I feel conflicted on job role as a woman

[blueberry2105]

I am training to be a van driver for the company I work for. It involves being alone and sometimes driving over an hour away from the store. Lifting heavy boxes from heights above my head.

I'm 5ft 2 and weight 9.8st the lifting isn't a massive issue. I enjoy driving I like the adventure I like the customers so far they are lovely.

But one woman customer came out and made a massive point of saying how great she thinks a female delivery driver is and she's really happy that I'm training said we need more women in the job role and she was proud of me and good luck with it all.

Now this made me feel proud but conflicted because even though I'm loving the job I'm far from home visiting peoples houses in remote areas sometimes with no phone signal, and in the dark which will only get worse in winter. Why do I feel that maybe this is more suited to a man? I am 100% for women in the role but I almost feel more vulnerable than a man. Am I just being silly? Or is it normal to feel this vulnerable sometimes? Why do I feel being male would make me feel more protected.

Can anyone shed any experience or opinions on this as I love the job but I don't want to be an advocate for female drivers when even I don't feel 100% on women drivers 🤣

Please don't be mean I sometimes don't word things correctly and deep down I think more women should have these opportunities but why should we have to think about safety?

OSHA explain why men are more likely to have fatal accidents at work; its because of safety violations. Either by their employer or because workers themselves disregard H&S.
workinjurysource.com/workplace-injury-statistics-injury-rates-common-work-injuries/

The threat of women is not something lone male workers have to worry about.

👏

10 posts in, not bad. Normally the 'what about men!!' Starts much sooner

334bu, when one is properly trained, the sense of security is not “false”, it’s genuine.
My DD took krav maga and now volunteers to provide security at feminist meetings.
Saying that a self defence course to boost confidence is “dangerous advice” is patently silly. What do you suggest instead - remain permanently defenceless and terrified?

Trying to address the OP question: you’re not being silly, of course you’re more vulnerable and of course it’s precisely because you’re a woman.

Some self defence skills wouldn’t hurt, provided they don’t give you a false sense of security. Even with exceptional martial skills the average height/weight woman is merely getting away at best. They won’t be knocking out even a fairly diminutive bloke.

And men targeting women sadly isn’t going to be expunged from society in our working life time so wishing it was different doesn’t mean much for todays decisions.

You have a realistic view of the risks and on balance you enjoy it enough to take those risks so if anything you sound like the right kind of advocate.

I imagine carers and district nurses often drive more than an hour away, are often alone and may do heavy lifting. They will be out when it's dark, visiting people in their homes. Most will be women.

Your employer should have a risk assessment and a duty of care.
It's why some jobs are always done with backups, or in tandem, body cams, harness etc I.e. someone like yourself raised the issue and CRUCIALLY it was listened to and acted on.

You might find that second part harder. OSHA is easier to quantify than perceived safety.

Very good advice.

Also noting this post by gospelsinger

"I imagine carers and district nurses often drive more than an hour away, are often alone and may do heavy lifting. They will be out when it's dark, visiting people in their homes. Most will be women."

Yes, you are correct. The same is true of many other health professionals and social care workers in the community - most of whom are women.

OP - part of the issue you have about this is that you are framing key aspects of the job as "men's work" simply because most delivery drivers are men.

However, those key aspects are common to jobs that are predominantly done by women.

In the case of health professionals and care workers we do not get to just drop off a parcel at a door but spend time indoors in strange houses, often with people we have never met before, plus unexpected animals, visitors, etc.

I would routinely travel about a hundred miles, often to remote rural areas, much of the year leaving home in the dark, visiting other people's homes in the dark, driving in the dark and getting back home in the dark. Lifting heavy equipment also came into it and I also had to unload all the equipment at the end of the day, rather than driving back with an empty vehicle.

I am not suggesting you should be complacent or take risks but I do think that the reaction of your female customer was a mite OTT and has skewed your perceptions a bit. It has got you focussing on the fact that most delivery drivers are men - rather than recognising that many women work under similar conditions in other, more traditionally female jobs.