Meltdown at Work

[wanderer03]

Today I had a meltdown at work at the very end of the shift. So many of you know that I currently drive a bus for a living. Well, here is what my day looked like. My normally assigned bus has been in the shop for some rather significant work for the past 5 days. Mechanical issues happen, I get it. So, they assign me a bus with an Out of Service sign on it. Cool, yeah people make mistakes - again, I get it.

So, the next bus they assigned me started right up and I got it the point of origin when it caught fire. At least I was the only one in the bus and I was able to grab the grab the fire extinguisher and put it out. Apparently my phone call to dispatch reporting the issue spun some people up. No more buses were available so they sent me a 15 passenger van. I completed the run with the van, stopped at a gas station to fill it up, went to start it and it wouldn't start. By now, I'm pissed off. So, the mechanics come again with a jump kit and managed to get the van started.

I get to the dispatch window to drop my paperwork off and one of the maintenance managers asked me what I did to cause the fire. I lost it. It's a good thing the dispatcher came out from behind her window and talked us both down. I'm not a violent person but my stress tolerance level had just peaked and I told him I did not appreciate being blamed for his failures to maintain the buses. Furthermore, I managed to save the bus from being totally ruined - You'd think a thank you would be in order. Unfortunately, this manager is a cousin by blood of the owning family and has some kind of Napolean complex. I'm 6'4" and this guy was 5'4" if that.

Let's just say I won't be getting any promotions any time soon but I won't be let go because they only have enough drivers to cover all of their runs. If one person calls out, they have to cancel the run and pay a contract violation penalty to the customer. I could tell it really chapped this guy's ass and he really wanted to fire me. GaaaaaahhhhhhHH! I

 

[Judge]

For what it's worth, that all would have set me off like a bomb.

 

[wanderer03]

Oh trust me, I was close to thermonuclear.

 

[Judge]

Oh trust me, I was close to thermonuclear.

Roger that. "Confidence is high."

 

[wanderer03]

Roger that. "Confidence is high."

Thank you for the chuckle. I needed that.

 

[jfk]

I think you're justified in your reactions, what a douchebag, trying to blame others for their maintenance mistakes - quite correct!

Hope you're OK today.

 

[wanderer03]

I guess all was forgiven because there were no write ups waiting for me to sign.

 

[Judge]

I guess all was forgiven because there were no write ups waiting for me to sign.

Damn straight. Kind of hard to set your vehicle on fire when you're in the driver's seat.

 

[Warmheart]

My compassion for your meltdown. Meltdowns feel awful! I'm also sorry it happened at work. I can't blame you, with the accumulated stress! YAY for there being no write-up. Related or not, I doubt the fellow is impervious to consequences at his job, nepotism or not. You did an excellent job handling a tough situation. And, good for you for telling the guy off for blaming you! I really admire you. May work go more smoothly soon!

 

[Stik]

I would've done the same thing. I used to drive for people with disabilities and the program didn't have a lot of money so our vehicles were often crap. One day the sliding door fell off the van I used and I just lost it. Luckily it was at the building and everyone was transported to where they needed to be but that was the last straw after everything else that had gone wrong with it. I hated that van like the guys in Office Space hated the copier/printer.

On another note, a lot of people don't understand how stressful it is for us to have something that we're not used to replacing our familiarities. It's especially difficult when all you want to do is your job. All those things build up and cause us to get irritated and usually results in taking it out on someone.

 

[nowwhat]

I don't think this was an autism-related blowup. More of a "moron needs to learn some manners the hard way" one. Yeah, I've torn people up one side and down the other a few times over stuff like that. Good that you still have a job.

 

[grommet]

...one of the maintenance managers asked me what I did to cause the fire.

I understand. This is the kind of thing that makes me and my girlfriend both go nuclear. We will always take responsibility for what we have done but never for what we haven't. And this person only thought to blame you, not thank you for saving the vehicle and risking your safety and what about that, what about expressing concern about how you are doing?

It's hard to work when you are aspie. I need structure and honesty and most jobs seem to be soft in these ways, like nothing really counts except sometimes they surprise you and tell you you are in trouble for something and none of it makes sense and, you didn't do anything wrong. We blow up for a reason. How aspies do work and manage I do not understand but I admire it very much. My best to you

 

[wanderer03]

I would've done the same thing. I used to drive for people with disabilities and the program didn't have a lot of money so our vehicles were often crap. One day the sliding door fell off the van I used and I just lost it. Luckily it was at the building and everyone was transported to where they needed to be but that was the last straw after everything else that had gone wrong with it. I hated that van like the guys in Office Space hated the copier/printer.

On another note, a lot of people don't understand how stressful it is for us to have something that we're not used to replacing our familiarities. It's especially difficult when all you want to do is your job. All those things build up and cause us to get irritated and usually results in taking it out on someone.

This is exactly how I felt!

 

[wanderer03]

I don't think this was an autism-related blowup. More of a "moron needs to learn some manners the hard way" one. Yeah, I've torn people up one side and down the other a few times over stuff like that. Good that you still have a job.

My reaction is considered inappropriate. A passive-aggressive style probably would be the better way to go. I just have no filter and don't suffer fools.

 

[Kupu2]

It amazes me he didn't ask if you were ok or needed to destress after that ordeal. A vehicle on fire? Traumatic! And all he cared about was the vehicle??!