Observations from the night shift
Last week, as part of my semi-retirement, (That means that i will take anything that pays) I was driving an eighteen wheeler down the four nothing one for three trips from Ajax to Ottawa. Loblaws has decided, as part of a restructuring, the Ottawa National Gocers warehouse is to be reduced and the City of Ottawa will be reprovisioned from Ajex. Consequently convoys leave every night for a twelve to fourteen hour shift. I have been working that shift. It may have showed in less posts and probably less thoughtfulness in those posts.
So what are the impressions:
So what are the impressions:
- MacDonalds has two things going for it - a well designed top for the coffee cup that contains "Keep-me-awake" coffee and the biggest bargain of all $1.39 sandwiches. Sausage mcmuffins one day and bacon cheesburger the next.
- Queen's Park stupidity - fancy shutting down 75% of the service stations on the 401 at the same time. Total insanity reigns and if the good citizens of South Cobourg object to people peeing in the Bay St bushes wait until we hear accounts of desperate peolpe urinating on the shoulders of the 401. Signs indicating gaps of 150 kms between service stations are signs designed to agitate any full bladder.
- The lack of traffic on the road since the recession started.
8 comments:
The McDonald's cup from item 1 should solve the problem from item 2.
It's hard to believe that Loblaws is moving in the opposite direction of common sense by deciding their groceries have to travel so far. Can it really be cheaper this way? What happens in winter when the weather makes these trips impossible?
Finally, what about buying local, I thought that was the wave of the future. Is nobody making bread, canning vegetables, around Ottawa? Surely they all can't be civil servants.
Just wondering.
Speaking of traffic being down, I have observed the same around our beloved and usually very crowded Dollarama store in Cobourg. It has become easy to find parking now. If people can't afford the dollar store, we really are in trouble. Quick, somebody tell Harper.
One bonus that is coming that will hopefully help some drivers between that 150km gap is that Tim Hortons is opening up right off the highway at exit 497 in Colborne. Not sure on the opening date, but Roof/Brick/Windows are all done..
Only thing is hopefully the Ultramar next to it, will be open 24hrs once Tim's opens up!
Sorry Chad won't work for the truckers - no parking!
Ben, on a personal note: sounds like a tough gig. Work is work. Mouths need bread put in them. I understand but still a tough gig. Not sure if you want to answer this but: aren't you still carrying papers as a machinist? Is there literally nothing for a qualified tradesman somewhere within commuting distance? If that's so, as Deb said: someone tell Harper.
Amazing!
Manfred will now be eager to tell us exactly how this change constitutes "adequately serving [its customers] whose needs are its only reason for even existing."
Give us a break, Manfred.
Ben: Well there is room for 4-6 trucks at the carpool.. which often is used over night parking for some.... Also with Durham Transport across the road.. They might allow temp truck parking. But hard to say.. But if truckers know about it.. Its Timmies..They will find a way... lol
Our society sidelines workers who are in the range of 10 - 15 years of legal retirement age. It is a massive loss not to have their contribution based on all the skills they have developed and all the experience they have accumulated.
If you are in this age range and you manage to stay in the job you have, you might not relate to this issue. If you lose that job and go on the search for a replacement position, you find it is no longer as easy for you to get hired --and it used to be no problem, all those years back when you switched from here to there unscathed.
When you do secure something, you might be getting financial reimbursement at 1/2 or 1/3 what you used to be paid. Your benefits are drastically reduced. Chances for advancement are being controlled by people 20 to 25 years younger than you are and they are doled out to their age-peers. To give it to the older person would be seen as a threat -- why would they opt to go head to head in daily competition with all that experience and skill?
Second career training is all very well but it simply does not lead to a different picture when it comes to getting hired at the end of the education courses. The same factors remain in play. It is nice to learn something new on a significant extension of the time EI payments last but if you want someone else to hire you, most often, it is not to be. If you are able to set yourself up in your own small business, it seems to work for some but there is a limitation to how many people can do that.
It's a tough way to finish out your working life.
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