Well, it’s been two months since I first sent Carlsberg an email complaining
about their driver, who was delivering to the Revolution bar. He basically
challenged me to a fight when I asked him if he was aware that his lorry was
illegally parked in a dangerous position (email below). A month ago, I sent another
email, asking Carlsberg if their lack of response meant that they condoned
the actions of their driver. A single word in an email would have denied
it. Other than a confirmation that they had received the first email,
there’s been nothing from them to suggest that they don’t approve.
This morning, going down the same bit of road, there was the large Carlsberg
delivery lorry, parked jauntily on a bit of pavement and completely blocking
the contra-flow cycle lane. While the other cyclists swerved round him,
head on into the oncoming path of the traffic, I stopped to take a picture.
However he was just leaving and went past, giving me a cheeky grin and a wave, while my phone camera was slowly chugging into operation. At least he didn’t run me over.
So no reply from Carlsberg, and their drivers are still happily breaking the
law and putting people’s lives at risk. The only conclusion I can draw from
this is that at best, Carlsberg don’t care about the behaviour of their
drivers or the people who’s lives they put at risk, or possibly, they
actually like their drivers to be abusive, dangerous and law-breaking.
So next time you are in the Revolution, drinking some Carlsberg carbonated
burping water, raise a glass to the driver who delivered it, a young man who
bravely risks other people’s lives and is quite happy to threaten people
because he can’t be arsed to walk the few extra steps from the loading bay
round the back.
Here’s another picture of the lorry parked in the same place, a while ago.
This is the original email I sent:
At 7.50am this morning (16/9/09), I passed a Carlsberg lorry parked in a mandatory contra-flow cycle lane in Downing Street, Cambridge, making a delivery to the Revolution Bar [1]. His parking was not only illegal but dangerous, forcing me or any other cyclist using the cycle lane into the main road and into the path of oncoming cars.
The driver was unloading from the back of the lorry, so I stopped and asked him if he knew he was parked illegally in a cycle lane. His reply was “Yes, I know. What are you going to do about it?”. It was a bit early in the morning for a fight with a delivery driver and I was late for work, so I left it at that.
The follow-up:
Hi. It’s been over a month since I made my initial complaint, and since I have not had a response from you (other than a brief email to say the
complaint had been passed on), can I assume that Carlsberg condones (as implied by your apparent inaction) the aggressive behaviour and the illegal and dangerous parking of their drivers?
Bicycle pumps can be used as great batons for smashing headlamps of illegally parked delivery vehicles.
Note, do NOT use a bicycle pump to smash the headlamp of an illegally parked delivery vehicle.
Just saying.
Send the photos to the police and complain to them that you were offered violence on the first occasion.
The law tends not to work from the bottom up – anarchists don’t understand this tho’.
No. But now i will. Thanks for that.
What the hell are you guys on?!?!?! Ok firstly im a drinks distributor and it is not an easy job. Local economy is boosted by ease of chain of supply so when its difficult to deliver the end result is THE DELIVERY MUST BE MADE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE!!!! So much so there is a law on “draymans rules” 20 mins to park anywhere aslong as the effort has been made to be put in the best place possible IE NEVER park on the access for water for the fire brigade and do not block roads entirely THUS going up the footpath.
Cyclists seem to be more and more arrogant thinking that its all about them. Well i tell you what if it between one or two cyclists that cant understand, get of their bikes, walk it along the footpath while someone is trying to do their job that in turn keeps a place running that also keeps peoples jobs in.
So really no one who really knows care. Because its a pathetic moan and nor will the police.
Have fun trying to get a more lateral type of thinking!
Lee, nice rant, but there is a rather splendid loading bay round the back of the establishment, which people delivering there can use if they can be arsed to walk an extra 20 feet. Furthermore, parking, loading or stopping on a mandatory cycle lane is illegal, “draymen’s rules” or not.