April Fool’s Day
I am a fool.
It’s April 2025, and I’m still working for the man! I became a truck driver because I had a romantic notion of driving for motor racing teams across Europe. Life on the open road seemed like the perfect way to ease into retirement.
How wrong I was.
The reality of HGV driving in the UK is a far cry from what I had in mind. The traffic is horrendous, car drivers are careless, and most transport managers and back-office staff are, at best, naïve, and at worst, downright spiteful. Most days, we’re kept waiting for hours on end, queuing to deliver our goods. Dozens of trucks, all lined up. Little interaction between drivers. We’re sealed in our metal boxes, bored, isolated, and alone.
Lately, I’ve had to fight just to keep my job. I’m awaiting surgery for a hip replacement, and apparently, that calls my “capability” into question. Can I still be an effective driver if I’m no longer doing nights out in the lorry? The answer is yes, of course I can. It just takes proper planning to make sure I’m home every day. But that seems to be an issue. Not just for the planners, but for some of my so-called colleagues too. There’s a noticeable lack of empathy. You might even say they’re jealous, in some twisted way.
Let me explain.
The company pays full sick pay for up to three months in any rolling calendar year. That’s a valuable benefit, especially if you’re genuinely ill or awaiting surgery. A few of us have had to make use of it. But that doesn’t seem to sit well with certain people. They act like we’re gaming the system. I even had to take the company to an employment tribunal to argue my case. Thankfully, they backed down at the eleventh hour, and we didn’t end up in court. Still, it left a bitter taste.
I carry a constant, low-level fear with me these days. Fear for my safety on the roads, thanks to other drivers and their unpredictable habits. Fear for my long-term health, the endless sitting, the stress, the fifteen-hour days, five days a week. I feel trapped.
So, what am I to do?
Clearly, I need to change tack again. I’ve got three real passions in life: writing, photography, and travel. I need to pour my energy into them and figure out how to make a living from it. I’ve got a motorsport newsletter, though it’s a bit sporadic. If I applied myself properly, I know I could make it work. The trouble is, everything seems to revolve around video now, and that’s not my thing. Writing and photography, though… that’s where I come alive.
The writing’s the easiest part. The real problem is time. How do I carve out enough of it to write consistently and actually make something of it? Maybe I can use the time off after my surgery to focus, to give the blog and newsletter the love they need. Make it count. Maybe I’ll find a way to make it pay.
For now, I’m on holiday. It’s a relief to sit down and write something that feels meaningful, even if it’s just for a small audience. I’ll figure the rest out.
Maybe I am a fool.
Until next time, adieu.