Delivery drivers hit back as lazy postie sparks deluge of complaints

AFTER a lazy delivery driver was exposed this week, couriers everywhere have been copping our complaints. Now they’re hitting back.

THEY’VE been copping our complaints but now delivery drivers are hitting back.

Earlier this week, a video of a lazy postman filmed slipping a collection notice under a would-be mail recipient’s door without attempting to deliver her package prompted hundreds of cranky comments from dissatisfied courier customers around Australia.

The mob complained of poor attempts at delivery, items being lost, receiving torn, knocked about and even soaking wet packages, along with the manners of their delivery drivers.

But among the barrage of criticism were the rare voices of those from the other side.

The voices of couriers and delivery drivers fed up with customers who don’t answer their knocks, can’t control their dogs, and insist on answering the door in nothing but a towel.

Apparently, we were all too quick to judge. The delivery drivers aren’t always the bad guys.

In a Facebook message, one delivery driver told news.com.au drivers were under enormous pressure to deliver up to 100 parcels in a single run, giving them only a few minutes for each.

“(That) includes driving time, waiting for red lights, detours by council workers, etc,” he said.

“Then we have to wait for people taking ages to answer the knock or bell and sometimes coming out of the shower with only a bloody towel around them, very embarrassing.”

The courier also mentioned some of the perils of the profession, including “being attacked by dogs”.

“It also amazes me how many people cannot control the bloody dogs with simple commands like sit or stay, but have to push their dogs into another room before they can open their bloody door. There I said it,” he said.

Another courier defending her profession said the outrage around those pesky delivery slips that get left even when you are at home isn’t so one-sided.

“If I had a dollar for every time I tried to deliver a parcel, knocking, ringing a doorbell while the customer is in the backyard/shower/vacuuming or just doesn’t hear me, well then I would not need to work as a courier!” she said.

Australia Post this week reminded its fleet of delivery drivers a reminder of its delivery policy this week after lazy practices were exposed and complaints piled on.

But from what these couriers have to say, Australia Post and other courier company customers should perhaps be reminded of their own behaviour, too.