Got in accident.....

[UPSguy23]

Hey, I'm a new member of this board and I was involved in an accident today, my fault, really stupid now that I look back on it. Trying to make a gradual left turn in a parking lot around a parked car, "thought" I could make it and unfortunately it rubbed up against the car, prob. less than 500 dollars worth of damage to the car, just a foot long by maybe 1/8 of an inch scratch by the tailight housing. I don't know why I did it now that I look back on it, I made my seniority last month, so I've only been driving for 2 months and to have something like this happen so soon is just really discouraging, almost like I doubt my driving skills now.... Before this happened I was bonusing on the route I was on today, things with management was great because I didn't mind getting done with my route at 6 and going back out to help until 830 almost every night, now I have a feeling things will change. I'm not trying to wimp out or anything but now I have to do the most humiliating thing in my life and give a safety pcm tomorrow because of my dumb***** mistake. Sorry felt like I needed to get this off my chest

[yeldarb]

That is weird they are making you give a safety pcm. In our center, they wouldnt dream of making someone do that. The Union would be all over that.
Follow the methods, work safe, dont hurry. It is probably better you get in an accident early in your driving days, than later. I had an accident within 3 months of my packet, and now am over 5 years safe. Treat it as a lesson learned. When in doubt, stop and get out.

[BSUUPS]

Good luck with the PCM...and don;t doubt your driving skills. Just remember the seeing habits and 10 pt comentary...here are some safety slogans that might help in the future...Space on all six sides,,and when in doubt..stop and get out...

[Ms Spoken]

PCM tomorrow??? Oh BS that is what the safety team is for. UPS can not single you out in front of your peers.

[UPSguy23]

Yeah that's basically the same discussion I had with my on-car sup, I just felt like such a dimwit that I felt like it was a bad dream that I hadn't woken up from yet. Yeah and like you said it will be a BIG lesson learned, I don't think I'll be going into anymore parking lots for a while, impossible for the route but I'll be looking for safe alternatives.....

Hey ups23, be sure to get a copy of your accident report, contractually your entitled to that, keep in your own files forever. Find out your Local jurisdiction practice on progressive levels of discipline, that way you know for certain where you stand. If you feel you are being retaliated against for you accident, pursue Article 37 violations with your steward. It would be wise to find out if other drivers who have been involved it an accident are forced to give testimonials at pcm's. If not you'll have past-practice argument in your favor along with unfair and unequal treatment to boot. LEARN YOUR CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS, I can't emphasize this enough. I see nearly all new drivers contractal rights trampled because time isn't taken to learn them. Management will always take advantage of ignorance, buy no means should you ever ask management to interpret the contract, they rarely know what they're talking about and they'll nearly always be wrong. Closing thought: Making mistakes is what makes us human, recognizing our mistakes and correcting them whenever possible makes us better humans.

[speeddemon]

we all make mistakes, just try to learn from them.

[upsdude]

I’ve been driving 19 years and we’ve always had drivers give PCM’s to discuss their accident or injury. Think about it, you end up talking about it with most everyone anyway. Giving the PCM is also a way of getting support from your peers. I’d also rather my peers hear what happened from me as opposed to management telling the story.

[dannyboy]

A lot og good replies have already been given.

One thing you must remember, you are human. You will make mistakes and errors in judgement. As your years with UPS progress and your mind is formatted toward safety, hopefully they will be less and less.

Sometimes having a very minor bumpin is a good lesson and wake up call for a driver that is not focused on safety.

What ever the issue, learn from it, dont let it get you down, and go out there and do your job like you already know how.

d

[sendagain]

Look on the bright side, you are one of the drivers who reports his accidents. At least you are responsible for your actions.

[disneyworld]

Originally Posted by UPSguy23

Hey, I'm a new member of this board and I was involved in an accident today, my fault, really stupid now that I look back on it. Trying to make a gradual left turn in a parking lot around a parked car, "thought" I could make it and unfortunately it rubbed up against the car, prob. less than 500 dollars worth of damage to the car, just a foot long by maybe 1/8 of an inch scratch by the tailight housing. I don't know why I did it now that I look back on it, I made my seniority last month, so I've only been driving for 2 months and to have something like this happen so soon is just really discouraging, almost like I doubt my driving skills now.... Before this happened I was bonusing on the route I was on today, things with management was great because I didn't mind getting done with my route at 6 and going back out to help until 830 almost every night, now I have a feeling things will change. I'm not trying to wimp out or anything but now I have to do the most humiliating thing in my life and give a safety pcm tomorrow because of my dumb***** mistake. Sorry felt like I needed to get this off my chest

It's a sign. GET OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[over9five]

Do NOT give a PCM. It is not your job. Leave it to the company safety brown-noses.

[cashmen]

S H I T Happens

[brown67]

I had two small accidents like yours my first year. 13 years later I'm accident free. A lot of drivers have little accidents like yours their 1st year. It takes time to learn to drive those big brown trucks. My advice is to give yourself lots of room.

[UPSguy23]

Thanks for the replies and support, today was a lot better day. Had to have the supervisor ride along with me and with him watching every move he said he was surprised that I got in the accident that I did with the way I drove(brand new on-car sup). It was a nice confidence booster yet it was still embarassing having to have a supervisor watch my every move, and believe me it will be a big lesson learned, just have to take it one day at a time and be more safe than I was yesterday. Thanks

[trickpony1]

....and try to remember that you get paid by the hour....not by the box.

Hey tell me this I am 10 days into driving bumped a overhanging tree on a residential road and the upper mirror on the pass side of the truck popped out and shattered the sticky tape holding the mirror on wasn't even used to hold it on. I have pictures... Boss made me report it once I got back and then he said to decide between preload or air driver that my full time days are over since I had a wreck... is this the way UPS is??? Just wondering if anyone has any feed back on this
Thanks

[tieguy]

Originally Posted by over9five

Do NOT give a PCM. It is not your job. Leave it to the company safety brown-noses.

ouch. I don't know how effective the pcm concept is but it seems like it might not be a bad idea to talk about it like you did here and what you learned from it. Gives the human touch to learning. Is management giving any discipline in this case or is your pcm as bad as it gets?

[disneyworld]

Originally Posted by Anonymous new hire

Hey tell me this I am 10 days into driving bumped a overhanging tree on a residential road and the upper mirror on the pass side of the truck popped out and shattered the sticky tape holding the mirror on wasn't even used to hold it on. I have pictures... Boss made me report it once I got back and then he said to decide between preload or air driver that my full time days are over since I had a wreck... is this the way UPS is??? Just wondering if anyone has any feed back on this
Thanks

Usually.If you get in an accident during your 30 days,you're done. But I think you can try again in a year(not sure)

[browniehound]

Originally Posted by Anonymous new hire

Hey tell me this I am 10 days into driving bumped a overhanging tree on a residential road and the upper mirror on the pass side of the truck popped out and shattered the sticky tape holding the mirror on wasn't even used to hold it on. I have pictures... Boss made me report it once I got back and then he said to decide between preload or air driver that my full time days are over since I had a wreck... is this the way UPS is??? Just wondering if anyone has any feed back on this
Thanks

You shouldn't have reported this as an accident. I don't know any drivers that report just a crack in the mirror. You should have just wrote it up on the DVIR and it would have been fixed by the next morning.

[dannyboy]

You shouldn't have reported this as an accident. I don't know any drivers that report just a crack in the mirror. You should have just wrote it up on the DVIR and it would have been fixed by the next morning.

That little bit of advice is a quick way to end your career at UPS. Seen it too many times, and most of the time it was the mirrors.

One of the few things that UPS cant take away from you is your integrity. Dont give it away.

And contrary to the post, most drivers will be honest about it.

As to the way it is, I am hoping that this policy will change. But for the time being........

d

[sendagain]

Originally Posted by browniehound

You shouldn't have reported this as an accident. I don't know any drivers that report just a crack in the mirror. You should have just wrote it up on the DVIR and it would have been fixed by the next morning.

It all depends on who your supervisor is; some of them will let it slide but some won't. It's best to report the accident and be honest rather than developing a habit of dishonesty. Next time, you might try to cover up your accident in some other way, digging a grave for your carreer. I new a manager one time who really liked a certain driver and she made his backing accident dissappear. If you don't earn a safe driving award, it must be hollow to receive the acclaim.

[cachsux]

Originally Posted by Anonymous new hire

Hey tell me this I am 10 days into driving bumped a overhanging tree on a residential road and the upper mirror on the pass side of the truck popped out and shattered the sticky tape holding the mirror on wasn't even used to hold it on. I have pictures... Boss made me report it once I got back and then he said to decide between preload or air driver that my full time days are over since I had a wreck... is this the way UPS is??? Just wondering if anyone has any feed back on this
Thanks

You didn`t hit a tree,you were adjusting the mirror so that you had a more safe view and it popped out. Before you could catch it it fell to the ground.

[scratch]

Originally Posted by cachsux

You didn`t hit a tree,you were adjusting the mirror so that you had a more safe view and it popped out. Before you could catch it it fell to the ground.

Now if you are adjusting the mirror by turning it with your hand, and it cracks, then its not an accident. I have have heard that it is possible "to adjust a mirror with a tree limb", just remember to scrap the bark off! Some managers will let a mirror slide, they don't like their accident numbers to go up either. Some managers won't. We have mirrors break all the time, the car wash and preload never report them. I have also noticed that the bottom mirrors have very thin glass in them now, easy to pop with a tree limb. As a driver, sometimes you get in the situation of either hitting a tree limb or hitting a car head on that is coming around a corner. Which would you chose?

Back to Anonymous new hire's post. Yes, you have to be accident free the first thirty days. About twenty five years ago I went driving my first time in a Package Car in very narrow downtown Atlanta streets. On my fifth and last day with my supervisor on the car, I barely touched a traffic sign with my right mirror. He made me pull over immediately, took the wheel, and back to the Hub I went for a year. It didn't break the glass.

[over9five]

I'm with Cach on this one.

DVIR: Broke mirror while adjusting. Please replace.