Postman Caught Drink Driving

[fmrPOSTIE]

http://www.hellmail.co.uk/postalnews/te ... 9&zoneid=3

What happens to this postie now in terms of his employment? Does he get the boot (if he is a driver) or do they put him on a different duty?

[DGP1]

The Legal Limit

The UK legal limit for drivers is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, often referred to as a BAC or blood-alcohol concentration. In US terms this would be expressed as 0.08%. This is alternatively expressed in terms of breath alcohol - 35 µg (microgrammes) per 100 ml (which is now the usual official measure in the UK), or alcohol in the urine - 107 mg per 100 ml.

This is often reckoned to be equivalent to two pints of ordinary strength beer which, for a man of average weight, is broadly true, but should not be used as a general rule - see Drink-Driving Guidelines. It is impossible to draw an accurate correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and the resulting peak BAC, and anyone trying to "drink up to the limit" runs a serious risk of exceeding it.

It is also possible to be charged with driving or attempting to drive under the influence of drink or drugs even with a BAC level is below 80 mg. Such cases are rare but not unknown. In addition, a BAC level not far below 80 mg is likely to be regarded by the courts as an aggravating factor if charges are brought for causing an accident.

In 1998, the UK government issued a consultation paper proposing the reduction of the UK legal limit from 80 mg to 50 mg, but after lengthy deliberations announced in March 2000 that they were not going to proceed with this for the time being, pending a European Union Review - see 80 mg Limit to Stay (for now).

I always thought it was breath alcohol we measured Anyway, I know of a couple of people who have lost their licenses because of a drink-driving offence and kept their jobs but I'm not to sure how it would work these days because everyone being employed must have a license.

[NWpostie]

will be taken off driving as this will affect his licence, he would be put on a different duty.

Personally he should be put in the stocks, given 100 lashes and pelted with rotten fruits, p1ssed and sh1tted on a family friend of my Parents was killed by a drunk driver, a life cut short, I was only 11 at the time, I remember him planning a Holiday in Scotland and was I think a new life with a girlfirend, all gone as he was crossing the road to a Pub, his friend shouted a warning that a car was speeding down the hilly road, but he was too late and was killed.

[fmrPOSTIE]

OK, does RM still charge people with bringing Royal Mail into disrepute? And what cases do people know of? I know this is fairly antiquated but remember a case a few yrs back of the brothers who got the sack for football violence lol.

It turned out they were innocent, i think, and were reinstated...

[escargot]

A few years back one of our drivers was banned for a year for drink driving and certainly kept his job.
I know RM were informed of this and the driver and another postman on a walk arranged a swap of duties for the year and then swapped back after the ban was finished.
This was however in excess of five years ago, so in the current climate of losing staff I wouldn't hold out any hopes of this driver being punted out the door.

[Lounge Lizard]

will be taken off driving as this will affect his licence, he would be put on a different duty.

Personally he should be put in the stocks, given 100 lashes and pelted with rotten fruits, p1ssed and sh1tted on a family friend of my Parents was killed by a drunk driver, a life cut short, I was only 11 at the time, I remember him planning a Holiday in Scotland and was I think a new life with a girlfirend, all gone as he was crossing the road to a Pub, his friend shouted a warning that a car was speeding down the hilly road, but he was too late and was killed.

and the same penalty for anyone whose driving is affected by drugs, tiredness, using a mobile phone, speeding, etc.

[baldrick]

OK, does RM still charge people with bringing Royal Mail into disrepute? And what cases do people know of? I know this is fairly antiquated but remember a case a few yrs back of the brothers who got the sack for football violence lol.

It turned out they were innocent, i think, and were reinstated...

They were sacked after their pictures were in the papers (the Sun I think) at an England match abroad
where there had been trouble, though they said they were stewards for a fans club trying to get the people
they were responsible for away from the trouble.
Tony Blair, who as a lawyer should have known better (innocent until proved guilty?) called for their dismissal.
One was reinstated. The other (a CWU Rep and Branch Chairman) went to an ET who ruled that he should be
reinstated, but RM refused, preferring to pay him off with a lump sum in compensation (£75,000 IIRC).
It was probably more to do with his role as a trade unionist in a strong CWU Branch - his MC (NDO) was closed
later.

[97gaz]

So someone gets caught drinking driving? He's an idiot but it's hardly breaking news is it? I won't condone DD but he was in his own car in his own time and the fact he is a RM worker is irrelevant. Does hellmail post items about other companies drivers? I don't see any.

No, Hellmail sees it as another opportunity to knock those filthy kitten murdering Royal Mail posties. Who finances these chumps' website?

We have a postie coming to the end of a 16Mth ban and the company have been very good with him. He's been on walking and covering the locker.

[fmrPOSTIE]

I agree with you 97gaz...Actually alot of companies will sack you if your job solely depends on driving but I don't see why the persons occupation is relevant on the case highlighted by hellmail. I was intersested in how RM would deal with. I remember the 2 brothers being sacked quite well and can't believe Royal Mail's ignorance in not reinstating one brother. I suspect that had he pushed the matter he would have got his job back (as with the Bristol cases) but RM has paid him off. If that was me I don't think I could be bribed into walking away and keeping my mouth shut!

[rockytony67]

I agree with you 97gaz...Actually alot of companies will sack you if your job solely depends on driving but I don't see why the persons occupation is relevant on the case highlighted by hellmail. I was intersested in how RM would deal with. I remember the 2 brothers being sacked quite well and can't believe Royal Mail's ignorance in not reinstating one brother. I suspect that had he pushed the matter he would have got his job back (as with the Bristol cases) but RM has paid him off. If that was me I don't think I could be bribed into walking away and keeping my mouth shut!

If you had been put on the front page of national newspapers, had nothing but lies told about you in the press, then maybe you would take the money and run, think about it

[NWpostie]

I agree with you 97gaz...Actually alot of companies will sack you if your job solely depends on driving but I don't see why the persons occupation is relevant on the case highlighted by hellmail. I was intersested in how RM would deal with. I remember the 2 brothers being sacked quite well and can't believe Royal Mail's ignorance in not reinstating one brother. I suspect that had he pushed the matter he would have got his job back (as with the Bristol cases) but RM has paid him off. If that was me I don't think I could be bribed into walking away and keeping my mouth shut!

If you had been put on the front page of national newspapers, had nothing but lies told about you in the press, then maybe you would take the money and run, think about it

walks away with £75.000 and a closed mail centre, sounds like he was on a winner there

[TeeferTiger]

We've had someone done for drink driving and lost his licence in our office but he was driving his own car and was put onto a walking round.

However, as I understood it, if you're caught over the limit in a RM vehicle it's dismissal? That's what we believe in our office anyway...

[bedfordrl]

My son was caught over the limit ,just, but still over the limit.
He certainly kept his job though obviously the management were not exactly highly delighted they just put him on to walking rounds.
As i understand he has to go on a Royal Mail course before he is allowed to drive Royal Mail vans again.
We have an ex Parcel Force driver who has just joined us and he lost his licence whilst working for Parcel Force and they also put him on a course before he drove again.

As an aside ,as a condition of getting his licence back in ten months rather than have it withdrawn for a year he had to attend a drivers awareness course for rehabilitating drink drivers and he reckons that all new drivers should go on the course before they are allowed to drive as he learned a lot about alcohol and the length of time it takes to work through your system .

[Darren Bent]

IT is not necessary for me as I never drink alcohol.

[DGP1]

I personally use the 12 hour rule ie. I wait 12 hours after my last drink to be able to drive.