Are G4S knowingly trying to get someone killed?

I honestly think you're making a mountain out of a molehill, I've never notice it to be an issue in the past.

Until you made it into one.

Maybe G4S need to take some pointers from the Romans, they could park ages away if they went around like this:

This is London my friend...

Rob them. Cycle away. Sorted.

FYI, G4S are actually knobs

http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=4360

I think the crux of this argument is pretty simple. A privately owned company should not be allowed to disregard traffic regulations because it suits their business model. The risks of running a high security business should be borne entirely by that business and not by the public.

Even with the Olympics fiasco, G4S reported profits of £175 million in 2012. If they wanted to park safely, form a phalanx of security guards and walk round the block they could easily afford to.

But they won't because they are cunts. And public safety doesn't appear on their balance sheets.

What happened with the law/rule that you shouldn't park near a junction? It's common to see a dirty great tit panzer 4x4 with blacked out windows slap bang on a junction so you can't see shit through the windows if a car's approaching the junction.

G4S routinely park on the double red lines at Elephant & Castle between (or at) the bus stops. Given the volume of traffic there, with buses stopping and people crossing between parked cars it seems particularly hazardous. I see Stevo's point about the risk to their staff, but does that give them the right to ignore traffic regulations? Do they build the cost of getting parking tickets into their financial model, or do traffic wardens just not even bother? Ultimately they're not emergency service vehicles, so they don't have to send the drivers out alone, but they've chosen to do so to maximise their profit.

racist

I'm from Belfast, that is how we pronounce the word "blocking".

And also "blacking".

but does that give them the right to ignore traffic regulations? Do they build the cost of getting parking tickets into their financial model, or do traffic wardens just not even bother?

Not all traffic regulations but most likely the one's to do with parking. They couldn't run red light, say. And if the routinely did that then I would be saying "hang the fuckers out to dry". I very much doubt you will see a G4S van get a parking ticket.

Yes they are a private corporation but you have to be very stupid if you can't understand the reasons for them parking as close as possible to their pick up/drop off points. Even if there were three in a van, they would still do this and I would still say it was justified. Can you really say you would gladly walk down Walworth Road, Oxford Street, Shoreditch High Street carrying a box that is very obviously full of used notes???

Yes they are a private corporation but you have to be very stupid if you can't understand the reasons for them parking as close as possible to their pick up/drop off points.

I think you're missing the point slightly here. We all know why they do it but the question is should they? After all, they are a privately owned company that operates for (a huge) profit. If we accept that traffic regulations are there to keep the public safe the argument boils down to public safety versus private profits... I know which side I'm on.

But it's not public safety versus private profits. The whole reason for doing this is for their employees' safety!!! Just because they are G4S employess, are they no longer members of the public? Like I said, if there were three in the van, one driver and two handlers, they would and should still park like this. The parking restrictions are there to prevent a free for all which would lead to dangerous situations, this is an exception, if you cannot handle occasional exceptions (and static ones at that!) maybe you shouldn't be on the road.

For argument's sake, do you think it would be ok if they were a not for profit organisation carrying out the same role?

Who else is going to move large sums of cash around? Until you can come up with that answer, dry your eyes. And don't say "park somewhere legally" we have already covered the fact that it would put the G4S employees at more risk of serious harm by being violently robbed (a higher risk than inept people who can't negotiate a "poorly" parked vehicle).

"Don't come to me with a problem, come to me with a solution."

Is they problem that they don't get tickets when they park inconsiderately? Lots of other people park inconsiderately and they get tickets. Or is it generally about inconsiderate parking for all delivery drivers regardless? I'm not sure.

What about bin men? Buses? Ambulances? Cops? Taxis? Fed Ex guys? Posties? Yodel vans? Traffic wardens on bikes? Medical couriers? People pulling over to make a call? Beer deliveries at pubs? Food deliveries at food shops? Clothes deliveries at clothes shops?

Cheese deliveries at cheese shops? Those fucking cheesemongers have been getting away with things for far too long. Look at cheese profits!!!!!

I just consider that all as part of what is generally referred to as "traffic" and then move around it just like any other vehicle.

I found this after 2 minutes on google.

Security cash vans don't get tickets because local authorities will grant them an exemption as long as they are carrying out their duties and not popping into the shops for a packet of fags or a kebab.

9.42 TROs invariably exempt vehicles being used for fire service, ambulance or police purposes, or being used to remove an obstruction (such as a broken down vehicle). TROs usually also exempt service vehicles, but only when they are being used to carry out certain activities (for example, telecommunications vehicles when laying lines, or vehicles of a universal postal service provider delivering mail). These are not general exemptions for vehicles of a certain type, irrespective of use.

I would be very surprised if cash security vans didn't come under most local authorities' definition of service vehicles tbh.

It looks like the local authorities, and TFL, actually grant a parking exemption to security vehicles collecting or delivering cash:
https://www.stratford.gov.uk/files/seealsodocs/12206/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20wcc%20sdc%20cancellation%20policy%20draft2.pdf, see page 17.
so as long as they are not parking indiscriminately or causing an obstruction, they are not parking illegally.

There are better thing in life to worry about than a G4S vans parked too close to the kerbs, like making sure your tyres inflated to the correct pressure for example.

And cheese profits.

Boursin are very important people.

So to answer the original question: G4S do not appear to be knowingly trying to kill people.

But that is some quality Daily Mail-esque headline writing though.

/thread

Worst thread ever... Nergs all 'round...

One mention of cheese and TS is straight in, only to be disappointed and nerg everyone.

I've worked for G4S in their maintenance division and to be honest they are nasty company and pay rubbish - however I know a couple of guys who work the secure cash pick up vans and just to clarify
1- They are always in pairs one driver and one guy locked in the back
2- They park as close as possible to pick up point
3- The last thing on their minds are cyclists
4- Most of them have had some sort of attempted robbery at some stage of their working life
5- Those vests and helmets are not bulletproof
I don't want to take the fight out of your intention to stand up for your fellow cyclist- but trust me its a lost cause trying to get G4S to do anything. G4S will do nothing about your complaints - They don't even listen to concerns raised by their workers about staff safety. That Olympic fiasco was just a front as they still get large contracts from the government and everybody else like Gatwick Airport. Remember they torture people in prisons all around the world on a regular basis (they provide most of the security guards and prison officers since privatisation) and are practically in every governmental institution which include the ones we don't know about..... Basically they are a bunch of A**holes who are pretty sadistic and have short arms and deep pockets!

mmmmmmmmmm cheese profits....

1- They are always in pairs one driver and one guy locked in the back

Of course, one need to make sure the Boursin doesn't melt when the other pop round to get some more salami.

2- They park as close as possible to pick up point

See above - usually required when they need to buy more baguette on top of the salami, they're quite fragile.

3- The last thing on their minds are cyclists

They don't carry cheese, let alone enough, except maybe in the winter where it's less likely to go pongy, which is why they're able to ride as they pleased.

4- Most of them have had some sort of attempted robbery at some stage of their working life

Cheese are fucking amazing, I would be lying if I said I didn't think about holding G4S at onionpoint.

5- Those vests and helmets are not bulletproof

Obviously not, they're made out of cheese, them holes aren't enough to stop onion.