Catch a company car driver on the phone?

[BentMikey]

I was talking to my mate who happens to work at Palm, and we were chatting about filming company drivers on the phone. Apparently their company policy is to fire anyone caught driving on the phone!

 

[John the Monkey]

Apparently their company policy is to fire anyone caught driving on the phone!

Quite right too, they should be in a car like regular people.

Joking aside, I wonder if that policy extends to a) not ringing them when they know they're en route to a job and explicitly telling them not to respond to customers who ring whilst they're in transit?

 

[4F]

Quite right too, they should be in a car like regular people.

Joking aside, I wonder if that policy extends to a) not ringing them when they know they're en route to a job

And this seems to be the biggest problem as your own office are often the worst offenders. I find the only way to get around this is to turn the phone off and then only turn it on when I have stopped.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Interesting - whilst I loathe idiots who use the phone whilst driving surely their company cannot fire them for doing so (unless they are during works hours doing work stuff in works vehicle etc.) as what they do in their own time is pretty much up to them.

Yes, it's illegal, but it's not for the firm to enforce the law in their own way. They could, I suppose, have a policy of not employing people with unclean licenses (not that the Police would prosecute them to give them points anyway as we all know they don't stop them in the first place) but I would assume this would only be legal if they had a job driving professionally.

 

[John the Monkey]

They could, I suppose, have a policy of not employing people with unclean licenses (not that the Police would prosecute them to give them points anyway as we all know they don't stop them in the first place) but I would assume this would only be legal if they had a job driving professionally.

Again, it comes down to the attitude towards motoring offences in this country.

Back when I worked for the DfEE, most firms employing drivers would not take on people who had been banned - they were, however, for the most part, unconcerned at taking people with 3-6 points on the license. If speeding, stopping in ASLs, yakking on phones etc were viewed as being as anti-social as they are (rather than the things everyone does, and bad luck old chap if you get caught) that would change.

 

[hackbike 6]

I wished it was true BM.

Technically I don't want to see the guy fired but I would like people to be more sensible with mobile phones.

 

[BentMikey]

I think this is the case in this specific example because it's a phone company and the effect on their reputation would be quite severe. They do apparently supply headsets to comply with the law, though as we all know this is very nearly as bad as holding the phone itself to your ear.

 

[simoncc]

If I'm not in a hurry I'll occasionally stop by a driver who is using a phone, either by blocking his exit from a junction or by pulling up next to his car in a traffic jam, and politely pointing out the illegality of his actions.

I enjoy seeing what reaction I'll get - indifference, profuse apology or abuse.

 

[spindrift]

It is an offence that, if proven, would fall under the "Bringing the company into disrepute".

Instant dismissal.

 

[BentMikey]

If I'm not in a hurry I'll occasionally stop by a driver who is using a phone, either by blocking his exit from a junction or by pulling up next to his car in a traffic jam, and politely pointing out the illegality of his actions.

I enjoy seeing what reaction I'll get - indifference, profuse apology or abuse.

Good stuff!!

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

It is an offence that, if proven, would fall under the "Bringing the company into disrepute".

Instant dismissal.

How does it bring the company into disrepute if you're not in company time/vehicle?

They have no legal right to instruct you to do things when you're not in work IMO.

I am not defending people on phones in their car, just interested in *how* they'd get away with firing someone for doing it in their own time.

 

[spindrift]

How does it bring the company into disrepute if you're not in company time/vehicle?


People have been sacked for behaviour at the staff Christmas party, out of the office, out of work time. It doesn't even have to be illegal behaviour. If they're in a company vehicle, it counts. And is illegal.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

People have been sacked for behaviour at the staff Christmas party, out of the office, out of work time. It doesn't even have to be illegal behaviour. If they're in a company vehicle, it counts. And is illegal.

No disagreement there, but from the OP it didn't sound like there was a distinction that they must be driving in a company vehicle at the time.

As for the Christmas party thing I think there would be serious legal issues with such behaviour (the sacking, that is) unless it was on company grounds and thus in contravention of their office rules.

Employers seem to think they can get away with pretty much anything nowadays, I'm just curious how they manage to infringe on somone's personal time/acts and be able to sack them for such things.

 

[col]

This was brought in just before i left my job on the busses,if you were seen with your phone in hand whether using it or not,it was gross misconduct,but there had to be a picture,or a company official needed to witness it.

 

[spindrift]

As for the Christmas party thing I think there would be serious legal issues with such behaviour (the sacking, that is) unless it was on company grounds and thus in contravention of their office rules.

happened to a mate, spat with his ex, unseemly tussle, sacked a week later.