Injuries vs accidents

35years

Gravy route
Backing more, and driving more driveways increases your chances of an accident but decreases your injury risk.
The way I see it is if I save 50 steps per stop in a rural area, at 100 stops, that saves my back, knees, ankles etc. 5,000 steps a day, 125,000 steps a year . Half of that is carrying boxes, which is hard on your body. Walking them off also dramatically increases your chances of a twisted ankle, slip/fall, disk injury etc.

I will trade a cracked mirror once every 10 years to 1,250,000 more steps.
Give me a warning letter, my body is more important.
 

MyTripisCut

Never bought my own handtruck
If you damage property in the package car, UPS pays a claim. I have seen a couple guys with back injuries that really struggle to get comp. UPS will roll the dice on that one. Besides, like @Jackburton said, a cracked mirror ain’t :censored2:. A dead pet, or god forbid person? Take a stroll! Get some OT!
 

35years

Gravy route
Rushing, not honking and backing without fully planning it beforehand leads to accidents.

Over 30 years driving and the only time I came close to a child was pulling from a curb...Do you check in front of the passenger side tire before every pull from a curb? Many drivers use the driver's side door to enter and don't check the front end.
 

Jackburton

Gone Fish'n
Nobody wants to hit anyone, that's a given, but one can back safely. Rushing is what leads to accidents.
No one ever goes in a driveway with the intention of hitting someone, it only takes one time. I choose not to put myself in a situation where that can ever happen. I respect others drivers decisions to do so, but one must weigh that choice themselves.
 

Operational needs

Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Backing more, and driving more driveways increases your chances of an accident but decreases your injury risk.
The way I see it is if I save 50 steps per stop in a rural area, at 100 stops, that saves my back, knees, ankles etc. 5,000 steps a day, 125,000 steps a year . Half of that is carrying boxes, which is hard on your body. Walking them off also dramatically increases your chances of a twisted ankle, slip/fall, disk injury etc.

I will trade a cracked mirror once every 10 years to 1,250,000 more steps.
Give me a warning letter, my body is more important.
Less chance of a dog attack also.
 
If you damage property in the package car, UPS pays a claim. I have seen a couple guys with back injuries that really struggle to get comp. UPS will roll the dice on that one. Besides, like @Jackburton said, a cracked mirror ain’t :censored2:. A dead pet, or god forbid person? Take a stroll! Get some OT!
Unfortunately we don't deliver packages anymore , we deliver freight

Just got to make a smart decision on backing
 

35years

Gravy route
Cracked mirror, dead child, what’s difference right? As long as you can save some money not wearing down your sneakers it’s worth it, right?
Do you walk the 1/4 mile driveways?
Just a little shoe leather right?
Might be a child hiding behind the bush by the turn around a 1/4 mile in, so I should walk it... right?
 

35years

Gravy route
No one ever goes in a driveway with the intention of hitting someone, it only takes one time. I choose not to put myself in a situation where that can ever happen. I respect others drivers decisions to do so, but one must weigh that choice themselves.
Try my route...80 backs a day when the sup does a safety ride with me.
Rural is far different than city.
 

Jackburton

Gone Fish'n
Try my route...80 backs a day when the sup does a safety ride with me.
Rural is far different than city.
I do a relatively rural route myself, not in the sticks by any means. I’ve posted pictures of driveways I walk, some you can’t back if you wanted due to the grade.
 

35years

Gravy route
How many miles is your rural route? Because every rural route I've ever dealt with has way less backs than any city route.
More than 100 miles, less than 350.
There are differences between rural routes as well.
Some routes all nearly all farms with circle turn arounds...others are not.
 

35years

Gravy route
I do a relatively rural route myself, not in the sticks by any means. I’ve posted pictures of driveways I walk, some you can’t back if you wanted due to the grade.
You stated you never put yourself in the situation?
You walk every single driveway?
 

35years

Gravy route
80 backs on a rural route?
Yep.

Cracked a mirror once, 120 yard driveway.
Center Manager said I should have walked it off.
Walked them all off for a while...2 1/2 hrs over every day.
He rode with me to get me to start driving them again.
He made the call on every driveway...We had 80 backs.
He trusts my judgement now.
 
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