"SOMETIMES I sits and thinks. Sometimes I jus’ sits." This profound statement was the answer to a ‘deep’ question I asked a buddy of mine many years ago when I walked into the pub and saw him sitting at his usual place at the far end of the bar counter staring into his beer glass. "Hi John’o, what’s up china," I asked – deeply - as I sat down next to him. "Sometimes I sits and thinks. Sometimes I jus’ sits. Today I jus’ sits." I thought of his hilarious retort yesterday when I went through the past few weeks in my mind and realised that there has been little time to jus’ sits. It has been a hectic period which has given me so much food for thought that when I do eventually sits, I jus’ know I’m gonna ‘sits and thinks’. 

It started with a visit to Brazil with Volkswagen to check out the origins of the new truck models coming into South Africa next year. I hate to say this and I do not want the good folk at Volkswagen to consider me an ungrateful lout considering that they spent a lot of money taking me over there, but I have battled like heck to report on that visit. Sure, I could sit here and write about the Samba dancers in Rio de Janeiro or the good food enjoyed in Sao Paolo. Or I could even regurgitate the press release issued by Volkswagen on the Constellation range that is coming in. But I can’t do this. Why? Because the gyrations of Samba dancers are good for after-story snippets but are really of little interest to a reader wanting to know about trucks. And what of the food? Sure it was great but this is FleetWatch trucking magazine not the BBC Food Channel, so out that goes as well. So what about the press release. Also not good enough as it is FleetWatch’s experience that press releases generally suffice for giving the basic details in terms of specs and other surface information but don’t go into the type of ‘depth detail’ needed. As it was, the press releases – which I studied in great detail late into the night in my hotel room - generated about two pages of questions I needed answers to. 

After being driven along the highway periodically stopping to change models so as to get a feel for the Constellation range, we ended up at the VW Truck factory. As a matter of interest, one of the legs was driven by a driver which Pierre Sanson and I eventually urged him to pull over and stop as he was about to cause serious and permanent damage to the engine. That gave ammunition to my question regarding the provision of an automatic gearbox and I was pleased to see that first up on the agenda at the factory was a press conference where all the right boffins were there to answer our questions. A quick presentation on the factory was given – it’s world class by the way – and then it was question time. After one or two questions from the other journalists present, I asked my first one and just as we were about to get into a friendly argument, the press conference was suddenly stopped. Why? Because we had to rush through a factory tour, then onto the test track before heading off on a two hour drive to Rio de Janeiro. "Why the rush," I asked. "Because we’ve scheduled an hour’s shopping for all of you and we want to get there before the shops close." For goodness sake, I don’t even shop at home so why should I want to shop 10 000 miles away from home. I came back to South Africa without any of my questions answered and that’s why I have battled to write the story. I have warm memories of Samba dancers, great food, wonderful hospitality from our hosts and one of those little disc thingies that you plug into your computer which contains press release stuff. But no answers to my questions. So, we’ll ‘sits’ on the VW Constellation story until after Auto Africa where I hope to get those questions answered. 

It was then back to South Africa where among other activities, I was invited by the Department of Transport to participate in a Safety Forum day. It was good stuff that. Soon after it was off to the IAA Truck Show in Hannover which, as it turns out, gave me so much to ‘sits and thinks' about. Some of the lessons and observations I picked up are sketched out in this edition but there are many more thoughts churning around in my mind. One thing I did pick up strongly was that there was a different vibe at this year’s Hannover compared to those of the past. It may have been my imagination but it seems to me that European truck manufacturers have gone beyond a mere focus on product and have entered a higher level of societal awareness with regards to the role they play in ensuring the sustainability of this fragile planet of ours. One could argue that they have always had this awareness and you’d be right in saying that. However, the previous awareness was driven by the need to comply with compulsory legislation such as meeting Euro emissions standards. In other words, that awareness was driven by legislators breathing down their backs. Now, however, the industry is ahead of those laid down rules and has, in fact, already met Euro 5 emissions standards – a full three years ahead of when those standards come into play. It is a magnificent achievement and one the industry is rightfully proud of. My guess is that the legislators could disappear off the face of the earth and the industry would continue to drive forward in meeting its responsibilities beyond just the provision of good products. That’s because the manufacturers have now taken ownership of the need to be eco-friendly and they take pride in this ownership.

Am now back in South Africa and am writing this on the veranda of my B&B in Middelburg before joining the cops and our partners on our second BrakeWatch day tomorrow morning. It’s now called Brake & Tyre Watch as Bridgestone has joined us as a partner, as has Alfa International. (See the reports in our February 2006 edition for our first one). I just know that, like the first time round, we will go out tomorrow and haul in trucks whose owners and drivers take absolutely no pride in what they do. I just know that we are going to find trucks that are a disgrace to the industry. It is thus that South Africa is still at the stage where legislation and enforcement is absolutely essential. However, I dream of the day when all South African operators will reach the point that the European manufacturers have now reached. The point where pride in their achievements towards becoming responsible ‘citizens’ in every way will have them adopt laid-down standards as their own rather than as being forced on them. Please let that day arrive soon.

Patrick O'Leary
Managing Editor