
John Healy, the Garda representative association president, has dubbed the dampers "merciless robots" who show no discretion in hardship cases. He says that unless they change their navy uniform, which is very similar to the Ganda uniform, his members will consider
withdrawing their co-operation with the dampers. Jason Ballard, the director of Control Plus, which employs the dampers, confessed he was surprised by Mr Healy's comments. Of the uniform, he says it is standard issue and the similarity to the Garda uniform is "purely coincidental". Mr Healy, however, insisted that the Garda were fed up taking the blame for the actions of over-zealous, unfeeling dampers. Obviously winning friends and influencing people isn't top of the dampers' list.
Fast food
Ei ou have to admit that five-times European Truck Racing Champion Steve Parrish looks rather fetching in this combination of racing togs and chef's hat. In preparation for his appearance on BBC l's Celebrity Ready Steady Cook. Steve was getting in gear by familiarising himself with the feel of a frying pan. Of course he is more used to handling his 1,300hp Supertruck which he races for the Atkins/Mobil Mercedes team.