Take care around Ocado vans

Jamey

This might sound stupid but ever since I had a car accident with an Ocado van several years ago I've had a bit of a selective vision thing and I always pay attention whenever I see one of their vehicles out on the roads, which is pretty easy as they're quite distinctive.

Anyway, every time I see an Ocado van, almost without fail the driver is doing something stupid or reckless so I thought I'd just mention it on here.

Like I said, it sounds silly and heaven knows I've got no hard evidence to support this beyond what I've seen with my own eyes but just wanted to mention it as it really has been years of stupidity I've witnessed now. I don't know why I never thought to post this before but for some reason it popped into my head today.

The car accident, in case you're wondering, was right opposite my house, I was nearly home, following behind an Ocado van and we came up to a T-junction. Obviously he was in front of me so I came to a stop, waiting for him to pull out either right or left across the junction.

So what does he do? Reverses into me, crunching my bonnet up.

My first thought once he stopped was that no insurance company would believe he'd reversed into me and that he could just say I'd gone into the back of him but thankfully the doddery old fool admitted full liability not just at the scene but days later (where it counts) on paperwork and to his bosses.

My air conditioning still doesn't work though

suzyb

Did you find out why he was reversing. It's usually kind of a hard thing to do by accident.

dilemna

Ocado is Waitrose delivery service isn't it? Maybe you were experiencing some of their "superieur" customer service? Was the driver a coffin dodger?

Must admit not had a prob with Ocado vans as I don't see that many in these parts, but deffers Sainsburys and Tescos vans - driven more often by loons. Stupid really as all you have to do is get the reg and ring the local store. I did this 2 years ago after a Sainsburys van driver driving like a bat out of hell nearly forced me and three other cars off the road, overtaking us on a blind bend, which he didn't anticipate a car coming around in the opposte direction. Prior to this he had been driving about 3 foot from the back of my car flashing his headlights and giving me the middle finger as he went by :shock: .

So I remembered the van reg and shortly after when I got home phoned the manager at the local store from whence I guessed it had come. Manager was very concerned, helpful and apologetic. She called me back about 3 days later saying an investigation had been conducted, tapes reviewed and tachos checked, the driver interviewed etc, etc and the employee had been permanently removed from driving duties and given a warning. Result! At least he won't be killing anyone on the roads in a Sainsburys vehicle. Nice one Sainsburys for taking this and your responsibilties seriously. Hi to Jamie btw .

OTH Tescos no such luck .......

Jamey

suzyb wrote:

Did you find out why he was reversing. It's usually kind of a hard thing to do by accident.

Yes. He missed his turning and had no idea there was a large, bright silver, four-door saloon car behind him with its lights on.

And yes, he was a coffin dodger.

W1

An Occado van overtook me on the blind crest of a humped back bridge (at speed) only to need to turn immediately left after the crest (to those who know, this is heading Westbound over Bolan Death Bridge). As he was going so fast he locked the brakes up, overshot the junction and nearly hit the barriers - had there been a car waiting at that junction he would have ploughed into them. He then reversed back out onto the road and sped off.

So, overtaking dangerously on a blind crest, left hooking, speeding, dangerous driving....

downfader

Funny you should mention this.. :?

Little while back I was walking around the corner to a shop, narrow pavement, busy road and an Ocado van pulls over infront of me and completely blocks off the pavement. He leaps out to go and knock on a door, mobile in hand texting, so I go "CHEERS MATE!" and have to walk around his great lumbering orange monstrosity in the road.

cjcp

Had a run-in with a Tesco van driver last night on the Sheen Road. I'm doing about 20mph, heading westbound, when Tesco Man, coming in the opposite direction, pulls across in front of me to hop up on the pavement and park outside the customer's house. Had to take evasive action, as did the other cyclist next to me. I pulled over, and just had to give him a piece of my mind, not even an acknowledgment that he was in the wrong, let alone an apology. He didn't give a sh!t.

dilemna

cjcp wrote:

Had a run-in with a Tesco van driver last night on the Sheen Road. I'm doing about 20mph, heading westbound, when Tesco Man, coming in the opposite direction, pulls across in front of me to hop up on the pavement and park outside the customer's house. Had to take evasive action, as did the other cyclist next to me. I pulled over, and just had to give him a piece of my mind, not even an acknowledgment that he was in the wrong, let alone an apology. He didn't give a sh!t.

These people are pond life. Trouble is ringing up Tescos to complain about their driver won't be of any use whatsoever.

gaz545

What junction was this at? i'm from croydon and know it well.

Although you don't get many ocardo vans in croydon... so can't comment on there bad habbits.

Jamey

gaz545 wrote:

What junction was this at? i'm from croydon and know it well.

Although you don't get many ocardo vans in croydon... so can't comment on there bad habbits.

It was actually in Kenley, but nothing big, just a small T-junction as you get to the end of a residential road. He (Ocado man) was meant to take the right turn just before the junction but he missed it and decided to just reverse without having noticed me, even though I'd been following him for a mile.

And I wasn't close up or anything, normal distance behind, about 2-3 seconds away sort of thing.

Damien_KW

Just to defend Ocado drivers - I've had a few deliveries in the past and despite my flat being up a couple of flights of stairs, none have moaned or seemed pissed off about having to lug all the shopping up. Always very polite, cheerful and courteous.

But it's no surprise that a lot of bad driving comes from delivery vans, etc. Zipping about all day, trying to keep to a schedule, etc etc. Obviously not an excuse though.

jammeydodger

Hello to all concerned, I am a ocado driver, I would like to defend myself and my employer, one all these posts are 3 years old, now we have cameras in all vans that cannot be disabled, and should capture all knocks and accidents, second south London is a little more difficult being as all their routes are within the London M25 where the traffic can be bad (I'm from north London) and the pressure can be heavy on the drivers sometimes. Thirdly any driver found to be driving badly IS certainly disciplined and if evidence is serious and possibly sacked on the spot. Fourthly not all "ocado men" which sometimes are women are not all the same. fifth and finally because we are a marked vans us drivers sometimes gets unfair publicity because we are marked, the white van men are far far worse they cut out in front of me, but because they are unmarked they cannot be mentioned, the same applies to private hire and private cars who are also sometimes very bad drivers but again because they are unclassifiable to a certain company they again cannot be complained about on these type of sites.

Sometimes we get labelled badly with the same brush but its not all-ways creditable, shame, I have done 7000 deliveries 2 years and not one accident, and there is many more like me, but do I get any appraise......NO! well in my depot in north London anyhow, which sometimes we DO go West London, EC, SW

Drfabulous0

But rather than defend yourself you have resurected a thread from 3 years ago slating the standard of driving in your company and brought it to the attention of a whole new audience......

Chapeaux!

pangolin

Amazing.

DrLex

Seems odd that a first post would be a resurrection of a three year-old thread, unless some kind of PR / astroturfing campaign that runs close to invoking the Streisand Effect?

jammeydodger

its called an update, things DO change and better late than never!, have a NICE day fella!

iwearshorts

I see loads of Ocado vans on my commute (apparently my commute goes near one of their depos) never had a problem!

As for Audi cunts grrr.

jammeydodger

ahhh, there are some nice people who actually comment on something other than negative things! bow to you sir! and karma WILL reward you for it too one day!...:-)

combatsapph

My only accident on a bike was me turning right at a mini roundabout (with my arm out signalling) and a Tesco delivery van coming straight on didn't stop :-(

Nothing serious - I was only 20 at the time so bounced well and there was an ambulance waiting at the road I was turning into so got a thorough going over to make sure I was ok.