Freezing temps:

I’m calling about that ‘Drive a Little and Save a Lot’ time and
temperature sign on Highway 101 between Leavesley and 10th Street.
I sure wish they could get the temperature right. The time seems to
be pretty accurate but the temperature’s never close.
Freezing temps: “I’m calling about that ‘Drive a Little and Save a Lot’ time and temperature sign on Highway 101 between Leavesley and 10th Street. I sure wish they could get the temperature right. The time seems to be pretty accurate but the temperature’s never close. They said it was 4 degrees at 8:30 one Thursday morning. I don’t know what they’re talking about. Can you see what’s up with that? Thanks.”

Caller, if you noticed just recently, the sign wasn’t even working. The Red Phone made several calls regarding this, and before it even received a call back, it noticed some men up on the sign itself, working on it Thursday. The following day, Red Phone drove by and the sign was working, (almost all) the lightbulbs lit with the correct time and what appeared to be an accurate temperature.

Customer service complaints: “Oh Red Phone do I have one for you … I’m sure we aren’t all happy with companies we have to use, like South Valley Disposal Service. I work for a company here in Gilroy and have to deal with grouchy people, but as a representative of a company I have to suck it up and be calm, not rude.

After speaking to a customer service person, I was totally dissatisfied. … My complaint at home and work is always the same: I have a rude driver or my garbage and recycling isn’t picked up. The driver is there honking, yelling or otherwise getting your attention in our gated communities and yards, and it’s a ‘courtesy.’ If your trash can is behind a gate or in your yard at home or work, they can just leave and then charge you to come back out. It is policy of many places in town like that big black building on Arroyo Circle that their gate is locked, as well as Temple-Inland and storage facilities.

But (my major complaint) is really the repeated rudeness from the employees at South Valley Disposal. They know we have to have service‚ but that’s no reason to be rude to their customers because they know we have no other option.”

The Red Phone got in touch with the always-approachable Phil Couchee, manager of South Valley Disposal and Recycling, who said that drivers absolutely should not be honking and yelling.

“Drivers usually have either a combination or a key to gated communities,” Couchee said. And added that if a driver comes to a gated community and encounters a problem with the gate, “(he) is to call the office and get the access code.”

Couchee said that the driver you had problems with might not be a regular. “He may have been a relief driver who’s not on a route regularly,” he said. “I spoke to the supervisors about this and they hadn’t heard of anyone having trouble and not being able to get in.”

About your customer service complaints, Couchee said that, too, is unacceptable.

“I sincerely apologize for any problems she had with customer service,” and added that those who experience customer service dissatisfaction “can call me (842-3358) if they encounter a problem that are unable to get solution to.”

Police appreciation: “I just had to call about the article about the police citing 45 during ‘Operation Safe Passage.’ That’s great! It’s so awful having these people send their kids across the street in front of your car, jaywalking and double parking. So I hope they keep doing it. Thanks.”

For those who missed it, this caller is referring to an article in the Jan. 19 edition about a campaign to enforce traffic laws around local schools. The article can be found on the Web site, www.gilroydispatch.com, by searching for ‘Operation Safe Passage.’

Red Letter … what?: “I saw the article on the band Red Letter Days. One of the band members was an old friend of mine from school – Wade Hamilton. I had a really big crush on Wade, I totally loved him. I knew he was going to be something cool. Just wanted to leave a message. Good luck Red Letter Days … not Red Letter Days, let’s make it Red Letter Babes.”

The Red Phone got your message loud and clear. It’s sure that Wade, and the other band members, will appreciate your adoration. To check out the article, simply visit www. gilroydispatch.com, and search for Red Letter Babes … er … Days.

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