Professional Darwinism: Update to OP on p.74

[nutraxfornerves]

People often have no idea of the kinds of things government employees do.

Government employee was fishing (Entomologist looking for endangered species, emerging from a creek area with a butterfly net)

Government employees using government car to tow a horse trailer. (Inspectors who investigate cattle rustling.)

Government employees sitting in the back of a pickup truck, while it drives down the road. Employees are eating fried chicken and throwing the bones in the road. (Employees are releasing sterile fruit flies which are used to eradicate pest fruit flies. See sterile insect technique. Flies were contained in tubs that look like KFC buckets.)

Government employees spending all day at the county fair. Car was parked in lot all day. (Staffing a booth with consumer information.)

Government employee spending all day at a construction site. (Oops. That one was real. Instead of doing his job, he was overseeing construction of his new house.)

[magicdomino]

Periodically, someone complains about seeing a fire truck parked in a grocery store lot  They don't seem to understand that the fire fighters are on-duty for three or four days straight (depending on juristdiction) and are responsible for buying groceries to eat at the station during those days.  They use the truck because they could be called into action at any moment. 

(The grocery store near my neighborhood fire station lets the firemen leave the cart at the customer service desk.  Perishables are set aside until they can return.)

[White Dragon]

A friend told me this story - it's not so much PD as just lack of awareness.

Friend's company provides a highly skilled technical service.
However, because employees are often on site doing inspections and so on, the office dress standard is "jeans".
Employees are expected to wear decent jeans and be prepared to dress up for some meetings.

My friend had to take an employee aside and counsel her about her attire.
Short (barely covering the behind), torn, tight jeans were definitely *not* appropriate attire.

The employee's excuse?
She was out of the office on training and "didn't think that training counted as work." 

Let's see...

1) Training is required as part of job certification.
2) Training is during the work day and is paid for by the company.
3) Employee is paid to attend training.
4) Employee is identified at training as being a representative of Company.

How is that not work? And if you are out in public, as representative of your company, you should be at a higher standard than if you are parked in a back cubicle some where!

This person has been with the firm for some time and is close to achieving her professional accreditation. I'm not sure how she thought it was okay.

[Outdoor Girl]

I have one from my boss this morning (not her PD):

She had just dropped her children off at a summer day camp and was heading back to work.  In the middle of an intersection, she was bumped from behind.  Not really badly but enough that she felt it.  She proceeded through the intersection when it was clear and pulled over on the shoulder, expecting the guy who hit her to pull over with her.  He drove right on by!  She noticed there was no front license plate, required by law here, but got the company name on the side of the vehicle, the back license plate number and a good look at the driver.  She checked out the damage and while it isn't major, her vehicle is only a year old.

So she googled the company and called them.  She ended up speaking to the fleet manager who took her information and told her he would get right back to her.  She gave him all the information and mentioned the missing front license plate.  She could have identified the driver by name because they have all their photos on their website but she didn't need to, since all the vehicles are equipped with GPS.

Fleet manager calls back.  Employee had come into the office, without prompting, explained that he felt something at the intersection where my boss was hit and when he stopped at his next stop, noticed the front license plate was missing.  Which was all the confirmation the fleet manager needed.  He asked the employee, 'Do you think the license plate fell off when you rearended the lady in the intersection this morning?'

Not sure what will happen to the employee but my boss went over to the body shop that the company uses and they are going to replace her bumper for her.  They have to order it but it seems like it will go smoothly for her.  Fleet manager is probably quite happy to just get this done without a police report being made.  That was boss' ammunition if they didn't play ball - she'd go make a police report and since she had the company name and the license plate, the driver could have been liable for a hit and run.  And the publicity wouldn't have been very good for the company, either.

[Slartibartfast]

We had a huge series of tornadoes come through a few years ago, which knocked out power to the northern half of my state for over a week.  No power means no gas stations - even if they have the gasoline in the tanks, they don't have the electricity to run the pumps or take payment, and the traffic lights all over town are out anyway.  The city does have one gas station it uses for official city vehicles, and they supplied generator power to it so gas would be available for emergency vehicles and the like.  Access to the station was strictly restricted to vehicles which truly *needed* to be able to get around despite all the major intersections being incredibly dangerous and there being power lines down all over.  Many people just holed up for a week, many others (us included) got out of town to go visit nearby relatives until power came back on.

A higher-up city employee was removed from office soon afterward when it came to light that he had been using his official station to supply gas to both his cars and to his girlfriend's truck, none of which were city vehicles and had absolutely no reason to be on the road.

[NyaChan]

Ugh! That is so low. 

[siamesecat2965]

Periodically, someone complains about seeing a fire truck parked in a grocery store lot  They don't seem to understand that the fire fighters are on-duty for three or four days straight (depending on juristdiction) and are responsible for buying groceries to eat at the station during those days.  They use the truck because they could be called into action at any moment. 

(The grocery store near my neighborhood fire station lets the firemen leave the cart at the customer service desk.  Perishables are set aside until they can return.)

Or, after major disasters, when there is massive loss of power, downed lines and trees, and out-of-state lineman come in to help out. And people piss and moan how they’ve seen trucks sitting idle, workers standing around doing nothing (but really are assessing the situation and where to start), power trucks parked in restaurants, hotels etc., when they SHOULD be out working to restore power.

My state was hit hard by Sandy last year; we are still recovering in some areas, and millions were without power. But these special snowflakes didn’t care. Never mind they were working 18 hours shifts and then some to restore power; the SSs wanted it NOW. I finally said to some who couldn’t stop complaining, do you really want someone who hasn’t eaten or slept in days working on your electrical lines?? Have some sense people.

Thankfully, most were grateful for the help. I was lucky; only out for 3.5 days and I went to friends for 2 of those.  And shortly after I was in Costco, and there were several power trucks convening. People were honking, telling them thank you, and so on.

[siamesecat2965]

We had a huge series of tornadoes come through a few years ago, which knocked out power to the northern half of my state for over a week.  No power means no gas stations - even if they have the gasoline in the tanks, they don't have the electricity to run the pumps or take payment, and the traffic lights all over town are out anyway.  The city does have one gas station it uses for official city vehicles, and they supplied generator power to it so gas would be available for emergency vehicles and the like.  Access to the station was strictly restricted to vehicles which truly *needed* to be able to get around despite all the major intersections being incredibly dangerous and there being power lines down all over.  Many people just holed up for a week, many others (us included) got out of town to go visit nearby relatives until power came back on.

A higher-up city employee was removed from office soon afterward when it came to light that he had been using his official station to supply gas to both his cars and to his girlfriend's truck, none of which were city vehicles and had absolutely no reason to be on the road.

There were two incidents in NY similar to this after Hurricane Sandy. In the first, the Gov fired his emergency management chief, after he used government workers to remove a tree from his home.  In the second indicent, a high ranking offical in the MTA was demoted for taking a generator home for his own use.

[Outdoor Girl]

I'm sometimes required to stay in a hotel overnight, even up to a week, for work.  I drive a marked government vehicle when I'm working.  And if I'm out of town, that's the only vehicle I have.  So yes, you are going to see me parked in the parking lot of a restaurant or a grocery store or the motel or even the mall.  What you won't see is me parked in front of a liquor or beer store.  We have been specifically told not to park there, even if it is perfectly valid for us to have an adult beverage in the evening when we are off the clock.  So I park at the far end of the plaza or another parking lot close by and take my backpack with me.  I make my purchase, put it in my pack and hike back to the car.  Or, to make it easier, I just bring what I need with me.

Our purchases are very closely scrutanized.  If we go over on the allotted amount for a meal, there had better be a good reason or we won't get reimbursed for the amount over.  Alcohol is never to be included on a meal receipt.  We are allowed to have the beverage if we aren't on the clock but we pay for that ourselves and get it on a separate receipt.  There are some instances where we are considered to be on standby and alcohol is not permitted because we could be called to work at any time.

[gramma dishes]

... That was boss' ammunition if they didn't play ball - she'd go make a police report and since she had the company name and the license plate, the driver could have been liable for a hit and run.  And the publicity wouldn't have been very good for the company, either.

Your boss is a smart lady!   

[Julian]

Or, after major disasters, when there is massive loss of power, downed lines and trees, and out-of-state lineman come in to help out. And people piss and moan how they’ve seen trucks sitting idle, workers standing around doing nothing (but really are assessing the situation and where to start), power trucks parked in restaurants, hotels etc., when they SHOULD be out working to restore power.

We had some disastrous bush fires here last summer, with fire fighters from interstate coming in to assist.

When I went out to dinner one night there was a table full of fire fighters having dinner.  I left $50 at the bar for them. 

I also dropped off chilled electrolyte replacement drinks at the local fire station when I drove past one particularly hot'n'horrible day - there were a couple of firies standing out front, covered in soot, looking totally exhausted.

Emergency workers are doing an awful job, sometimes with little recognition.  Many of our firefighters are volunteers.  One interstate volunteer lost his life here, while fighting a fire (older man, had a fatal heart attack).  I don't begrudge them a break when they get it, and if anyone beefed to me about them taking that break, I'd tell them so. 

[siamesecat2965]

Or, after major disasters, when there is massive loss of power, downed lines and trees, and out-of-state lineman come in to help out. And people piss and moan how they’ve seen trucks sitting idle, workers standing around doing nothing (but really are assessing the situation and where to start), power trucks parked in restaurants, hotels etc., when they SHOULD be out working to restore power.

We had some disastrous bush fires here last summer, with fire fighters from interstate coming in to assist.

When I went out to dinner one night there was a table full of fire fighters having dinner.  I left $50 at the bar for them. 

I also dropped off chilled electrolyte replacement drinks at the local fire station when I drove past one particularly hot'n'horrible day - there were a couple of firies standing out front, covered in soot, looking totally exhausted.

Emergency workers are doing an awful job, sometimes with little recognition.  Many of our firefighters are volunteers.  One interstate volunteer lost his life here, while fighting a fire (older man, had a fatal heart attack).  I don't begrudge them a break when they get it, and if anyone beefed to me about them taking that break, I'd tell them so.

I don't either, and had I been in a restaurant or anywhere like that and seen some of the workers, I would have left $$ towards their bill as well. I agree; they get little recognition and a lot of grief.

[kherbert05]

Periodically, someone complains about seeing a fire truck parked in a grocery store lot  They don't seem to understand that the fire fighters are on-duty for three or four days straight (depending on juristdiction) and are responsible for buying groceries to eat at the station during those days.  They use the truck because they could be called into action at any moment. 

(The grocery store near my neighborhood fire station lets the firemen leave the cart at the customer service desk.  Perishables are set aside until they can return.)

Or, after major disasters, when there is massive loss of power, downed lines and trees, and out-of-state lineman come in to help out. And people piss and moan how they’ve seen trucks sitting idle, workers standing around doing nothing (but really are assessing the situation and where to start), power trucks parked in restaurants, hotels etc., when they SHOULD be out working to restore power.

My state was hit hard by Sandy last year; we are still recovering in some areas, and millions were without power. But these special snowflakes didn’t care. Never mind they were working 18 hours shifts and then some to restore power; the SSs wanted it NOW. I finally said to some who couldn’t stop complaining, do you really want someone who hasn’t eaten or slept in days working on your electrical lines? ? Have some sense people.

Thankfully, most were grateful for the help. I was lucky; only out for 3.5 days and I went to friends for 2 of those.  And shortly after I was in Costco, and there were several power trucks convening. People were honking, telling them thank you, and so on.

After Ike People were  giving power company guys boxes of bottled water.

[Outdoor Girl]

My brother has a camp that is water access only.  He smelled smoke one day when he was wandering a trail so he investigated.  He discovered a small, smoldering bush fire and called it in to the forest fire fighting service.  They dropped a crew in by helicopter to put the fire out but the copter wasn't able to wait around.  DB saw them come down and went over in his boat to direct them right to the spot.  He has some wildfire fighting experience, too, so he was able to be there without being a nuisance.  When they got the fire out, they radioed in only to find out it would be several hours before the copter could come back to pick them up.  So my brother told them to radio back and find out when a ground vehicle could pick them up at the landing.  He took them back to his camp, supplemented their packed lunches, they had a quick swim to cool off and clean up.  Then he took them out to the landing in his boat.

The guys really appreciated not having to wait around for hours and gave DB a case of water.  Kind of the opposite way round.  They did say they would have preferred to have given him a case of beer but they weren't allowed to do that.     They did say that by him calling in the fire when he did, he saved a huge wildfire from getting going.

[Library Dragon]

A loooong time ago while stationed at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, the editor of the post newspaper wrote a scathing editorial about soldiers driving military cars off post to have lunch.  A list of car numbers was given.  The next week an apology was given.  All the cars belonged to the housing office.  The soldiers' jobs were to take new families to find off post housing and inspect it. They were also to take the families to a local burger place (paid for by a local women's group).

That was the end of any hard hitting editorials.