Wednesday 29 August 2007

In Days Of Old

Remember when "refuse collectors" were binmen? and real men to boot?
They used to hoik a large metal bin with jagged edges on to their shoulder and march off down your path to the waiting lorry. Then manhandle it into the back shaking and bashing it as they went.
Not anymore!! Now they have plastic bins with wheels that have to be left at the edge of the road so the current pussys can roll them 3 metres to the truck and attach it on the back so the machines do all the work.
Have you noticed that the drivers of these trucks seem incapable of stopping in a position of minimum annoyance? It seems to me that they deliberately stop where they are in the best position to annoy bus drivers. Its not as if the wheelie bins are that hard to move around, why then can't the drivers move the few metres down the road that would allow other vehicles to pass?

On a completely different thread, imagine my delight to hear that the new Scanias might not be coming after all due to the builders going into receivership.
Never have I worked at a firm where the person who has to operate a piece of machinery isn't consulted before its bought.
You would think that someone ...anyone who got in the cab of a Scania, old or new, would have realised that something was not right! Don't get me started on the heater debacle from a few years ago, but whats with the cab layout? I mean, on the newer versions of this diabolical machine there is sooo much room on the right of the driver, but on the left, your elbows bang the door because its so close! On older versions you have to be a midget to drive it because the seat doesn't move back more than a few inches and the steering wheel is immovable too!!
Just for once I wish the powers that be in the company would consult the poor saps who have to spend all day in these buses as to whether they are suitable for the job or not.
I see on the news this morning that apparently the risk of stroke or heart attack increases with the amount of ambient noise. They say that anything over 50 Decibels could be harmful!
Does anyone else think it might be an idea to measure the sound levels on a Scania with plastic screens whilst driving a load of schoolkids about on a Friday afternoon?
50 Decibels!!! More like 150!!!

2 comments:

lee said...

it seems strange that alot of the firms that the company deal with seem to go bust.maybe they should pay the going rate of the stock their buying than haggle for a cheaper price and maybe the firm might get it,s profits it needs to survive.

Jacko! said...

Oooh! I love the older Scania's!