Hero truckie saves boy
A 12-year-old boy in Mount Isa who slept in an industrial bin is alive and was unharmed thanks to the driver of the garbage truck who emptied it.
The boy had been sleeping in the bin early on May 29 as the driver was doing his collection rounds in the outback Queensland city.
Usually after emptying each bin the driver would compact the rubbish which would have meant certain death for the boy.
However he decided to wait until he collected a few more bins before compacting and exited the truck to check on something.
That’s when he heard a noise so he called police and the lad was saved.
Police praised the actions of the truck driver.
Dangerous practice
FROM praise for one rubbish truck driver to brickbats for another.
There is a truckie who collects rubbish around a big country town who has angered residents with his mobile phone use whilst on the job.
Regularly he can be seen sending text messages and generally being on his mobile phone whilst sitting in the driver’s seat and operating the controls of the truck’s pick up equipment.
“It is very dangerous as lots of kids ride bikes to school in the area and there are also many elderly people walking,” one told Spy.
Some of the residents are themselves truckies and one is going to have a word to the driver for his own good.
Mobile phone disconnect
IN his travels around Oz, Spy speaks to many truckies and gets their mobile phone contact numbers to collect future info for this column.
Early this year Spy received 20 such numbers from truckies who live in four different States.
On June 1 Spy phoned them all and found 10 numbers had been disconnected.
Old Spy can only ponder as to the reason why because having a steady number would seem vital.
Paper work nightmare
WIVES or partners of some owner operators in many cases do the paperwork and books associated with the business.
If the relationship breaks down that can have consequences for the truck driver.
That has been the case recently for three Spy has spoken to including one veteran Victorian.
“I have been trying to sort it all out and never in the past have had to do the paperwork,” he said.
He has been able to get help for that but wasn’t able to work for a month to keep the money coming in.
Another facing the same dilemma was in the process of selling a few trailers to ease the monetary pain.
Tasman crackdown
SEVERAL of our informants down in the Apple Isle have reported what seems to be an increase of law enforcement along the Tasman Peninsula.
It is a 90km between Hobart and Port Arthur and a nice drive to boot.
The truckies reckon the police patrols seem to have increased.
Although they do point out if you don’t breach the traffic rules you won’t get a ticket.
Crocodile concerns
SOME NSW truckies are about to have a month’s break and are travelling to Cape York in the far north of Queensland for a fishing expedition.
One from Newcastle way phoned Spy after hearing in early June about a woman being taken by a crocodile one night off a Daintree beach.
He was concerned that the creeks they were going to would be frequented by many of the reptiles.
Spy was able to confirm that and tell him not under any circumstances to enter the water or even to fish close to the bank.
Another truckie who swims regularly off Kiama in NSW is also off on a far north adventure and Spy offered him similar advice.
Both were also told to check out the Alcohol Management Policies at places along the way.
Alcohol is banned from many far north communities and offenders face heavy fines.
Passport pics
NEW rules governing phone account betting has affected many of our truckie mates who enjoy a flutter on the horses, dogs, trots or footy.
For many years some of the lads had accounts for punting clubs which any of them could access even though it was in the name of just one.
They could all deposit or withdraw by simply quoting an account number when they fronted up to a TAB office.
That changed on May 21 when anybody now trying to deposit money has to front up with a primary pic such as on a driver’s licence or passport.
Apparently the new rules are to stop money from the accounts being transferred to the wrong people or to at least trace who is doing it.
Troglodyte truckie
WHEN somebody announces in earshot of others that they are a troglodyte truckie” it is sure to create a lot of interest and curiosity.
A friend of Spy who would herself make a great female version of 007 passed this information onto me after hearing it at a South Australian Roadhouse.
Many of us would not have heard the word troglodyte and those who have may not know its meaning.
One could well ponder it is some type of insult or a word from a foreign language.
But after googling the word Spy can report that the truckie was indeed not telling a pork pie. He was in fact correct.
A troglodyte is a cave dweller or somebody who lives like a hermit.
This truckie lives in Coober Pedy SA in one of those underground caves or homes the town is famous for.
