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Original poster

What do you think should happen

72 replies

Rosebel · 23/07/2020 13:33

There is a situation that happened at my husbands work and I wonder what your opinion is on this.
So mower driver cuts on a residential road and there's a 10 year old who is fascinated by the mower and watches from his garden (don't know if it's relevant but he has special needs). One of the drivers is lovely waves to him and says hello. The other is a miserable git. The miserable one was on his own cutting one day and told this boy he was fed up of being watched and felt harassed. Also told the mum off.
The mum complained to the company. In your opinion should this driver loose his job or get a warning? Just interested in what others think. The situation has been dealt with but not in the right way imo.

OP posts:

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 14:58

Being intensely watched or someone hovering nearby can be really off-putting and anxiety-provoking whether it's your job or not and can cause mistakes. That's important when you're dealing with dangerous machinery.

Have you never been at work and been doing something and realised your colleague/manager is watching and you start fucking up even if it's something you've done before a million times?

Or - my pet hate - got flustered and start fucking up because some arsehole has started watching you parallel park?

lughnasadh · 23/07/2020 14:58

So many people forget that the cute kids with special needs grow up... to be adults with the same needs.

I'd say shouting at the boss and getting away with it, being uncomfortable with a child watching your work etc. would be indicative of something out of the ordinary.

The OP is so keep to appear SN aware, thet she forgets it's not a child only thing.

They grow up OP. Our children become adult men and women, and their special needs persist.

Try not to be a virtue signalling arsehole.

bruce43mydog · 23/07/2020 15:02

A warning.

No need to lose his job. We all make mistakes. We need to learn to be more forgiving.

RandyLionandDirtyDog · 23/07/2020 15:08

YAB completely ridiculous OP.

The mower driver is employed to mow grass not entertain young children. Distracting someone whilst they’re operating dangerous machinery is frankly, a very stupid thing to do and I think the parent should have taken their child away out of sight if the man didn’t enjoy being watched.

Would you expect a farmer to stop what he’s doing and entertain every passing young child because most kids love tractors?

He was employed to mow grass, not provide cheap entertainment for bored kids.

Original poster

Rosebel · 23/07/2020 15:13

Okay. Some harsh comments. I'm very aware of SN because of my daughter having special needs. Obviously his employer wasn't impressed either but fair enough. Obviously it's fine to be rude to the public and yes, they all know this boy has, issues.
Like I said if he'd spoken nicely to the mum about it it wouldn't be an issue but why have a go at the child?
Not worried if people agree with me or not

OP posts:

cariadlet · 23/07/2020 15:22

I've just reread the thread and can see plenty of people disagreeing with you but the only harsh comments I've read are your own when you say that the man should lose his job.

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 15:25

Why the thread then? If you already think you're right and don't care to hear that people don't agree with you?

And nowhere have you given any evidence that he was rude or 'had a go'.

dotdashdashdash · 23/07/2020 15:26

But was he rude? What did he say? How did he say it?

"Can you stop watching me" is very different to "fuck off out my way you little twerp", similarly "can you keep your boy inside, he's distracting me" is very different to "get him inside before I wallop him".

Being watched IS distracting, it is unnerving and it isn't very nice.

RunningFromInsanity · 23/07/2020 15:34

At my place (also a local Council) , if anything the ‘nice’ driver would have been given a warning for allowing a child on a piece of dangerous machinery. Health and safety would not like that at all. If an accident had happened the Council would have been liable. You can’t do stuff like that anymore.

As for the ‘miserable’ driver, internally they would have rolled their eyes and he would have been told not to speak to the public like that and externally they would have issued a generic placating apology.

You are massively overreacting.

CoveredInBeeeees · 23/07/2020 15:40

Also the mother of a child with SN here. Slightly unsure if it’s actually relevant as so many kids are fascinated by machinery anyway. On the plain facts you’re provided here, OP, YABVU. There’s an attitude issue and lack of following through the thought process of SN/ageing that others have pointed out. If this is the sum total of what’s happened (bearing in mind you haven’t elaborated on what you mean by he ‘had a go’), a warning is appropriate and probably some training, plus obviously the apologies.

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 15:42

@RunningFromInsanity I thought that too. Not saying it should result in a warning or anything but i'm sure an employer would suggest members of the public should not be given a ride on the mower.

3rdNamechange · 23/07/2020 15:43

How mean to wish someone would lose their job.

Darkestseasonofall · 23/07/2020 15:48

OP what's your role in this and what did he actually say to the child?
Unless you answer these questions your thread is absolutely pointless.

CoveredInBeeeees · 23/07/2020 15:56

OP has said she’s the wife of a colleague who works with the mowers but has just returned to work and heard this happens months ago.

Still in the dark about what was actually said to the child, not that OP should really even know (but these things often out).

CoveredInBeeeees · 23/07/2020 15:56

*happened

Maryhadalittlejam · 23/07/2020 16:42

I think the formal warning was the result of his previous behaviour and this was the final straw
Let's hope the child understands the ride was a one off

Original poster

Rosebel · 23/07/2020 16:53

The ride was agreed to by management after the incident. I would imagine to try and avoid any negative attraction.
It's interesting because when mum posted about what happened the vast majority of people who replied said he should loose his job. Those who didn't said he should get training in customer relations. I won't say what be said exactly as will.only be accused of trying to get people to agree with me.
Like I said why would I mind if you disagree with me. I'm not his boss, just wondered what others thought.

OP posts:

netflixismysidehustle · 23/07/2020 16:55

Child is not unreasonable to be fascinated by the mowers and want to watch. I'm also assuming that the child is not so close that it's stopping the men from working

Worker is not unreasonable to find the child staring off putting (I'm making an assumption about the staring based on my kids) but it can't be the first time that it's happened - I've stopped the buggy and pointed out bin lorries, cranes and car transporters to my delighted kids. If he lost his temper after a few minutes then he's very unreasonable, if the boy was watching for hours then I understand why he'd get irritated

I think the appropriateness of the punishment depends if this is a one off or people regularly complain about him. Losing his job sounds extreme but I don't know if he said a sentence or two in a grumpy voice or went full on swearing fury.

heartsonacake · 23/07/2020 16:56

Of course he shouldn’t lose his job. He’s not there to entertain kids and it is rude of the mum to continuously let him stare at the driver(s).

leafeater · 23/07/2020 17:07

This might have escaped your notice but there are rules about when and how you lose your job!

Clearly this deserved a warning. If he carries on being a grumpy arsehole and shouts at the public while wearing company or council logo sweatshirts, then he might lose his job.

But this one incident was not deemed enough and in order to do it correctly, they gave him a warning.

netflixismysidehustle · 23/07/2020 17:31

I think that some of the others are right about the nice guy needing the warning. Having a child sit with you while mowing is surely a potential lawsuit if something happened like child falling off or being accused of touching child while on mower etc If mower broke while child sat in it would insurance pay up?

Itisbetter · 23/07/2020 18:08

He’s not there to entertain kids and it is rude of the mum to continuously let him stare at the driver(s). don’t be ridiculous, it ISN’T rude to watch people out the window of your house PARTICULARLY if you are housebound/disabled/elderly.

What is wrong with people? So utterly vile for no reason at all.

heartsonacake · 23/07/2020 18:25

don’t be ridiculous, it ISN’T rude to watch people out the window of your house PARTICULARLY if you are housebound/disabled/elderly.

Itisbetter It doesn’t sound like he’s occasionally watching, which would be one thing. For the driver to feel harassed, it sounds like the kid is staring at him every single time he works.

Special needs or not, that is rude and the mum shouldn’t allow it let alone encourage it. She should pull his attention elsewhere.

Original poster

Rosebel · 23/07/2020 18:27

I don't think the mower was actually moving more like the child was sat on the mower and shown all the buttons and levers. As said though the bosses boss agreed to this so imagine he won't get a warning for that. If he'd just decided to let him on then he probably would have got a warning.

OP posts:

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 18:35

@Itisbetter

Its RIDICULOUS you can't read that he wasn't watching from a window, he was in the garden.

Near where the guy was mowing. Did you think he knocked on the door and told them not to look out of the window ?

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