Last night I picked up a screw in my work bike’s rear tyre.
I dealt with the situation well (there’s no protocol for this), rang my manager and got another driver to pick up the delivery and then called the customer to keep them in the loop.
Once I handed the delivery over, I pushed the bike back to the store and arrived around 5 mins after my shift was meant to end. No big deal.
I told my shift manager, store manager and my area manager (my manager’s manager’s manager).
All told me that my bike would be fixed today. It hasn’t been.
They will try to make me ride another bike. Nothing wrong with the principal but my bike is the only bike in fully working order. All others are fooked.
This is just another example in a VERY long list.
How can I tell these guy’s to stop messing me around and just fix the bike.
I’m also looking for an excuse to get off work tonight if that helps.
if the bikes are not roadworthy then you have the right to refuse to ride it as you are the one responsible for it.they will not take any points or prosecution for you.
As I always do. Then they start insisting that they are indeed safe to ride and I’m just being picky.
There’s a reason I didn’t go down in the snow (EVERY other driver did). I think its 50% me not being an idiot and 50% having a bike that works.
These guys don’t listen to logic.
People who use my bike when I’m not there **** me over too.
It has no L-plates so they’re endangering their own license.
More importantly, the reg is tied to my name so if they set off a camera, I get the ticket.
+1 its your duty to ensure the bike is road legal. if they are not road legal then let them know and tell them there is no chance of it. likelihood is that your colleagues are not doing the same things that you are so will just ride but if they understand what will happen then they might…
if you struggle ask your manager what he will do for you if you get a fine + points because the bike is not road worthy?
I’m sure the answer will be nothing or something along the lines of “errr, we’ll have to tackle that situation when it comes to it.”
Seems like the consensus so far is:
As the driver, I have to ensure the bike is road legal. That makes sense.I have the right to refuse to ride a bike that isn’t roadworthy as its a risk to my own safety.
That’s great but I need to know how I can pretty much FORCE the company to repair damaged bikes…
If the bikes are not roadworthy, you as the rider will be responsible for ANY defects if stopped.
You could always give VOSA a quick call anonymously Tel: 0208 842 3230
I repeat my post from another one of your threads… Welcome to capitalism
The company will find easily someone who won’t kick a fuss about the delivery bike he is riding. I remember seeing someone from Papa John’s with a welded :w00t: helmet…
Can you do anything? Yeah but be prepared to be fired for kicking up a fuss… I would get everything in writing. Send a letter to your manager stating the fears, mention specific problems with the bikes etc and the fact you are responsible for the bikes roadworthiness so you are liable for ticket/ penalty. Not sure you will ever end up resolving stuff but if you’re not interested with keeping the job, go for it.
The other thing is that these are franchises and corporate are sometimes not aware of the shortcuts franchisees take to cut their costs so they may have a different view. But of course be prepared for corporate to take the view of the area managers as they have relationships with them.
Sounds like a strange hardware/ software engineering company!
And the idea of registering a work bike to a single employee sounds a weird as well, I’m not familiar with the way courier/ delivery vehicles are usually registered, but surely if more than one person uses them, it should be registered to the company or the individual in the company who is responsible for the fleet of vehicles?
Despite Serrisan’s realist advice, stick up for yourself! Maybe it’s worth looking around for another place that respects its workers a little more.
Do you have a defects log, as most organisations with fleet have to have them by law.
If you do write in it any defects and then get your manager to sign the log, if he refuses then you really know where you stand (on your own)
I should have been clearer. It isn’t registered to me but there is a record that (supposedly*) only I ride “XXXX VGM”. If that bike gets flashed, I must pay the ticket.
*It is meant to be 1 rider per bike but since mine is the only one that works, everyone fights over who rides it while I’m away.
This has lead to it getting damaged over time, including an incident when an L plated moped driver took the bike for a deliver, pulled out on another biker, causing his bars to clip the box on the back and rip it clean off. The box is now not attached properly :S
Your first problem is you’re dealing with too many managers, report to your line manager and dump the other two.
The company should keep vehicle records for servicing, maintenance and usage etc. Including a record of who is using what vehicle and when, if they don’t it’s their look out, note you can’t take a FPN for another employee. For your own protection keep a diary of what vehicles you’re using and when. Keep notes of date, start time & start mileage, end time & end mileage. If anyone uses a vehicle between your usage it will be obvious from your notes and you’ll have documentary evidence for use in Court if it comes to that. Fill the diary out in work time too as part of your daily pre ride checks prior to taking a vehicle out on the road. Hint, check the engine oil level daily too so that you can be seen to be looking after the company’s assets and interests as well as your own. If there is a defect with a vehicle it’s your call whether or not you use it. There should be a procedure for you to bring defects to your managers attention if there isn’t simple give your manager a written note of the defect and note it in your diary too.
Step back and look at the whole picture, the final solution is probably for you to be working somewhere else.
I work in construction and we have endless h&s regs to deal with on a daily basis (quite rightly in my opinion). the PUWER regs apply to pretty much any equipment provided to you for work, I can’t see how a work bike would be any different - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf
Also, have a quick scan of the HSE website for general responsibilities under the health and safety at work regs - the general responsibilities are quite clear and you are required to notify them of anything you are worried about.
I’m amazed by the lack of responsibility taken by a lot of employers who expect their employees to ride dodgy bikes, with limited protective clothing, often in dangerous weather (pizza delivery companies being an obvious example). I would never put someone to work in a similiarly dangerous situation on site, not only because it’s morally wrong but because I don’t want to be prosecuted for manslaughter.
I would explain their responsibilites to them and if you’re really worried about the state of the equipment provided, contact the HSE (anonomously) and let them know your concerns.
Obviously it’s easy to say that and I realise that in practice it can be more complicated but don’t let them bully you into putting yourself at risk.
If you want any specific advice, drop me a PM and I’ll ask one of the h&s guys at work for their opinions.
