Ride Sally, ride
28/11/2007
It’s a lonely job, driving up and down the nation’s motorway. But for Britain’s truckers there’s one voice that can make them feel warm inside – and part of a community. Every half hour on Radio 2 Sally Boazman interrupts the flow of the DJ of the moment with her carefully prepared précis of the nation’s traffic jams.
Some days – especially Fridays – that list gets very long indeed. What’s particularly fascinating about the broadcasts is that all the information comes from other drivers. Sally’s the conduit. There’s a real community feel about it, and listen to the slots often enough and you’ll hear the same driver “handles” coming up. So, I ask, how many people are there collating the information?
She laughs a hollow laugh. “If only! It’s just me,” she says, “and one
telephone line. As soon as one call ends, someone else comes on. Most
of the callers I already know so I can be confident that the information is OK. Occasionally you get a voice on that doesn’t quite feel right – I’ve been caught out a couple of times, but not many.”
It’s a vital job, but many of us listen to her as we sit in our offices or kitchens with no intention of driving off down the A1, M25 or even the B3134. It’s a pleasure listening to the banter that develops between her and the DJs – from the jocular through the downright risqué.
It’s not totally surprising meeting Sally that the male DJs go in for a little light flirtation: she is tall, blonde and (when we meet) clad rather fetchingly in leather and leopard skin: dressed thus her popularity at the many a Truckers Fest is guaranteed! Sally, like her traffic “oppo” Lynn Bowles does get a bit of stick from the DJs - and gives it back. But sometimes it goes a little far. “I love Johnnie [Walker] but he can push it occasionally,” she agrees. “Once when the record starting playing I told him in no uncertain terms where to go.
Unfortunately the mic was still live… Surprisingly we didn’t get any complaints but lots of letters from ladies saying ‘Well done’!” What is often forgotten is that Sally effectively invented the role of “traffic and travel reporter”.
There have been traffic news reporters before but as veteran broadcaster, Steve Wright, writes in his foreword to Sally’s book (more of which later): “In my view she's not your average traffic reporter, but someone who has clearly become a national treasure”.
After working as an actress, and in current affairs at London Weekend
Television she joined the AA, working at AA Roadwatch and broadcasting
traffic news to stations, including Classic FM, LBC and many more. She
also appeared regularly on Sky TV She went on to work as a presenter
for the British Forces Broad-casting Service and the BBC World Service,
as well as hosting her own programmes on commercial radio.
She has recorded voiceovers for Land Rover, Cadbury and even Status Quo and even, on occasions, stood in for the Minister of Transport!
So what’s with the book? The Sally Traffic Handbook is a delightful little tome (she describes it as a “toilet book” because of its mélange of little quirky stories, jokes and tips). But to me the most interesting aspect of the book is the way it starts with her early life, explaining why her fascination with cars arose. Her father had an impossibly antiquated and unreliable Siddeley Armstrong; but her fondest memories were travelling in the family car to the annual holidays: we realize that we were both “brought up” on Ford Populars and share a few nostalgic moments of when the roads were there to be driven on – and so empty!
“It’s not so much fun these days,” she agrees. “But if I had my way I’d
have a great big motorbike. I’ve every intention of getting old very disgracefully and then ending it all at 80 mph on the motorway.”
Don’t you mean 70? I correct her. “No it will be my last ride, I won’t
worry about the speed cameras for that!”