Home deliveries

tpv991

A couple of things:

It's a shared ownership block. Two eight floor wings - 3 flats on each floor at either side - with a communal entrance area with stairs, one large lift and one small (too small for a deliveries trolley) .  We share the freehold, own the building and grounds and run our own management company. The notice on the door is from the management company we all own - if that makes a blind bit of difference.

In the 'delivery instructions' section I have, since March last year, asked for mask and 2m distance. The instruction was followed right up until the last two deliveries from the same supermarket (am I allowed to openly say which one?) when the driver did not wear any form of PPE. Every other supermarket I have used delivered using a driver in a mask and sometimes gloves, without needing to be asked. 

I had heard that in confined spaces with poor venitlation, COVID can hang in the air for hours but had not heard that there are cases of COVID where the only risk factor appears to be home deliveries. That's scary.  I have worn a mask at my flat door before, but that ended in an altercation with a delivery driver who clearly felt insulted. That was even scarier, but I will set aside all of that and will start wearing a mask at my own door at all times from now on. 

I have five supermarket accounts but still struggle to get a slot for the better ones no matter how often I try or what times I try. Correction, I now have four accounts. This morning, I dropped the rogue one. I have voted with my feet and won't be spending my money with them again.  

wannabe_a_saver

2021BJ said:

GDB2222 said:

2021BJ said:

tpv991 said:

Is it 'vanishly small' or are you just being rude?

Yes, it's vanishingly small.

And I don't know how saying the risk of something happening is small is rude either.

Can I just check your reference for this statement please? 

There's plenty of evidence out there that limited exposure, at a distance, considerably reduces the risk of transmission, it's the whole reason why social distancing is a thing, and why you're not getting told to self-isolate by the app every time you pass someone in the street who later turns out to have it.  And the chance of actually coming into contact with someone with it in the first place is incredibly small anyway.  Most people, the overwhelming majority, in fact, do not have it.

If you think you're going to "gotcha" me because I don't have a peer-reviewed study over the risks of OAPs in a block of flats catching COVID from their maskless Tesco driver then think again.

Someone delivering food and helping to put it away might not be either limited or at a distance. 

If the chances of catching it were so minimal, then far fewer people would have caught it.   Its highly infectious. 

Pollycat

justworriedabit said:

Ok, thanks for you clarifying your post.
A "a very low level of rudeness."  Why are you doubting the the posters feelings? When I read the post, as far as I'm concerned, the poster was hurt and that is a fact. I too cannot stand rudeness and those that allow it to happen and this often results in more "rudeness" from the culprit. They need to be challenged and those that do not challenge that kind of behaviour need to think again. Yes, it's not always possible to challenge rudeness but often it is possible,

Just because the OP says the person they complained to was rude, doesn't mean I have to believe they actually were rude.

The OP may have classed the exchange as rude, I'm not sure that if I were in the same position I would do so.

That's what I mean about a 'low level of rudeness' threshold. Or to put it another way, easily offended if they don't get their own way. You see a lot of it on this forum and particularly on this specific board.

I too cannot stand rudeness.

I would challenge it if I felt it was rudeness.

Maybe the OP could actually describe the 'rudeness' he/she experienced.

And of course, he/she can always complain about staff rudeness to the company.

millie

heatherw_01 said:

I haven't seen a single delivery driver, including groceries with a mask tbh through the entire pandemic other than the first lockdown. I am guessing they don't have to.
I am high risk as is the person I live with. They get very close when helping unpack food and don't have a mask.
I once asked a few and they said "we don't have to wear one so no one does"

I have had weekly deliveries from Asda since the start of the pandemic and have never had a driver turn up without wearing a mask. The driver this morning even put my shopping into my bags and boxes for me, He told me it was part of his job. Although this has never been offered before.

tpv991

Pollycat said:

justworriedabit said:

Ok, thanks for you clarifying your post.
A "a very low level of rudeness."  Why are you doubting the the posters feelings? When I read the post, as far as I'm concerned, the poster was hurt and that is a fact. I too cannot stand rudeness and those that allow it to happen and this often results in more "rudeness" from the culprit. They need to be challenged and those that do not challenge that kind of behaviour need to think again. Yes, it's not always possible to challenge rudeness but often it is possible,

Just because the OP says the person they complained to was rude, doesn't mean I have to believe they actually were rude.

The OP may have classed the exchange as rude, I'm not sure that if I were in the same position I would do so.

That's what I mean about a 'low level of rudeness' threshold. Or to put it another way, easily offended if they don't get their own way. You see a lot of it on this forum and particularly on this specific board.

I too cannot stand rudeness.

I would challenge it if I felt it was rudeness.

Maybe the OP could actually describe the 'rudeness' he/she experienced.

And of course, he/she can always complain about staff rudeness to the company.

You make a lot of wrong assumptions.  How do you know what the level of rudeness was? You sound very sour, but I assume that's your choice.

Pollycat

tpv991 said:

You make a lot of wrong assumptions.  How do you know what the level of rudeness was? You sound very sour, but I assume that's your choice.

I said:

"Or it may be that the OP has a very low 'rudeness' threshold and sees rudeness where there is none."

I based that on the fact you took exception to a comment by another poster and asked if they were being rude.

I did not see that comment as rude so therefore I believe I'm justified in saying that you maybe have a lower rudeness threshold than I do. 

Maybe you think everyone who does not agree with you is 'sour'.

Jeremy535897

GDB2222 said:

Jeremy535897 said:

GDB2222 said:

Jeremy535897 said:

GDB2222 said:

Surely, if there’s a sign up from the building owners saying not to come in without a mask, that’s valid, and the driver is trespassing? It doesn’t matter if he’s exempt, as I can exclude him.

Trespass is about being somewhere you have no right to be, not being somewhere without a mask. Otherwise anyone visiting a shop without a mask on would be trespassing.

Owners can put up a sign saying mask wearing is compulsory, or require visitors to wear a full Hazmat suit for that matter, but it is not enforceable.

With a private house, I can impose whatever conditions I like. "Hard hats must be worn" - that's very common, for example. However, if I decide only to allow in people wearing an academic robe and mortar board, that's entirely my choice. 

It's more complicated with a block of flats, because it's not clear who has the right to deny access, but it's reasonable to assume that whoever put up the sign mentioned by the OP had the authority to do so. 

You can impose any condition you like, but you cannot use force to enforce it, and no law enforcement agency will enforce it for you. If you put up a sign saying "No deliveries", you won't get any, of course.

If someone enters my house without permission, of course it's entirely legal to use reasonable force to eject them. That doesn't apply to people with court orders etc, of course. Delivery drivers don't have those.

On a practical basis, of course it's sensible to avoid the problem in the first place. Most online orders include a box for special instructions, and it's reasonable to put in there "Driver is not allowed in the building unless wearing a mask", so they know where they stand. Besides that, they all have masks, so it's just a matter of them taking a few seconds to put it on.  I sympathise with a driver who arrives at the building carrying a load and only then finds a sign up saying masks must be worn.

We were talking about delivery drivers, not burglars.

JamoLew

@Pollycat - I think you have a very valid point

Just because someone doesn't agree with you and fawn over every little word said doesn't make them rude

Rudeness can be very subjective - but in some cases can be very obvious and apparent

GaleSF63

I have for the last year asked drivers to leave my groceries outside my door (internal, flat door) and on all but 2 occasions I have not seen the driver at all. We talked through the door. On the other 2 occasions I opened the door before they had gone by mistake, and both times the drivers were wearing masks; one Tesco; one Waitrose and both stood back when I opened the door. 

I also have a sign on my door for other deliveries asking them to leave packages at the door and not wait for me to answer. It's worked well, and fortunately I have no qualms about parcels outside my door for a few hours if I don't hear them. Nothing has gone missing in 20 years. I acknowledge it is my risk anyway. 

I realise the OP is worried about the communal areas but you can just do what you can and hope that at least some people will take notice of your notice. 

Changing the subject a bit, if you  live in a flat where the outside access is through a lobby and not directly outside, it's a good idea to "air" the flat by opening windows more than you might normally and get the air changed. Even in this weather if you can afford to let some of the heat out. 

sheramber

if the driver has the virus he will have breathed the germs all over the deliveries before he gets to you. they will be circulating in the air in the van and landing on the delivery boxes/bags.
the person packing the boxes could be infecting the goods.
A customer  could have picked up a packet or tin or jar , infected it and then put it back. Only for the packer to put it in your basket.
 Do you wash all your deliveries or leave them untouched for three days to make sure they are 'clean'.
I do not think a supermarket employee is at liberty to  divulge  any medical information about an employee.  Nor would they   have any right to know.