Don't Forget To Thank Your Brave Postman

The place for serious discussion, announcements and breaking news about Sydenham
Barty
Posts: 653
Joined: 14 Dec 2008 09:25
Location: With Mrs Barty, or at work texting Mrs Barty

Post by Barty »

Continually.
thevoxx
Posts: 3
Joined: 5 Feb 2009 15:43
Location: Sydenham

post

Post by thevoxx »

This is a first for me, the latest that my post has ever arrived is about 3 hours or so.
simon
Posts: 966
Joined: 11 Oct 2006 15:35
Location: Longton Avenue

Post by simon »

In defence of the Council. or its streetsweepers. Our local streetsweeper was gritting Sydenham Road pavements from Monday morning. Doubt he had enough for ours and other roads.
boon
Posts: 120
Joined: 16 Mar 2008 12:46
Location: Sydenham

Post by boon »

Much as I'd like to, I can't really fault the Royal Mail. Some pavements are clear, but some are extremely slippery, and if you spend several hours out delivering mail the odds are pretty good that you'll fall at some point. I know I still have to be careful on the pavements on Lawrie Park Road, which is a major thoroughfare, so I can imagine that getting up and down all the side roads would be quite hazardous.

Not to say that I don't have a certain level of expectations for service in bad weather (missing 3-4 days of delivery is pretty shocking), but I can understand that it's not entirely their fault. I know I would question the wisdom of doing a shift that involved the very real possibility of me badly injuring myself.
Postman
Posts: 50
Joined: 16 Sep 2008 14:22
Location: Sydenham/Brockley

Post by Postman »

Why should the postman go out? Royal mail manager say if you fall over its your own fault, and you go out at your own risk. So if we did fall over really bad, royal mail wouldnt touch us.

So if i went out and broke my leg, it would be my fault and royal mail would reduce me to half pay as soon as they got they chance.

Many people have not cleared there paths to help the postman. People have no idea on how much they carry on there backs, let alone delivering on an ice ring.
catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

Take no notice Postman this forum is full of petty minded and self centred folk who have no idea of the bigger picture.
This weather is bringing them to the fore.

Clear the paths or pavements themselves to make things easier for those who work in it all?
oh dear me no shouldn't the council have sent a snow plough specially to clear my drive, I'm late for my hair/nail/dentist /coffee appointment.

Think of all those little heros working away at home who can't get out to the Blue Mountain for a coffee and chat.
Just read the posts abou train travel to see what I mean. OOOh no heating on in the train today, and I had to stand too.
tiny minds tiny lives tiny outlook
Paddy Pantsdown
Posts: 204
Joined: 1 Oct 2004 10:04
Location: Venner Road

Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

catscratch wrote:Take no notice Postman this forum is full of petty minded and self centred folk who have no idea of the bigger picture.
This weather is bringing them to the fore
Really? I just calculated the complaining posters in this and the weather thread as a percentage of the total in those threads. I dare you to do the same count, publish it here and re-assert, or not, your conclusion.

PP
Barty
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Joined: 14 Dec 2008 09:25
Location: With Mrs Barty, or at work texting Mrs Barty

Post by Barty »

Whilst I agree with you catscratch in general, when you say society as a whole has become lazy and too inclined to blame everyone else for the littlest things, and I particularly appreciate your defence of rail workers, there is a flipside to your "do everything yourself and help people out" coin.

We pay council tax for (amongst other things) timely rubbish collections and the spreading of salt onto our roads and pavements.

We pay for stamps to post our letters so that postmen can be paid to deliver those letters.

Sometimes I feel you would like to take us all back to the Industrial Revolution, when our children worked in coal mines, our doctors cured illnesses by cutting you open and letting disease bleed out of you, and you carried an umbrella not to keep the rain off you, but to avoid being covered in urine thrown out of pots from bedroom windows.
Paddy Pantsdown
Posts: 204
Joined: 1 Oct 2004 10:04
Location: Venner Road

Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

I'm not sure comparing now and a golden age is ever useful. Every time had its own good and bad points. However, we live in only one time at a time. The past (which is more for some than others) is past. It helped create the now so it can be blamed for today's woes too.

As someone said - move on, get a life and enjoy it (unheated/late/cancelled/smelly trains and all).

Except for the music. That died with Marc Bolan :wink:

PP
catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

To clarify.

Paddy and Barty are quite right, and in general I am in agreement with the tone of what they said. but I am not advocate a return to some mythical golden age, the past is past, and often bad, thats why its good to reflect upon it.

We pay for services which are very often unsatisfactory.
However;
In exceptional circumstances such as we are having now, amongst a forum which makes a great fuss about "community" why are those who are fit and able and stuck at home not doing something to help themselves,and others, even if only getting out with a shovel?

Ok so someone has had no post for four days, what is in the delayed post that is so critical that the person who won't walk down their own slippery path expects some poor sod to do the same several hours a day in hazardous conditions for them? And for a mangement intent on making their working life unpleasant anyway?

My point is there comes a time to stop sitting on your backside and help yourself. The time to moan about what the council has or has not done is after all this is over, to make sure it canbe better next time.

And I am not wanting to go back to the past, I come from there, but just sometimes, some things were a bit better then.
In a severe winter, worse than this, about 1950, my mother and I pushed a push chair from the top of Kirkdale to the old railway goods yard at Forest Hill to collect a bag of coal , My father was out labouring to keep a bit of wage coming in.
No central heating then, no social services, not even a phone to complain on, we helped ourselves.
This was NOT the good old days. Then again no one robbed us of the coal on the way home.
And I'm sorry, I still think that a lot of the posts on here contain pointless trivial complaints, I need to get out more, but not to the extent I wish to go back over and collate old posts to suppport, you are welcome to disagree.
Now, who's marc bolan?
Paddy Pantsdown
Posts: 204
Joined: 1 Oct 2004 10:04
Location: Venner Road

Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

Oh him, I think I sold him a motorbike once.

On reflection, I think my problem is to do with my perception of the attitude of the liberal middle classes,[as seen on here] The Guardian /Independant reading crew, towards the ordinary working man, by which I mean the people doing the jobs at the sharp end, not able to indulge themselves in flexitime/working from home/air conditioned offices etc

Now, thats my contribution to starting a fight to keep warm. I would have done it in the Townpub, but I can't get there as the roads ain't gritted
Barty
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Joined: 14 Dec 2008 09:25
Location: With Mrs Barty, or at work texting Mrs Barty

Post by Barty »

catscratch wrote:We pay for services which are very often unsatisfactory.
Exactly. I've worked in call centres for a total of ten years. If I didn't do my job properly, people complained, and my supervisors chewed my a$$ off. And deservedly so.

So i feel I have every right to complain when I receive poor service, and every right to defend the service my company try to provide when it is moaned about.
catscratch wrote:why are those who are fit and able and stuck at home not doing something to help themselves,and others, even if only getting out with a shovel?
Was not stuck at home. Couldn't get to work on Monday, so went to Sydenham station to advise anyone who turned up that trains weren't running.
catscratch wrote:Ok so someone has had no post for four days, what is in the delayed post that is so critical that the person who won't walk down their own slippery path expects some poor sod to do the same several hours a day in hazardous conditions for them? And for a mangement intent on making their working life unpleasant anyway?
For the record, I completely sympathise with anyone who doesn't wanna go out and break their neck delivering anything. My issues with the Royal Mail at the moment centre on their fondness for delivering me SOMEONE ELSE'S mail, and their continued refusal to do anything about that three months on.
catscratch wrote:My point is there comes a time to stop sitting on your backside and help yourself. The time to moan about what the council has or has not done is after all this is over, to make sure it canbe better next time.
The first lot IS over. The next lot is coming this afternoon. There are 250 tonnes of salt in Lewisham Council's possession but nobody came to spread any of it on major routes and bus routes in this area, as claimed by their own website and their staff on this forum. Will they this time? I think the question needs to be asked.
Paddy Pantsdown
Posts: 204
Joined: 1 Oct 2004 10:04
Location: Venner Road

Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

catscratch wrote:I think my problem is to do with my perception of the attitude of the liberal middle classes,[as seen on here] The Guardian /Independant reading crew, towards the ordinary working man, by which I mean the people doing the jobs at the sharp end, not able to indulge themselves in flexitime/working from home/air conditioned offices etc
Guilty as charged, guv.

We had problems with no trains. Even the guy who supposed to be up front on the train is not shovelling coal (so shovelling a bit of snow for the priviledge is not natural). People want comfortable conditions. The trouble is when other people are not prepared to suffer discomfort in order to deliver it.

I had an attack of the grumps last night. Asking why LA Fitness was not open on Monday the very young and apparently fit girl said that no public transport = no staff.

"Couldn't you walk?" I ventured.
"What, 3 miles from Lewisham?"
"Yes" (having walked 3 miles to/from school in all weathers).

Wrong answer I gathered from the withering look.
As for the froth on this cappuccino -

PP
catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

Its not just here either,

http://news.carrentals.co.uk/snows-brin ... 24917.html


quote.
"apparently fit young girl"

When you get to my age boy, all women under 60 look fit, its getting out the chair to grab them thats the problem.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

I'm on the side of the postmen (and women).

I wouldnt spend my day trudging the pavements as they are - they are treacherous. My disgust with the lack of any action from Lewisham council, is on par with my amazement at the incompetence of the way the trains have been running (please dont take it personally Barty).

Mrs Fishcox is due to give birth any day now, and I fear for her going anywhere. Given that I work in Bloomsbury, and may need to get back home at the drop of a hat, you can probably see why the lack of trains has pissed me off.

Catscratch, I've always marvelled at the ability that some people have - to judge someone by the newspaper they read. Do you ever find yourself starting a sentence with 'All Americans...' or 'All French....'?
I was always taught to respect my elders, and I still do, but then I was also lead to understand that one of the benefits of age, was wisdom.

Anyway, 'When I were a lad, we were lucky if we could afford the price of a cup of tea.....'

Nostalgia isnt what it was
catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

Its interesting and revealing how many that have a go at me always bring up the subject of what newspapers they assume I read.
How do you know?
You assume I read any newspapers at all?

As for respecting ones elders, well, are they not the ones that got us into this mess? [or not depending on your point of view]
Youth has all the answers, unless they are yesterdays youth.
Wisdom does not come with age.

probably all Daily Mail readers the lot of them.




or gollywogs :shock: :roll: :twisted: :evil:
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

Catscratch, pleeease read my post again.

I did not 'have a go' at you for what newspaper you read - I dont care what newspaper you read.

I had a go at you because you think you can judge someone by which paper they read, and you all Guardian or Independent readers are the same, which just isnt true, and neither are all Telegraph readers, or Times readers.

As for the people who 'got us into this mess' what mess are you referring to? Do you mean the weather? I cant blame that on anyone.

Do you mean the financial situation? It pains me to say it, but we are all culpable to an extent. Admittedly, the banks have played quite a part in it but:-

a) there had to be people wanting to borrow money in the first place, which was, er, the great British public

and

b) those in charge of the banks, and the traders, hedge fund managers, and those who 'invented' the off balance sheet instruments, will - more than likely - not be my elders.

I'll ignore the last part of your message, its a bit childish.

I will also rephrase my statement - Wisdom SHOULD come with age.
catscratch
Posts: 83
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
Location: se20

Post by catscratch »

Last bit was meant to be childish...... I apologise for my sense of humour, its the only one I've got.

The mess is present day society, that all our elders made
Our youth will continue to make it worse no doubt.


Only my opinion, to which I am entitled, whether anyone else agrees with it or not.

No I do not start sentances with "All Americans" or "All French" nor even indeed "all right thinking people will agree".


"Nostalgia isn't what it was" is a so oft mis-quote as to be almost a cliché.

I find it thought provoking how, a post supporting someone doing a job in adverse conditions, has been slowly slanted onto an attack on me, for my opinions, which do not conform to the flavour of this place.

Just like the Last Labour party conference I went to in fact.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

Again, Catscratch, if you read my previous contributions to the thread, I also supported the fact that the postmen wouldnt work in such appalling conditions.

It hasnt developed into an attack on you at all - you have made some comments, and they have been disagreed with, and that's it. Get over it.

'Nostalgia isnt what it was' was also an attempt at humour; there is nothing 'mis-quoted' about it - how can it be mis-quoted? Can you enlighten me on what the actual quote should be (and also who said it). Then I will not make the same mistake again.

If you really dont like 'this place', what on earth are you doing here?
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