Tag: van driver

Long drives? Back pain? Here’s some advice.

Posted on by News Desk

Long Drives and Back Pain

How to Stay Comfortable On The Road

We’ve all felt the burn of a long drive.

Whether it’s in a shiny new van or a reliable old one, those hours take a toll.

Sitting in the same position for hours isn’t easy.

And, let’s be honest, back pain doesn’t care about age.

But here’s some good news.

Simon Reynolds, a former driver performance manager at Formula One McLaren, knows a thing or two about avoiding back pain.

Now a sports therapist, Reynolds has shared his best tips to help you stay comfortable on those long drives.

Start With Seat Ergonomics

Before you even step into your vehicle, take a moment for seat adjustments.

Why?

Preventing back and neck pain begins with full visibility of the road and easy mirror access.

Check your mirrors—they should require just a simple, comfortable glance.

Recline For Spinal Support

Next, consider reclining your seat back just enough to support your spine.

An unsupported head leads to tension, and an unsupported upper spine only adds to the discomfort.

Above all, remember lumbar support.

Without it, the pelvis can shift backward, putting stress on your lower back over time.

Choose The Right Seat Cushion

Did you know that seat cushions come in various shapes and padding options?

Surprisingly, many car seats don’t provide adequate lower back support.

By adding a thin cushion, however, you can help maintain the natural curve in your lower back.

This small adjustment may not only reduce discomfort but also help prevent medical issues over time.

Perfect Your Leg Position

Leg positioning is crucial.

The seat should support your legs without forcing them to stretch too far.

Contrary to popular belief, your leg shouldn’t be fully outstretched when pressing the pedal.

Instead, aim for a slight bend in your leg when braking or accelerating.

And keep your bottom snug against the driver’s seat.

Find Your Best Steering Position

For optimal steering, keep your elbows slightly bent.

But lock your shoulders back against the seat.

If this feels off, adjust the steering wheel height for a more natural fit.

Take Regular Breaks For Physical And Mental Health

The most important tip?

Take breaks.

Ideally, stop every hour for a quick stretch or a short walk.

These breaks help prevent aches and keep your body in good shape for the road ahead.

With these tips, you’re set for a more comfortable, healthier drive.

So, will you be trying these tips?

Whether it’s in your comfy new van or an old banger, we hope it helps you in some way.

At least you can rest easy and search for cheap van insurance deals with us, without breaking the bank (or, your back).

Why Van Drivers Face Rising Mental Health Risks Today

Posted on by News Desk

How Are You, Really?

No, really—how are you doing?

It might sound like a casual question, but the truth is alarming.

Last week, the news revealed a shocking statistic.

The suicide rate among van drivers stands a staggering 25% above the national average.

Take a moment to absorb that.

Even more concerning?

Surprisingly, only one in four businesses that employ van drivers have taken any steps to monitor their employees’ mental health.

The Pressures on Van Drivers Are Rising

Rates of stress and depression are growing among van drivers.

Why?

The pandemic has created relentless pressure, especially for delivery drivers.

Their workloads have surged, but they’re still bound by the same 24-hour day.

Moreover, it’s not only delivery drivers who are feeling the strain.

Many other van drivers have dealt with furlough, salary cuts, and isolation.

In this challenging new era, unpredictable journey times further intensify their stress.

The Mental Health Stigma Remains

Most van drivers are men, and for many, discussing mental health feels daunting.

It’s often seen as unmanly or a sign of weakness.

But here’s the reality:

Anyone struggling with the pressures of life during Covid should reach out.

Talking to someone—a friend, family member, or professional—can be transformative.

Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference

Exercise can help.

Even a brisk walk can boost endorphins and lighten your mood.

If you’re a van driver under pressure, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

Support from CALM: A Lifeline for Van Drivers

To support struggling van drivers, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) has stepped in.

They’ve created 20,000 driver packs specifically for those battling stress and depression during lockdown.

Each pack includes resources for support, self-care tips, and practical ways to ease feelings of stress.

Don’t Brush It Off—Take Action

It’s easy to dismiss your stress as just “lockdown fatigue.”

Or to tell yourself everyone feels the same way.

But remember, you can take simple steps to feel better.

Take a moment for yourself.

Get your free driver pack here.

Give yourself a break.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

If you need help, reach out and get it.

No one has to face depression alone.

Bad Back? You’re not alone.

Posted on by News Desk

As this week sees the brave and fearless van drivers of the UK go out of their way to get things to the places and people that need them, all in spite of sweltering heat and traffic jams all around the coast, all we can hope is that you all made time to have your air conditioning re-gassed before the hot weather began. Otherwise, we can’t imagine you’re having too pleasant a time of it.

Whether your office is on the road or in a building, there’s no escaping the heat.

Something else that most van drivers can’t escape is back pain. Sitting in a cab all day, lifting deliveries in and out and the constant stress can all play a part in contributing to a bad back. And it isn’t nice, we’ve all been there. It can play havoc not only on your waking life, but on your nocturnal one too. 

And we know that we’ve talked about it before, but a sedentary life and poor physical fitness is the one thing that can help to make a difference. Maybe shifting a few pounds and getting fit before winter this year is really worth doing more than just talking about it.

But here are some ideas for how you can make those aches and pains a little bit easier to take.

1: Check how you are sitting

Check that your backrest is following the contours of your back. You don’t want big gaps. Try not to recline too much, a straighter posture will force you to stop slumping in your seat a little. If you have an adjustable base, extend it so it supports the ensure length of your thighs. Finally, check your headrest aligns with the middle of the back of your head, and don’t forget to use it. If you need any lumbar support cushions, get them. And use them.

2: Check the steering wheel and mirrors. 

Now everything about your chair is right, try and adjust your steering wheel so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, but not too close to your chest Adjust the mirrors too.

3: Try and take breaks. 

It’s hard in a COVID world – you don’t want to keep getting out of your van for the sake of it. But a quick get up and move every few hours can get things moving and make all the difference. 

4: Watch your posture.

It’s so easy to start slumping behind the wheel. Try and adjust your posture as often as you can, so that you are sitting tall, in the back of your seat, with your shoulders back and your neck and head straight, not at an angle. Try and keep everything aligned

5: Find some online stretches for at home

Get a free video to bag a few physio-approved moves for a few minutes after work each day. You can also consider getting a back stretcher, an arched adjustable plastic board that you lie on for a few minutes each day, to help put everything back where it should be and relive any pressure off your spine. It’s suspiring how inflexible you may find yourself to be. 

6: If it persists, see a doctor, physio or osteopath

We love our osteopath and think he is nothing short of a miracle worker. But whatever works for you, just do something to seek help to resolve the issue – nobody should have to live with pain long-term.

Safe and cool driving this week, everyone.

Van Theft is Only Getting Worse.

Posted on by News Desk

Shocking news here at CVI HQ. 

We’re disappointed to report that new figures show that the number of stolen vans has increased by 45% since 2015. 

45%! 

If that wasn’t bad enough, the last year has been particularly awful for white van man and woman, with nearly 10,000 vans reported stolen in 2018/19.

We’re sad for you. It shouldn’t be this hard to make a living, without some little git having it away with your motor. And as if living in London and dealing with that traffic and congestions charges wasn’t punishment enough, more thefts occurred there than anywhere else (4,777 – nearly half of all vans stolen in the past 12 months). That’s an increase of 15% on the figures from 2017/18.

Outside of the capital, Leicestershire was the second worse area in the country for van thefts, with an 8x increase from the previous year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, who commissioned the report, suggests that keyless vehicle entry could be partially to blame for the rise in van thefts. That’s definitely one new bit of kit you don’t want on your car. 

Better news however, if you live in the West Midlands, who saw a huge 73% decrease in van theft, which likely has nothing at all to do with Aston Villa being promoted to The Premiership this season, but you never know. Meanwhile, Surrey saw a scant 1% decrease which possibly might be rugby or cricket-related but that’s not our forte and we’re clutching at straws a bit, so we’ll leave that conclusion there.

Keyless Entry is Problematic

Keyless entry is proving to be more of a potential problem than a benefit it seems with thefts of both cars and vans on the rise, thanks to technology hacks that allow thieves an easy way in. And while the wisdom is to add extra security locks and bulkheads and to park your van in a way that doors can’t be accessed easily, it’s not really that simple, is it? You didn’t buy a van tonotbe able to easily access all the extra things you’ve got inside it, without moving it somewhere else and bringing out a prison warden size set of keys for all the extra bolts and padlocks you’ve been forced to add. 

Personally, we’d be insisting on a van without keyless technology, if we were in the market for a new one. But keyless or not, it just goes to show just how important a good van insurance policy is for you guys and girls. And if it’s renewal time, its more important than ever that you check the small print and T&Cs to ensure your personal belongings are also covered and that your van insurance premium adequately covers the costs of the goods that you’re transporting. And that we can help with. Just fill out our form and let the best providers save you a job by coming to you with the most competitive insurance quotes around.

38, Mate? Van Insurance Liar!

Posted on by News Desk

No word from our Chief News Reporter in Paris, France. No pictures. No telephone calls. Nothing. Just what is going on here? I don’t know.

What I do know is that all of you CVI enthusiasts will have to wait for the official Instagram page to be launched. Social media domination will be ours…just not yet.

While I’m waiting for word from our CNR, the only thing left to do is bring you some van insurance news.

So…in the absence of the Chief News Reporter I hand the torch over to the…Junior News Reporter.

JNR, it’s over to you…

It seems van drivers in the city of Blackburn are in a rush to age themselves. Forget about plastic surgery to look younger, these van owners are using van insurance applications to become older.

Take the story of a 20 year van driver as a prime example. Not happy with drinking from the fountain of youth, this kid wanted to become a man…a 38 year old man.

So when he filled out his online van insurance form he didn’t tell the truth. What he did was put “38” in the age box.

The reason? For cheap van insurance of course. Why else? There is no other reason.

As we have reported about before…young van drivers really do get hit in the wallet when insuring their van. Especially in cities such as London, but also in places such as Blackburn.

Unfortunately for the 20 year old van driver from Blackburn, his lies didn’t slip through the net, and the online lie detector machine “blew up” virtually when processing his van insurance application form.

It wasn’t just his age he was lying about either. He also had two speeding convictions which didn’t get mentioned on his application.

This brought his annual premium down to an affordable £924, although it was all based on a web of lies.

A few months later and the van driver was stopped on the M65 for speeding. Surprise, surprise. And Police quickly cottoned on to the fact this guy has been telling a few pork pies.

He then found himself in a courtroom where he had no choice but to plead guilty, which led to a conditional discharge for 6 months with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The lesson here? Don’t lie on your van insurance application form. It really is as simple as that. You will get found out.

It’s a much better idea to use our 3 minute form here at Cheap Van Insurance. Then tell the truth, and nothing but the truth and you will be rewarded with amazing quotes from trusted van insurance companies and brokers.

Van Driver VS Traffic Warden – CONFRONTATION!

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Don’t worry, we are not returning to the summer of rage where van drivers were unleashing violence, but an incident did happen recently.

It was more calm though. Some would say even diplomatic on the van drivers behalf, who witnessed something happening that caused him to stop his van and question someone that was supposed to be in authority.

The authority of a traffic warden that is…someone who is handed a badge by the government with the message of “protect our roads from illegal parking. Punish anyone that doesn’t obey.”

So every morning these traffic wardens set off from their house and apartments and then patrol the streets and roads of the UK looking for violations

Sometimes they arrive in packs, and then split up to prowl the streets individually. They can give out more tickets that way.

Other times, traffic wardens are given their own vehicles…just like in this particular incident, where the traffic warden was riding a scooter.

So what happened is that the van driver noticed the traffic warden was parking on a double yellow line, something which is illegal of course, and then when he pulled up alongside to point our this fact he was met with a response that left him in shock…

“It’s okay, it’s only for 5 minutes,” said the traffic warden, referring to the fact that parking on double yellow lines is cool as long as you are not there for a long time.

Well, in actual fact this isn’t okay at all, and when a member of the public or a van driver tries to use this excuse they are almost always met with a “sorry, got to give you a ticket.”

In this particular incident the van driver was not satisfied with the traffic wardens response and no doubt all out rage might very well have been on his mind for a second, but then he decided to simply question him instead.

“Oh so you’re allowed to park on a double yellow for five minutes,” said the van driver, referring to the fact that the UK public are not allowed to but traffic wardens are.

“There is nowhere else to park though,” replied the traffic warden, almost as if it excused him from breaking the very law he was hired to protect.

Talk about double standards over these double yellow lines, it’s almost as if these traffic wardens really do think they are above the law.

I’m sure the van driver wanted to get out of the van and make the warden see a bit of sense, but on this day he decided to accept the fact that it was better to stay in the van and get on with his job.

A brief confrontation yes, but not the kind of confrontations that we have been hearing about over the last few months. A return to the summer of rage this isn’t, although who knows how long van drivers are going to remain so diplomatic.

The one thing I do know is that all van drivers in the UK should visit this website to compare van insurance. You get cheap quotes so you can save money, and then at least you have some extra change in your pocket.

Van Driver Takes on a Lamborghini…And Wins!

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Typically you will find van drivers going about their everyday business and obeying the speed limits…not racing a Lamborghini. Well, it happened.

The moment a wannabe Lewis Hamilton (in a van) decided to go up against the £150,000 Lamborghini sports car was actually caught on video by a passer-by with his mobile phone in Altrincham, Manchester.

It appears the transit van went up against the luxury sports car through 3 sets of traffic lights, before finally coming out as victorious. I’m sure this is a video the Lamborghini owner doesn’t want to be seen.

However, it has quickly become a hit on the internet, with thousands of views and hundreds of comments so far about the incident.

What seems to have happened is that at first, the sports car took the lead with an initial burst of power and acceleration you would expect from such a machine.

The traffic lights put a limit on how far the car could go though, which no doubt frustrated the driver because he couldn’t get out of second gear and also got stuck in a bit of traffic.

The van driver had no such problems. He kept his cool and used all of his van drivers knowledge about road driving and dealing with traffic lights to come out as the winner.

So that is 1 – 0 to the van driver, although I don’t think that would be the case if they took to a race track or had a clear stretch of road. I reckon the Lamborghini might just get ahead if they had those kind of conditions.

Let’s just hope that this particular van driver had the appropriate van insurance and that he didn’t break any speed limits or laws of the road.

I’m sure a Police officer wouldn’t be too impressed if he saw a van and Lamborghini racing down the street, even if it was only from traffic light to traffic light without any real dangerous manoeuvrers

For any one thinking about getting into transit van racing just be aware that van insurance companies don’t like this kind of activity either, and if something happens while you are racing then don’t be surprised if you can’t make a claim.

Not only that, but if you decide to install telematics in a bid to get cheaper van insurance, then your driving style will be monitored, and if you come across as a bit of wannabe racing driver in the data, then you could just find yourself with even more expensive insurance.

New Figures Suggest Van Insurance “Way More” Than Inflation

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During the 12 months of 2016 van insurance had a rise of 11.7% according to new official figures, which is “way more” than inflation commented one expert.

I have to agree, and it’s just like I’ve been saying for a long time now…van insurance is just too expensive for the average white van man so to speak, but because many people need vans for their work they don’t really have any choice.

In other words, you have to pay it, and the van insurance companies know this which is why they have no problem adding another nought to your policy whenever they feel like it.

The new figures also said that an average van insurance policy is now priced at £1591 for the year, which is pretty much double what you pay for car insurance, despite the fact that many small commercial vehicles are not much bigger than a normal car.

Like I’ve talked about before though, it’s the under 25’s that really get hit in the wallet, and as the new figures suggest, this age bracket has an average premium of £4700 a year.

Yes you read that right, and that is why I always advise young drivers who want to insure a van – “use a comparison website,” because you might be able to save a few quid, although you will still probably pay quite a bit.

The good news, if you can call it that, is that under 25’s only witnessed a rise of 3.6% in their van insurance costs during the 12 months of 2016, although that is still more than inflation.

Despite all of this, sales of vans around the UK are stronger than ever before, with the new figures suggesting that there will be more sold this year than ever before. This really is a good time to be a van manufacturer it seems, and with the self driving revolution just around the corner things are going to get even better.

One way that many van drivers save money on their insurance is to opt for “carriage of own goods” cover, as this does save a bit of money. If you are a trades person such as builder, roofer, plumber or carpenter then you might want to give it a try.

Also, don’t forget to use a van insurance comparison website, where all you have to do is submit a straight forward form and you then instantly get access to around 40 quotes from different insurers.

The one tip I will give you is to stay away from those comparison websites that have fancy gimmicks or give you a free gift.

You are much better off going with a site that is no-nonsense and designed for the average van driver, like this one, so the quote you are offered is the price you pay should you decide to go with it.

Van Driver Takes on Crash for Cash Gang

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It is typically cars that are associated with the crash for cash scam, usually these gangs leave van drivers well alone…until now that is.

Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary for the van driver who was no doubt on his way somewhere important, when suddenly and without warning, the car in front slammed on its brakes and caused the van to crash into the back.

There appears to have been another car in front of the one that braked, although that quickly sped off after the incident.

The collision was only at 5mph, but enough to cause a bit of damage. However, the van driver immediately became suspicious about what had just happened.

No doubt the van driver had read about these crash for cash scams before, and how criminal gangs are roaming the country looking for innocent victims.

Well, he wasn’t going to accept the blame here, and instead, decided to confront them about the fact they were trying to pull a fast one. It seems they were in no mood for a showdown, and decided to make a quick exit away from the scene.

Fortunately, he was quick thinking, and got out his phone to take pictures of the men and their car before they got away. Not only that, but he also put in a call to his van insurance company to let them know what just happened.

Long story short…and the 3 guys did try to make a claim against this innocent guys van insurance…but he didn’t just take it and decided to get the Police involved. It quickly became apparent that not all was legit here, and in no time at all the 3 guys were arrested.

It turned out they were part of a criminal gang who had been doing the crash for cash scam all over England, and they might have continued to get away with it if they had just stayed away from van drivers.

Moral of the story…don’t try and scam van drivers. You won’t win, and will probably end up in prison just like these 3 guys have.

That’s right. The 3 people in the car have just been sentenced to 17 months, 15 months and 14 months respectively, which means they will have a bit of time to think about a career change maybe? I doubt it. They will be out and about on the roads again in a few months time.

Anyway, it’s good to see people are beginning to get wise about these crash for cash scams, and if drivers, insurance companies and the Police are willing to work together, I don’t think there is any reason why there can’t be more success stories like this.

Van Driver Fined £5000 for Parking in his Own Driveway

Posted on by News Desk

There are many places that van drivers can get fined for parking, but in your own driveway is not somewhere you would expect to get a ticket.

Unfortunately though, this is exactly what has happened to van driver Dave Tooke, who over the last two years received 53 parking tickets that total £5000 in fines, despite being parked in his own driveway.

Just what is going on here? It was only a few weeks ago I reported on how van drivers were being stopped from buying new houses because the building companies don’t want them parking their vehicle in the neighbourhoods..well, it now seems that van drivers can’t park anywhere.

Thousands of ordinary van drivers are being stopped from parking their vehicles, and if you ask me it just isn’t on. Something needs to be done, even if it means getting a petition started so that politicians and local councils will stand up and take notice. I for one, would sign it.

This all comes at a time of course that van insurance is also becoming more expensive. There isn’t a day that goes by without people contacting me complaining about how their premiums are £200, £400, and even £500 more expensive than last year, and to those people I say…always compare van insurance, and don’t be loyal to any insurance company because they don’t deserve your loyalty.

Fortunately, it only takes about 3 minutes to fill in the form on this very site, and then once you click send your details are sent off to hundreds of the van insurance companies. This is what I suggest every van driver in the UK does if they want to save money.

Back to the parking situation and it appears that Dave Tooke has been living in his £400,000 3 bed house for 4 years now, and for the first 2 years he didn’t have any problems at all, parking his van on the driveway in front of his house.

The last 2 years has been a different story though, and its been problem after problem according to Dave with fines coming left, right and centre from people in authority that just don’t want him to park his van on the estate.

It really does seem that van drivers are being singled out here. Who knows why exactly, but there are many people out there who don’t want tradesmen living in their area.

At the end of the day, Dave can afford the £400,000 house, so he really should not have to deal with this. If the real estate company didn’t want van owners living on the estate then they should have communicated that when he bought the house…not 2 years later.

They were fine taking his £400,000 it would appear, but now they have forgotten all about that. I’ve said before that when things are going well these building and real estate companies get a bit too choosy.

Hopefully Dave can get this whole situation sorted out, and just be left alone to park his van on the property that he paid for.

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