UPS drivers speeding on narrow streets.

Drivers are under immense pressure to get the job done as quickly as
possible. I'm sure many are reckless, and many are driving as fast as
they think they can SAFELY travel. You probably don't know or care
that if they are involved in ANY kind of vehicle accident which
results in property damage they are subject to immediate termination.
Head on, hit pedestrian, hit another in rear, and ANY accident
resulting in over $4000 worth of damage (which is nearly any accident
anymore) is automatic termination of the employee regardless of fault.
If someone is suicidle and leaps in front of UPS truck with no time
to react, the driver is still fired. I understand how unerving it is
to see someone fly down your narrow road (my 3 year old child was
nearly hit by a speeder on a narrow road), but understand, the driver
doesn't get some kind of euphoric high from being reckless as much as
he/she is sick to their stomach driving around with white nuckles
praying that they can get the job done quick enough to avoid getting
hounded by their bosses while avoiding a career ending accident. And
another tip, if you want someone to stop breaking the law, don't ask
those who pay that person by the hour to take more time to get the job
done; instead talk to those who enforce the law and make more money
from writing more citations.

UPS driver speeding down into cul de sac, made the turn, started back
up the hill out of the cul de sac, hit and killed my mother's 6-yr-old
AKC yellow lab that had just slipped out the gate while workers were
giving mom an estimate for exterior house painting.

It was 5:30 p.m. and many adults were outside and saw what happened.
Next day, UPS manager arrives at my mother's home with flowers and a
warning: don't bother suing, there's a leash law, your dog wasn't on
a leash, and you won't win.

My mother is 88 years-old and this was her companion and watch dog.
She is heartbroken. The real kicker: the driver was not on the street
to make a delivery. Apparently, he was just turing around.

Does anyone know if this is worth pursuing in court? Does a leash law
mean that UPS drivers may do anything they want with no liability?
Or, that with contributory negligence, they still won't be liable for
any damages?

Loma Linda, CA

UPS Speeding. United Parcel Service, Inc.; Hemet CA [complaint]
Use to make compliant 800 742 5877 say agent x3
…once operator heard the call was a speed related, I was disconnected:
10 June 2010.

speeding - 10 June 2010 4:27pm Gabi responded [951 928 5211 local
office] called [5:00pm 10 June 2010 ] tomorrow at PCM she will talk to
the drivers.
speeding - 11 June 2010 6:00pm; another complaint registered at
6:45pm [Robert responded 7:10pm]
speeding - 15 June 2010 5:40 in neighborhood very fast Don to Kalima
speeding - 15 June 2010 6:00 driver racing significantly faster than
traffic down Palm. Register with: [Oscar case #: 1-1560164656]
speeding - 17 June 2010 5:50 PM 35 miles per hour plus coming out of
a turn off of Don on to Kalima; 7 year old girl at sidewalk; driver’s
head turn while accelerating as saluting man loading truck with lawn
mower. Salutation was pointing his finger at him. Register with:
[Samaria case #: 1-1567055351] [Robert responded: 6pm, supervisor:
‘…ticket will be drivers responsibility: we tell them’; "I don't know
what else to tell you are do."]

Each time I explained that the residential speed limit is 15-25 miles
per hour’; verified: Hemet Police, 17 June 2010; UPS is diving well
beyond these speeds and the company is not responding appropriately.

Sincerely:
Joseph C. Carbone III

We live on a one lane road in the Hollin Hills neighborhood in
Alexandria, VA that is a loop. We have no sidewalks. During the day,
many elderly folks and families with young children take walks.
Today, I pulled into my neighborhood behind a UPS truck (VA tag
#20-083). Even though our speed limit is 25 mph (which is fast for a
narrow road with no sidewalks), he continued to go faster and faster
until he hit 45 mph! As I said, our road is a circle with blind curves
the whole way around. There was an elderly man with a walker at the
end of his driveway about to step onto the road. If he had started
his walk five seconds earlier he would now be dead. This is not the
first time. They do it every day and have for the five years my young
son and I have lived here. I no longer let my son walk the dog in our
neighborhood for fear he will be killed. I have called the police and
our homeowners association has called UPS, to no avail. What has our
world come to? Will it take someone getting killed for this to stop?

4-16-08 today, agian i see them driving like 35 to 40 on my PRIVATE
road with posted 15mph limit. i have called them and complained
before. the manager seemed upset, but still, after 6 months or so
they still fly.
well, today i was leaving my house and he flew by. i tried to catch
him but he was going at least 30 -40 mph. i came around corner and
there he was stopped.
SO I DECIDED to ask him nicely to slow down. he got ignorent and said
he was not speeding. i informed him the posted limit, he then again
stressed he did not speed. i proceeded to tell him that i have and
will call his manager again and he told me...

I DO NOT TAKE KINDLY TO THREATS.
like he had a prepared statement or something.
WELL this put me off, and i blocked the road in front of him, no way
out, until the police came.
I MAY NOW BE CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT. A FELONY IN MISSOURI.
HE GOT NO CHARGE/TICKET SINCE IT IS PRIVATE ROAD AND THE POLICE ASKED
ME HOW I KNEW HE WAS SPEEDING. i told them i could not catch him to
get the truck number, except he stopped for paperwork, and i dont have
a radar gun.
THE POLICE HAD THE NERVE to tell me that i had no proof.

now i have to get a lawyer, and he gets to kill someone driving like a
maniac.

I agree with you! Not to mention children, but also a cat or dog
could run out. People are always in a hurry and in a hurry for no
reason.

Depends on your state but if you have Department of Transportation
police contact them. They are the ones here in Florida that police
commercial vehicles. Not saying a regular cop won't stop UPS drivers
if they see them but they are not on their priority list or at least
near the bottm of it.

Tell me about it! Every time one goes by my house it is going very
fast. And when they turn the corners it looks like they're going to
tip over... I hope UPS gets control of this issue too.

Especially this being in an area with children and knowing what time
they deliver on your street, I think it would be wise to call your
local police.sheriff's department and ask that they monitor your
street at that specific time.

While these drivers have to get their deliveries out, it still should
be done safely.

I've been considering going to the chief of police in my town and
complaining about how the police fail to both enforce AND OBEY the
speed limit on my street.

That there are only a limited number of people on duty during a given
shift. There are higher priorities then worrying about speeders ALL
THE TIME. I guarantee you that they set up speed traps all over your
cities. If your individual street is known for speeding, tell someone
at the department, cops are not psychics. We do not know where all
the crimes are going to happen, all the time. I know during any given
shift, I often have calls on hold until other ones are cleared, and
sitting in a residential neighborhood is the least thing that is done.
I'm sure you'd rather we catch a rapist, then catch a speeder. But,
this argument could go on forever. The reality of the situation is,
if you want something done, get involved.

I agree. I know they have a schedule to keep, but safety and
consideration for others on the roads needs to be a primary factor.

whereever they want to. Why do they think they have a license to park
anywhere and anyway they want. If we parked the way some of them
park, we would be getting tickets right and left.
I do have an advantage for our UPS driver lives in our neighborhood
with children and drives most safe through our streets.
But, I have seen them other places in residential neighborhoods that
drive exceeding residential speed limits.

I can't agree more with your complaint. I've seen many delivery
trucks, in a rush, clearly speeding down sidestreets and it makes me
shudder. They may save time by not making left turns, but driving like
maniacs to make up for it isn't right either.

who blew through a stop sign at 20mph at a bad intersection. It was
hard to keep up with him, but I finally was able to speak with him a
few miles later. He was an obnoxious ass. I threatened to call the
police, and he said "fine, go ahead."

You should get a license plate # and report this to the police.

I agree with Harley: Call the police AND consider paying a visit to
your local UPS garage, if you're comfortable doing that. I'm glad
you're concerned.

This is an issue for your local police. I'm sure you can give them
approximate times and they can make sure they have a radio car around.

Dont those trucks have speed tracker thingys on them? (sorry dont
know exact name) I recall seeing something about them on 0/20 or 60
minutes a few years ago.

The equipment tracks speed and can be used in case of an accident or
just to check up on drivers. It's attached to something like GPS so
whoever is reading the report knows exactly what speed the driver was
going on what street.

This is a valid concern. And I'm sure that UPS does tell their
drivers to stay within the law. However, UPS does also require
packages to be delivered, so some (but certainly not all) drivers will
make their own decisions about how to get the work done.

If trucks are coming through the neighborhood on a regular basis, like
this, contact the police. They may setup a speed camera or similar to
track this sort of thing.