Hello sweethearts!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love how dedicated and responsive my fan base is. I know a lot of people say this, and most of them are talking out of a certain place, but I mean it. The posts where I ask you something and get tonnes of interesting answers right away are by far my favourite, which is why I try to do them as often as possible. (That, and the blogging manual said to do them if you want to get famous! Just kidding...)
Where is all this leading? Well, remember how last week I asked all of you for advice on how to keep safe doing owner driver jobs? Well, you lot predictably came through! I got so many good tips and tricks, it was extra-hard to choose which ones to publish. I just wanted to put in all of them! Even the jokers that always pop up in these sorts of survey things must have been on holiday this time. Ninety-nine percent of the answers I got were not only serious, but very sensible as well – I could see how people who have owner driver jobs could put them into practice in ‘real life’, and how they could help them!
But enough prattling on about how wonderful you all are – I would rather just prove it! Without further to-do, here are my favourite reader tips on how to keep safe doing owner driver jobs.
“My brother and I have owner driver jobs in a ‘rough’ area, so we’ve taken to carrying a crowbar around, just hidden under our seat. We can use it for other things as well, such as opening boxes, so it doesn’t strictly count as a weapon – it’s not like we’re using a cricket bat or something like that! Besides, we’d only ever use it in a case of extreme need, and then I guess it would count as self-defence. So yeah – crowbar under the front seat. We haven’t had the need to use it so far, but if we ever come into a bit of trouble, we’ll be ready! – Jim, East London.”
Don’t worry – they are not all this violent!
“One very simple tip to people who have owner driver jobs is this: always take as much as you can with you when you leave the vehicle. I understand this is difficult if you’re carrying, say, furniture, or some big item like that, but if it’s things you can take with you without a lot of hassle, DO IT. That way, when the thieves come to take your things, they’re not there! Of course, there’s always the small problem of them stealing your van instead, but hey – there’s very little you can do if THAT happens! – Nate, Liverpool”
“Three words – get a dog. Preferably one that looks scary. My Charlie is a sweet soul, but he’s a Staffie and people always think he’s a pit-bull. I take him on all my owner driver jobs, and I’ve noticed once or twice he’s made the dodgy-looking punks keep their distance! – Ken, Belfast”
“I have an offbeat one for you – take a kid on your owner driver jobs! From experience (well, not really) they will question the nickers until they make them quit! My girlfriend’s kid is like that – he’s six, and if he saw a burglar trying to take my stuff, he would probably go ‘who are you?’, ‘what are you doing?’, ‘why are you touching Dan’s stuff?’, ‘are you a thief?’ - and so on and so forth. I mean, he does that for everything else! So yeah, take an annoying curious kid with you and you’re sure not to have any problems! – Dan, Salford”
I would not recommend doing that last one but the others seem logical to me!
Thank you all again, my darlings. Speak again next week – until then, take care!
Ta-ra!
Gertie
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