Hit while parked.

[olroadbeech]

they do this to everybody eventually. everything is the drivers fault. even if something fell out of the sky it would be your fault.

so now do everything by the book and make more money. they will complain about that but when they do you can point out this incident.

then they wonder why evryone has such a "bad" attitude.

 

[RobbyD]

I was trained to fully block the driveway this puts the truck in full sight and allows us to exit on to level ground. After the accident they observed me and actually talked to me about the fact I was getting out in the grass at every stop. Said I would eventually roll an ankle.

 

[Brisket]

Where I am we are trained NOT to block driveways...what's their reasoning that you SHOULD block driveways? Avoid blind spots?

To avoid being hit by someone trying to squeeze in or out as pointed out earlier.

Where I am we are told to block em in.

 

[StoptheAct1212]

Dont ever block a driveway again.. and dont get out on grass... sorry. Not safe to deliver packages..

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The reasoning is to not halfway block a driveway so people might still try to squeeze through and hit you, so it is better to completely block the driveway.

It's better not to block driveways at all.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

If it's a quick stop - I know it's DR - I know no one's home - and the delivery point is close, I'll always block the driveway. But if there's action around, I'll never block the driveway.

Another thing are mailboxes, which can affect blocking a driveway. Shouldn't block those!

 

[onewithedd]

The sup would just deny writing the permission slip.

Even if he wrote you a slip saying it was ok, it would then come out that he did not have authority to write it and you will still be charged. The sup will get no discipline

 

[Richard Harrow]

Going forward your best bet is to just hand truck everything from the building to your area.

There is no such thing as a safe park position. They do not exist.

 

[Catatonic]

Again Ups is above the law. Use the police report to support your claim. I'm sure there is a parking Protocol written down some place. I've been trained to block off driveways

Avoidable accident determination is a UPS/Teamster determination.
Police reports are for factual information ... not determining the avoidability of an accident.

It is natural to not assume responsibility for an accident.
It is even more natural to not assume any assume responsibility for an accident when the other person is at legal fault.
Whether an accident is Avoidable is a UPS/Teamster concept.
Just learn from it.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

The old reliable fallback for blame - Be Prepared. Expect the Unexpected.

"We trained you how to avoid this accident/injury/situation, so you must me deliberately disobeying, negligent, or incompetent."

 

[olroadbeech]

"We trained you how to avoid this accident/injury/situation, so you must me deliberately, disobeying, negligent, or incompetent."

congrats , you just got a demotion to management.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

.

 

[Dracula]

It's the same old story at UPS. Different training and rules for different areas. It happens in every different job classification. It's a failure of our management that this happens, but it does. I've done nearly every hourly job for this company, and one thing I know, or have learned, is take the training they provide, and follow it to the letter. Because managers come and go, but the written training is proof of what they say and gives your ground to stand. If they verbally change things, make sure to talk to your steward that it is not just being told to you.

The great thing about the methods, again, is your have something to stand on if there is a problem, and two, you always make more money at this company when you follow their directions.

 

[Dracula]

I was trained to fully block the driveway this puts the truck in full sight and allows us to exit on to level ground. After the accident they observed me and actually talked to me about the fact I was getting out in the grass at every stop. Said I would eventually roll an ankle.

Unfortunately, you can't really fight an "avoidable" accident. Even if it wasn't your fault. You can file a grievance on it, but I haven't known it to help. I would walk in there tomorrow, grab your steward and tell him you want to meet with the center manager to discuss the official policy regarding this issue so it will never again be an issue again for you. Stress "never again" as you make eye contact.

And guess what? Someday a sup will ride with you and instruct you to do the opposite of what your training or what your center manager said. That's when you man up and tell him, "No, I will not do that. I've been through this. I learned the hard way how the training is lined out and this is the only way I will ever do it."

 

[Dracula]

It's better not to block driveways at all.

You would think. But the instructions from management vary wildly.

 

[Dracula]

I was trained to fully block the driveway this puts the truck in full sight and allows us to exit on to level ground. After the accident they observed me and actually talked to me about the fact I was getting out in the grass at every stop. Said I would eventually roll an ankle.

Like I said, verify this with your steward and the manager. Ask for documentation, if it's available. And ask questions that come in in your mind. One I would ask, if what they say is the way they trained you, is what happens if the driveway is wider than my package car? What do I do if there is signs of life in a car in the driveway? What do I do if two driveways are next to each other and I block the consignee's driveway, but partially block the neighbor's driveway? What, you should ask, do you recommend I do, so I can know and my steward can verify it?

They don't like these questions, because it puts the onus on them, and they know as you do, that everyday the variables vary considerably. They just hate to admit it, because they don't want to make a decision that might come back on them. But that's what you have to do. You learn that you don't want to make decisions, because they can get you in trouble. Let them do it. They're so good at making them after the fact. You just need to force them to do it beforehand.

 

[RobbyD]

Like I said, verify this with your steward and the manager. Ask for documentation, if it's available. And ask questions that come in in your mind. One I would ask, if what they say is the way they trained you, is what happens if the driveway is wider than my package car? What do I do if there is signs of life in a car in the driveway? What do I do if two driveways are next to each other and I block the consignee's driveway, but partially block the neighbor's driveway? What, you should ask, do you recommend I do, so I can know and my steward can verify it?

They don't like these questions, because it puts the onus on them, and they know as you do, that everyday the variables vary considerably. They just hate to admit it, because they don't want to make a decision that might come back on them. But that's what you have to do. You learn that you don't want to make decisions, because they can get you in trouble. Let them do it. They're so good at making them after the fact. You just need to force them to do it beforehand.

I asked all the rationale questions on the complications of park positions. Also including the fact that I was talked to about getting out in the grass being a saftey hazard. This didn't help I was eventually told they are not interested in rhetorical questions. I feel I didn't ask any of these rhetorically only rationally.

 

[Dracula]

Even if he wrote you a slip saying it was ok, it would then come out that he did not have authority to write it and you will still be charged. The sup will get no discipline

This is where a union steward comes in.

 

[Dracula]

I asked all the rationale questions on the complications of park positions. Also including the fact that I was talked to about getting out in the grass being a saftey hazard. This didn't help I was eventually told they are not interested in rhetorical questions. I feel I didn't ask any of these rhetorically only rationally.

Rhetorical questions=real world situations. I never let it end when something comes on the heal of a warning letter. My thinking is THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, and ask them if they are as interested in preventing it from happening again as I am. So what answers did they give you? What was their solution?

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Where I am we are trained NOT to block driveways...what's their reasoning that you SHOULD block driveways? Avoid blind spots?

We are trained to totally block driveways. It gives you a little pull in off the road. Also, stops people from entering or exiting. Even surface. No blind spot if you look over your shoulder. Nbr 9 in 10 point