Wednesday 9 August 2023: E-mail for a delivery driver
It was good to speak with you on the telephone a few minutes ago. I am looking forward to the delivery of my new filing cabinet on Friday morning.
Somewhat at odds with the (postally-correct) address you will have been given by Viking Direct, I live in a village called Elham, which lies about half way between Canterbury and Folkestone, about five miles north of the Channel Tunnel. Whilst there are some tiny lanes around Elham, the principal road through the village is a road along which Canterbury lies to the north, and Folkestone (as well as Hythe) lies to the south. Canterbury is on the A2, and Folkestone is on the M20. Therefore, approaching Elham from the A2 / Canterbury one is travelling southwards; whereas approaching Elham from the M20 / Folkestone one is travelling northwards.
My house lies on the principal road on the southerly (Folkestone) outskirts of the village. Therefore, approaching from the north, one has first to pass through the village; whereas approaching from the south, I live on the outskirts first encountered. Your choice between A2 and M20 will determine how you find my house.
From the difficulties experienced by many delivery drivers, it is clear that the postcode CT4 6UG, whilst entirely accurate, is insufficient information to find my house. This is substantially because, along with many of the houses in the village, and all the houses along Canterbury Road, the houses are named not numbered. Very few people who live in the village know the names of more than a few houses, and therefore can be of little help when solicited by a visitor. Arrival at the satellite navigation system ‘destination’ puts one about 250 metres closer to the centre of the village than is my house, that is to the north of my house. From this location, the only houses visible are on one side of the road. My house, a bungalow, lies on the opposite side of the road, and is invisible because it lies behind an enormous Leylandii hedge. Therefore, if one drives slowly southwards (towards Folkestone) and looks to the left, not to the right, mine is the first house one encounters.
It is often the case that a delivery driver, on arriving at the postcode ‘destination’, will attempt to telephone me. Frustratingly, nestling in the North Downs, Elham has poor cellphone reception, and I frequently have no cellphone reception at all. However, when I am successfully alerted to a delivery driver attempting to find my house, it is usual for me to step outside my house, and stand beside the road, waving. From the location that satellite navigation systems designate as CT4 6UG, I can be seen waving.
Sometimes, my guidance is ignored, and a delivery driver can waste much time driving around, maybe even passing my house several times without realising it.
I hope that what I have written is helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment