Closing gates

[MrPPatt]

So this woman chases me down the road with a "payment due" card. I patiently and politely explain the situation (even though it is clearly written on the card). At this point she says ".. and you never close my gate".

Her gate is broken, when you open it it collapses down onto her path. So I explain that her gate is broken and I am not prepared to heave it back onto its hinges every time - it is a health and safety risk. "But you don't close anyone's gates", she says. I was very hot and tired, near the end of my round, over an hour OT and I should have ignored her but instead I said "My job is to deliver your mail - not close gates". She responded that she would check that was true when she went to collect her payment-due letter. She is a posh-type and I can see a possible complaint looming.

So - although I will be refusing to close her gate no matter what - as I don't fancy damaging myself or having it collapse in my hand and her rush out to accuse me of vandalism, what is the situation as regards closing gates? Do we have to do it? If so, am I OK to refuse to close a broken gate?

Thanks for your time

Patt :]

[noggin1969]

If gate is open leave it open , if gate is closed close it behind you again and if gate is broken H&S risk leave it were it is ....simples

[dave7634]

Better one would be to refuse to even OPEN the thing and endorse the letter accordingly. Advise your line manager of the situation and say that its a H&S accident waiting to happen hence you're unwilling to open the gate and approach the property until said gate is fixed (or left open).

So this woman chases me down the road with a "payment due" card. I patiently and politely explain the situation (even though it is clearly written on the card). At this point she says ".. and you never close my gate".

Her gate is broken, when you open it it collapses down onto her path. So I explain that her gate is broken and I am not prepared to heave it back onto its hinges every time - it is a health and safety risk. "But you don't close anyone's gates", she says. I was very hot and tired, near the end of my round, over an hour OT and I should have ignored her but instead I said "My job is to deliver your mail - not close gates". She responded that she would check that was true when she went to collect her payment-due letter. She is a posh-type and I can see a possible complaint looming.

So - although I will be refusing to close her gate no matter what - as I don't fancy damaging myself or having it collapse in my hand and her rush out to accuse me of vandalism, what is the situation as regards closing gates? Do we have to do it? If so, am I OK to refuse to close a broken gate?

Thanks for your time

Patt :]

[mazza111]

Yep as Dave said above. Told a customer exactly the same thing when he tried to show me how to close his broken gate. He told me i was a cheeky c*nt, so i walked away laughing Told manager about it the next day and all was good.

But yes you should leave gates as you find them (apart from ones that break when u open them )

[Darren Bent]

is there anything in our contract or job description to say we must shut the gate ? Just to see if there is anything.

[dave7634]

is there anything in our contract or job description to say we must shut the gate ? Just to see if there is anything.

No just common sense. Back 30yrs ago when I started I asked the same question to the chap who was training me. The way he put it was that, if the gate is closed when you get to it then close and vice versa. He said the best way to look at it is that if the gate is closed as they have a toddler and, by you leaving it open the aforementioned gets run over and killed then ask yourself, could YOU live with your conscience? Never forgot that little speech funnily enough but at 16yr of age, it stuck

[Judgee]

As already mention, just leave it as you find it and you can't really go wrong!

[clashcityrocker]

What if the gate was secured with one of those bungee rope things?
Do you have to waste time and effort resecuring it with the same thing?

[mazza111]

Wouldn't that come under broken gate? As it's not fixing properly?

[fishtank]

What if the gate was secured with one of those bungee rope things?
Do you have to waste time and effort resecuring it with the same thing?

Some people tie their gates up to stop their kids getting out on to the street.
Obviously so they can stay inside and watch Jeremy Kyle rather than the kids.
Those i just endorse as no access.
I'm not screwing around with knots all day.

[taurus88]

I always endorse them a little more pointedly than that. I'm surprised I haven't had a complaint yet. I suppose the truth has that effect on people.

[celtic67]

get a life why do you all respond to so pathetic and meaningless subjects instead of the big issues like u all lie down and accept rm no shares bigger workloads longer hours longer walks etc.

[fishtank]

get a life why do you all respond to so pathetic and meaningless subjects instead of the big issues like u all lie down and accept rm no shares bigger workloads longer hours longer walks etc.

Two posts in a month and the other one was....

it could be worse u could be on the dole

You're a real "Big Issue" man....

[celtic67]

As this was an abusive post I have removed it.

[mazza111]