Binman prevents runaway post van disaster in West Hampstead

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/binman_pr ... _1_2000868" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A quick-thinking binman has been hailed as a hero after he used his truck to block the path of a runaway post van which was hurtling down a hill, moments away from crashing into a row of busy shops.

Jose Dias was doing the morning rubbish collection in West End Lane, West Hampstead, when he saw the Royal Mail van with a panicked postman running after it, careering backwards down Frognal Lane and gathering speed.

But before disaster struck, the binman drove his rubbish truck into the van’s path, taking a bash to the left side of his vehicle but saving the lives of pedestrians in the van’s path.

“At first I thought the van was reversing,” said the 37-year-old refuse collector. “But then I realised the van was travelling too fast for that and I saw the driver running after it at the top of the hill.

“I was scared because there was a main road at the end of the hill, so it would have been a very bad accident.

“I knew I had to do something quickly to block the road, so I swung the vehicle around to ensure the post van couldn’t go any further. It’s just part of the job protecting the public and something I am proud to do.”

PC Robert Slater, of Camden Police, said the van started rolling down the hill because its handbrake failed. “The dustbin lorry driver had seen this unfolding and blocked the path of the van, causing it to stop,” said the police officer.

“The actions of the dustbin lorry driver potentially prevented death or serious injury.”

Mr Dias, who works for Veolia Environmental Services, the company that collects rubbish in Camden, said that police congratulated him, but it was the driver of the van who was the most grateful.

“When I spoke to him he was in shock because someone could have been killed,” said the binman. “He was almost in tears.I am just happy that no-one was hurt. That’s the main thing.”

Royal Mail confirmed that the runaway vehicle was one their post vans and they are investigating the cause of the incident.

A spokeswoman said: “We are still investigating the reasons behind it. Thankfully there were no serious injuries.

“Health and safety is very important to us and that is why we’re investigating. We don’t know what the cause is and we apologise for what happened.”

The Health and Safety Executive has not as yet launched an investigation into the incident.

Pascal Hauret, of Veolia Environmental Services, said: “Due to Jose’s quick manoeuvre an accident was prevented at a busy junction where a lot of pedestrians cross the road.

“We train our staff to keep the public safe and Jose is a shining example of this."

[SP115]

Holy s**t, Niceone Jose!

[PostieSP1]

I wonder if the postie would have done the same thing if it was the bin lorry rolling down?
Probably wouldn't have ended as well and esp writing off an RM van!

Think id have just watched the bin-lorry roll by

[RedBagMan]

We await RM suing Veolia for damage

[TrueBlueTerrier]

There seems to a pattern developing though.

That tragic accident in Benbecula http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ke#p554639" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Barrow http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ke#p552644" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[UnhappyGremlin]

Wonder if they are all the same type of van? If so, could possibly be manufacturing fault. Other possibility is that vehicles services aren't maintaining them properly, though I hope this isn't the case. In a way, I hope it is a mechanical problem, and not the fault of the driver, though either way, he will still possibly be disciplined for something, as the managers seem to like conducting people for anything and everything they can manage to come up with.

Would also say well done to the binman, quick thinking on his part. With a bit of luck his bosses are better than ours, and he will be congratulated by them, and not punished. I presume, possibly wrongly, that RM will be liable for damage to the dustbin lorry, after all, without his intervention it could have been a whole lot worse, not just in terms of injuries/deaths and damage to property, but the financial cost in terms of compensation claims, which could have been astronomical. Not to mention the PR disaster that would follow.

[beria]

Keep the vans in gear plus the handbrake on !

[BernardBresslaw]

The Bippa van handbrakes are useless....scrap that the Bippa vans are useless.

[PhilthyPhil]

Keep the vans in gear plus the handbrake on !

But then you can't leave the van running while you run round delivering packets

[Mr Rush]

Keep the vans in gear plus the handbrake on !

The handbrake only helps if it works. I once had to hold in place an LDV that wanted to reverse into the Clyde while my driver unlocked the back.

[josedias76]

the postman was very lucky to don't be hurt

[TeeferTiger]

Once again, handbrake issues. Wonder if there'll be another memo going around about how to correctly apply a handbrake for each model of van?

[mandelsons_toenail]

The Bippa van handbrakes are useless....scrap that the Bippa vans are useless.

The partners and doblos are no better