How hard can it be to sit in a paddling pool all day in your pants with ice lollies?

[SEmyarse]

As it turns out pretty difficult, because I have stuff to do. Who are all these people who have nowt to do?

I do accept that almost everything should carry on in whatever capacity it can. We can't just shut down for everything unusual. But it really irritates me all of the people who say I'll be fine with common sense mitigations.

I will be delivering 250 parcels today. (Well trying to) I have aircon in the van, but due to being short drop and (usually) delivering 30ish parcels an hour, the engine is never running long enough for it work. Prior to that I will be loading the van for approximately an hour and a half in direct sun, starting at about 9.30.

I wish I could get started now while cooler, but the parcels aren't at our depot yet. Obviously then with an 8 hour delivery route, I can't really delay everything to the evening. I think it's quite possible that I won't complete today, if I start feeling very unwell. And I have no qualms of coming home if needed, but I'm unsure as to how you know when you're in physical danger. I'm quite used to getting dizzy/nauseous/migraines on hot days, but I don't know if it will be obvious this time when I should stop.

Just getting a bit annoyed with all the people with no obligations to do anything really and no insight as to how our lives differ. Yes I assume that van drivers work in hot countries, but do they do the workloads we do? Can they work in the cool of the day? No idea.

Why are people saying it's ok for it be be approaching 40 - the sort of temperature that merits immediate treatment and possible trip to hospital if measured in the body?

@onlywhenidream siesta in Spain isn’t so common now because of the advent of aircon! It seems even the Spanish work through the heat of the day now!

That sounds extremely uncomfortable. I think you’d be crazy to push yourself through. It’s only sensible to go at a slower pace, making time for drinks and air conditioned breaks. I know this might sound like la la land but it’s just not worth getting heat stroke in order to get some parcels out. Take care!!

I don't think Amazon Prime are delivering much today, everything at the weekend said delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday

Feel for you OP, I work in a bakery and we've been told we can turn ovens off if it gets above 35C...but we also need to ensure a full range of both cold and hot goods are available so not sure how effective that will be! Air con has been a bit temperamental the last fortnight so praying it stays on for today and tomorrow!

🤣 I was wondering why people were drawing curtains if they had no windows. I thought maybe they were decorative. Like the stunt pineapple. Stunt curtains!

If someone in a hot country, doing hard physical labour tells me it'll be fine then I'm reassured.

I’ve done hard physical labour in a hot country and it’s fine(ish) but then I was acclimatised to the temperature. That’s unlikely to happen when it’s only hot for two days.

Incidentally, I never bother with aircon if I am in and out of a vehicle. I found it actually makes it worse if you are constantly cool, hot, cool, hot.

I’ve spent months working a physical job in the desert. I won’t pretend it was comfortable. Much energy was spent batting away flies, reapplying sunblock, wiping sweat and drinking water. But yes we were ok. I don’t think anyone can be expected to take it in their stride as a one off event, and I don’t think it would be wise to, got to look after our bodies.

Agree with pp, bring a cool box woth cold drinks, you ll be fine.
Mediterranean countries dont all have siestas in their working day! And working hours are much longer, from 7/8 am until 9 pm . People commonly live in flats and A/C isnt very common other than in shops/shopping centres and supermarkets. Rightly so as it would only add to the global warming anyway.
Really 40 C for two days is not dangerous for healthy people. The elderly and ill should of course take their own safety measures, but the level of histeria in the UK right now is honestly amusing.

But who are these fit and healthy people that don't know about using a fan, sitting in the shade, wearing hats and loose clothing, and drinking lots of water and cold drinks in hot weather?

It's hot and yeah if you were stranded outside in a field without shelter or water or shade then of course, I'd be very worried about you.

But most people have access to shelter, water and cold drinks, no?

Did you read the OP. Someone in and out of a vehicle all day will get very hot. Wearing a hat won’t help and there isn’t the option to sit in the shade.

Thanks to everyone that wished me well. I actually got lucky today. Lots of small parcels, a decent time out of the depot (10), and very few higher flats. And my overall total was 190 not the expected 250.

Also there was an unexpected nice breeze, so actually on balance I was probably more comfortable than people working inside, especially if they had to wear uniforms or protective equipment. Good luck to everyone for tomorrow. Still a bit nervous of where the big stuff went, quite possibly the main depot sorters just gave up at some point, so it might all turn up tomorrow.

You delivered 190 parcels in one day?? Wow! My hat goes off to you, I hope you have a cold drink and your feet up.

I have had an unbelievable amount of cold drinks since getting in!! And yes I've just flopped now.

That's not even a busy day, I do over 200 most days, and 326 was my record during lockdown. But bloody glad I didn't get a load like that today!!