Avoidable Accident while parked

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I`m not understanding this avoidable quote crap. An accident by definition means accidently. Then UPS comes in after the fact? If we did this or that then? Huh? IF IF If is vague and assuming? Frustrates me!!!

What we do or don't do out there helps us avoid accidents. Leaving the car length, watching parked cars, clearing intersections, using horn/lights/signals, checking mirrors, staying off cell phones, not using the DIAD while driving, etc., will greatly reduce our chances of getting in to an accident. I had a situation last week where I was following an elderly lady as she was starting to drive through an intersection when she suddenly stopped when the light turned yellow. If I had not had the cushion and eye lead time established and had not followed the stale green light method I would have surely rear ended her.

I agree that there are times when an accident is deemed avoidable by the company which the police has deemed not the drivers fault. Getting hit while legally parked and then being charged with an accident is absurd. However, getting hit while parked in a residential driveway is inexecusable IMO.

 

[soberups]

Sober, what I said was we have been told to stay out of residential driveways. I never said that I stay out of residential driveways although I do try to plan ahead to keep it to an absolute minimum. I would say that if I go in to 5 residential driveways in a day that would be a lot--it is usually 2-3.

What you said was..."The accident was avoidable as he should not have been in the driveway."

It is entirely possible that, based upon circumstances, the driver had no choice but to be parked in the driveway.

To charge a driver with an accident and issue him/her a warning letter due to the actions of someone else shows just how desperate our management has become to meet their quota of warning letters and maintain the illusion that they are actually doing something useful for the company.

 

[Integrity]

Avoidable Accident?
Unless UPS is the master of the the time, space continuim, this is a complete impossibilty and just yet another area where the coporate executives of UPS lack integrity. It is completely impossible to avoid an event that has already happened. An accident by definition is an unexpected, undesirable event. I challenge anyone to go out and avoid an event that has already happened.

The real issue here is fault. Every accident should have a police report and the police investigation should assign the fault based upon this investigation. It is that simple.

The driveway issue is very simple. I don't know the specific facts but generally speaking if you drive into a parked vehicle the police will probably assign fault to the person in the driven car. Even if the car is parked illegally the driver of the driven car may get part of the fault because there is probably an assumption that you should not be crashing into stationary objects, at least I hope there is.

The point of pulling into the driveway is a seperate issue. If the driver has been directed to not pull into this driveway specifically then it is a failure to "work as directed" issue. This still does not make the driver at fault with regards to the accident. The police report should always assign the fault. If the driver has never been instructed to not pull into this driveway specifically then the driver's discrection should be respected. He or she may have felt this was the safest place to park. Either way it doesn't make the driver at fault in this accident.

The fact that corporate executives at UPS think that UPS knows more than a properly done police investigation when assigning fault doesn't surprise me at all.

Sincerely,
I

 

[soberups]

...That was the last time I parked on the road at that house. Actually, it changed my perspective on delivering to most rural houses. If it was a back door delivery, I got as close as safely possible before exiting the PC. I'll take my chances with not hitting anything as opposed to a dog bite....

Dogs arent the only hazard out in the country.

Walking off a 200-yard driveway out in the country on a dark night is a good way to get shot.

Country people dont take kindly to strangers walking thru their backyards when it is pitch black outside and the sheriff is 45 minutes away.

They know who I am when they see a big UPS truck in their driveway. So if UPS is really serious about not allowing us to be in residential driveways then they need to stop providing delivery service to rural areas altogether. There are driveways on my route that are over a mile long, and it is neither safe nor realistic to expect me to walk them off.

 

[QKRSTKR]

Happens all the time here. Almost all accidents are ruled avoidable, even hit while parked. We had one last week. It's easy to be a center manager and come out after the fact and say, "yup, you should have parked overthere". Wow! No S### sherlock. Why didn't I think of that. 10 years ago in my 30day qual. periord, I was hit while parked. It was exactly where my sup. showed me where to park. He safety rode with me next day, pull up to stop, I say "where should I park", he says "same place you got hit". That's how much these people have changed. Needless to say, 10 years ago it was ruled UNavoidable. These people are jokes, and as stated, try to justify there existence. No union letters have been issued with hit while parked. So like another said, UPS can call it watever the hell it wants, there is no safe driving awards anymore. We had a circle of honor guy say the dinner was like a freaking joke.

We only made 2.2 billion in NET PROFITS last year guys. We don't have a pot to P### in. Yet lets wire 20 year old Pkg. cars with telematics. Thats a great investment.

 

[jimstud]

Yes. We have been told to stay out of residential driveways. The accident was avoidable as he should not have been in the driveway.

so you have 5 150 lb pottery barn boxes all 7 feet long and you are not going to back down a driveway ? you should change your avatar to charles atlas because you are the man. but you already know that.

 

[jimstud]

good luck putting one of those huge pottery barn boxes on those fine quality two wheelers we are supplied with. in fact i would love to see you juggle one of those 7 ft long beauties on that two wheeler. but like i said you are the man.

 

[Dustyroads]

 

[dilligaf]

LOL Dusty. I've seen driveways like this. Not walking there!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

What sucks is driving all the way down to the house and realizing there is not enough room to turn around.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

So you have 5 150 lb pottery barn boxes all 7 feet long and you are not going to back down a driveway ?

I said that we were told to stay out of residential driveways. I never said that I stay out of residential driveways. Yes, I would back down the driveway to make that delivery. Work smarter, not harder.

 

[jimstud]

Yes. We have been told to stay out of residential driveways. The accident was avoidable as he should not have been in the driveway.

What sucks is driving all the way down to the house and realizing there is not enough room to turn around.

do you or do you not go into driveways ? if you do go into a driveway that you do not know if you can turn around you are supposed to back down the driveway.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

do you or do you not go into driveways ? if you do go into a driveway that you do not know if you can turn around you are supposed to back down the driveway.

The 2nd quote was in reference to Dusty's picture of the house in the middle of nowhere.

I make every effort to stay out of driveways but, yes, when the situation dictates I will back in to a residential driveway. If I back in to 5 residential driveways in a day that is a lot.

When I was on my country run I was at a stop and thought I might save a few seconds by pulling in to their U-turn dirt driveway, not knowing that it was built over what used to be a cellar. I sunk in up to the axles and wasted 45 minutes at that stop when I could have just as easily parked on the road and walked less than 50' further to deliver the pkg.

BTW, I am working on converting the contract book in to a picture book so that even you can understand it. It should be ready in a few days and I will get it right out to you. Until then just have one of your kids help you with the big words.

 

[Dustyroads]

I don't mean to correct anyone, but actually that isn't a house at the bottom of the hill, it's just a shed down by the barn and the low water bridge, where the swinging hand bridge is located. The house is quite a bit further in the pasture.

 

[jimstud]

don't worry about me i know as much of the contract as you if not more. remember i not the one who steals money out of other union members pockets by delievering packages on my way home. and yes if i can not see up a driveway i will back up it as far as i deem neccessary to do my job .

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Stud, you're going to back up this driveway?!

As far as delivering pkgs on the way home, I did it again the other day. The customer thanked me for doing that for her. I hardly think they will hire someone to run off one pkg but maybe they do things differently in Beantown.

 

[jimstud]

as far as the driveway no problem. i am just as comfortable going backwards as i am going forwards.
working when not on the clock real nice. while you are converting the contract into a picture book ( which you consider a joke ) maybe you should read it. oh i forgot your status ********* forbids you to do that.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I've been told that I should no longer use "Yawn" or "Whatever" when I no longer wish to speak to someone or can no longer reason with that person so I will borrow from the show "Shark Tank"

I'm out.

 

[jimstud]

good riddance why don't go steal some more money from your " brother " teamsters. people bemoan that the teamsters have no juice anymore all they have to do is look at all our brothers ******************************** ( like you working off the clock ) and they would why.

 

[Red Rose Tea]

i've been told that i should no longer use "yawn" or "whatever" when i no longer wish to speak to someone or can no longer reason with that person so i will borrow from the show "shark tank"

i'm out.

don't respond....