No, I ain't even stopping.

[gridlore]

As a reminder, I'm a truck driver for a company that delivers and stores large containers.

Now my job consists of two basic things. Driving the truck in a safe and efficient manner, and operating the hydraulic lift in the same way. There are other aspects to my job, like having customers fill out rental paperwork and the like, but that's about it.

Now when we go to pick up a container, full or empty, we are allowed to make a judgment call on whether we are able to make the pick up or not. Unsafe conditions and an inability to get to the container are two common reasons for not being able to do a pick up.

Today, I had a pick in a rather low-rent area. I rolled up, and saw that not only was there a ton of crap along side the container, leaning up against it in many places, there was a freaking log in front of the pod. I didn't even stop. Just kept rolling.

Previously, I had tried to call the customer. One phone led to a full message box, the other (home) line just rang with nothing picking up. Still I tried again, hoping to leave a message. Still no luck. I let my boss know what is going on, mark the job "incomplete" and go to a nearby pick-up that I had been given since I was in the area and really needed an empty container of that size for another customer.



Me: Commander of the 1st Podzilla Cavalry!
AH: AssHat
Phone: Nextel of DOOM

Phone: "Bleep! Bleep, I say!"
Me: "Welcome to PODS, gridlore speaking."
AH: "Yeah, this is AssHat. you gonna pick up my pod or what?"
Me: "I'm sorry, I drove by and due to the larger amount of material by the pod, I cannot do the pick-up. You need to clear at least two feet all around the container, and reschedule."
AH: "you didn't even knock on my door! I could have cleared it up!"

Note, he was scheduled for a pivck-up between 8-11. I got there at 1050. What was he waiting for?

Me: "Sir, I'm sorry, but I cannot stand-by and wait. We need you to be ready for us anytime in the window we gave you. You need to reschedule."
AH: (screaming) "Fuck you! I'm not gonna get charged for another month!"
Me: "You'll have to discuss that with the call center... Sir, there was a log in front of the pod. Any of our drivers see that, and they'll do exactly what I did."
AH: "Fuck, you'd probably bitch about the wires too!"

Note: there were low hanging wires across the area.. something we have to be very careful of.

Me: "Yes sir, I would take note of those wires. In fact, I have to wonder why the original driver did the drop."
AH: (sudden;y trying to sound smooth) "so, I guess they'll send out a better driver than you, huh?"
Me: "Actually, it might well be me again. It's all luck of the draw. And if I see the same pile of material around the pod, I'll keep driving."
AH: (Mad again) "I'm going to report you to your supervisor!"
Me: "Go ahead. I've already spoken to both of them. Explained why I didn't do the job, and they agreed with me."
AH: "Did you lie to them? Did you tell them you knocked on my door? I'm calling your supervisor!"
Me: "No sir, because I'm not required to knock on your door for this exact reason. You need to reschedule."
AH: "Fuck you!!!! I'm calling your supervisor!!!!"
Phone: *click-beep*

Well, he was pleasant. The house, BTW, looked like a stereotype of White Trash, down to the rusted out muscle car in the driveway.

Comments

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should carry a camera with you just to document your refusals for your supervisors. Naw, the truth is pictures of this kind of crap would probably provide a good laugh on your flist. *grin*

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Good idea about the camera. A cheap digital would be ideal, but even a disposable film camera would provide a record to back you up...

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

Thank God I don't do many residential calls any more.

Actually, I do have a situation where next door to where I pick up parts, there is a dumpster parked directly under some low-hanging electric lines, and every time there's a pickup, the garbage truck smacks the lines with dumpster. I've called everyone involved to let them know about the problem, but there's no action. Does PODS-training have a juicy soundbite on the subject that I could borrow?

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

They're probably telco lines.

If not, the local fire department non-emergency number might have someone who would take an interest . . .

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

I'm saving the Fire Department for a last resort. It would be so easy for the trash people to just move the dumpster out from under the lines. I've been hoping to catch the driver in time, but both times they've gotten away.

[jarlsberg71.livejournal.com]

Driving the truck in a safe and efficient manner

Huh. I wonder if I was the only one visualizing driving a truck while wearing a condom.

[ciarhwyfar.livejournal.com]

Not now you aren't

[yohannon.livejournal.com]

You know, for someone who kept saying he was going to "call your supervisor" he sure as hell seemed to be talking to you a lot.

Love the "better driver" dig. Sounds like he was trying to get you to lose your cool. Of course, if he had half a brain cell to rub against another, he would have just lied and said you called him names.

Moron.

~Y~

[firestrike.livejournal.com]

I have to wonder if the driver who did the drop put it there or whether AH subsequently moved the pod to the current position under the wires.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

From what he said the driver who dropped the pod expressed similar concerns, but went ahead and did the drop. It was one of those things where you stop every ten seconds to make damn sure you aren't about to cause a blackout. I had one of those today, actually.

Since that pod was dropped loaded (I was there to pick it up empty;) I can't imagine how he would move it the eight feet or so to get it fully behind this log. No, it's pretty clear that the log came later.