Oh sweet irony...

[friendofjimmyk]

Had someone call my supervisor today to complain about my driving. It seems that this person was on the road near my truck and saw me talking on my phone while driving with my elbow? Now, I'll admit I was on the phone, however...to be close enough to see me - who sits up high off the road - you have to be doing something crazy yourself.

The irony - this lady called in from her cell phone to the number on my truck. So, she had to pick up her phone, try to read the number off the side of the truck while dialing at the same time and driving through rush hour traffic - so she was not always looking at the road herself - to report my "bad driving."

My supervisor told me about the call and we both had a laugh regarding the irony of the situation.

[zelper]

Or possibly she wasn't driving at the time.

I recall having a job where I was driven around a lot. On one occasion some asshole tried to force us over. Seemed like a good time to phone his boss really.

[friendofjimmyk]

No - she was calling from her cell phone.

[MoonChild2007]

How was it even her business on how YOUR driving is? I swear, people will get people in trouble even ones who has NOTHING to do with you!

[Becks]

Too bad she didn't try to say that you were reading the paper, too. Make things MUCH more interesting.

[evilhomer]

I'm assuming there's no law against driving while on the phone, even so, it would be a matter for the police, not your boss.

I don't understand some people and the perverted thrill they get out of bringing misery unto others. Personally I'd be mortified to know that I was responsible for a person being fired.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I'm assuming there's no law against driving while on the phone, even so, it would be a matter for the police, not your boss.

Well, if she was driving a company car/truck, I can see how driving badly/breaking traffic laws could be a matter to bring to the boss's attention. My mom once called a pizza place whose driver tailgaited us really closely for several miles (including through at least 2 wide-open passing zones); however, she just made a mental note of the the name of the place and looked them up in the phone book later (of course, this was also over 10 years ago, we didn't have cell phones then - can you imagine?!). That said, fojk drives a tow truck...there's a good chance a cell phone call would be job-related...seeing a tow-truck driver on a phone would not make me assume they were just chatting and she's not paying attention...

(though, even if it's not law, a hands-free phone would be safer...just sayin'... /endpublicserviceannouncement)

[zelper]

No - she was calling from her cell phone.

And why is that relevant?

As I pointed out, it's perfectly possible that she was a passenger in a car when she saw you driving inappropriately. And if your boss invites comments on your driving or posts the company phone number on your vehicle then you'll pretty much just have to suck it up. That and maybe think about driving more responsibly next time.

[protege]

That and maybe think about driving more responsibly next time.

Maybe. However, there are people who will abuse those "report" lines just to make trouble for someone. These include people calling because a truck is going "too slow" (i.e. obeying the speed limit) and they're in a hurry.

[DarthRetard]

I know ya'll will hate me for saying this, but.....

I recommend a wireless (or wired) headest so you can talk handsfree.....you can even set it on most cell phones to answer itself so you don't have to touch anything.

This kind of thing is what bluetooth was designed for originally.

[bigjimaz]

Ok, my question is...Were you really talking on the phone and driving with your elbow?

[SnapAddict218]

Well from the sounds if it, it appears FOJK was driving normally, just that the gal had a problem with her being on the phone while she was behind the wheel. However, there are no laws here that prohibit you from using a cell phone while driving. I would guess that the lady made up the elbor part OR thats what it looked like, if you were looking up into the tow truck. But das just my opinion.

As long as FOJK isnt mowing down little old laides on the sidewalk because of the cell phone (whick I agree, is most likely job related), then what business is it of the caller? The fact that the lady called in a complaint, driving or not, is the silly part. Why don't you worry about the rest of the asshats out there on Dodge street lady! Yeah, I'm talkin' to you blue liberty and red caddy ladies! (sorry....rant)

[AFpheonix]

To be the devils advocate, hands-free headsets are a red herring, as it really doesn't decrease the driver's level of distraction.

My husband has installed a camera on the dash of his company car, because he'd get so many bogus complaints about his driving. Stupid people would storm into the store to talk to a manager, and he'd just offer to rewind the camera back to the particular incident, and oddly enough, the stupid people get kind of white in the face and run away.
I guess they don't want people seeing their own driving misdeeds.

[Bliss]

And if your boss invites comments on your driving or posts the company phone number on your vehicle then you'll pretty much just have to suck it up. That and maybe think about driving more responsibly next time.

I see no mention or evidence that A) The boss invited comments on her driving. B) She was dirving irresponsibly. Plus I also see comments denoting her inmediate boss found the complain ludicrous as well.

You seem to be making a good lot of negative assumtions, maybe you should think stuff over more carefully before posting.

[friendofjimmyk]

And why is that relevant?

As I pointed out, it's perfectly possible that she was a passenger in a car when she saw you driving inappropriately. And if your boss invites comments on your driving or posts the company phone number on your vehicle then you'll pretty much just have to suck it up. That and maybe think about driving more responsibly next time.

Excuse me! I was driving responsibly. Just cause you see a driver on the cell phone does not make them irresponsible. Whatever. AND my number is not posted on the side to report driving. AND the bosses here DON'T GIVE A HOT DAMN about complaints. Maybe I need to get a handsfree headset...but I was not driving irresponsibly. On top of it, how the hell could she see that I was driving with my elbow? That's another thing! sheesh