31/03/15

Today was very windy with occasional rain for added interest. To make thins worse I got a crack on the head from a wind driven sheet strap at my first drop, not good!  Wore my hard hat when opening and closing the curtains for the rest of the day.  To make things even more fun my second drop was thirty used railway sleepers all to come off by hand, the things weigh up to one hundred kilos.  At least I had help off loading, even half of the help was our last chief executive ie the boss of my boss.  But at least he was willing to get his hand dirty and they came off with only a little sweat.  The rest of the day went well enough for a windy day and I even managed to make a collection form Cherry Tree Mill at Pollington when there wasn't another wagon in sight.  Back at the yard I got off loaded and even managed to get loaded for morning before everything was shut down for a stock take with only one tonne of feed to go on in the morning.  I would have loaded it tonight but it wasn't made, perhaps it will be made by morning.  See you tomorrow.

30/03/15

It appears that I have actually finished seed dressing for the season.  I didn't believe it last week but the story is the same this week, so far!  Today contained nothing unusual or scary, I was delivering to Carlton store and my normal area with no new customers.  The truck was full to the rear doors when I left the yard with the last two rolls of wire being put through the rear doors.  I was glad to reach my first customer and drop all the fencing gear, the thing was wallowing all the way there.  Two packs of three to four inch stakes and two pallets of pig wire less and the thing drove better.  We are one of the few companies that regularly runs its eighteen tonne trucks fully loaded.  Most of the rest of the load came off at Carlton store leaving only just over two tonnes on the truck for four drops.  And one of these drops was only a pack of toilet rolls and two packs of washing powder, not a big drop.  Of the other three drops one was two twenty kilo packs of horse food, which I suspect was the wrong product, but we will see.  I delivered the product that was stated on the delivery note so the fault, if there was one, wasn't mine.  Then I delivered a thousand litre IBC of adblue to a quarry at North Cave.  Now that is an interesting place and I would love a look round.  Even better I would like a play on one of the huge loaders, they look fun to drive.  The only other drop was forty two bales of wood shavings to a farm, all to come off by hand and stack in a shed.  I put the taco on break when I started and managed to take a half hour to unload, since I had had a quarter hour at Carlton store that got rid of my break and I could continue for the rest of the day without a stop. After the last drop I went back to Carlton store and collected a full load of rubbish to go back to base.  You wouldn't believe how much plastic wrapping a store accumulates.  The day was sunny though windy and cool for the most part, growing cloudy later.  I was back in time to start loading for tomorrow, I have a bad drop, thirty second hand railway sleepers, all to come off by hand, not good.  But that's for tomorrow so I won't grumble about it now.  See you tomorrow.

28./03./15

Working today, Saturday, sometimes it's necessary.  Since I had to be on the dock at Teesside I had an early start.  I only had one load of fertiliser but it was to go to two customers.  The day was a complete contrast to yesterday,  It was cold and raining and where it wasn't raining there was thick fog.  Wonderful!  But despite the conditions everything went well, I had both deliveries completed and was back in the yard by mid day, back home by a quarter past and asleep in my chair an hour later.  See you Monday.

27/03/15

The day started badly.  I was supposed to be seed dressing near Saltburn by Sea which is about an hour and a half drive from our yard.  Before starting out I check the machine over and make sure the generator set will start and run.  I also use the time while it is running to run the machinery and clean down thereby ensuring everything is in working order.  Today the generator set started, stopped and wouldn't start again.  I have had trouble with it before and once went to the trouble of driving into Hull to the makers of the generator set.  Of course the damned thing started as soon as their mechanic pressed the start button.  I knew I should have pressed it with the first finger of my left hand.  Today, after trying every finger and thumb I gave up, took it into our garage and left it in the warmth for half an hour.  It's a bit like me it doesn't like cold mornings.  Sure enough after about half an hour it started and ran as if there was nothing wrong.  I suspect that there is dust inside the electrics and when it gets a little damp it gives false readings to the engine protection unit.  Its going in for a good service before we get to the next season.  By the time it condescended to start and run I didn't have time to give the machine a good clean down.  The thing wasn't bad but I like it to be clean before starting for the day.  I had a good drive over to the customers premises, it was a beautiful day and I got a good view of Whitby before descending Blue Bank.  The job went very well and I was back in the yard in time to take a load into Malton store.  I have the dubious pleasure of working on Saturday, what fun.  So see you tomorrow.

26/03/15

I was loaded last night but still had to secure the load with load straps and fuel up before setting out.  I had Carlton store and three drops in the area followed by a ride over the Humber bridge to a delivery near Immingham which I hadn't done before.  All went well and the trip over the bridge was good.  I always enjoy a ride over the Humber bridge, the view is amazing on a clear day even though the river runs muddy as it passed underneath.  I had checked a map before setting out but I was feeling a little lazy so I set up my sat nav and followed its direction.  Though I did so with caution.  I don't entirely trust it and it usually requires a little common sense when following its directions.  Today it took me straight to the correct address.  The only hitch was that the owner hadn't bothered to put a name on the drive so the final approach took a little bit of faith.  It paid off I drove straight there.  The customer suggested I turn on the field, he assured me that it was hard enough.  I asked if he had a chain as I would need towing out.  For some reason he didn't believe me, funny man.  I got about two yards into the field and stopped.  True enough it was hard enough and I didn't sink I just stood and spun, no surprise to me.  So he off loaded me where I had stopped then went to get his chain.  I was towed out easily enough and once back on the track I stopped for my break while the customer went back to where ever he had come from.  Then I had a run back down the M180, M18 and the M62 West to the A19 for a collection at Walden Stubbs.  Then on to Carlton store for some empty cages before going back to base.  I'm seed dressing tomorrow, once again I'm told its the last one for this season.  Ha!

The field where I got stuck.

The way out.

See you tomorrow.

25/03/15

Still driving today.  As far as I know there is only one for customer for seed dressing, approx seven tonnes at Saltburn by sea.  Now that's a long ride out in a knackered truck.  But back to today.  Carlton store and three drops then back to base.  The last drop was to a farm on the North side of the A64.  There is no way that I was going to attempt a right turn across that road at this time of year or ever if possible its a good way to cause an accident if ever there was one.  There is nothing to comment on the day everything went well and I was back in the yard by two pm.  My second load was for Malton store and then back to base.  I was back in time to load for the morning.  Sometimes I think our TC thinks my truck has an infinite load capacity.  There was no way that I could fit everything my tickets suggested.  See you tomorrow.

24/03/15

Carlton and area today, my usual run.  But that was after a full load to Malton store.  There wasn't a lot for Carlton store and only three drops to go along with it.  The only bad point was that the drops wee spread from Gilberdyke to Cawood which slowed me down.  Then, horror, I had to collect a mixed load of seed grain from Little Airmyn.  How and why anyone developed a business like that three miles down a single track dead end road I have no idea.  Bulk grain has to be delivered in and bagged seed collected. Perhaps that's why the office staff are the most miserable people I have the misfortune to meet, never a smile and a minimum of words.  The yard staff are a complete contrast, cheerful, helpful and good at their jobs, this nearly makes up for the office staff.  The only good thing about the whole collection was the picture below which I took on the way out.

I delivered seed to four customers on the way back, as per instructions and brought the rest back to the yard to tip in the morning.  See you tomorrow.

23/03/15

Monday again.  Monday's come round too often, I think we should only have one Monday every two weeks that would help cure the Monday morning blues.  But contrary to this I don't hate Mondays not even a little bit.  Today was a nice bright day a little cold but considering I was seed dressing the cold was welcome.  My first customer was at Ellerton, which is a nice little East Yorkshire village with the all important pub.  No I didn't go in, not while I'm working.  It's a long time since I've been in that particular pub, it has one feature which makes it a little uncomfortable.  The roof beams in the bar are less than six feet from the floor, I'm over six feet tall.  Put simply I don't fit.  I'd best forget the pub and continue with my run down of the day.  The first job was only three tonnes of spring barley, the job went very well and I was on my way again by half past nine.  My second customer was near Fangfoss.  Don't we have some amasing names in the UK.  The second job was six tonnes of spring barley cleaned and dressed, again all went well.  At least it went well when I realised that the office had given me the wrong farm.  The third customer was back in North Yorkshire near a little village called Harome, another strange name.  This customer only needed one and a half tonnes of spring barley cleaned and dressed.  The only problem was that he wanted it bagging in quarter tonne bags rather than half tonne bags.  Quarter tonne bags make for a lot more work for me.  For the third time today the job went well and I was all done by just after two pm.  I even had time to fit in a fourth customer near our base at Amotherby.  Again it was only one and a half tonnes but since the job hadn't been previously confirmed the customer had to be tracked down.  I didn't mind the wait as it was the first stop that I had had in the day and I got chance to drink the coffee in my flask.  The fourth job went as well as the first three and I was back in the yard by half past five and clocked off by five thirty seven.  Well I'm back to delivery driving tomorrow, I think I've nearly got through the seed dressing for the season, then my dresser is going in for a service to the generator set, it's in need of it.  See you tomorrow.

20/03/15

Driving and delivering again today, seed dressing on Monday.  Why Monday, I'll have clean overalls on Monday and it'll be a full change for Tuesday.  You wouldn't believe how itchy you can get from cereal dust and it clings to cloths like you wouldn't believe so it's into the wash with them on Monday night and only one day of wear, a poor start to the week if ever there was one.  But back to today.  The deliveries were for Carlton store and area plus three for Beverley area just to add spice to my day.  I haven't been to Beverley area for nearly two years so I had to look up all the drops even though I have done them before, that is all except one and that proved difficult.  The last drop was a consignment of gassing pellets used for the control of moles. When I found the address there was no one home and when I finally contacted the customer he was in London and he didn't want the goods at the delivery address on my delivery note.  He gave me a contact number for a man who would take delivery.  This left me deeply unhappy, the pellets are extremely dangerous and as the delivering driver the responsibility for the safe and correct delivery is mine and mine alone.  In the end I wouldn't take the risk, if anything had gone wrong and the delivery had ended up in the wrong hands I would have been held responsible.  The goods went back to the store and are now locked back in the appropriate place.  It was the only way I could proceed and cover my back.  But apart from that everything went well and I was back in the yard by five.  See you Monday.

19/03/15

Carlton and extended area again today.  There was no way that I could get everything named on my loading tickets onto the truck and even if I could it wouldn't have been legal.  So the order of the situation is customer orders get priority and any remaining room is filled in with the goods of feed that the store has ordered.  I had to leave off about five tonnes, I mean I can only carry ten tonnes total.  Don't know what our TC thinks I'm driving or perhaps he thinks it includes a handy extra dimension of infinite size.  But even leaving off the five tonnes I was fully loaded when I left the yard.  It took us about two hours to put the load together, I've always hated jigsaw puzzles and that is exactly what the load turned out to be.  But everything should have come off in order as neat as neat but it wasn't that easy.  Half way through the drops I got our TC on the phone one of my customers was waiting for two tubs of oil and could I go there asap.  That knackered a good plan and meant that I had products stacked in the wrong way but that's life.  After a little re-stacking everything worked out and I only lost about a half hour.  I was back in the yard by about a quarter past six, and I hoped to get home in time to roast a chicken for out tea, I knew my better half wouldn't be in until after seven so I hoped to have tea ready when she came in.  I nearly managed it with the aid of the microwave, I was only about a half hour late.  On the good side the chicken was great.  See you tomorrow.

18/03/15

Today was my usual run of Carlton store and area but, wait for it, but!  With the added interest of a trip to Dewsbury via Fairburn, Bolton Percy and Acaster Malbis.  What fun!  But saying that everything went well though I had to collect the feed for two of my drops from Carlton store.  It seems the mill is too busy to make and bag feed.  No I'm being unfair they are busy at the moment as we all seem to be and we are having trouble delivering things on quickly enough.  Though I sometimes make disparaging remarks about our TC I wouldn't want his job.  He gets grumbled at by us, by the rest of the office and the customers.  He has the hardest most thankless job in the company, it's even worse than mine ;-)  It was a long day and the taco was flashing an out of driving time as I pulled back into base.  See you tomorrow.

17/03/15

Seed dressing again today, and I was told that it was the last of it for this season.  Ha!  First job was two and a half tonnes of spring barley for a customer at Warthill.  I have been to this customer several times and know where the farm is, even if the ordnance survey people don't.  If you look for the farm on a map it is shown on the opposite side of the road to the one it is actually on.  This did cause me some confusion the first time I tried to find it but I made a note on my map and haven't had any difficulties since then.  It wasn't a clear day but it had a definite feeling of spring.  The sun was trying to break through the haze and at least one sky lark was encouraged enough to burst into song.  I enjoy listening to the song of the sky lark and always have, its a shame that their numbers have declined so much since my childhood.  Back to the job.  Two and a half tonnes became three tonnes when I spoke to the customer, but the job went well and the extra half tonne didn't add greatly to the working time.  It takes longer to set up and clean down than it does to clean and dress three tonnes of barley.  The next job was cleaning ten tonnes of beans for a new customer.  I don't mind cleaning beans but they are very noisy as they pass through the dresser.  Ear defenders are essential.  The only trouble is that with ear defenders I can't hear the squeal of a slipping belt.  So if I do have a problem it tends to be worse as I only notice that there is a problem when something stops working.  By that time there is usually a blockage to clear before the problem can be corrected.  However, today everything went well and I was back on the road by two pm, though I hadn't had a stop for lunch.  I don't stop if things are going well I always feel as if by stopping I'm tempting fate.  I was back in he yard by just after three and had time to clean down and fill up the water containers.  When I took the samples in to the office guess what.  "Can you work on Saturday, seed dressing."  Now that's a surprise after I was told this morning that today was the last.  When I got a look at the list there's another six customer booked in.  As it happens I can't work this Saturday, we have plans so our TC will have to release me for another day during the week.  Our TC doesn't organise the seed dressing and we are busy so he won't want to loose a driver for a day.  See you tomorrow, if I remember I'll try to get a picture or two to make this blog a little more intresting.

16/03/15

Delivery driving again today and not a bad day.  Carlton store and four farm drops followed by a mill drop at Gilberdyke and a collection from the same mill.  Its amazing when we actually manage to get the collection day to coincide with the delivery day and all on the same truck.  It has been known for me to deliver to this particular mill and another of our drivers to go in to collect on the same day.  But I have to admit there is a strange logic to this. It occurs when I have another collection further away so the next nearest driver gets the collection from the mill that I've delivered to.  Yes I know its strange but ours isn't to wonder why, we just collect and deliver what we are told from where we are told.  So there!  But all in all the day went well and I was back in the yard by five.  There's nothing else to tell about the day.  See you tomorrow.

14/03/15

Saturday and I'm seed dressing.  It's a measure of how busy we are that I've been working for the last two Saturdays.  As a general rule, up to now, our company doesn't like to ask us to work Saturdays so for the first time in my working life I don't usually work at weekends.  Because of this I'm quite happy to work the occasional Saturday.  I had three customers, two of which I have been to before and a third that I haven't.  The first was only three tonnes of barley and it takes as long to set up and take down as it does to clean and treat the seed.  The second customer was only a couple of miles from the first and the job was cleaning only of six tonnes of barley.  There was some sterile brome seed in the sample and it's difficult to make a good job of removing in.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to seed cleaning and I'm not happy doing a job that I know I can't do well.  But on the good side the customer was happy with the job so I suppose that's what counts.  The third customer was over an hour's drive away and I hadn't been to his farm before.  When I found it I realised that I had dressed seed for him previously but he has always taken it to one of his neighbours and I have dressed it there.  It was a good sample and went through well, the only catch was that he wanted it in quarter tonne bags rather than half tonne bags.  This doesn't sound that difficult and in truth it isn't but it means that I have to work a lot harder.  It was just before five when I got back in the yard.  Everything was locked up, but that wasn't a surprise and I had a key.  The big irritation was that someone had gathered all the clocking cards and I was unable to clock off.  If there is any difficulty with my pay it will be the last Saturday I work.  On that sour note I'll see you on Monday.

13/03/15

For a Friday it's been good today.  Our TC (Transport Controller) said he would ensure that I got finished for five tonight. My thoughts were "some chance!"  but my scepticism was proved wrong and looking at my work for the day it all seemed possible.  But on the down side I did have a load for Malton store first load, but I wasn't loaded the night before so it didn't seem so bad.  My second load was for Carlton store and area, my usual run, though there were two new customers. But all went well and I found both new customers easily enough, though I did have some doubts about the first.  My sat nav started by trying to send me over a foot bridge crossing a canal, but since I knew what it was trying I ignored it and went the way I thought.  Bot the sat nav and the map indicated that I should take a small track lined with ancient oak and willow.  The track had no farm sign on its entrance and the sat nav claimed that I should follow the track for a mile before reaching my destination.  I must admit I was very doubtful so I pulled over in the entrance and made a call before committing to the track, I've had to back out of places like that before, it's not always fun.  When I contacted the customer and described my position he assured me that the sat nav wasn't lying and they were about a mile down the track though there was a gate half way down and could I shut it on my way out.  As usual with a track like that I spent the drive down hoping that I would have room to turn round when I got there.  I needn't have worried, though the yard wasn't big there was easily sufficient turning room.  Entering the yard I was met by a free ranging Alsation and I think I upset the customer by my reaction to the dog.  I had an Alsation for ten years and aren't usually intimidated by dogs.  True to form I got out of the cab and offered the dog the back of my hand to sniff and by the time his owner appeared I was patting his guard dog who was wagging his tail in response.  I suspect the customer was wondering about the dogs worth as a guard for the property, but I think that in other circumstances the animal would behave in a different manner and he needn't worry.  I completed my last drop and was in good time for my collection and managed to get back into the yard at about ten to five.  Spot on for a Friday.  Friday is the only day that I care what time I finish and I think that I am managing to convince our TC to co-operate.  The only other thing of note for the day was the sighting of an Egret fishing in a ditch in Thorpe Willoughby, I have never seen one in this country before.  See you tomorrow.  Yes I know it's Saturday but I'm working.

11&12/03/15

Spent both days with the seed dresser and by the time I got in at night I've been too tired to write anything.  Not that there has been anything to tell.  Sorry.

10/03/15

Seed dressing today for a change, I wasn't expecting it today and I certainly wasn't expecting it tomorrow but that's life sometimes.  The day was fine and dry and the work wasn't too onerous but as expected the day wasn't without its amusements.  My first customer greeted me with "You got it repaired then?"  This left me slightly puzzled as so far as I knew it hadn't been broken down and since I'm the only one who would have been operating it I should know.  "You were supposed to be here yesterday but they said you'd broken down"  I do wish that when the office staff are going to tell fibs they would let me in on it.  At least then I could keep their subterfuge secret.  As it was I looked blank then admitted that I had been on deliveries not seed dressing.  I went through a similar procedure with my second customer but at least this time I knew what to expect but I still didn't cover for them.  They really should keep me informed.  Today went as well as the weather and I was back in the yard by half past four.  It would have been sooner but the second customer doubled the amount of beans that he wannted cleaning and the last customer hadn't had any seed dressed on form before so the oats were still in a heap on the floor when I arrived.  But considering that and the fact that my machine doesn't like oats the job went very well.  See you tomorrow.

09/03/15

Driving today.  Carlton store and area then a collection from Walden Stubbs so nothing particularly intresting.  The work day went well enough with no major problems and nothing of particular note.  See you tomorrow.

06/03/15

I don't know what's so difficult for our TC but he just doesn't get the fact that I want to finish by five on Friday.  Seven pm today two hours late.  The rest of the week I don't care what time I finish and I don't mind working on Saturday but I want to finish by five on Friday.  Perhaps it's because places don't look that far apart on a map and unloading timber by hand doesn't take long does it? The deliveries that I was given weren't bad it was just the distance that I had to cover between them that caused the problem.  But other than that and the fact that I was delayed by an accident and then caught in roadworks thereby running over my driving hours before I could stop, everything went well.  And on top of all that I'm seed dressing tomorrow, wonder when I'm going to get the shopping done.  Could be putting on a lean streak next week.  See you Monday.

05/03/15

Today wasn't what I expected, not even a little bit.  The only positive thing was that my tickets for the day had been put in my slot and I could get at them.  The first surprise was that I was seed dressing and the second was that I only had eight tonnes between two customers, half a days work.  I knew one of my collogues, Rusty, had been out with my seed dresser the day before.   Rusty used to operate it before I was voted to the job, I still don't know why I got the job.  But its not a bad job, just a bit dusty.  For some reason while Rusty was using the winch to move the intake auger the wire rope snapped and dropped the auger and cutting his hand in the process.  But apart from that he said the day had gone well and he had dropped the riddles out and cleaned them after dressing oats.  Good man that Rusty.  Since there was only eight tonnes to dress and all close to Malton I didn't bother to fill up the water tubs, I knew I had enough and Rusty had filled the diesel tanks the day before so I was out of the yard and at the first customer just before eight.  All was fine until I found the customer who said "You're early.  I wasn't expecting you until mid morning." But he finally decided that he could cope with me so we got started.  I enjoy working for this customer, the set up is good and we dress the seed into three quarter tonne boxes.  The job went as well as usual and I was at the next customer by a quarter to ten.  Next problem, when I found someone I was informed that I wasn't expected until mid afternoon and no one would be available until then.  Great!  Not to be beaten I rang the office and explained the situation and suggested that I ring a customer who Rusty hadn't been able to get to the day before.  When I called the customer he said he would be able to cope with me as soon as I got there.  So off I go to Ulrome, just over an hours drive.  Thankfully I had enough diesel in the tank.  Again everything went well when I got there and I got the job done, six tonnes of barley, and was back at what should have been my second customer by half past two.  Even this job went well, which was well beyond my expectations and I was wrapped up and back in the yard just after four pm.  Only then did I realise that I hadn't stopped for lunch, another streak of lean.  Tomorrow I'm back in my truck and on my regular run and even better the work should be achievable in the day, I hope.  See you tomorrow.

04/03/15

As I said I have had a day off today.  A day off to go to the dentist, the optician for an eye test and the doctors for a medical.  Two of the above were required for me to renew my HGV license.  I'll leave you to guess which two were required for the driving license and which is the odd one out.  See you tomorrow, back to work.

03/03/15

Today has been a different sort of day.  There was nothing in my usual area so my first load was Kirkbymoorside store.

This was the view from Kirkbymoorside store this morning.  Great!  Snow should only be seen on Christmas cards.  Thankfully it didn't last long by the time I got back to base there was nothing on the ground, perhaps it was just local to Kirkbymoorside.  I didn't see any more snow in my travels.  The second load was for Malton store, nothing remarkable there and easily accomplished. The third load was for Malton area, I haven't delivered in this area for nearly two years so I had to consult my map before each drop.  But all the drops were done and I was back in the yard by half past four.  I am not at work tomorrow, I'm using one of my remaining days holiday to go to the dentist, the optician and the doctors for a medical to renew my driving license.  After forty five years of age you need a medical every five years in the UK.  What a fun day I'm going to have.  See you tomorrow, if I survive.  

02/03/15

My work today was easy enough, Carlton store, one farm drop and a shop drop at Brigg.  There was no collection, our TC was hoping to get a load of fertilizer back from Immingham but was unable to arrange one so I had to ride back empty.  There was nothing remarkable about the work and all was accomplished easily enough with no problems.  The only remarkable thing about the whole day was the solution of a mystery that had bugged me for around a year.  I found my Mars bar.  I think it was about a year ago though it might have been more I put a Mars bar in my bag, its not something i do regularly as I usually find them too sweet for my taste.  But when it came to break time I was unable to find it despite searching the cab several times.  I finally gave up in frustration thinking I must have dropped it on my way to or from the car on my way to work.  I was slightly disappointed, I was looking forward to that Mars bar but it was not to be.  Well today I was searching my bag for something else and decided to look between the bag and its removable lining and there squashed almost flat, at the bottom of the bag and nearly unrecognisable, was the missing Mars bar.

Well doesn't it look a sad little Mars bar.  Despite it's looks the wrapper was still whole and undamaged.  So here goes.

What did you think I'd do with it.  I'm a Yorkshire man after all and I paid good money for it.  It still tasted like a Mars bar and I'm still alive.  See you tomorrow.

27/02/15

Driving again today and our TC said he was giving me an easy day this Friday.  This sort of suggestion form a TC always makes me nervous.  A TC's (Transport Controller) idea of easy often takes longer than what he describes as a  hard day. However today my thoughts are doing him an injustice and for a change I did have an easy Friday.  I was all done and back in the yard by half past four, I even had time to complete my paperwork and report that I had cracked my nearside mirror.  And the cracking of the mirror was an irritation in itself.  I was driving a road I drive almost weekly, there was an oncoming car so I was at my side of the white line driving at slightly less than the speed limit of thirty in a small village just off the A19 when the mirror caught crashed back against the door.  The mirrors are made to swing in if they encounter an obstacle.  In this case the obstacle was a bush growing well into the road.  There was a pavement along the road and the bushes were protruding over the pavement and about a foot into the road.  I have touched the bushes before but never like that.  I thing people who grow trees along the side of the road should be responsible for keeping them from obstructing the highway.  Perhaps they are! See you Monday.