UPS driver jumps in to river to save man

[gbpbacker]

http://www.wkow.com/story/28984086/2015/05/05/ups-driver-saves-man-after-jump-into-rock-river

I've worked with this guy for the last 20 years, its pretty amazing what he did. And he DID finish his route.

 

[clean hairy]

I applaud him for what he did!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I applaud him for what he did!

This is all that you needed to say.

 

[Harry Manback]

This is all that you needed to say.

Honest question: Is it right for a company to direct you to avoid these situations via DIAD training (liability issues assumed), yet, reap the publicity benefit when you directly disobey the training you've been given?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Honest question: Is it right for a company to direct you to avoid these situations via DIAD training (liability issues assumed), yet, reap the publicity benefit when you directly disobey the training you've been given?

Excellent question.

They direct us to avoid these types of situations both for the potential liability issues and, more importantly, for the impact such acts could have on the operation.

The Good Samaritan laws would protect us if our efforts took a turn for the worse.

I can't answer why the company finds it acceptable to reap the benefit of the free publicity while privately admonishing the employee involved.

Thankfully I have never had to make this type of decision in my 26 years with the company. It would be awfully hard to come up on a situation like this and to simply drive away without at least stopping to see if everyone is OK and, if not, trying to render aid until more qualified help arrives.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Honest question: Is it right for a company to direct you to avoid these situations via DIAD training (liability issues assumed), yet, reap the publicity benefit when you directly disobey the training you've been given?

Do you forget who we work for? Enough said.

 

[clean hairy]

Is it where he might get spoken to after finishing his route?

 

[UnconTROLLed]

as long as he punched out for lunch prior to jumping in, everything is fine

 

[Harry Manback]

Do you forget who we work for? Enough said.

Of course, not.

I posed a rhetorical question to Upstate and while, his answer mirrored mine, I half- heatedly hoped, someone from the "Partners" forum might offer some insight.

Someone like, Photog... Someone with a penchant for double standards...

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Hopefully we all do the right thing if the occasion arises.

 

[The Driver]

But did his SPORH suffer?

 

[Tired Driver]

as long as he punched out for lunch prior to jumping in, everything is fine

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[olroadbeech]

we can not afford to lose anymore customers.

 

[jaker]

we can not afford to lose anymore customers.

The people of Orion believe we can

 

[SCV good to go sir.]

Like he needed dry clothes. Our uniforms dry hella fast.

 

[FrigidAdCorrector]

Honest question: Is it right for a company to direct you to avoid these situations via DIAD training (liability issues assumed), yet, reap the publicity benefit when you directly disobey the training you've been given?

I don't think it's right, but I'm not most management. I understand the liability side of it because you never know with some of the idiots out there. But at the same time when you show the quality of people you have working for you, like this gentleman, you are going to allow the image of the company to flourish.

I'm not sure how it is in other centers, but my center would have a barbecue for this guy, and he deserves it and then some. Bravo to him, this world needs more people like him.

 

[scooby0048]

Honest question: Is it right for a company to direct you to avoid these situations via DIAD training (liability issues assumed), yet, reap the publicity benefit when you directly disobey the training you've been given?

Vicarious liability is why the company trains you to avoid "situations" but the company is forced to accept that the training was violated because the outcome was positive. If the driver had somehow hurt the victim or worst caused him to drown, the company would crucify the driver because that's what the public would expect. If the company disciplined the driver for his actions with the outcome that is, the public would crucify the company.

@UpstateNYUPSer is spot on with the Good Samaritan laws affording us protection if something went wrong but UPS should publicly acknowledge the driver in a positive light but also denounce they don't encourage those actions for the safety of the driver and victims.

 

[joeboodog]

In the past he would have been on the cover of the "Big Idea" magazine and hailed as an example to be admired. Now he has put management in an uncomfortable spot. They can't publicly discipline the driver but sadly I think he has a target on him. I hate that I think this way, but I know drivers that have been disciplined for "over servicing" a customer when the customer called in a compliment about a second delivery attempt on medicine.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The reason why UPS would publicly praise him, and privately discipline - because UPS does not want any of it's people (especially hourly) becoming larger than life , or bigger than the company, or it's management.

Just think about how peeved management people become when the help is more intelligent and has better ideas than they do. It's a simple philosophy - the worker is under the thumb of the owners.

I'm surprised a management person hasn't come swooping in and taken credit for the save already

 

[UPSGUY72]

This driver did the right thing. I hope we all do the right thing egen it's called upon us. A few back I had to keep a elderly man from going vack in his burning house.