Director and colleagues on viral ‘masturbating’ driver: “Bad apple”

Rober van Straalen, director of the transport company in Zwaagdijk-East, tells WEFF/NH News in a reaction once again shocked by the video that has been circulating on social media and has gone viral. Van Straalen, who is currently on vacation, soon saw the video.

“I believe the video was just online for a few minutes when it was sent to me on the app,” he recalls. “We called this driver right after and told him to come to headquarters.”

Situation is regretted

According to other employees of the company, he could hand in his things there. The director can neither confirm nor deny this, and – just as in the previously released statement on the Facebook page of the company – of ‘the only and just appropriate measure the company can take’.

Van Straalen says he regrets the incident, especially for his colleagues. For example, several drivers are approached by customers, and it is thought by some that they are the driver who was filmed. One of the employees even had to change his truck, because his car is almost identical.

“The worst thing is that the other people who work for us are shocked,” says Van Straalen. “He was a good driver, but it’s not normal what happened. These things shouldn’t happen, but they are. We can’t sit down with all our 1,100 employees and check them. It’s a stupid action, easy enough. I am convinced that he is also sick of it himself.”

Van Straalen has decided not to report the ‘bizarre situation’ on the highway. The police did contact the transport company this morning. “In consultation with the public prosecutor, we are starting an investigation into the behavior of the driver”, let the police know. He is due to report for questioning soon. The police are not making any further statements at this time.

Rotten apple

Employees of the transport company also express their displeasure. “We as drivers of VSDV are proud of our company and that is ruined by this rotten apple”, reads one of the reactions under the statement. “To our customers and everyone involved with the company: don’t lump us together. We are all putting our shoulders to the wheel to put this behind us.”

Another driver says that he is proud of the company he has worked for ‘for a long time’. “But what a sick feeling I got when I saw that video. I’m ashamed of it.”

According to a third fellow driver, the company is ‘solid as a rock’. He writes that he is happy that the transport company no longer employs the driver. “You always have bad apples and luckily we got rid of these. Well solved!”, is his response.

‘Well acted’

Others, whether or not professional drivers, say in response that the company has made the right decision. Eric is surprised that the driver has handled his car and load unwisely. “What if he had flipped out?” he wonders. “The filmer in the left lane thunders over it and the car on cruise control happily continues? And then? Fill it in yourself.”

He also says that he finds it a pity that a company such as VSDV is ‘flickered into a big black hole’ in this way. “Well acted. He wouldn’t be allowed to drive anywhere from me. He’s not even worth the name truck driver.”

Aart agrees and says that ‘such sick minds’ do not help to raise the image of drivers and the passion for the profession to a higher level. Sander indicates in another response that he hopes that peace will return soon. “This message is a good statement to the outside world,” he writes. “And hopefully people will understand.”