Lead foot, not an asset.

[ProfessionalLocator]

Lead foot, not an asset.

I have heard many justifications from locators that drive their company trucks fast, well over the speed limit.

Some are just basic bs, that they drive this way and just can’t drive any other way.

My favorite is a convoluted justification for speeding, running red lights, illegal turns and everything else. It goes like this: I have too many locates to do and still get done if I spent the time needed to obey all the traffic laws. This is how I get a good paycheck by having a higher production rate, I really do not have a choice.

That justification is just a self delusion to make it sound like they are doing the right thing.

Here is the real story on driving fast. The first thing that happens is you get a ticket in the company truck and this ticket puts points on your license. Not too bad as most companies have a top level of points you are allowed to accumulate, you just pay the fine. The second thing that happens is your insurance company for your private vehicle pulls your driving record automatically each year. They see those speeding points and raise your rates, you just gave yourself a pay cut.

If the points build up to much your employer fires you and now you have no paycheck, a much bigger pay cut you gave yourself. More points means even larger insurance payments so another pay cut but with no income to pay for it. Perhaps your insurance company cancels your policy and you have to pay for the state uninsured driver's fund, not cheap.

Now you are looking for work and as an experienced locator you apply to the other locate firms. But you now have too many points on your license for their standards and you are unemployable in the industry.

So just tdrive the speed limit, there is no justification to do otherwise.

There are bound to be some people who still have some reason why they should drive fast. I had one boss who was very angry that I drove the speed limit. He said that the police would see me and only people up to no good drove the speed limit, so they would pull me over to see what crime I was committing.

[Shadowcat]

Lead foot, not an asset.

I have heard many justifications from locators that drive their company trucks fast, well over the speed limit.

Some are just basic bs, that they drive this way and just can’t drive any other way.

My favorite is a convoluted justification for speeding, running red lights, illegal turns and everything else. It goes like this: I have too many locates to do and still get done if I spent the time needed to obey all the traffic laws. This is how I get a good paycheck by having a higher production rate, I really do not have a choice.

That justification is just a self delusion to make it sound like they are doing the right thing.

Here is the real story on driving fast. The first thing that happens is you get a ticket in the company truck and this ticket puts points on your license. Not too bad as most companies have a top level of points you are allowed to accumulate, you just pay the fine. The second thing that happens is your insurance company for your private vehicle pulls your driving record automatically each year. They see those speeding points and raise your rates, you just gave yourself a pay cut.

If the points build up to much your employer fires you and now you have no paycheck, a much bigger pay cut you gave yourself. More points means even larger insurance payments so another pay cut but with no income to pay for it. Perhaps your insurance company cancels your policy and you have to pay for the state uninsured driver's fund, not cheap.

Now you are looking for work and as an experienced locator you apply to the other locate firms. But you now have too many points on your license for their standards and you are unemployable in the industry.

So just tdrive the speed limit, there is no justification to do otherwise.

There are bound to be some people who still have some reason why they should drive fast. I had one boss who was very angry that I drove the speed limit. He said that the police would see me and only people up to no good drove the speed limit, so they would pull me over to see what crime I was committing.

Really no reason for me to drive fast. I get paid by the hour not the ticket. No reason for it at all....take it one ticket at a time until the sun sets.

[ProfessionalLocator]

Really no reason for me to drive fast. I get paid by the hour not the ticket. No reason for it at all....take it one ticket at a time until the sun sets.

I have heard rationalizations from locators who were paid by the ticket via PFP that they need to speed to make money. There still is every reason not to speed if paid by the ticket becasue speeding tickets lead to higher insurance rates and eventually unemployment.

[Shadowcat]

I have heard rationalizations from locators who were paid by the ticket via PFP that they need to speed to make money. There still is every reason not to speed if paid by the ticket becasue speeding tickets lead to higher insurance rates and eventually unemployment.

Sorry to hear that they still get paid by the ticket....maybe they should collectively re-vamp their contract. I know sometimes it is hard to do this, especially when half or more of your day is full of ER's, but effectively routing yourself should take care of obsessions to speed. Also, a lot of other factors go into this, like ticket difficulty (i.e. projects).

[ProfessionalLocator]

Sorry to hear that they still get paid by the ticket....maybe they should collectively re-vamp their contract. I know sometimes it is hard to do this, especially when half or more of your day is full of ER's, but effectively routing yourself should take care of obsessions to speed. Also, a lot of other factors go into this, like ticket difficulty (i.e. projects).

I have never been on paid by ticket but I have been on PFP where my rate was adjusted quarterly. I liked it because once I got knowledgeable of my area, a couple of month process, I was able to efficiently route my tickets. I did well by it and was under no delusion that I was being paid fully for what I did. As I increased productivity my base overhead cost came down much more than my pay was increased. Still I was satisfied with my pay scale and more important I had a feeling of job satisfaction.

I can be done without speeding, just too many think it has to be done with speeding.