The "How is your xmas week 2010" thread

[DGP1]

I was out on the street for 7 hours and several were out for 8 hours

[jessthecat]

i thought you had to have 12 hours betwen shifts with regards to finishing at 530 and starting at 5

Starting at 6am tomorrow

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

Worst Xmas pressure day so far...

First time for four packet bags, instead of normal three. Mixed bag of conditions on my walk's pavements, some were like ice rinks and I'm one of ~25% of our 250 delivery staff without the old chains or the new spikies, due to great organisations between depots and Sheffield for essential winter equipment.

Left depot at ~1030 with trolley and did the round very different to normal, taking out the roads I expected to be safest this morning, including the high street. Appeared to be a "good call" by me as the usual early side roads were like tobogan runs, so I expected to be delivering to ~75% of my residential customers at best.
But then the sleet came at lunchtime followed by light rain, while I was still out with this first trolley, which turned most of the pavement ice to slush... Those side-roads looked much better now.

So I get back from first HCT load at ~1545 and then start tieing up the roads I normally do first, hitting the road for a second time at 1600. As much as the side roads were much safer than the morning, had to be careful in some spots. Took an age to push the trolley round though, got back to the deopt at ~1800, when this bit would normally take just under an hour.

10hrs20mins on my own walk, new record, worse than my early days on this round after the resign in late March... But at least my frame is clear for the joys which await me tomorrow, while the stupidly long day will compensate me a little for the "con" of Xmas Day being my scheduled day off when others will get paid while not delivering!

[heapsy]

I have never seen so many packets in my 35 years as I have this xmas, walks have on average 6 bags each, we can never prepare for this amount, never.

Ditto. Our office is swamped with them every day at the mo. Since last Thursday, I've done Thurs, Fri, and today doing parcels, after my walk. Its gone totally crazy. Weather wise, no more snow, but what we got last week hasn't thawed. Started the day at around -11 deg. Gradually climbed to -7. Don't think we will get any better this side of the new year.

[RedBagMan]

... had one bag crammed full with packets ... for just FOUR houses on one street ... dead walking to and from pouch boxes is where the time is going here

[Darren Bent]

Yesterday management offer us 3 choice

1. work as usual
2. take up half day annual leave after finishing throwing out
3. stay indoors whole duty.

They never done it before. As it is extremely cold yesterday.

(I took up 1)

There is load of packets before it is too cold for christmas shopping in shop, bet Amazon, Game, Play, HMV and ebay couldn't believe their profit in last two weeks.

[taurus88]

Not too bad, had three packet bags but not much mail.

[kitkatchunky]

Not too bad, had three packet bags but not much mail.

I had crap load of mail but only 1/2 packet bag was a really heavy day.

[guldan]

Took 6 1/2 hours today, had only delivered half the round on saturday before having to call it a day in the blizzard (couldnt even see the houses!!) , only took a small part out yesterday so had bucket loads os mail & parcels today, absolutely Knackered !

[arty_morty]

Our DOM called a meeting to discuss revision at 730 so none of us drivers got out to do any packets, add to that the 8 Yorks waiting for us when the meeting ended. It was a long day and the side roads being like ice rinks just made it better.

[Postman Plodd]

Very little mail, loadsa packets, finished early and stood like a plum at the bus stop waiting for buses that never turned up.
Probably going to pay for today's light day tomorrow.

[heapsy]

Not stopped all day. Loads of packets. Shorter attendance today, which proved to be not enough hours, especially with the snow laiden pavements on top of the xmas mail. Parcels in the afternoon. Got rid of most of them, despite the side roads being covered in ice and snow. Shattered.

[RedBagMan]

especially with the snow laiden pavements on top of the xmas mail.

You're hiding the mail UNDERNEATH the snow

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

Conditions were much safer on Tuesday, as the thaw was in full swing, but care was needed in places given the lack of chains or spikeys available!

Heaviest Tuesday I've had during Xmas pressure, when "outward" deliveries are the order of the day i.e. the long distance mail coming into the area, finishing just after 1600.

Got a hunch that its going to be hell today, time for the shoes to be put on...

[POSTMAN]

especially with the snow laiden pavements on top of the xmas mail.

You're hiding the mail UNDERNEATH the snow