Welcome to my newest entry to the trucking diary.
This time I’m taking some coconut milk from Groningen in the Netherlands to Magdeburg in Germany.
It’s a shorter trip than I expected, but nevertheless it’s still fun on the German Autobahn. At least, that’s normally the case if you’re not driving a truck. Though I’m still happy because I’ve got my Mercedes truck back.
Before I left, I already made my pit stop to stock up. Always a bottle of coke with me. Plus in this case because I felt like I needed some extra weight on the scale. So I took a Dutch frikandelbroodje with me. For those that are not well experienced with Dutch culture, here’s a picture.
So off we go and we cross our first bridges along the way to Germany. And then some strange roadworks with something that seems to be a statue of an atom. I thought I was in the Netherlands, not in Brussels.
Traffic is quite slow until a truck decides it’s in the wrong lane. I have to go towards Hamburg, while the other one has to go to Dortmund. Only he decided to go from the left lane, which goes to Hamburg, to the right lane at the very last second.
It feels like I’m speed skating on ice changing lanes like that. It’s like I’m swapping from the outer to the inner lane. Then again, which is something the Dutch are used to, except where I’m from. We just go cycling on hills every day, to work and for fun. Ludicrous people we are!
After that we pass the city of Bremen and everything seems to be in order.
At around 2 hours left to drive from the six hour drive estimate, I take a stop.
I pass on the left side of the fueling station to just then stop and park for a little bit.
Little did I know that everybody already had parked there and I should have gone around at the right side.
All of these people are looking at me like I’m a rookie driver or something. Which is not a funny thing to actually experience.
The wise thing would be to drive on and stop at the next one. But I’m a very stubborn one.
So I turn my hazard lights on, turn up the truck and head inside. I quickly take a bottle of cola without sugar and pay at the desk.
I hurry outside to find that people have already gathered around my truck. I humbly apologise for the inconvenience of two minutes. I get in, put the bottle on the passenger seat and quickly drive off.
I’m not really sure whether that was worth the stress of it. But then again, I’ve got a sugary drink, which makes it all good.
It’s all a smooth drive as cars pass me by because this is still the German Autobahn. People there are driving varied from 130 to 220 kilometres an hour.
I can’t blame them if it’s that much of open space to drive in. As long as it doesn’t put anyone else at risk, go for it!
Then the absolute worst that could happen happens.
I turn off at the exit I’m supposed to leave the Autobahn at.
German Autobahn exits always veer off in like a weird S-style shape. You always have to brake hard initally to make the turn. That works out and I get my foot off the pedal, to recharge the air pressure system.
Coming out of the corner I realised that my brakes aren’t working. I see a truck up ahead which has a heavy cargo on it. I slam the handbrake as hard as I can. But to no avail. I honk the horn continuously and flash the lights.
The driver sees it and tries to move a bit ahead, which helps a little.
I crash into the back end of the truck ahead of me very slowly, having taken out the pace on time.
Luckily I see no immediate damage to myself or feel any pain after the hit itself.
I step out and first head towards the other truck and open the driver door.
He’s all right as well. Phew, what a relief. I then step down and he comes out. Of course, he’s angry and ask what I was thinking.
I tell him that my brakes failed, and used the hand brake where I could. I had no other options but to try that out.
The police arrive on the scene and forensics are called to trace my brake marks.
They also want a read out of the truck itself to research the nature of the accident.
I inspect the cargo and find out that the coconut milk is all in one place, nothing broken. No issues with the insurance for the company at least for broken cargo!
I’m being escorted the last 2 kilometres through the city to deliver the cargo.
But the most emotional damage comes at the end. My Mercedes Actros is being towed away for damages to the front end.
It will be gone for a while in repairs. Luckily I will be able to get back to the headquarters and then take some time off. Just to make sure there’s no hidden pain or damage in my body.
Hopefully, I’m back up to speed soon!
🚚 Truck: Mercedes-Benz New Actros StreamSpace (476 hp)
📦 Cargo: Coconut Milk 23 tonnes
📍 Route: Groningen (NL) → Magdeburg (DE)
🛣 Distance driven: 482 km
🥤 Cola consumed: 1.5 bottles and a Dutch frikandelbroodje
🚽 Toilet breaks: 1
🚧 Biggest challenge: Losing my truck again for some time. Insurance covers the damage, but still, emotional damage.
💶 Earnings: € 977.-
I'm Amethyst, 30, and from the Netherlands. I've always had a passion for adventure in roleplaying games. Being able to immerse myself into these universes allowed me to escape the trauma's of my youth. Now I want to share my gaming passion with all of you!
