For a moment I was utterly confused, I had absolutely no idea what was going on but all soon became horribly too apparent.
We have a notice board on the wall which is used to communicate important messages and when they could manage between sniggering and smart remarks my colleagues directed me to take a look...and this is what I saw (for those who don't know, my real name is Jane):
Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Bloody marvellous!
I - do - not - need - this - right - now, I really really don't!
I have no defence in law of course, I can only assume I waswas speeding but annoyingly it was a day my boss had come out with me to attempt to sort out the logistics of my delivery round and fit in a few more drops. I was stressed, under pressure to meet an almost impossible schedule and just moments before he had told me I had three minutes left to make it to my next call.......6 miles away!
My job depends on my being able to make enough calls and take enough money.....it might not be right but it's how it is and to be fair, the more delivery drivers I talk to as I go about my days, the more it seems it's not just my employer, this issue affects all delivery drivers and many of the big multi-drop drivers only do it for a few years before they give up, citing the pressure/traffic/time issues as a reason.
Subsequent to my Monday morning discovery I have been taking much extra care to stick to speed limits but as a result I have been late to many of my calls and ultimately, if I don't take the money I don't have a job, that's the harsh reality and no amount of my knowing it's unfair is going to change that. Businesses run on profit, no profit no business and I do have some sympathy with my boss, it's tough out there right now, really tough and if he goes under so do the rest of us, catch 22!
It's the old thing about 'any job is better than no job', so in the end we do what we have to do I suppose.
However, I see little point trying to tell that to the magistrate so I will pay up and look happy and await the loading on my insurance, which I can barely afford as it stands, let alone at an increased rate.
Sometimes I feel like every time I take a step forward something happens to take me back two!
I feel the need to go find a speed trap app. for my phone/sat nav.
3 Comments:
The boss says go fast, and the law says go slow. In the colonies, we call that "being between a rock and a hard place."
In Italy, 35 in a 30 would be called obstructing traffic. ;o}
Bulldog: Lol...I remember driving in Italy....and 'interesting' experience and yes, 35 would be very obstructive! ;)
Try putting your delivery route into something like Google directions or the AA route thingy. I know the software is not perfect, but it might give you a small stick to beat your boss with when he sets up the rounds.
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