Odd title I know. But you know the ones I mean. The drivers in vans / cars / lorries that are sign written with their employer’s logo. Those drivers in corporate vehicles are the subject of this week’s Ranty Friday.
Why? Well you might well ask
This week three incidents have happened that have infuriated me and made me question if these drivers forget they are driving great big adverts for their companies, including phone numbers that we can use should we wish to call up and relay the appalling behaviour demonstrated.
First up at the beginning of this week I saw a local roofing company reverse their van and cause a scaffolding pole to dent the car behind. Did they try and find the driver? Did they leave a note? They did not. They looked at the dent, laughed and got back into their van and tucked into their McDonalds breakfast before driving off.
Now we happen to have a leaky roof at the moment (don’t get me started on the state of our roof, it has been the cause of many sleepless nights in the past seven years). We need work done to it and have already got one quote but want to get a couple of others. This incident was caused by one of the local “well known companies”. Will we be using them? Will we even get a quote from them? Will I recommend them to anybody else who wants roof work done?
Nope.
The following day I pulled up to a T junction, ready to turn left. Beside me was a van, waiting to turn right. He pulled forward so far that I couldn’t see the traffic coming from the right so had to sit and wait. It is a busy junction and turning right is so impossible normally that if I have to do it I turn left, go to the roundabout 200 yards away and come back. I obviously had a face that said “oh for goodness sake”. I may have even had a face that indicated a bit more than that. I admit that. But my window was up and I didn’t actually say anything. The passenger in the van then wound down his window, gave me the finger, shouted a whole load of abuse about “stupid effing women driving effing 4 x 4s” and why didn’t I just effing pull out of the junction.
Charming. Again. In a company van with the name emblazoned all over it. So I know exactly who these charmers work for and know to avoid them.
Today I was cut up in Tesco’s car park by somebody driving a van for a local kitchen company. He almost took my front wing off as I pulled out of the junction to turn left and he was cutting the corner by turning in too quickly. Driving with one hand as the other was holding his mobile phone to his ear. Deep in conversation and not paying attention.
Happy to be breaking the law and not paying attention. Not sure I want him in my kitchen then.
I also saw the driver of a local coach company (one that does a lot of school’s driving) smoking behind the wheel. Smoking whilst steering round a roundabout one handed.
Dangerous and illegal. Not only is he breaking the law but I found out this week the company is too. And if the company were taken to court they could be fined £2,500.
I am sure that drivers often think they are invisible. And for most of the time we are. But you certainly aren’t when your company name and number is emblazoned all over the side of your vehicle.
Maybe I should name and shame?
What do you think?
PS no Pepsi vehichles were involved in the making of this post. That picture is for illustrative purposes only.
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There are other Ranty Fridays here below. Do go visit and see what other bloggers are getting ranty about this week:
As ever an excellent post. Don’t get me started on van drivers! They really annoy me! But there are some good ones out there!
Oh I totally agree. This is not a “corporate vehicle drivers are all rude and idiotic”. I know the majority are not. I just think they sometimes a few forget that they are driving adverts and whatever they do reflects on their employer.
A personal bugbear of mine! I have photographed a driver in the past – on his phone at a zebra crossing outside a school at 3pm ! Emailed to the company HQ – got a very nice mail back and the offer of a gift voucher to apologise!
T- I could write an essay on these people given how many miles I drive a year- name and shame… Eg autoglass a few weeks back. Little plonked in a small van weaving in and out of traffic on the phone nearly took my front wing off…so phoned number on the van, reported it – if there’s a number on the van and it’s not a one man band I ALWAYS phone them as you know how low my tolerance levels are for plonker drivers! …. Ooh I could rant for hours on this one!
Yes I think naming and shaming is a good thing to do when people are being rude, dangerous etc. When you think of all the people out of work who could do those jobs better … Grrrrr!
That’s a lot of irritating encounters in a few days! You must do a lot more driving than I do. People don’t just think they’re invisible in their vans/ cars, they think they’re invincible too. They behave in ways they just wouldn’t in any other situation. It’s good that we can protest quietly by not putting business their way!
You absolutely should name and shame. I would. I would have written a letter of complaint to head office of all of these companies. If more people complained they’d have no choice but to behave themselves. Definitely a rant close to my heart.
They think that might makes right.
Name.Shame.Tweet the link to the company and then start a slow chant of ‘tossers’ I say!
Name and shame all the way. It’s got to be done, otherwise they’re never accountable and can keep acting badly, like you say, as they think they’re invisible.
Name and shame!! The problem is they don’t care about the vehicles because they don’t belong to them. Bet they don’t drive like that in their own cars!
Name and shame!