What Can Brown Do To You?

After the incident on 2A in Acton, I *did* write a letter to UPS HQ in Atlanta, via USPS snail mail, explaining what had happened just like I did above, including the exact time and place. I included my name and address on it. In reply, instead of a letter sent in response, a UPS driver came to my house while I was at work and dropped a note in my mailslot. It was two sentences, obviously printed on a laser printer via Microsoft Word, which simply said "Please call the UPS district office at XXX." No name, no explanation, nothing. I can only assume that word filtered back to the local operation, but who was trying to contact me? What did they want? Thoroughly creeped out, I did not call the number.

If I had seen this, I'd be the first one to complain to someone at Brown headquarters. Unless UPS is penalizing the drivers for not delivering on time, then the drivers should be professional and courteous regardless of the idiots on Boston streets who can't drive, and there are many. In the past year I have encountered more rude customer service people and professional drivers than I ever have in my lifetime and what pisses me off about this is they have a job, I can't find one.

The DHL driver on my office's route complains everyday about the three speeding tickets he has received since he took the route...four months ago. Fast enough? That must be what D.H.L. "EXPRESS" means...express to traffic court.

Everytime I've been on it, Hampshire street is an obstacle course of meandering bikes. I realize the lanes cross traffic and it is quite confusing for everyone involved, but too many people on bikes think they're as visible and protected as a car. I'm not excusing inconsiderate drivers, but it's not like every bicyclist is a hyper-aware ninja.

I once witnessed a hippie douche try a U-turn with his ten foot long recumbant very close to the intersection you described. As this is probably the delivery guy's daily route, I can see how he'd snap every now and then.

Everytime I've been on it, Hampshire street is an obstacle course of meandering bikes. I realize the lanes cross traffic and it is quite confusing for everyone involved, but too many people on bikes think they're as visible and protected as a car.

I once witnessed a hippie douche try a U-turn with his ten foot long recumbant very close to the intersection you described. As this is probably the delivery guy's daily route, I can see how he'd snap every now and then.

This is a good reflection of the current leadership of the ENE District. The District Manager (Chip Barnes), treats his management in the same manor. Please do not think that all UPS'ers are this rude to the public. Send a meaasge to the corporate office in Atlanta and let them know that this "monster" is affecting the employees in an adverse way. Barnes does not care about anyone except himself... Fire him and get back on track!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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This is one reason I generally prefer to simply ride my bike through the first gap in cross traffic, rather than always waiting for the light to turn green.

UPS drivers know no law. There's a four-way stop intersection near the UPS depot in Watertown- I was almost flattened once by a UPS truck who ran the stop sign on his way back to the office.

On another occasion, I saw a UPS truck run a stop sign as he turned onto Route 2A in Acton. Rather than wait for oncoming traffic (like me), he ran the stop sign at 20 mph, turned right onto 2A, and drove down the road with his right wheels on the sandy shoulder. He was headed for the Nagog Park complex, which was maybe 100 yards down the road, so I guess he was turning the shoulder into his own personal "right turn only" lane?

Note they do not have the "HOW'S MY DRIVING?" signs on the back of their vehicles.

I commuted from Watertown to downtown Boston for years. The three vehicles that seemed most determined not to share even 21 inches of the road were Fedex/UPS trucks, taxis, and buses.





Civilians were generally no problem; it was the "professional" drivers who seemed to have fun putting others in danger.





UPS drivers were the most hostile and foulmouthed but generally not fast enough to do much to you except at a light, where they'd try to squeeze you off the road; FedEx drivers were generally silent but extremely fast and aggressive; and taxis would routinely try to squeeze me into a parked car, even if there was no one to their left.

I've had some similar experiences. You can't get pushed around, catch up to the truck at the next light, pull the driver out of the truck and crack him with your lock. Street justice.