I hit a dog today

[klein]

We had one driver that killed a dog , too. Nothing he could have done. Management did go out to investigate the scene. But, I don't think the driver even had to take a ride along afterwards. Totally unavoidable.

But, after that, I would always joke at him, calling him the true dogpucker - he pucked so hard, he killed it !

 

[over9five]

The first thing they'll do is check the telematics report (if you have it) and see if you were speeding. Hopefully you were not.

Really wasn't your fault.

 

[CRASH501]

We had one driver that killed a dog , too. Nothing he could have done. Management did go out to investigate the scene. But, I don't think the driver even had to take a ride along afterwards. Totally unavoidable.

But, after that, I would always joke at him, calling him the true dogpucker - he pucked so hard, he killed it !

.
.
thats actually one of my favorites , WHAT QUALIFIES MANAGEMENT TO INVESTIGATE AN ACCIDENT SCENE ? What state approved courses did they take ?

 

[Old International]

If they fired you for hitting dogs, then I would have been gone a long time ago. I just hit #19 with 9 tires as he ran out of a subdivison onto a US hiway. He had been chasing cars for about three nights when he finally caught my Sterling at 4am. Told my supe, and all he asked was how much of it was left.

 

[feederdriver06]

Should be unavoidable - if not You should grieve it.


I've ran dogs over in my personal vehicle. I don't get their fascination with the rear tires but for some reason they seem to think its a cozy place for them . Stupid dogs.

 

[Blizzard]

If it was on the street ! Then you have nothing to worry about, that's why they have leash laws. If it was in a driveway your screwed!

or the owners front porch....

 

[Blizzard]

you should grieve all avoidable rulings. Especially one where someone slid into you during slick conditions. Make them sit you down and explain how you avoid that.

avoidable rulings will cause you more unwanted attention. If however you have not had one in the last nine months then there is not much they can do.

 

[UPSGUY72]

Nothing should happen to you. Not your fault. The dog should have been restrained be it's owner. I know a driver that has hit 4 dogs one twice a year apart the second time it didn't make it.

 

[iruhnman630]

Nothing final yet, but it looks like they are ruling it avoidable. Specifically, failing to 'get the big picture.'

Telematics had my speed at 19 mph, well under the 25 mph speed limit. Of course that is conveniently left out of the accident report.

Tomorrow will be with the C.M. and my steward to plead my case one more time. If the center manager doesn't budge, then the grievance will be filed.

My argument is simple: from the time I first noticed the dog till he was under my wheel was about 2 seconds.

 

[iruhnman630]

you should grieve all avoidable rulings. Especially one where someone slid into you during slick conditions. Make them sit you down and explain how you avoid that.

I was young as an air driver, and the safety committee of the time went along with it. My s.c. today would not be so quick to agree with management.

avoidable rulings will cause you more unwanted attention. If however you have not had one in the last nine months then there is not much they can do.

Those unavoidables get included in the discussion as well.

 

[Re-Raise]

Nothing final yet, but it looks like they are ruling it avoidable. Specifically, failing to 'get the big picture.'

Telematics had my speed at 19 mph, well under the 25 mph speed limit. Of course that is conveniently left out of the accident report.

Tomorrow will be with the C.M. and my steward to plead my case one more time. If the center manager doesn't budge, then the grievance will be filed.

My argument is simple: from the time I first noticed the dog till he was under my wheel was about 2 seconds.

UPS management make themselves look like idiots when they do this.

We had a driver at our center who was hit by a drunk driver that was charged with an accident.

I have had people ask me about it and they can't believe what a bunch of idiots we have working in our offices.

I haven't been charged with an accident in over 20 years but it still burns me that they treat drivers this way from the safety of their desks, or should I change that to their pedestal.

Please Tieguy tell me how he should have been trained to jump his car over the top of the dog.

We got a message on the board the other day telling us to keep space on all 6 sides. We laughed because we thought it was a misprint. I guess they were serious.

 

[bigbrownhen]

Nothing final yet, but it looks like they are ruling it avoidable. Specifically, failing to 'get the big picture.'

Telematics had my speed at 19 mph, well under the 25 mph speed limit. Of course that is conveniently left out of the accident report.

Tomorrow will be with the C.M. and my steward to plead my case one more time. If the center manager doesn't budge, then the grievance will be filed.

My argument is simple: from the time I first noticed the dog till he was under my wheel was about 2 seconds.

Sorry to hear this is going to be an ordeal. It doesn't have to be. It's just simple common sense this should be ruled unavoidable. Too bad it sounds like it is going to take a grievence to get it right.

 

[Re-Raise]

Tell them at the meeting tomorrow that if you ever see a dog running near your package car and you can't ascertain the exact path he may choose to take, that you will stop the vehicle, call the center and have them come to the scene and have them direct you how to proceed safely.

I would say it and........ I would fng mean it... I would shut it down and call in every time a dog ran near my truck.

 

[fxdwg]

So did the family of the Dog have any feelings?

 

[iruhnman630]

So did the family of the Dog have any feelings?

??

Horror, judging by the screams as they all came running out the front door. That's not an experience I ever want to relive.

And yet the only thing they (the mother and one of the daughters) said to me was 'It's not your fault.'

 

[fxdwg]

I pray for you and the dog.
This kind of stuff happens, but still.....it sucks.

Did you get details of the Dog? Name? Birthday?

May have been too much at the time, but..........

 

[iruhnman630]

Tell them at the meeting tomorrow that if you ever see a dog running near your package car and you can't ascertain the exact path he may choose to take, that you will stop the vehicle, call the center and have them come to the scene and have them direct you how to proceed safely.

I would say it and........ I would fng mean it... I would shut it down and call in every time a dog ran near my truck.

I'm really wondering what I could have done to make them agree this was unavoidable. During my safety ride today, I never went above 15 mph in the resi neighborhoods, and I began to wonder if we're expected to treat each driveway as an intersection now, since telematics showing that I was travelling below the speed limit just wasn't enough.

 

[Re-Raise]

I'm really wondering what I could have done to make them agree this was unavoidable. During my safety ride today, I never went above 15 mph in the resi neighborhoods, and I began to wonder if we're expected to treat each driveway as an intersection now, since telematics showing that I was travelling below the speed limit just wasn't enough.

They probably believe it costs them nothing to charge their own people internally for accidents.

They probably believe it somehow increases safety awareness among drivers by alerting them to potential dangers so they may be avoided.

I say that is bull****. There is a cost. It drives a wedge between employees and managers and creates a sense of us against them for no reason. It is just another way that management loses credibility with the hourly employees and the general public for that matter.

If there is ever a decision I have to make between UPS and the Teamsters., I will stand with the Teamsters solely because of the way UPS determines accident avoidability.

 

[gostillerz]

It's not just UPS doing this crap. OTR drivers deal with it all the time. My wife and I were running team, she was on a downgrade and stayed at the posted 35mph. Some drunk yahoo came out without headlights 20ft or so ahead of us, then slammed on the brakes. She was charged with a preventable, even though the other driver was charged with a DUI, no tags, no insurance, and leaving the scene of an accident. The "Safety Team" concluded if she was going 30mph, she wouldn't have been there at that time in the first place, and was fired.

 

[soberups]

Most divisions or Districts have a person with the job title of "Safety Manager" who is usually in charge of determining which accidents are "avoidable" and how they should be handled.

The more "avoidable" accidents there are, the more paperwork there is for this person to shuffle. He/she can keep busy by writing reports, taking pictures, and holding conference calls and meetings with lots of important people.

If there arent any avoidable accidents....then that supply of reports and pictures dries up, and this person doesnt get to have any meetings or make any conference calls. Pretty soon, all those important people will start to wonder why the hell they are paying this person $75K per year just to take up space in an office.

RULE #1 for any bureaucracy or corporate entity is to perpetuate its own existence. If your job as a management person is to solve problems then you had better make damn sure you have a never-ending supply of problems to solve, or you will manage yourself right out of a job.

So the trick here is to solve just enough problems to make yourself look successful...while at the same time inventing enough problems to make yourself look indespensible. Charging drivers with "avoidable" accidents for hitting dogs on a public road is a perfect example of the "job justification through paperwork generation" mentality that is slowly destroying our company.