To have hijacked the DPD van!

[IchWill]

Just taken a Christmas delivery and DP reminded me about something that happened a while ago. Feeling a bit mortified on reflection!

I ordered some shoes in-store at Kurt Geiger, got home from work to see DPD had tried to deliver and the card said to go online to book a new slot. The next morning I went online to rebook and see the next slot was the next day, at lunchtime so I could be home from work to accept the delivery.

Then later that day, I was home from work, saw the DPD van pull up and notice it's the exact time I had rebooked for, but it was obviously the day before.

Thinking I'd made a mistake, I went out to the driver as he delivered at the house opposite and was looking like he was about to drive away, I showed him my card and asked if he has my parcel, he checked the back of the van and he did. So be scanned it and said that he couldn't give it to me as the delivery was cancelled that morning (at the time I'd gone online to book a slot) and it seems that DPD had put the parcel back in the van to reattempt delivery that day, despite the fact that I hadn't booked a slot myself at that point.

So when I'd gone online, I effectively "cancelled" it from his deliveries that day, in favour for delivery the day after. Odd system.

Anyway, I said to him, well look you're here now, as am I. I really want that parcel, so please can I have it. He refused. Said he can't. So I asked him to call someone senior to ask if they can authorise it, he started to get rude and said no. I understand they are under pressure for deliveries, but I was frustrated by his rudeness and just being a bloody-minded jobsworth. I'd been extremely polite to him.

I pleaded with him, to please call a supervisor, he's stood there with my parcel and I can't have it.

Again he refused and lobbed my parcel into the back of his van and started to close a door.

I saw red at this point, the way he threw the parcel and his manner tipped me over the edge.

So before he could close his second door, I flung myself into the van like a mad woman and sat in it, with my legs dangling out of it and said I wasn't moving until I got my parcel. He was speechless and said I need to move. I again asked politely and asked him to call someone to get authorisation to give me my parcel.

Seeing I wasn't budging, he complied and rang someone. I heard them say to him, "Of course she can have the parcel, don't be so silly!", so sheepishly he gave me the parcel.

I thanked him, apologised for my drastic action and went back inside.

My shoes are lovely by the way. (See pic).

[Shelvesoutofbooks]

Yes YABU

[LastOneDancing]

YANBU!

I think I would have done similar!
He was saving himself a journey, his company the time & fuel, you the inconvenience... Why wouldn't you even ask?!.

Rules are for the obedience if fools and the guidance of wise men.

[ItWasntMeItWasIm]

😂

[Augusta2012]

YANBU. Threatening low paid gig economy workers, potentially getting them in deep shit with their bosses and losing them money just so I can have expensive designer goods a few hours earlier is my hobby too! Boasting about it online just makes it even more satisfying!

[GreatDuckCookery6211]

Wow 😮

[tabulahrasa]

“He was saving himself a journey, his company the time & fuel, you the inconvenience”

But his pay is calculated by the handset, so without it to scan in the next day, he won’t get paid for it...

[IchWill]

Oooh. Wasn't aware KG were classed as "designer" shoes.

[MasterSensei]

That's brilliant 😂 well done you. I'd have just raged about it for the rest of the day! Fancy him holding the parcel and not just handing it over 🙄 can't stand a jobsworth.
And the shoes are amazing!!! Well worth fighting for.

[IchWill]

"But his pay is calculated by the handset, so without it to scan in the next day, he won’t get paid for it..."

After speaking to the office he did something meant he did scan the parcel.

[PinkArmadillo]

YANBU. Threatening low paid gig economy workers, potentially getting them in deep shit with their bosses and losing them money just so I can have expensive designer goods a few hours earlier is my hobby too! Boasting about it online just makes it even more satisfying!

This ^

[IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece]

Did you even give a shit if you were going to get him in trouble? Did you bother to even think about how just handing over the parcel without following the procedure would affect his pay or his job?

[IchWill]

@MasterSensei thanks. I think my OP will divide opinion.

Sharing the story was meant lighthearted as my DP made a joke about me jumping into a different delivery van today.

[Chloe84]

IchWill

I think you're my favourite MNer, that's fantastic 👏

[Roaring]

Yabu- why couldn't you wait? The poor chap is in a really low paid job and gets paid by delivery. If he can't scan it out he may get in trouble if you're not who you say you are.
I can see your logic but also his point of view and think on balance his job and livelihood trump your need for your shoes.

[WTFIsAGleepglorp]

I think it's got something to do with the way the vans are packed, how the computers are programmed with the van dimensions and how they logically work out the most efficient way of delivering parcels.

The DPD computer cancelled, even though your parcel was in the van, as it thought it was more efficient to do that, because it wasn't easily 'to hand' for the driver.

The computer programmed itineraries the drivers are given give them less than a minute to find the parcel in the back of the van, scan it, register delivery attempt and deliver the parcel/leave it with neighbour/leave in a safe space/pop a note through the door to say delivery attempted.

Rather than rummage in the back of the van for a parcel he's not convinced is there, the driver had a van load of parcels to deliver and a punishing schedule to maintain.

In human terms YWNBU.

[IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece]

He’s not a jobsworth. There is procedure to follow, there’s a system...like it or not, he cannot just hand over the parcel without following the procedure. Delivery companies think nothing of firing someone over something like this.

[IchWill]

@IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece obviously not.

If he'd been reasonable and made a quick call and not been so rude, then fair enough. If the office had also said no to handing it over, then fine. He was just being difficult and rude when I'd only been polite up until that point.

[IchWill]

@IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece I can confirm he still works for them.

[IchWill]

@WTFIsAGleepglorp thanks for the rational explanation. I wasnt aware of all the gubbins involved.

[Xocaraic]

You have made me chuckle out loud and our whole family applauded your maverick actions! Bravo.

[Boredspice]

Oh my I love those shoes. I would never have occasion to wear them but they look gorgeous!

[WindyWednesday]

I would have done the same. A while back I saw the dpd van and shouted to DH to get the parcel as we have a long drive and it would help the driver. DH came back saying driver couldn’t deliver as he was early and so he sat on our drive for 10mins and then got out and gave us the parcel. I don’t understand why humans can’t override the system for common sense. He wasn’t taking a break, he was early, so had to wait on our drive with our parcel. Seemed bonkers to us. He could have given the parcel and then had a nice break. We live in back of beyond so no other drops near us.

[IchWill]

@Xocaraic In line with another post on here about people not sitting in booked seats. A woman was sat in my booked train seat, I asked her to move (I have a slipped disc and can't stand for long periods), she refused, so I sat on the table she was sat at, turning slightly so my arse was angled towards her. The bloke she was sat opposite was smirking and gave me a nod, so I had him on side.

After three minutes she moved.

[IchWill]

@WindyWednesday that's just ridiculous. Common sense seems to be dimishing in this country. So much can be said for being slaves to the technology too.

[Boredspice]

For goodness sake, he phoned head office and they clarified that he could hand the parcel over. Nothing suggests he would have got into trouble if he had used common sense or not got paid! He could have simply phoned his supervisor when the OP originally asked and avoided all of this!